5 Clever Smart Home Gadgets That Actually Solve Everyday Problems

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There are tons of new smart gadgets coming out that you might want to be using. Many of them — like LED lights and smart speakers — can add elements of entertainment and style to your home, but there are also a lot of smart devices out there that can actually help solve everyday problems. You can find tons of smart vacuum cleaners and other appliances lining the shelves of local home goods store, but these are just the tip of the iceberg. 

There are several smart home gadgets designed to perform monotonous day-to-day tasks so you don't have to. Getting some of these items and pairing them with a smart home system can add layers of automation to your household that can make your life easier. This can free up more of your time to do the things you actually want to do.

But to find items that offer true household utility as opposed to being high-tech toys, we need to look at the products that actually help reduce the little micro-stressors we have to deal with every day. The most effective smart solutions in these instances aren't necessarily the ones with big, flashy screens or chatty AI interfaces. They're the ones quietly working in the background, freeing up mental real estate that would otherwise be wasted on menial tasks. By taking a look at the highest-rated products from major brands and seeing what professional reviewers have to say about them, you can get a better idea of which of them will help make your life easier.

Windows are among the biggest sources of heat and air conditioning leakage in your home. So, you probably want your window blinds closed at night and when you're not home to retain as much of the interior temperature as possible, saving money on your energy bill. That said, nobody wants to live in a cave all the time. There are several different kinds of smart blinds on the market that involve taking off your existing blinds and replacing them with new ones, but those who prefer the look and feel of their classic Venetian blinds or slats might prefer a cheaper option that allows them to retrofit their existing hardware. 

The SwitchBot Smart Blind Tilt solves this problem perfectly. It's an electric motorized device that's able to operate wand-controlled horizontal blinds. You simply fit them onto your blinds' existing 1- to 2-inch wands, and the Blind Tilt can automate its rotation. The SwitchBot app allows you to control when and how this happens. The built-in 2,000mAh battery can be charged separately if you like, but the kits also include a solar panel that rests inside your window so that the Blind Tilt never needs to be charged. You can buy a single-unit kit with a basic remote for $60, or you can opt to get the three-pack, which comes with the 2.4G WiFi remote, for $165.

This is also a great solution for renters, who might not be allowed to replace the fixtures in their home. Cat Ellis of TechRadar gave the device 4.5 out of five stars in her review. She liked that it was easy to program, easy to set up, and worked well with all major platforms.

Grass, flower beds, and vegetable gardens all need the occasional watering to stay healthy. Some people might stand outside with a hose doing this task by hand, but others might prefer to automate this process. This ensures their plants can survive their own occasional forgetfulness. There are several sprinkler timers out there that you can set and schedule, but these aren't always the best solution because they don't account for things like rain or irrigation.

The Orbit B-Hyve XR is a smart sprinkler controller that does a lot more. It manages watering tasks based on the attributes of your individual property and weather. Its WeatherSense feature receives local weather updates and automatically adjusts watering schedules to make sure your yard is getting exactly the amount of water that it needs. It also monitors drought conditions in your area and notifies you if you need to adjust watering habits to comply with local restrictions. The case is IPX-5 waterproof, and the app has a Manual Control Lock feature that makes it so other people can't tamper with it. There are two models currently available: an 8-zone version that goes for $128 and a 16-zone model that costs $160.

Christopher Null of TechHive gave the unit a flat four out of five in his review. "It's definitely worth serious consideration for just about any environment—especially if you need a unit that you can mount outside." Rob Chapman of the Gadgeteer also liked it, stating, "The app-driven features provide a level of control and functionality that does not exist for most standard sprinkler controllers. Add to that the full complement of smart watering features and settings with the ability to help conserve water, and this controller is a winner!"

Do you want to be able to look out your front door and see who's there but don't necessarily want other people to be able to stare into your house any time they like? Like the visibility of clear glass but the privacy of frosted? Well, there's a smart home solution you probably didn't know existed that can do both. You can get a door with "smart glass" like the Feather River's Smart Glass Doors.

These are fully fabricated doors that come in various styles and designs, but the smart glass is the one thing they all have in common. The glass in these doors can switch between a frosted opaque and clear that offers full visibility at the push of a button. This can also be controlled through the Home Depot HubSpace app, which allows Google Home and Alexa voice control. It's also reported that you can program it so it's clear until another smart device, like a motion detector or a smart doorbell, is triggered. At this point it will automatically switch to being frosted before any unexpected visitors reach your door. There are currently eight single-door models listed at Home Depot that are priced from $798 to $998, depending on the size of the glass.

PC Mag's John R. Delaney gave the Feather River Smart Glass Door a four out of five in his review. "As with most smart technology, it costs more than its traditional counterpart, but it's built well for a fiberglass entry door and is undeniably cool to see in action," he said. "So, if you want privacy but still like to let the sun in, the Smart Glass offers the best of both worlds and earns our Editors' Choice award."

Smart door locks are some of the most important gadgets for home security. They've been around for a while now, and many of them offer a bevy of features that make it so you don't have to juggle your keys every time you want to get through the door. However, some of them have a lot more features than others. Few can contend with the Lockly Visage Zeno Series Smart Lock, however, which retails at $348 and offers six different methods of unlocking it. You can use a standard key, enter a pin onto the screen, use a biometric fingerprint scanner, use the Lockly Home app, open it with a smart home command (compatible with Apple, Google, and Alexa), or program its infrared facial recognition camera. 

This last one is the most important, as it means it's completely hands-free. So if you come home juggling grocery bags or trying to carry a stack of takeout containers, the lock will recognize you as you approach and unlock automatically before you even reach it. Additionally, it has an autolock feature that will make sure your home is secure if you or your family ever forgets to lock the door.

Nena Farrell of Wired gave this lock an eight out of 10, stating that it was easy to install and was extremely responsive. Likewise, John R. Delaney of PC Mag gave this one a 4.5 out of five, stating that it "offers more ways to lock and unlock your door than any other smart lock we've tested. It's the first lock we've seen that uses infrared cameras to unlock your door with a face scan." Like the Feather River door, this also earned the publication's Editors' Choice award.

Leaky pipes can lead to rot, mold, and even flooding. Not just making a mess, but damaging the integrity of your walls and floors. This is particularly problematic in the winter, when freezing temperatures can cause pipes to burst. Catching these leaks early can save you thousands of dollars in repairs. But most houses have their plumbing concealed where it isn't easy to see, making these leaks difficult to detect until after the problem has already gotten serious.

The Eufy Security Water and Freeze Sensor offers a smart solution to this problem. All you need to do is place the device anywhere that you might need to detect water leakage or freezing temperatures. This includes basements, crawl spaces, cabinetry under sinks, behind dishwashers, refrigerators, or washing machines, under a water heater, or inside access panels leading to bath and shower pipes. Once it's placed, the sensor will send notifications and alerts anytime it detects leaks, water damage, or damage from freezing temperatures. It has up to two years of battery life, allowing you to set and forget the device unless you need it.

The sensor itself is affordable, at just $35, but the only downside to the device is that it requires you to also have the $150 Eufy Security HomeBase for it to function. This makes it a more viable option for those who are already invested in the Eufy home security ecosystem. Even so, the sensor has a 4.6 out of five on Amazon, with customers praising its basic functionality, ease of setup, and connectivity. Cnet awarded it the publication's Editor's Choice award for the best smart leak detector, arguing that its ability to sense freezing temperatures as well as leaks puts it a step above most sensors.

To create this list, we started by taking a look at some of the highest-rated smart devices from many of the top smart home brands. We examined specs and features on dozens of different products, searching for ones that provided key functionalities that solved everyday problems, as opposed to simply having fancier interfaces or other, less practical upgrades. 

Once we had a few picked out, we then turned to professional reviewers to see how well these models performed in real world testing. By informing readers of the specialized features as well as their reputation for quality, we aim to provide useful information that will help them decide if these products are right for them.