Home Smart by AE MindHands-on reviews of smart home devices, from smart toilets to charging hubs and label makers. See what each gadget really does before you buy.
The CUKTECH 65W power bank (model BA652U / 10 Fusion) is a compact 2-in-1 unit that pairs a 9000mAh battery with a built-in foldable AC wall plug. In my YouTube video, I plug it into the wall, connect my MacBook, iPad and headphone charging case, and walk through the dual USB-C ports plus the 1.3-inch […]
The LEVEL8 Grace 20″ carry-on luggage is an expandable hard-shell suitcase with a front laptop compartment, and in my own video review it held my MacBook, iPad, passport, clothes, a toiletry bag and even my Starlink Mini in one carry-on. LEVEL8 sent me the suitcase to review. It sold for $139.99 on Amazon. In this […]
Connecting an air quality monitor to Home Assistant lets you graph CO2, particles and humidity and trigger fans or alerts automatically, and Simon Says Home Assistant, a YouTube channel dedicated to Home Assistant tutorials, showed a Matter sensor joining Home Assistant in about 30 seconds. How you connect depends on the monitor: Matter over Thread, […]
This Airthings View Plus review finds an easy-to-set-up monitor that tracks radon, particles, CO2 and VOCs in one device, and LeafScore, a home and sustainability review site whose reviewer Dan ran it in his New York home, named it its top overall pick for indoor air quality. Here is how setup went, what the readings […]
The best air quality monitor for most homes is the Airthings View Plus, which tracks radon, particles, CO2 and VOCs in one unit and which LeafScore, a home and sustainability review site whose reviewer Dan ran it in his New York home, named its top overall pick. If you only need CO2 or want something […]
To build an e-ink Home Assistant dashboard, design a simple dashboard in Home Assistant, then send a snapshot of it to an e-paper screen such as a TRMNL, the method Smart Home Solver, the YouTube channel run by Reed Kleinman, who has about 737,000 subscribers and covers practical home automation and Home Assistant, uses at […]
This TRMNL review finds a battery-powered e-ink dashboard that Snazzy Labs, the tech YouTube channel run by Quinn Nelson, called his favorite new gadget and that Reed Kleinman of Smart Home Solver uses to show his Home Assistant dashboard. Snazzy Labs bought his unit himself and says the video was not sponsored. Here is how […]
The best e-ink smart home dashboard for most people is the TRMNL, a battery-powered e-paper screen that Smart Home Solver, the YouTube channel run by Reed Kleinman, who has about 737,000 subscribers and covers practical home automation and Home Assistant, uses to show a snapshot of his Home Assistant dashboard for weeks or months between […]
A whole home water monitor tracks every gallon entering your house and alerts you to leaks, and the right type depends on whether you want usage data, small-leak checks or automatic shutoff, according to The Hook Up, a smart home YouTube channel known for side-by-side measurements, who compared five of them. This guide explains the […]
In the Moen Flo vs Phyn Plus comparison by No More Leaks, a YouTube channel focused on water leak prevention, the two shutoffs handled large leaks about equally, while Phyn learned the home over a longer period and logged more detail on small drips. The Hook Up, a smart home YouTube channel known for side-by-side […]
The best smart water shutoff valve for most homes is the Moen Flo, which The Hook Up, a smart home YouTube channel known for side-by-side measurements, found most accurate in his whole-home comparison and which needs no subscription for its core features. A smart shutoff sits on your main water line, learns how your household […]
In the Sofabaton X2 vs X1S comparison, the X2 wins on build, touchscreen and infrared from the handset, while the X1S costs about half as much, according to Theater At Home, a home theater YouTube channel that put both side by side. Theater At Home said Sofabaton sent him both remotes. Reed Kleinman of Smart […]
This Sofabaton X2 review finds a touchscreen universal remote that fixes the biggest gaps of the older X1S, according to Smart Home Solver, the YouTube channel run by Reed Kleinman, who has about 737,000 subscribers and covers practical home automation and Home Assistant setups. Reed used the X1S for about a year before moving to […]
The best smart universal remote for most home theaters in 2026 is the Sofabaton X2, the touchscreen, dock-equipped remote that Smart Home Solver, the YouTube channel run by Reed Kleinman, who has about 737,000 subscribers and covers practical home automation and Home Assistant setups, called the smart remote he had been waiting for. Logitech stopped […]
The best mesh WiFi system for most homes is the TP-Link Deco BE63, a tri-band Wi-Fi 7 kit that led the budget speed tests of landpet, a YouTube router reviewer who tests on a 5 Gbps fiber connection, alongside an MSI rival. For multi-gig internet, the TP-Link Deco BE95 was the reviewer’s performance king, and […]
The best automatic litter box for most homes is the PETKIT Purobot Max Pro 2, the zero-pinch, camera-equipped box that Alder & Jade Reviews, a YouTube reviewer who says she has tested more than 20 automatic litter boxes, still uses daily and names her personal favorite. Alder & Jade Reviews said PETKIT gifted the products […]
The best smart floor lamp for most people is the Govee Floor Lamp 3, which FUTURESPACE COLLECTIVE, a YouTube lighting and setup reviewer, in an unsponsored test, named its top pick among five light-bar lamps for brightness, color, build quality and ecosystem support. The Philips Hue Play Floor Lamp is the pick for anyone already […]
In the bladeless fan vs regular fan comparison, bladed circulators move more air farther for less electricity, while bladeless fans win on safety, easy cleaning, design and optional air filtration, according to side-by-side measurements by Automate Your Life, a YouTube smart-home reviewer. He measured a Dreo bladed fan pushing air four times farther than a […]
In the Govee vs Philips Hue floor lamp matchup, Govee’s Floor Lamp 3 is brighter in cool white and more saturated in color, while Philips Hue lamps win on warm white, seamless design and smart-home integration, according to FUTURESPACE COLLECTIVE, a YouTube lighting and setup reviewer, in an unsponsored test. Price is the other big […]
The best quiet fan for bedroom use is the SwitchBot Standing Circulator Fan, whose baby mode was too quiet for Automate Your Life, a YouTube smart-home reviewer to measure, followed by Dreo TurboPoly fans, which he said never reveal motor or oscillation noise, only airflow. That distinction between how loud a fan is and what […]