5 brilliant smart home devices on Amazon that might change your life

The smart home market isn't exactly new anymore at this point, but there's one thing that separates smart home devices from other popular consumer technology markets. Unlike smartphones, laptops, and other similar products where huge innovations only come around once every few years, there are innovative new smart home gadgets that pop up all the time. Sure, popular gadgets like smart locks, Philips Hue light bulbs, and robot vacuums are likely the first things you think of when the topic of smart home devices comes up. But everyone knows that's just the tip of the iceberg and cool new gadgets hit the market all the time.

Among our readers, there are a few smart home gadgets that are always best-sellers. Examples include TP-Link Kasa smart plugs that are on sale right now for just $6.75 each, the $26 Wyze Cam home security camera, and Alexa smart speakers like the Echo Dot that's on sale right now with a discount. Now, we're going to introduce you to five new smart home devices that you'll wonder how you ever lived without.

Smart garage doors

The awesome MyQ smart garage door opener turns any garage door into a smart garage door for just $40. It installs in under 15 minutes and ties into the MyQ app, which is a breeze to use. You'll never have to wonder again if you forgot to close your garage door while you were rushing out to work or school in the morning!

Chamberlain's MyQ is actually on sale right now for the new lower price of $29.98, which is an incredible value. What's more, you can use the Amazon Key promotion to get a $40 Amazon credit!

Here are some bullet points from the product page:

New free in-garage delivery with key by amazon available in select areas (check eligibility at amazon.com/keypromo). Prime members can opt in with the myQ smart garage hub to get Amazon packages securely delivered right inside their garage, simply link your myQ account in the Key app
Smartphone control: Control, secure and monitor your garage door from anywhere and receive real-time notifications when your garage door is opening or closing.
Universal: Works with all major brands of garage door openers manufactured after 1993 that have standard safety sensors.

Chamberlain MYQ-G0401-E Garage-Door-Openers, White

Price: $29.98
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Smart curtains

We can pretty much guarantee that you've never heard of the SwitchBot Curtain. Now that you have, however, we can also pretty much guarantee that you're going to want it.

Smart curtains are awesome but they're also very expensive, which is why SwitchBot came up with this brilliant little gadget. Just pop it onto any curtain rod and in just one or two seconds, your regular old curtain can now be controlled using your smartphone. What's more, you can add scheduling features that automatically open and close your curtains at certain times each day.

And if you really want the full smart curtain experience, add in the $39 SwitchBot Hub Mini so you can tie in your SwitchBot Curtain devices with your smart home system, or control them with voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant!

Here's info from the Amazon listing:

Install in 30 seconds - make your curtains smart in seconds without any screws, nuts, or bolts. (Please be aware that the current version of Rod type SwitchBot is not compatible with the Telescoping Rod.)
Multiple Control - Offer SwitchBot App control for iOS and Android, open and close the curtain at your fingertip. Enjoy Touch & Go when giving a little pull. Check via app and remotely close the curtains for anti-theft when traveling (Bluetooth Range: 1.2km, with SwitchBot Hub Plus/Mini control remotely from anywhere).

SwitchBot Curtain Smart Electric Motor - Wireless App or Automate Timer Control, Add Hub Mini/P…

Price: $99.00
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SwitchBot Hub Mini Smart Remote - IR Blaster, Link SwitchBot to Wi-Fi, Control Air Conditioner,…

Price: $39.00
You Save: $10.00 (20%)
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Smart cooking

Everything else in your home has smart features and internet connectivity, so why not your cooking gadgets?

The Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer is a top-rated air fryer with thousands of 5-star ratings on Amazon. This model has a nice big 8-quart capacity and all the regular features you might want in an air fryer, but it also connects to an app on your smartphone where you'll find recipes and controls. You can even use Alexa to cook your dinner!

Here's some more info from the product listing:

Wi-fi connectivity: With the Proscenic Home app, Alexa, or Google Assistant voice commands, you can control your air fryer, schedule the cooking, adjust and monitor the cooking process, and customize your own recipes, which is very easy and convenient to operate.
Tens of online recipes & customize recipes: The Proscenic Home app provides you Tens of preset original and delicious recipes, it is a great helper for the person who doesn't know how to cook a meal, just prepare the food as the recipes, and the air fryer will cook for you. In addition, you can customize your own recipes and save the corresponding program on the app.
Combination functions: Engineered with three combination functions - Schedule + menu + keep Warm, you can choose any one, or two, or three of them, it all depends on your need. This is the unique function Proscenic Air fryer has, which other brand fryers don’t have yet.

Proscenic T21 Smart Air Fryer, App & Alexa Control, XL 5. 8QT, 1700 Watt Electric Air Fryers Ov…

Price: $129.00
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Smart humidifier

I'm not sure why this winter was worse than other winters in the past in my area, but the humidity in my home was ridiculously low all winter long. It was wreaking havoc on my allergies, my lips were always chapped, and so on. The Levoit Cool Mist Humidifier is a great 6-liter humidifier with all the features you might expect. On top of that, it has smart features that you might not expect like the ability to control it with a smartphone or even Alexa! After this past winter, I'm definitely getting a few humidifiers for my home.

Here are a few bullet points from Levoit's product page:

Smart & Voice Control: Connect this smart humidifier to the free VeSync app for remote control or Set up the smart humidifier to work with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for hands-free control. Levoit Smart Wifi Humidifier works with a stable 2.4GHz network
Easy Maintenance: No need to flip upside down—the top-fill design makes cleaning and refilling quick and spill-free
Automatic Convenience: The cool mist humidifier’s built-in sensor automatically adjusts mist output based on the target humidity level you select in Auto Mode

Levoit Humidifiers for Bedroom Home Large Room, 6L Smart WiFi Top Fill Cool Mist Air Ultrasonic…

Price: $59.99
You Save: $10.00 (14%)
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Smart connectivity

There's one thing that every single smart home device has in common: it needs internet connectivity to function. If you have areas of your home with spotty Wi-Fi, that means your smart home devices aren't going to work as well — if they even work at all. The TP-Link RE105 Wi-Fi range extender is the updated version of TP-Link's best-selling model ever and has several key performance upgrades. It also operates specifically on the 2.4GHz frequency, which is what all smart home devices use. For $19.99, you really can't go wrong!

Here's some additional detail from the product page:

Extend WiFi Coverage - Boost Internet WiFi coverage with 2 external antennas for more reliable Wi-Fi, compatible with any WiFi Router, Gateway, Access Point*
More than a WiFi Repeater - RE105 also supports AP mode which creates a new Wi-Fi Access point for home
Fast Ethernet Port - Experience wired speed and reliability anywhere in your home by connecting your favorite device to the fast ethernet port
Better Range with External Antennas - Two external Antennas with MIMO technology for improved range versus standard range extenders