We’ve all spent a lot more time at home these past couple of years, even to work. Everyone has been looking for ways to make home an even better place to be. As we enter into the holiday shopping season, giving the gift of a comfier home is never a bad idea. These smart gifts can help anyone on your list live and work, comfortably, securely, and conveniently from home.
Smart Office
Vibe Smart Board: A Powerful (and Fun) Tool to Help Your Team Collaborate Like Never Before
This smartboard is perfect for any office sessions where teams are looking for a better way to brainstorm, present to clients, and improve virtual training sessions. You get everything from video conferencing capabilities to applications (Youtube, Chrome, etc.), combined with an endless number of writing canvases. So, if you’re like us and have multiple people in your office constantly sharing the whiteboard and taking photos of their ideas before they are erased then you’ll love the ability to create multiple user profiles on Vibe so you can save and revisit your work at any time.
Our Impressions
“We are consistently ‘wowed’ by products that come through our door, but this one may take the cake. From setup to logging in the first time, the process could not have been easier. The screen’s responsiveness was fantastic and the feel was even better than we expected. We’ve all used whiteboards around the office, but this is like having unlimited whiteboards all in one place, something I promise you will be worth the investment if you’re looking for a better, cleaner, and more feature-rich way to collaborate with your team and/or present to clients.” — Ryan
(Bonus: We plan to make some really exciting content for our audience with the Vibe Smart Board, so stay tuned!)
Where to Buy: Website
Get 15% by following this link and using code IOT15
WiFi Everywhere™ Powerline 1200 av2 Wireless Kit: Use Your Existing Electrical Outlets to Expand Your Wireless Network
Perfect for anyone looking to get better coverage of their wireless network within a certain location. You don’t have to be tech-savvy to get it working, which is a huge plus.
Our Impressions
“The setup couldn’t have been easier. We installed this in our office and immediately witnessed the benefits. Definitely worth exploring if you need to create or expand your wireless network in your home, especially for those hard to reach places.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Website $149.99 $142.99 | Amazon $119.99 | Tiger Direct $129.99 | Wal‑Mart $129.99
Security
Canary View: The Perfect Indoor HD Security Camera and Surveillance Solution
Get this for anyone looking for a simple to set up indoor HD camera while also avoiding the upfront cost for video equipment; the Canary comes to you free of charge when you sign up for one of the most affordable premium services of any home security camera for $9.99/mo.
Our Impressions
“Great camera if you’re okay with paying a monthly subscription. The camera is easy to set up, great quality all around. Definitely worth looking into if you’re in the need for an indoor camera for your home”– Ryan
Where to Buy: Website
Abode Cam 2: The Compact Indoor/Outdoor Smart Home Security Camera
This is perfect for anyone taking their first steps in smart home security or for a smart home security veteran looking to upgrade their at-home security, as it works perfectly as a standalone single camera or a multi-camera setup.
Our Impressions
“Fantastic little camera that is super easy to set up. We loved how it can be used both indoors and outdoors and highly recommend it for anyone starting to build out their at-home security set up.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Website
(Currently 37% off)
Cync Indoor Smart Camera: A Premium Indoor HD Smart Camera That Keeps Privacy at Top of Mind
From parents to pet owners to the catch-all group of anyone looking to monitor their home from anywhere — this camera is quite diverse due to its privacy and communication features that allow its uses to be almost endless.
Our Impressions
“Simple to install (which is a must these days with security cameras). We loved the privacy shutter to disable the camera/mic when at home. The ability to have two-way audio gave us a lot of ideas on how this can be used, from monitoring your pets while away, to using it in the nursery to keep an eye on a child, all the way to installing multiple around the house to communicate with each other.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Lowes
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock: Provide Convenient and Secure Access for Any Home or Apartment
Great for homeowners and apartment dwellers looking for a simple to install wi-fi connected smart lock. When synced with the August app, you can easily control and monitor the door from anywhere, while keeping track of who is coming and going
Our Impressions
“We LOVE the design, super sleek and simple, no larger than the size of a standard doorknob. The pro version is a great product, but not everyone is looking to start there, so this gives you a great product that is easy to install, and doesn’t skimp on the must-have features like tracking entry/exit, and full remote access from your phone.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Website
Hex Home: A DIY Home Security System
This is the perfect gift for anyone looking for an in-home security system that requires very little setup and a minimal number of devices. It’s simple and easy to use.
Our Impressions
“It’s a super unique approach to in-home security that we haven’t tested before. The setup could not have been easier in our “smaller” test facility. For larger homes/spaces, it may require a few more devices and good WiFi coverage throughout the home in order to provide maximum efficiency — but that’s usually a given these days.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Website
(20% off with code IoTForAll)
Brilliant All-In-One Smart Home Control: In-Wall System to Control Smart Home Devices
If you’re looking for a gift to seamlessly control multiple smart home products across leading brands in one control panel then this is it. It’s like a universal remote for your smart home devices.
Our Impressions
“These all-in-one control panels are definitely worth looking into if you are interested in taking your smart home set up to the next level. The interface is clean and the integrations are super easy to set up. Definitely worth considering!” – Ryan
Where to Buy: Website
Comfort
Roborock S7+: Ultimate Hands-off Cleaning Experience With an Auto-Emptying Dock
Give the gift of saving time on cleaning! Although priced a bit higher than other robot vacuums on the market, there really isn’t a better option for those who want a hands-off approach to both vacuuming and mopping with one device.
Our Impressions
“As an avid Roborock S6 MaxV vacuum user, I could not wait to try the new S7+. It did not disappoint and really addressed things I wished were different with the S6. For me I was looking for strong suction, the ability to mop and clean carpet in one clean, and I wanted to manually empty it less — and they addressed all of these with the S7+. Whether you’ve had a robot vacuum for years, or never used one before, I highly recommend you check this robot vacuum out. You don’t be disappointed.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Amazon
(24% off 11/22/2021 – 11/29/2021)
Iblinds: Easy-To-Install Solution to Make Your Window Blinds Smart
Imagine giving your loved ones the ability to open the blinds without getting out of bed. If they have 2-2.5 inch corded blinds, then Iblinds allows them to do just that.
Our Impressions
“To be honest this was not something initially on our radar, but once we installed it we were fans. You can set a schedule for when the blinds are open/closed, use Alexa/Google Home to control them with your voice, or simply adjust the blinds using your phone. It does require you to set up a Z-Wave hub and install the product on your blinds, but their instructions make it a breeze. This product makes us want to ensure we have 2-2.5in corded lift horizontal blinds all over our house.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Website
(Savings from 25% – 35% off through holiday season)
Uoni v980 Plus: Robotic Vacuum Cleaner With Self-Emptying Dustbin
Smart vacuums are for everyone, but we know they can sometimes be more of a nice-to-have product due to the price. But in this case, Uoni priced it well, loaded it up with all the features you’d expect from a robot vacuum, and then created a self-emptying dustbin. What’s not to love?
Our Impressions
“This was my first experience with a robot vacuum, and it definitely did not disappoint. I was looking for something that could easily pick up cat hair around the house without having to pull out the manual vacuum each time. Once this was set up, it did its job. The self-emptying dustbin is such a great feature, just be sure not to schedule it to empty in the middle of the night (it’s a bit loud).” — Eric
Where to Buy: Website
Notion Smart Home Sensor Starter Kit: Proactively Monitor Property Related Risks With Ease
Get your loved ones started monitoring their home for things like water leaks, theft, alarms, and temp changes. The starter kit is set up in less than 15 minutes, connects to your phone, and requires no professional installation or subscription fees.
Our Impressions
“For starters, a smart product without subscription fees is great. The time it took to connect the sensors with our phone was seamless, and the sensors worked as advertised. We can’t ask for much more from a starter kit like this. Bonus: If the starter kit fits your needs, they offer affordable expansion kits to grow your system.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Website
(20% Notion Starter Kits with promo code IFA20 — if you use our link, the discount will be applied at checkout)
Bulbrite Solana A19 WiFi Connected Color Changing LED Smart Light Bulb
The smart lighting enthusiast that is looking for a wifi-connected bulb enabling you to easily change colors and is compatible with Alexa and Google Home will be deLIGHTed by this.
Our Impressions
“We love smart lighting, so this definitely caught our attention. The ease of use is key, whether it’s changing the colors, scheduling when the lights should be on/off, or communicating with it via our Alexa (or Google Home) you’ll definitely find this a great addition to other smart lighting products already installed in your home.” — Ryan
Where to Buy: Amazon
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