5 Top-Rated Gadgets Users Say Will Make Your Tiny Home More Comfortable
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For many people, tiny homes can be the gateway to a life of financial freedom and responsibility. However, owning a tiny home introduces a lot of other considerations, such as safety, space, and aesthetic constraints. Because of this, you may need to invest in things like tiny home security technology, like hitch locks, chains, GPS trackers, and gadgets that make it seem like you're always at home. In the past, most people would have assumed that living in a tiny home meant living a minimalist lifestyle with the bare minimum of furniture. But through the years, tiny home designs have evolved to be able to function like full-sized homes, just a bit more efficiently. With the right layout and gadgets, you can get more function per square foot from your tiny home.
In general, the best add-ons will still depend on things like how many people live in your home, the particular activities you tend to do at home, and the climate where you live. But if you don't know where to start, we've rounded up a few options that can help improve the coziness of your house without taking up too much space. We explain how we found the gadgets on this list, why we chose them, and other factors that we considered at the end.
Solar-powered induction cookers
On the Living Big In A Tiny House YouTube channel, single owner Ryan shares that they integrated their electric induction cooktop with their tiny house solar panel using an inverter. While they didn't share the exact model that was featured, one highly-rated option is the Duxtop 1800W Portable Induction Cooktop. Priced at around $82, the Duxtop Induction Cooktop boasts 10 temperature ranges that go up to 460°F. With power levels that range from 200 to 1,800 Watts, it also has an automatic shutdown feature after a minute. Not to mention, it's pretty compact and lightweight at just 6.2 lbs, so you can easily reclaim some counter space when not in use. On Amazon, this induction cooker has netted itself an average rating of 4.4 stars from more than 17,000 reviewers.
If you want more features, the Nuwave Flex Precision Induction Cooktop can heat or cook your food 100 to 500°F. About the length of a school ruler at 12 inches, it's also just 2.3 inches in height. While the unit itself is a little under $80, you can also get it in a bundle with a 9-inch pan for $149.99, and a 4-quart pot for $179.99. So far, over 7,600 Amazon customers have rated it an average of 4.5 stars. Nuwave prides itself on being an American manufacturer, so it's also a good option for people who want to support local products.
Standing Desk
Also on the Living Big In a Tiny House YouTube channel, homeowner Cherie took her family home to the next level with a standing desk in the middle of her kitchen. Not only was it useful for adjusting the height for when they are cooking or having meals, but it also let them access storage that would usually be difficult to reach. In the feature, they mentioned that their standing desk was custom-made, but you can also get a ready-made one as well, like the Flexispot EN1 One-Piece Standing Desk.
With a single-piece desktop, it has a digital panel that lets you adjust the set manually or select pre-saved settings. An Amazon's Choice product, the Flexispot Standing Desk is available in five different sizes, so you can choose which one fits your tiny home's needs. It also comes in different colors, like black, white, mahogany, and maple. With prices that start at $169.99, over 12,000 people have rated it 4.5 stars on average. In general, it's also a pretty well-rated product considering ¾ of buyers think it's worth 5 stars.
Although some tiny owners have taken this a step further and have built in a standing desk directly into their layout. In its "Tiny Home Office Ideas That Boost Space and Productivity" video, Living Big In A Tiny House featured a home where they saved space by setting up a desk in a position where they could stand halfway up the stairs and use it as a standing desk setup.
Electric Fireplace
Unlike bigger houses, wherein you typically have space to keep flammable objects away from traditional fireplaces, this isn't always possible in smaller living rooms. Thankfully, there are now modern solutions that you can make use of even in tight living room arrangements. Featured on the Tiny House Giant Journey YouTube channel, homeowner Jen shares how her electric fireplace adds a layer of luxury into her 480 sq. ft. tiny home. With an electric fireplace, you can enjoy the benefits of a fireplace with less risk, especially handy if you have pets or small children.
With a starting price of $359, the Touchstone Smart Electric Fireplace comes in multiple sizes from 28 inches to 100 inches. Designed to be recessed into the wall, it won't take up your valuable floor space. In terms of aesthetics, you can also choose between crystals and logs, as well as various flame speeds and color combinations. Depending on your preference, there are four ways to operate it: app, remote, control panel, and smart assistant. So far, 3,500+ Amazon users have rated it a pretty positive 4.6 stars. But take note, there are some hidden costs to owning electric fireplaces, especially when it comes to cleaning the heating mechanisms and changing the LED screen or bulbs. Thankfully, while it can increase your power bill, there are plenty of things you can do to keep costs down, such as utilizing its timers, treating the surrounding areas, and lowering the settings.
Wall-Mounted Heater
On its YouTube channel, creator Living Big In A Tiny House shares the experience of a music producer who maximized his house for his home office.One addition to their workspace was a sleek wall-mounted heater to reclaim vertical space. For a similar, wall-mounted model, the Dreo Smart Wall Heater is a popular option that can fit even small spaces. Through its integrated Dreo app, you can both set schedules and control the heat remotely with a range from 41 to 95°F. With this, you can make sure that your tiny home is the right amount of toasty just when you need it.
According to Dreo, it's designed to be a primary heat source for up to 200 sq. ft. areas. Since it's also capable of 120 degrees oscillation, it can be a good option for tiny homes, even with high ceilings. It works with smart assistants, like Amazon's Alexa and Google Home, so you even have a hands-free option. It retails for $129.99, and more than 3,800 Amazon users have rated this wall-mounted heater 4.4 stars on average, with 73% giving it a perfect score. There are also various compact space heater alternatives that you can use instead, like heated mattress pads, heated mouse pads, and smart hand warmers.
NuWave Oven
On YouTube, creator Tiny House Giant Journey recommends the NuWave Oven Pro. Apart from being a great space-saving gadget, they mentioned how it can do multiple cooking styles, while still being easy to store under the counter. Despite its 10 lb capacity, the unit is pretty compact, measuring below 14 inches in height and diameter, with a shatter-resistant dome. Capable of working between 100°F and 350°F, NuWave boasts faster cooking, reduced fat intake, and relatively better energy efficiency. In addition, it can be used to bake, roast, grill, steam, barbecue, broil, dehydrate, and air fry.
Priced at $154.93, the NuWave Oven Pro Plus holds an average rating of 4.5 stars from more than 820 people on Amazon. In general, people seem quite satisfied with its performance, with over 70% giving it a perfect rating and only 3% who thought it was only worth 1 star. Among the things people liked about it, users have mentioned features like the automatic shutdown and how you can cook frozen meat without thawing. Additionally, some people praised how easy it is to clean and how it's encouraged them to cook more often due to its convenience. Although some people have questioned its durability, citing that it doesn't really fulfill its crack-proof promise. From a cosmetic standpoint, people have also lamented that the plastic material tends to stain. Lastly, there are also peppered concerns of the occasional failure of the heating mechanism and buttons.
Methodology
To make this list of tiny home gadgets, we looked through several recommendations by actual tiny home owners on YouTube. In general, we looked for a good mix of different types of tiny house owners, such as singles, couples, and families, so you can consider what may be best suited to your household. While the exact items may not be available, we looked for products that have similar features or fulfill the same functions. We also opted for options that have at least a thousand reviews, with at least 4 stars on average. While it didn't affect whether or not they were part of this list, we also noted down if the products were Amazon's Choice products to show how they fare against the competition.