Easy-to-Install Smart Home Gadgets: Our Top Picks

What Are the Best Smart Home Gadgets?

First, we should define what we mean by a smart home gadget. For purposes of this FAQ, a smart home gadget is something that makes a home smarter as soon as you plug it in, turn it on, or set it on the table or countertop – “smart,” meaning the device can learn your behavior, automate an everyday task, and be connected for control at your fingertips. It's something so simple that you can buy it at the hardware store (or have it delivered) in the morning and be enjoying its benefits by the afternoon.

Here's a quick list of today's easy-to-install, high-impact smart home gadgets:

• Smart Light Bulbs, Plugs, and Switches

  Perhaps the simplest smart home devices to install are smart plugs, smart light bulbs and smart wall switches. They merely have to be plugged or screwed into place - replacing your standard bulbs or switches - and whatever's connected to them is immediately under smart control. Depending on the model and manufacturer, you can illuminate your space on a pre-set schedule using voice commands and/or motion sensors that detect when you’re present.

• Smart Doorbells and Security Cameras

  If smart bulbs and switches are the easiest gadgets to set up, today's smart doorbells and security cameras (which are just as simple to install) may be the most popular gadgets. The market for these products has exploded in recent years, and for good reason -- they can tell you when the delivery driver is at the front door, what's happening in the baby's room, and who's in your back yard when they shouldn't be. It's all viewable via your smartphone or integrated smart display.

• Smart Vacuums and Lawn Mowers

  Are clean floors your "thing" but you lack the time (or energy) to do the work yourself? A smart vacuum could be the answer. With just a few basic set-up steps, these robotic devices will navigate through your home, suck up loose dirt and debris, and map the best path for future sweeps. Similar technology has been extended to lawn care, too, with smart lawn mowers that - once you help them learn your property lines - can trim the grass so quietly your neighbors won't even hear it.

• Smart Thermostats and Environmental Controls

  It's one thing to set your thermostat to change temperatures at particular times of the day, but how about one that will change settings based on what it learns about your activity over time? That's what a smart thermostat, or “learning thermostat,” can do. Say you've set it to turn up the heat at the time you typically awake each morning, but your habits change and you start rising earlier? A smart thermostat with motion-sensing capabilities can notice the change and adjust accordingly.

These are just a few of the easy-to-install smart home devices we've found. There are many more. Robotic pet sitters keep your dog or cat occupied while you're away. Smart trash cans remind you when it's time to empty them. Smart window blinds open and close with the movement of the sun. The right easy-to-install smart home device for you is no farther away than your local home improvement store or favorite shopping website.

As the smart home, smart office, and general smart tech trend continues to ramp up, expect to see great things from Lenovo and other innovative companies!