Amazon and Google may dominate the smart home market, but that doesn’t mean they’re the only companies making quality products in this category. Companies like Wyze, Arlo, and even Apple have shown time and time again that they can compete with the two popular companies — and they have plenty of highly rated products to prove it.
If you don’t want smart home products from Amazon or Google (or their affiliates), here are the best smart home products to buy.
John Velasco/Digital Trends
Apple HomePod Mini
Small smart speaker
Positives
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Algorithmic audio improves the experience
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Mid highs and clean sound
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The small size makes it stand apart
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It is the most affordable HomeKit home center
cons
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Siri lacks the advanced intelligence of its competitors
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Short power cord
No smart home is complete without a smart speaker, and few offer the Apple HomePod Mini’s performance and pricing. Not only does it look sleek and comes in a wide variety of colors, but the HomePod Mini clocks in at under $100. If you’re a dedicated Apple fan (or just love how easy it is to use your iPhone), the Apple HomePod Mini is a great centerpiece for a connected smart home.
Apple HomePod Mini
Small smart speaker
Sonos one
Great speaker that integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant
Positives
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Great sound quality
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Dead simple setup
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Very easy to use
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Excellent integration with Alexa
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At a good price
cons
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No threaded insert for installation
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No bluetooth streaming
Sonos is a bit more expensive than the HomePod Mini, but the Sonos One produces some of the best sounds of any smart speaker on the market. You’ll also benefit from Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support that make it easy to integrate with any other smart home products in your home. Sonos completes the package with a sleek design and is available in either black or white.
Sonos one
Great speaker that integrates with Alexa and Google Assistant
John Velasco/Digital Trends
Wyze bulb color
Affordable smart lighting
Positives
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It came out really bright
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The colors are very saturated
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Does not require a bridge
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Ridiculously low price
Wyze has long been hailed as the smart home company for budget shoppers, but that doesn’t mean its products are cheap. In fact, the Wyze Bulb Color is just as capable as any other smart bulb on the market, capable of producing millions of different colors and powered by an easy-to-use smartphone app that makes it easy to manage your schedule and control events remotely.
Wyze bulb color
Affordable smart lighting
John Velasco/Digital Trends
Arlo Pro 4
Easy to install security camera
Positives
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Sharp looking shots
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Additional detail with color night vision
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No setup hub required
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Smart security with Arlo Smart Service
cons
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The specifications are similar to the previous one
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A searchlight is required for color night vision
Tough enough to withstand the great outdoors yet small enough to tuck away on a shelf indoors, the Arlo Pro 4 is a versatile home security solution. With an impressive 160-degree viewing angle, you’ll be able to capture 2K video, communicate with two-way audio, and survey a large portion of your home. There are even outdoor spotlights to scare away intruders or to light up dark sections of your yard. It’s a bit pricey, but you definitely get what you pay for.
Arlo Pro 4
Easy to install security camera
Arlo Essential Video Wireless Doorbell
Smart way to view visitors
Positives
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Great program with a lot of options
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Good quality video, day and night
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Easy to install
cons
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Cheap looking devices
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A prominent fish-eye effect
The Essential Wireless Video Doorbell is another smart home gadget from Arlo. It looks a bit cheaper than products developed by Ring or Nest, but it offers much of the same functionality. You’ll get HD video capture, built-in night vision, two-way audio, and an easy installation process that requires no wires. There’s also a smartphone companion app that lets you view older clips and manage all of your settings.
Arlo Essential Video Wireless Doorbell
Smart way to view visitors
Terry Walsh / Digital Trends
SimpliSafe 12-Piece Wireless Home Security System
All-in-one smart security system
Positives
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The beautifully designed base station blends into the home seamlessly
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Set it and forget it means you’re only interrupted if there’s a problem
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Our low-cost home monitoring service provides comprehensive coverage
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No contracts
cons
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Limited smartphone integration out of the box
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Home monitoring service subscription required
It doesn’t get much more comprehensive than this. The SimpliSafe 12-Piece Wireless Home Security System includes an impressive number of tools, such as an indoor camera, motion sensors, a panic button, and more. You might spend a few minutes setting everything up, but there’s a lot of value packed into this awesome package from SimpliSafe.
SimpliSafe 12-Piece Wireless Home Security System
All-in-one smart security system
August
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
The lock works with all major smart home hubs
Positives
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It does not need a bridge
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Easy to install
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Auto lock and unlock feature
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Sturdy build
cons
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The batteries are not rechargeable
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You go out the door
The August Wi-Fi Smart Lock topped our list of the best smart locks of 2022. With a sleek design, solid build quality, and easy installation process, few products can compete with this high-end model from August. You’ll also benefit from support for Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Siri, along with a smartphone app that lets you lock and unlock the door when you’re away from home.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
The lock works with all major smart home hubs
Terry Walsh / Digital Trends
ecobee Smart Thermostat
A smart way to monitor indoor temperatures
Positives
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Simple to install
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Excellent performance and feature set
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Easy to configure and operate day in and day out
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Many voice control and call features
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Great speaker
cons
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The hardware design is still a bit lacklustre
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There is no on screen integration for Alexa
Although it is one of the most expensive smart thermostats out there, few others can compete with the ecobee Smart Thermostat. Not only does it give you remote control of the thermostat (thanks to a versatile smartphone app), but it can also help you save money on your energy bills by detecting when you’re away from home and adjusting its settings to reduce costs. It also helps that the unit comes with a host of additional features – such as a variety of voice control commands and compatibility with most smart home systems.
ecobee Smart Thermostat
A smart way to monitor indoor temperatures
Nick Muki / Digital Trends
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
Sweeping and mopping automation
Positives
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Self-discharge and self-cleaning
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Simple setup
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calm
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Great scanning performance
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Decent obstacle avoidance
cons
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A matte pet hair catcher on the rug
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Big dock
With iRobot and Amazon feeling comfortable, Roborock is your best bet for a robot vacuum that has nothing to do with Google or Amazon. And the S7 MaxV Ultra is among the best in its catalog. It’s pricey (at $1,400), but it boasts a self-emptying base, powerful snag avoidance, great mopping skills, and a vacuum that’s surprisingly quiet in use.
A self-emptying litter box is a particular selling point, as it means you’ll be able to let it run independently for weeks on end before its dust reservoir needs to be emptied. The vacuum cleaner itself is incredibly powerful, with up to 5100Pa of suction, so you can rest assured it will give your carpets a great cleaning.
Other notable features include a smartphone app for setting schedules or adjusting settings, a sleek design that blends with most home decor, and a mop that can mop floors up to 3,000 times per minute. Use the self-cleaning function and the ability to refuel the water tanks, and you’ll have a robotic vacuum and mop that can be hung with the best.
Roborock S7 MaxV Ultra
Sweeping and mopping automation
Zeke Jones/Digital Trends
HomePod second generation
An excellent HomeKit smart speaker
Positives
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Great sound quality
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Incredible bass performance
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Impressive surround sound
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Wireless plug and play
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Stylish design
cons
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Limited connectivity options
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There is no direct playback of Spotify
The original HomePod was long gone, but the second generation HomePod is here to take its place. It’s much larger than the current HomePod mini, though its larger size allows it to pack premium audio gear that can fill even the largest room with ear-pleasing sound.
Part of what makes this smart speaker so great is the Apple S7 chip, which helps automatically make sound quality based on the acoustics of your room. There’s also a tweeter and five beamforming speakers that work together to produce amazing sound that rivals premium products from Sonos, JBL, and Bose.
Apple has ensured that the new HomePod works well with HomeKit, and has also been given support for Matter. And as more smart home gadgets continue to adopt the standard, expect to see Matters support become a big selling point.
HomePod second generation
An excellent HomeKit smart speaker
Editors’ recommendations
