How to Identify and Measure Phantom Loads in Your Home
Who wants to pay more on their electric bill if they don’t have to? Here’s how to identify and measure phantom loads to save money.
10 Alexa Features You Should Be Using on Your Amazon Echo
Alexa on your Amazon Echo device can do much more than you think. You can use it to safeguard your home, get traffic details, set up reminders, and more. Here’s how to get the most out of Amazon’s virtual assistant….
Drone Keeps Food Warm by Crashing Into Powerlines and Catching Fire
Many of us remember playing that old paper airplane game where you had to dodge birds and powerlines. One particular drone wouldn’t have fared well at it.
Amazon’s Updated Echo Auto Adds Alexa to Your Car
Both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay have a very tight grip on the automobile market — one that Amazon just recently got its foot in. The company is now doubling down with a redesigned, second-gen Echo Auto….
The New Echo Dot Can Also Be a Wi-Fi Extender
The Echo Dot is one of the most popular smart speakers ever, thanks to its compact size and low price. Amazon has updated it many times over the years, and new models are on the way.
These Smart Kitchen Gadgets Are Actually Useful
Out of all the rooms at home, it’s often easiest to get ahead of ourselves when picturing the futuristic kitchen. Saturday morning cartoons like The Jetsons have led us to expect a lot.
Robot Vacuums Are No Longer Bumbling Idiots
For years it’s been hard to take robot vacuums seriously, and they often come off like a boring, furless pet. We often picture them bumping into walls, leaving a trail of moon dust wherever they go, and running out of batteri…
These Inexpensive LEDs Will Light Up Dim Spaces in Your Home
Almost everybody has a spot somewhere in their home that isn’t as brightly lit as they’d like. With LEDs cheaper than ever, there’s no time like the present to light the place up like a stadium. From shop lights to can light …
Smart Lights Are the Easiest Holiday Decorations
The changing of seasons and their accompanying holidays can put you in an endless cycle of putting up and taking down decorations. Simplify your holiday decorating with smart lights that can stay up year-long and impress your…
Why a Smart Microwave Makes More Sense Than Other Kitchen Appliances
There’s no appliance in the kitchen that gets opened and closed in an impatient panic more often than the microwave. They build those doors tough for a reason. That’s also why there’s no kitchen device more in need of the sma…
The Smart Fridge’s Best Feature Remains Keeping Food Cold
Food doesn’t care that much about the kind of building it lives in, as long as things are cold. You may have a refrigerator that’s a cardboard box with a big ice cube and a flapping condor, or one of the new smart fridges tha…
You Can Stop Turning Your Lights Off to Save Money
Obsessively turning off household lights to save money is a habit most of us have, but it turns out it’s not really the money-saving power move we think it is. Here’s why you can stop.
Amazon Alexa Is Getting Ads Disguised as Answers
Amazon’s Alexa is one of the most used virtual assistants out there, and it’ll soon take a new approach to make its answers more accurate. How, you might ask? By asking for help from brands — in exchange for some brand expo…
Turn a Smart Camera Into a Solar Powered Security Camera
There are a host of battery-powered smart home security cameras on the market that offer convenient placement but charging headaches. A solar panel add-on makes life easier when using a camera outdoors….
Set Up Smart Lights Now to Make the Dark Days of Winter Bearable
For millions of people who live where winter means short days and long nights, smart lights are one of the easiest ways to make winter more bearable.
Night-Lights Are Good for Adults, Too
It’s a bit embarrassing when friends come over and ask why I have night-lights all over the place. When I was a kid, I had night-lights because I was afraid of the dark. As an adult, I have them so I can pee late at night wit…
Will I Need a Dedicated Hub for My Matter Smart Home?
Matter-based smart homes are just around the corner, and you might wonder if this means the old new standard, new hub cycle is about to take effect. There will still be a hub, but you might not even notice it’s there….
These Flexi-Mounts Help You Put Smart Cameras Practically Anywhere
What do you do when drilling in a screw-based mount or slapping some tape on isn’t the right fit for your smart home camera needs? Try using a clever flexi-mount to mount it nearly anywhere.
Smart Toasters Won’t Bring You Breakfast in Bed, But They’re Getting There
When we hear about smart toasters, our minds immediately go into Jetsons-inspired areas: We imagine a robot arm somehow untwisting the bread bag, placing two slices in the toaster, applying jam, and then flying them over to u…
How to Mount Your Smart Cameras Without Drilling
If you’re looking to get wall-to-wall (or fence-to-fence) video coverage of your home or yard without drilling holes in everything, we’re here to help.
Can I Use Mounting Tape for My Video Doorbell?
The standard method to mount video doorbells and other outdoor smart gear on your home is drilling and anchoring. If you don’t want to drill holes in your house, here’s how to avoid it.
More Ring Cameras & Doorbells Now Have End-To-End Encryption
Amazon-owned Ring has been the subject of many privacy and security issues, especially with people besides the home owner accessing video footage. End-to-end encryption is supposed to solve that, and now it’s available on mor…
Does Your Toothbrush Really Need Bluetooth?
We’re used to holding advanced wireless technology up to our ears, but putting it inside our mouth may be slightly off-putting for some. Toothbrushes are no longer content to simply hold still while you brush — now they want…
What Is a Thread Border Router? (And Do I Need to Buy One?)
You may have never heard of Thread border routers, but they’re positioned to become a smart home staple—working behind the scenes to tie together all your smart home gear. Better yet? You might already own one….
How to Reset Alexa on Your Amazon Echo Device
If you’re experiencing issues with your Alexa device or you want to sell or give it away to someone, it’s a good idea to reset it to the factory settings. We’ll show you how to reset your various Alexa-enabled Amazon Echo de…
