When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. Google mounts a major comeback in the smart home space with an excellent video doorbell, but you'll need to pay to play. The Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 3 gen) is an excellent home security device, and you don't need to pay for a subscription to get a limited number of event recordings. Gemini, meanwhile, is nothing short of amazing, but you will need an expensive subscription to avail yourself of it. Prior to announcing its third-generation Nest Doorbell--along with its other two new security cameras in early October--Google had us thinking it had lost interest in the smart home.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. You can install this home security/smart home system yourself, but professional monitoring is mandatory (and that's A-OK with me). There is no support for Amazon's Alexa ADT Base doesn't include a display The ADT Smart Home Security System emphasizes security over convenience, but there are enough smart home elements for us to recommend it, whether you set it up on your own or pay for ADT's white-glove installation. Keep a close eye on the services you sign up for, as they're not all mandatory. ADT is one of the oldest home security companies in the U.S., and the ADT Smart Home Security product reviewed here is its latest offering that melds home security with a robust smart home system. As with every ADT product, you must commit to paying for professional monitoring of this system, where the staff at a central office keeps track of emergency events and will offer to dispatch police, fire, and medical personnel as needed. But unlike many of ADT's other products, you can either have ADT's technicians install the system in your home or you can do it yourself. This is a security-first system, but smart home features don't completely take a back seat. ADT sells smart light bulbs and smart plugs as well as Nest smart thermostats (more on that in a bit), and there's a Z-Wave radio in the ADT Base that forms the heart of the system, so you can add smart home components--including third-party products--on your own.

Smart homes don't need to be complicated or expensive. Take a methodical approach and keep an eye out for bargains and you can enjoy many of the conveniences of living in a smart home without spending much at all. The secret is to start slow, and to invest in a few solid products that will have the most impact, I'm talking electrical outlets, lighting, climate control, and the like. In other words, you can probably get by without a smart washing machine, but installing a smart thermostat will be a game changer for both your comfort and living expenses. One of the keys to successfully getting a smart home up and running is to ensure everything you install is fully compatible and interoperable. Many smart home ecosystems were originally designed around a central hub and wireless protocols that were supposed to hit it big, but that either never really took off or have faded in importance and mainstream appeal.

The EufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam Kit delivers sharp, reliable, and fully independent home security without locking you into ongoing fees. Cloud subscriptions that lock your security camera footage behind a monthly fee are a frustrating reality for homeowners. The EufyCam S3 Pro 2-Cam Kit offers a way out. With 4K video resolution, smart AI detection, and solar panels integrated into the two cameras, it delivers top-shelf performance without roping you into a payment plan. Eufy does offer cloud storage as an option, but the cameras in this offering store their recordings locally on Eufy's HomeBase 3 hub--a NAS box (network-attached storage), essentially--enhancing your privacy while saving you money on subscription fees.

Leviton, one of the biggest electrical component manufacturers in the world, makes high-quality products and offers a comprehensive collection of Z-Wave-compatible devices in addition to this Z-Wave 800 dimmer and switch. Smart lighting controls that operate over Wi-Fi are great, because they don't require a hub; they connect directly to your router. The downside is that they must compete with all the other clients on your home network: Your computers, gaming consoles, media streamers, smart speakers, home security cameras, smart plugs, and many, many more. I live in a very small home--less than 800 square feet--but there are still more than 80 devices connected to the Eero 6 router in my Ring Alarm Pro. Given that the Eero 6's practical limit is 128 clients, there just isn't a lot of room for light switches and dimmers.

Don't buy this multi-outlet for its surge protection feature, as it won't warn you when it can no longer deliver it. TP-Link's Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Wall Outlet Extender has some great features, as well as one critical shortcoming that prevents us from recommending it. Tapo doesn't make big promises for this product in terms of its surge protection, but it does list a key feature on the box: the ability to warn you when it can no longer provide surge protection. The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Wall Outlet Extender isn't all bad news--provided you're not buying it for surge protection. Most surge protectors use sacrificial MOVs (metal oxide varistors) to absorb excess voltage from power surges, and this one is no exception.

The Eufy Wired Wall Light Cam S100 isn't as powerful as many of its floodlight competitors, but it will look a whole lot more attractive mounted next to your door. Floodlight cameras almost always have one thing in common: They expect you to tolerate their industrial appearance for a large pool of light. And that's fine if you need a lot of light and you're willing to accept their beastly looks to get it. But if you want something more understated, the Eufy Wired Wall Light Cam S100 might be for you. Like the 270 Netatmo Smart Outdoor Camera I reviewed way back in 2016, the far more affordable Eufy Wired Wall Light Cam S100 isn't a true floodlight; it's more of a porch light with an onboard camera.

The Ring Battery Doorbell would be a much better option for the budget-minded if it wasn't so tied to a subscription plan. On the other hand, it's a great choice for those who are already in the Ring home security ecosystem and paying for a sub, and are looking to add an inexpensive doorbell--especially for secondary doors. Ring offers one of the best smart home security ecosystems on the market, encompassing everything from security cameras and video doorbells to indoor and outdoor lighting, sensors, and professionally monitored home security systems. The flexible Ring Battery Doorbell, introduced late last year, makes for a great introduction to that ecosystem. But that recommendation comes with a caveat: You'll need to sign up for a Ring Home subscription if you want to unlock all this product's features--and that includes the ability to record video.

TP-Link's Tapo smart home ecosystem gained a host of new products at CES 2025, including new home security cameras, smart lighting products--including a bona fide NVR system. But if the recent stories about security flaws in TP-Link routers gives you pause, TP-Link assures us that there's no longer any connection between it--TP-Link Systems--and China's TP-Link Technologies. A TP-Link Systems spokesperson told us the company manufactures its products in Brazil and Vietnam, not China, and that it "owns its own factories, designs and manufactures its products, and controls its full supply chain." With that out of the way, let's talk about the new Tapo products, starting with home security. The Tapo PalmKey Smart Door Lock features palm-vein recognition technology that scans the intricate, unique patterns of veins in your hand.