Lifehacker Tech

Cameras, Leak Detectors, and Other Smart Home Devices Are on Sale Right Now

antzila
Antzila.com

I, too, would be excited about the new robot vacuum you unwrapped for Christmas that will roam your floor or the smart oven that promises to never over or undercook, but the truth is that the average smart home runs on an undercurrent of pretty unexciting stuff: plugs, wall switches, sensors, and the like. They’re not the splurge a robot vacuum is, but they’ll add up, so I always try to remember to stock up this time of year when there are deep discounts. Here are nine sales I’m paying attention to, and why. 

Tile Bluetooth Stickers

Tile bluetooth sticker on a remote control
Credit: Tile

I can lose anything, even in my home. Keys, wallet, dog leashes—but the item I was constantly scrounging for was the remotes. Tile stickers solve that problem by sticking to the remote to help you locate them. Unfortunately, you can’t replace the battery on these stickers, so once they’re dead, you have to replace them—and at $30 a pop, it makes you think twice. So grab them now, almost 30% off, at 19.99. No, they’re not Apple tags, and they only work via Bluetooth, but they’re great for finding things around the house. 

The Blink Mini Indoor Camera

The Blink Pan and Tilt Mount with the Blink Mini
Credit: Blink/Amazon

Some people will never put a camera in their house, and I understand their privacy concerns. But for me, being able to spy on passive things either from another room or while I’m out of the house, whether that’s a houseplant, a boiling pot on the stove or my pet, is a tradeoff I’m OK with. Once you decide you are, my best advice is to grab a Blink Mini, which I already had a few of, and the Pan and Tilt base, which made my Minis even more useful. They’re tiny, and can be stuck practically anywhere. The pan and tilt is 50% off right now, and the Minis are on deep discount as well. 

Kasa smart surge protector

The Kasa smart surge protector
Credit: Kasa

The only surge protector I could find with more than one smart plug is Kasa’s, which has six. After going on deep discount earlier this year, I picked one up and am thrilled with how it works so far interacting with my plant lights, so I can automate when they go on and off. It doesn’t require a hub, so if this is your first dip into Kasa’s products, you can control it with Alexa or Google Home or the Kasa app. At almost half off, it’s time to grab one. In fact, you can use this time to grab savings on all the Kasa smart plugs on discount. 

Moen Water Leak Detector

Moen water leak detector
Credit: Moen

I have water leak detectors all over my house: next to the water heater, under my kitchen sink, in a corner of the garage that can sometimes get water in a storm, and near my self-watering plants. I’ve always figured that the cost of the sensors outweighed the damage and annoyance a flood would have. I felt rather satisfied when my water heater started to leak while I was out of town last winter, but I was alerted to it from 1,500 miles away and could send someone in before real damage was done. 

Switchbot Smart Motion Sensor

Switchbot Motion Sensor
Credit: Switchbot

I’m going to talk about sensors a lot this year, because now that we have better triggers available in Google Home, these sensors are going to power the automations in your house, office, and everywhere else you go. Switchbot is quickly becoming one of my favorite brands for focusing less on making things small and modern, and instead making them useful. A motion sensor is a good start to building your automations. Detect movement in a room to turn on a light, see if someone is raiding the pantry, or if your cat is getting on the counters while you're out of the house. Mount this to the wall or use the included stand.

GE Cync Smart Light Switch

GE Cync smart light switch
Credit: GE

Smart wall switches aren’t new, they just make whatever was already wired to that switch smart—fans, lights, whatever. If you’re someone who really loves being able to turn every light in the house off with one button, replacing your wall switches with smart switches will get you there. What makes this one special is that it doesn’t require a neutral (white) wire, which most smart switches do. So if you’ve been held back by this requirement, GE has you covered. 

Meross Smart Light Switch for HomeKit and Google

Meross smart light switch
Credit: Meross

A lot of devices work with either Homekit or Alexa/Google, so this switch by Meross is a nice addition if you’ve got a neutral wire to work with. Meross is a company I really enjoy for their smart plugs, and though I haven’t tried this particular switch, for less than $20, I’d certainly give it a go. 

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