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In August, I did something I never imagined myself doing: I bought a house. After spending most of my adult life in New York City, I moved a few hours north to the Hudson Valley.
Every adjustment has been as great as I expected. Along with the standard new homeowner surprises — like a short-tailed shrew doing short-tailed shrew things in my laundry room — the transition from renting to home ownership has brought a level of control I’ve never had over my own space.
For example, I regularly declined to review smart home products because I couldn’t install things like a smart doorbell in a place I didn’t have it. This may be a small thing, but I’ve spent most of the last two months making up for lost time.
Here’s a gift guide for the person in your life who recently moved on — or for yourself, if that applies to you. Everything mentioned here is something I have tested and currently use myself. We hope they make your smart home feel like a smart home.
Apple Mac Studio/Mac Mini – $1,999/$599
A Mac Studio M2 and a pair of Studio monitors currently serve as a desktop hub. The Studio is a very powerful device in a fairly small package, and the SD card slot on the front is great for all the photos I need to take for my work.
However, if I were asked to make a decision today, I might choose a pint-sized Mac Mini to free up a lot of space on my desk. The $599 entry point is certainly attractive, too.
Aviron Interactive Home Rowing Machine – $1,999
I messed up my back last year. Like really, really messed it up. Because of this, I had to give up my morning exercises. Cycling is great, but it’s something I’d rather do on an actual bike. I eventually landed on rowing, which provides a full-body workout with much less impact than running.
Aviron isn’t a big name in connected fitness, but the startup has produced an impressive rower with a smart content library. Instead of simply relying on a trainer video, the company has built a suite of games designed to engage you while you work out. It’s a fun way to break a sweat.
Beflo Tenon Smart Adjustable Desk – starts at $2,399
Offices are important. Standing is also important. So standing desks are important. When I moved out of town, I decided it was time to get rid of the large, bulky desk I had purchased over a decade ago. I wanted to see how the other half lives, so I reached out to Beflo about her unique approach to this group. It’s sort of the Cadillac of standing desks.
The Tenon has all the bells and whistles and a starting price that’s right. The desk has a mechanical lift feature that can be controlled via touch screen or the Beflo app. There are USB ports and even lights. Honestly, it may be overkill for most people, but investing in a desk that will last a long time is not a bad idea.
Bird Buddy – $299
I’ve wanted one of these since they were announced, but I don’t have a backyard of my own. The Bird Buddy is one of the first things I chose for my new porch. The concept is simple enough: it’s a bird feeder with a camera. Of course, these types of products only work when done well, and Bird Buddy brings smart innovations to the table. AI is used to capture videos and snapshots in time, and has been expanded to include things like bird recognition.
I will admit that it took a lot of trial and error to implement the system in a way that would attract the desired effects. Greedy squirrels were a challenge, though the cone barrier finally took care of the problem. Furthermore, the secret to the Bird Buddy, like any other bird feeder, is patience. It may take weeks to find a new feeder. Once they do, word travels quickly.
Verve Branch Chair – $509
I have recommended Branch Chairs to anyone who asks. The company makes a very comfortable office chair that makes long work days more bearable. It also looks great.
I recently upgraded from the ergonomic chair to the Verve – and I can totally recommend either one. The Verve is a little more expensive and nicer. Get a load of this coral color; This will break the monotony of your home office.
Kauai Ermega – $230
In certain parts of the world, air purifiers are a must. As wildfires get worse every year, this is increasingly true here in the U.S. I’m also someone who suffers from a lot of allergies and sheds pets frequently, and I recently moved into the woods. I can’t say enough about how much a good purifier helps keep my home breathing.
Coway makes this HEPA purifier capable of cleaning up to 361 square feet in just over 12 minutes. Or you can clean up to 874 square feet in half an hour, which honestly covers most of my house. It also looks great, and with a simple curved design you won’t feel like you need to hide when the action comes.
Dyson Gen5 Detect – $949
Dyson and I have been through a lot. The vacuum has been hit in the corners and fallen off too many times to mention, but it still holds up. However, the biggest challenge of all is the lion-headed rabbit who seems to lose 5 times the weight of his hair every week. The Gen5 Detect is the only thing standing between me and the floor of my fur coat.
Most of the floors in my new house are hardwood, and the Dyson excels at absorbing particles and even bits of hay strewn around my floor anytime my rabbit decides it’s mad at me. It handles carpets equally well.
Foodcycler Eco 3 – $500
Dump your food scraps into this $500 countertop machine, press start, and within two hours, everything from potato peels to lobster shells is ground up and turned into fertilizer for your growing army of houseplants. The FoodCycler is a win-win.
Hisense C2 Ultra Projector – $3,000
Here’s something embarrassing. I tested the Hisense C2 projector right before I had to leave town for a week to go to Disrupt. I found myself missing the experience. There’s nothing like watching a movie at the cinema, but this advanced 4K laser projector comes close.
The picture is sharp and stunning, and the built-in speaker is loud and clear. The system comes with a number of popular streaming apps built-in, including Netflix and Disney+. However, I ultimately chose to use the HDMI port to connect the Apple TV 4K, while outputting video to a pair of HomePods. As I write this, I’m really thinking about the Alien horror movie I’ll be streaming on the Criterion app tonight.
Nest Learning Thermostat 4th Generation – $280
It’s not the sexiest product category, but a good thermostat makes a big difference, both to your comfort levels and your energy bill. Installing the Nest Learning Thermostat was surprisingly easy, speaking as someone with no electrical experience at all.
The new screen looks great and provides a lot of information at a glance, but I found that I often forgot it was there. This is a positive for a thermostat, which is the kind of product you only think about when something goes wrong.
Nightside – $350
This was a great housewarming gift from a colleague. Designed by a small startup of the same name, the Nightside is a cozy, tall bedside lamp with a very clever path. The top rises and features an adjustable mirror that reflects the beam of light for reading in bed.
It’s a testament to being innovative without being high-tech, and it hasn’t left my bed since.
TP-Link RE715X – $99
If you own a home, you need a range extender. My house is just over 1,000 square feet, but I found that about half of my room didn’t have good Wi-Fi coverage. This little range extender is very easy to set up and plugs directly into the wall.
I opted for the dual-band model, and have been happy with the performance, even as my army of smart home products continues to grow.
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