Skip to main content

This gizmo tracks your TP usage and automatically orders more when you get low

Smart home appliances have a tendency to border on solutions-for-nonexistent-problems territory, and no place is that more apparent than the CES show floor. This year is no different. Case in point: A smart toilet paper holder from a company called Homeplenish that keeps a tab on your usage and then  automatically orders more from your Amazon account when you’re about to run out.

Homeplenish says its device will prevent people from hoarding rolls as its algorithm can automatically predict when you’ll need more and order it on your behalf beforehand, unlike some alternatives that tend to buy replacements on a set schedule. Since the smart holder integrates with Amazon’s “Smart Reorder” platform, it also takes into account delivery times and calculates the ideal reorder time frame to ensure “there is never too much or too little towel and tissue on hand.”

Introducing Homeplenish™

“The convenience is lost if you’re storing more product than you can use or running out too soon,” Homeplenish’s direction of innovation, Kristen Wood, said. “Homeplenish solves this problem by removing the guesswork on when you’ll need more.”

Homeplenish offers its tech in two forms: A smart tower holder for your kitchen and a Tissue Spindle for your bathroom. They look like any other traditional holder, but are equipped with a series of sensors to track your usage. You don’t have to completely rely on Homeplenish’s estimates either. With the companion app, you do have the option to manage your household’s towel and tissue supply and tweak the order cycles to your preferences.

Homeplenish’s product does eliminate one little chore out of your life, but is that something you want to automate? Not only is it collecting sensitive data on your bathroom visits, but also has access to your Amazon account, which as we’ve seen in the past, can backfire and lead to some bizarre purchases. But if you often find yourself out of toilet paper and rushing to the supermarket for emergency supplies, it could be well worth a shot.

The Homeplenish Towel Holder is priced at $35, while the Tissue Spindle two-pack retails at $25. Both are now available to purchase on Amazon.

Editors' Recommendations

Shubham Agarwal
Shubham Agarwal is a freelance technology journalist from Ahmedabad, India. His work has previously appeared in Firstpost…
Wagz Tagz give pups freedom while keeping them off furniture
The Wagz Freedom Smart Collar.

There are all kinds of solutions for keeping dogs off the furniture, out of the cat’s litter box, and away from the garbage, but today at CES 2022, a new option was revealed that doesn’t require baby gates, barriers, covers, or locks.

Wagz gave media the first look at the Wagz Tagz accessory, a new and smart way to let your dog know where it shouldn’t be — even if you’re not home. Paired with the Freedom Smart Dog Collar (announced last year, and selling for $249), it’s a no-harm way to correct your dog, while still letting it have some freedom around your home or in the yard.

Read more
Wemo expands its home security lineup with a smart video doorbell
The Wemo Video Doorbell works with HomeKit Secure Video.

Wemo is known for easy-to-use smart home products, but its lineup has always been on the smaller side compared to the competition. The Wemo Smart Plug has earned a spot on our list of best smart plugs, but the company never focused heavily on home security -- until now. Today at CES 2022, Wemo announced the Wemo Smart Video Doorbell.

This video doorbell has a 178-degree field of view combined with a 4-megapixel camera. Throw in the enhanced night vision and zoom functionality, and you can keep an eye on what's happening not just at your door, but in your yard, too. The Wemo Smart Video Doorbell works exclusively with HomeKit Secure Video, which also means it's easy to set up and manage through the Home App.

Read more
The Home Connectivity Alliance wants to bring you the smart home of your dreams
A 55-inch Samsung The Frame 4K TV hangs on a wall in a dining room.

The interconnected nature of smart home technology has long been the subject of discussion, especially with regard to the "walled gardens" that sprang up around different platforms. Many opinion pieces (our own included) said that the smart home would never be truly "smart" until interoperability became commonplace. Today, a number of different companies came together to announce the launch of the Home Connectivity Alliance, an organization devoted to creating interoperable appliances within the home. This announcement might pale in comparison to CES 2022 launches of a massive new TV or a nifty new robot vacuum, but it's just as important.

The HCA is made up of American Standard Heating and Air Condition, Arcelik, The Electrolux Group, Haier, GE Appliances, Samsung Electronics, and Trane Residential. The presence of some of these companies comes as a surprise given their relatively low profile in the smart home market, but Samsung's membership is no surprise at all. Samsung has long been a proponent of Matter, another platform pushing for interconnectivity between devices.

Read more