Here Are the Best Smart Home Gifts of 2026.
If someone on your gift list wants to make their home “smart,” the task can be challenging. There are numerous smart devices on the market , each with varying price points and feature sets. Moreover, smart home design can be as simple or complex as the user’s preferences: someone might want to control their lighting with the same convenient smart speaker they use for music, while others might prefer to automate their entire home.
If you’re here, you probably know your gift recipient is looking for smart home devices, but you’re unsure where to start. So, I’ve rounded up some of the most popular smart device categories and highlighted a specific product that’s generally best suited for most users interested in this type of device. (Although, as with any tech gift, my top tip is to ask the recipient exactly what they want—this will help avoid the risk of buying something incompatible with their systems or something that requires a subscription they don’t want to pay for.)
The Best Smart Speaker Gift: Echo Dot Max
“Smart home” encompasses many product categories, but for me, the smart speaker is perhaps the most important. It’s certainly the most versatile: a smart speaker can act as an intelligent control center for your entire smart home, or it can be the only smart device. Perhaps someone you know is looking to set up a smart home and this is their first step, or they simply need a device that can simultaneously play music and tell you the weather.
It’s difficult to pick just one smart speaker to recommend first, as this category is particularly platform-dependent. If your gift recipient is fully committed to the Apple ecosystem, the HomePod mini might be the best choice; on the other hand, if they’re a Google enthusiast, the Google Home Speaker might be just as good. However, if I had to choose just one speaker, I’d go with the Amazon one. I’m not necessarily of the opinion that the Amazon product has the best sound quality, but I do think it’s the most versatile speaker of the bunch. No matter what platform your gift recipient uses, they can connect their Amazon speaker to it and power any number of smart home devices. If they have other Amazon devices, like a Fire TV or Kindle, that’s even better; if not, it won’t hurt.
Amazon makes quite a few smart speakers these days, but here I’ll focus on the best value for money. In this regard , the Echo Dot Max is arguably the best value . It’s slightly more powerful than the Echo Dot and has more advanced audio technology (Amazon claims it has a tweeter and woofer, as opposed to the Dot’s single front-facing speaker), and it’s a newer model (2025 vs. 2022). While you can upgrade to the Echo Studio, which has better audio technology than the Dot Max, the former costs almost twice as much. The Echo Dot Max seems to offer the best value—or you could give someone two Echo Dot Maxes for a stereo system for the price of one Echo Studio.
The best smart bulb gift: WiZ Smart LED Bulb.
Besides smart speakers, smart lights are probably the first device that comes to mind when I think of a smart home. Not only are they easy to set up and use, but they’re also perhaps the most visible example of a smart home: most people enjoy turning lights on and off with voice commands, as well as changing colors as they please.
There’s a huge selection of smart lights on the market, spanning a variety of brands, price points, and features. But if you’re looking to gift someone a set of smart lights, WiZ offers the best value . These smart lights cost just over $20 per bulb, but the price per bulb drops quickly when purchased in packs. A two-pack costs $21.99, a three-pack costs $24.99, and a four-pack costs $37.99. WiZ bulbs were chosen by CNET as one of the best smart lights of 2026 , partly due to their affordable price, but also because they don’t require a hub, support a wide range of platforms, and feature color-changing and motion-detection features.
The Best Smart Camera Gift: Eufy Eufycam C35
If you Google “best smart cameras of 2026,” you’ll find a multitude of brands and opinions. Ring, Blink, Arlo, Google, and many others top all the best lists, offering features like pan-tilt, 4K video, AI capabilities, cloud video storage, and more. The problem is that many of the best smart camera features require a subscription, which I don’t really like as a gift. You want the person to be able to use the gift without worrying about a monthly or annual fee. And if you’re not willing to pay a subscription, you might want to look for an option that works well without one.
Therefore, I’d lean toward the Eufy EufyCam C35 . The Eufy outdoor camera is reasonably priced, especially during sales (currently $54.99). It features two-way audio, color night vision, and on-device media storage. CNET recommends adding an SD card or Eufy hub for expanded local storage, as well as a solar panel if you want to avoid constantly recharging the camera. The video resolution isn’t as high as some other models, limited to 1080p, but that means less video data to worry about. Plus, the entire system works without a subscription. If you’re looking for something with more features, CNET has a great list of the best smart cameras of 2026 .
The best gift is a smart lock: Yale Assure Lock 2.
If you know someone who’s looking for a smart lock, be prepared: these things can be quite expensive. I suppose this isn’t surprising. If you’re trusting a device to protect your front door, you want it to do its job well, which means it may cost more than other standalone smart home devices.
For the price, one of the best and most functional smart locks you can buy is the Yale Assure Lock 2. It’s not the cheapest smart lock on the market, but it’s not the most expensive either. For this price ($240), you get a versatile smart lock that works with all major platforms (Alexa, Google, and Apple Home), supports digital badges, keyless unlocking, app control, and comes with a simple keypad for easy unlocking. There’s even a version with a fingerprint scanner if the gift recipient is looking for a smart lock with biometric authentication, but that will increase the price slightly.
Other smart locks tend to cost similarly, if not more. But if you’re looking for something cheaper without significantly compromising on functionality, consider the Ultraloq U-Bolt Pro. CNET highlights this option as a more affordable smart lock (around $110) that features a keypad and fingerprint scanner, as well as IP65 weather protection. However, a significant drawback is the lack of Apple support, so if you use Siri heavily, you’ll need to look elsewhere.
The Best Gift: A Smart Doorbell: TP-Link Tapo D225
Like smart locks, smart doorbells can quickly become expensive. And, as with smart locks, this is for good reason. You want your video intercom to record everything, whether it’s a delivery made in your absence or an intruder breaking in.
For most people looking for a smart video intercom, the TP-Link Tapo D225 may be the best choice. It’s reasonably priced and offers 2K video with a wide 180-degree viewing angle, as well as both wired and wireless connectivity. If the gift recipient doesn’t want to hardwire the intercom, it offers eight months of battery life. It also supports a number of platforms, including Alexa, Google Home, and IFTTT, though unfortunately not Apple Home. The recipient will also need their own SD card to record video or pay for cloud storage.
If you’re looking for an alternative, the second-generation Arlo video doorbell is also a great option, named the best smart doorbell by PCMag . This option costs about the same, is easy to set up, offers excellent video quality with a wide viewing angle, and lasts up to four months on a single charge (though you can also connect the doorbell wired if desired). Arlo also doesn’t support Apple Home, but it does support a variety of other platforms, including Alexa, Google Home, IFTTT, and Samsung SmartThings.
The main caveat here is that you’ll need an Arlo Secure subscription to access some features. This includes motion alerts, notifications, and even recorded video, which can be a bummer if the gift recipient isn’t interested in a subscription. Therefore, I’d generally recommend the TP-Link option.
The Best Smart Outdoor Camera Gift: TP-Link Tapo C310
Here’s what I look for in a smart security camera: high-quality video, night vision support, and intelligent motion detection, all without having to subscribe to many (or any) features. (Bonus points if it has a built-in floodlight.)
Speaking of TP-Link in the last category, I would also recommend this company if you’re looking for a smart home camera. Specifically, the TP-Link Tapo Wire-Free MagCam . This smart camera supports 2K video, color night vision, local and cloud video recording, and has an extended battery life of almost a year. These advantages, combined with the reasonable price, make it an excellent choice as a gift, which is why PCMag named it the best 2K wireless camera of the year . I especially like that all these features don’t require a subscription, so the recipient can simply set up the camera and start monitoring.
Again, TP-Link doesn’t support Apple Home, but it does support Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. It also lacks a mechanical pan and tilt system, so it won’t be able to move around to cover a large area of your yard. If the gift recipient is looking for a device that supports this type of video surveillance, PCMag recommends the Arlo Essential Outdoor Pan Tilt . This model is even cheaper than the Tapo C310 and also supports 2K video. However, accessing recorded video and receiving AI-powered alerts requires a fee, and you’ll have to use Arlo’s cloud recording solution, as it doesn’t offer local recording. For these reasons, I’d recommend TP-Link for more users.