Smart Home Reviews
Editors' Choice
We review hundreds of products in a wide range of categories each year. Here's the best of the best in smart homes.
Philips Hue Lightstrip Outdoor review
Philips Hue fans can at last enjoy the brilliance of this weatherproof light strip, which offers simple, versatile positioning, a rich selection of 16 million color options, and bright, vibrant illumination. See Full Review »
Our Score
9
Smart Home Reviews
Showing
8
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117
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd Generation) Review
- Impressive full sound quality
- Inexpensive introduction to smart home control
- Alexa smarter than ever
- Improved aesthetic befitting modern home design
- Better microphone sensitivity
- Fabric covering could show dirt over time
- New power port is less universal
Our Score
9
JBL Link View Review
- Sounds incredible
- Easy to set up and use
- Using recipes is very easy and useful
- Works with YouTube
- More expensive than the Amazon Echo Show or Lenovo…
- Most skills don’t take advantage of the screen
Our Score
7
Amazon Echo Show (2017) Review
- Easy to use
- Some Alexa features, like timers and lists, are…
- Plays videos and gives visual search results
- Lots of potential uses for an assistant with a…
- Skills still need some work
- No privacy shutter
Our Score
7
Amazon Echo (2017) Review
- Interchangeable shell allows you to mix up design
- Updated Alexa features include individual voice…
- Compact
- Audio output Jack
- Sound on calling feature more muffled than with…
- Acoustics better with firmware upgrade
Our Score
8
SimpliSafe Review
- Beautifully designed base station blends…
- Set and forget installation means you’re only…
- Low-cost home monitoring service provides…
- No contracts
- Limited smartphone integration out of the box
- Home monitoring service subscription required
Our Score
8
Apple HomePod Review
- Excellent, nuanced sound
- Great design
- Easy HomeKit setup and control
- Streaming support via AirPlay
- No built-in support for Spotify, Pandora, or other…
- Requires iOS device running iOS 11.2.5 to set up
- No Bluetooth or Aux jack for non-iOS devices
Our Score
6
Johnson Controls GLAS Review
- Stunning hardware with a beautiful and responsive…
- Simple installation, with comprehensive guidance
- Wealth of choice for control
- Sensitive microphone picks up even quiet voice…
- Reasonable selection of smart home device…
- Expensive, compared to category leaders like…
- Clunky Cortana configuration
- Tinny integrated speaker
Our Score
7
Amazon Echo Plus Review
- Built-in smart home hub eliminates the need for a…
- Seamless pairing with Zigbee compatible devices
- Three color choices (black, white, and silver)…
- Multi-room audio feature is handy
- Sound quality of speaker isn’t as rich as we’d…
- Doesn’t allow connection to devices on different…
Our Score
8