The smart devices our expert actually uses at home

Our smart-home writer recommends a lot of devices, but these are the ones she uses at home. [Wirecutter logo]( Rachel Cericola I’ve been covering smart-home technology for about 20 years, and I still get a rush when I flip the house lights on from my car or get animal alerts on my phone from our backyard camera. That said, I take security and privacy seriously with smart-home devices. Over the past year or so, we’ve talked about turning on lights from afar, catching water leaks, monitoring package deliveries, and all of the other wonderful (and sometimes weird) things the smart home has to offer. We’ve also shared concerns and covered [whether or not police are using your camera footage]( [how to keep bad actors from accessing your equipment]( [what data companies are keeping tabs on]( and [ways to improve your digital security](. Smart-home devices are easier and more affordable than ever, and that availability means it’s even more important that you know what you’re buying and how to use it. Here are some of the smart devices I keep in my own home (and not just because of my job). — Rachel Cericola, smart-home staff writer Wirecutter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. [Learn more.]( For a fool-proof reminder: [Monoprice Stitch Wireless Sensor]( Rachel Cericola I’m a mom, which means I am legally bound to be pissed when someone leaves the back door open. With the [Monoprice Stitch Wireless Door/Window Sensor]( installed on a few key doors around the house, at least I know when one has been opened and for how long. I also recently integrated it with the Amazon Echo Show 5, so whenever someone does shut the back door, Alexa will announce, “Hey, you shut the door. Well done!” For flood protection: [TP-Link Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug]( Sarah Kobos It’s shocking how something like a smart plug can be so helpful, even outside. I live up against marshland, and the tide comes into my backyard and goes under my house. We put a pump under there to clear out the mess. But it doesn't have a float switch on it, so we hooked it up to the [TP-Link Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug]( and an Alexa device. Now, it can be turned on and off via voice commands, so no one has to walk through gross water to do it manually. A helpful lookout: [Arlo Pro 2 Smart Security Camera]( Rachel Cericola An outdoor camera can catch which kids and critters are running through your yard, but you need to be mindful that you aren’t accidentally spying on your neighbors. As some privacy policies (including the ones I’ve accepted from Arlo and Wyze) state, your data can be subpoenaed by law enforcement. The [Arlo Pro 2]( is great because it’s easy to position in areas I actually want to view. It doesn’t need to be mounted, so I often move it from the backyard to the front, to focus on areas like trash cans or the marsh beyond my house. Again, I’m cheap, and this one offers seven days of free video storage. (Also, if you hook it up to the Arlo Smart service for $3 per month, it can distinguish among people, pets, packages, and cars.) Lights you can schedule: [Lutron Caséta Wireless In-Wall Dimmer]( Rachel Cericola My husband leaves for work when it’s still dark, and he would often leave the outside light on—sometimes it would stay on all day. I installed the [Lutron Caséta Wireless In-Wall Dimmer]( because it’s easy to use, and even my husband (as a licensed electrician) knows that Lutron puts out reliable, well-built products. Now I have it on a schedule, so the lights go on and off at appropriate times—one less pet peeve to check off my list. For smarter climate control: [Google Nest Learning Thermostat]( Rachel Cericola The [Nest Learning Thermostat]( has been in my house longer than any other smart-home device. I like it because it never fails to adjust comfort levels to how I prefer them every morning, and the company has a proven track record of responding to issues quickly. My family likes it because it allows us to crank up the heat when we’re driving home from my son’s frigid hockey games and even saved us from frozen pipes when we were snowed in at my mother-in-law's for four days. Plus, we all enjoy being able to call out to Alexa to tweak the temperature while we’re on the couch or in the bedroom. Have a few favorites of your own you’d like to share? Enjoyed this and hope to see more staff picks in the future? Reply and let us know, or send us a [tweet](. Copyright © 2020 Wirecutter, Inc., all rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you signed up for our newsletters. You are free to unsubscribe at any time.‌ Our mailing address is: Wirecutter, Inc. 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018‌ [Add us to your address book‌]( [Unsubscribe from this list]( | [Update subscription preferences‌](