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The 5 weirdest smart home gadgets of 2023

Jon Bitner
By

Smart home gadgets come in all shapes and sizes — but some are undoubtedly weirder than others. Video doorbells, security cameras, and smart thermostats are common in 2023, but did you know there’s such a thing as a smart toilet? Or how about a smart fork?

Here’s a look at five of the weirdest smart home gadgets of 2023. Some of them are surprisingly useful — and might make a worthy addition to the right household.

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Numi 2.0 Smart Toilet

The Numi 2.0 Smart Toilet

As far as smart toilets are concerned, the Numi 2.0 is about as smart as it gets. Clocking in at a staggering $11,500, this deluxe appliance lets you adjust its ambient colored lighting, features a built-in speaker system, and there’s even a heated seat. It syncs with the Kohler Konnect app so you can easily control all the action, which also includes the option to enable a power-saving mode or perform an “emergency flush” during power outages.

Litter-Robot 4

The Litter Robot 4 with a cat inside.

Litter boxes are never fun to deal with, but that’s not true with the Litter-Robot 4. This self-cleaning litter box automatically sifts through litter, so you never have to scoop again. It’s also designed with the OdorTrap System, which limits the number of smells that seep into your living space. Toss in the ability to detect when a cat is inside, a companion smartphone app, and a quiet operating noise, and you’ve got a weird smart home gadget that’s surprisingly appealing.

HAPI Fork

The HAPI Fork on a white background.

HAPI Fork is one of the few smart home utensils on the market. Aside from its unique design, HAPI Fork is built to help you lose weight by teaching you to eat at a slower pace. The fork will actually vibrate if you’re eating too fast, and you’ll also see indicator lights start flashing to give you a visual cue to slow down. All of your food-consuming habits can then be tracked with the HAPI app — and there’s even a coaching program to help you further improve your diet and eating patterns.

Oura Smart Rings

A person wearing the Oura Smart Ring.

Smart Rings aren’t as weird as they used to be, but they’re still a rather unique category of smart gadgets. The Oura Smart Ring is at the top of its class, offering sleep, fitness, and health tracking without the need to wear a bulky smartwatch or install a sleep monitor in your home. They’re not cheap — with prices around $300 — but these strange little devices are a great alternative to traditional sleep and fitness trackers.

Revolution InstaGlo Smart Toaster

The InstaGlo Toaster on a wooden countertop.

Having trouble toasting your toast, or want to make the perfect bagel? The InstaGlo Smart Toaster is here to help. Featuring a massive touchscreen display that allows you to quickly cook up a variety of different items, this might be the best-looking toaster of 2023. Whether or not it’s worth $350 is another story, but there’s no denying it’s one of the weirdest smart home products you can find on the market. And if you want to get extra weird, you can bundle in a Panini Press that churns out flawless grilled cheeses and quesadillas.

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Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner
Jon Bitner is a freelance journalist whose gaming addiction began with the SEGA Genesis. His work has been published on…
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