Most of us would like for our daily lives to be a little more seamless, and one way to do that quickly and (relatively) inexpensively is to get one of the best smart speakers for your home. Able to hook up with countless other smart devices around the home, answer queries, set alarms and reminders, adjust the heating, or even just play music and podcasts while you tend to chores, they really can transform your daily life.

Maybe you are completely new to smart home technology in general? Or perhaps you already have a few smart devices but don’t know how to get the best out of them. Put simply, a smart speaker is a Bluetooth speaker that has an in-built assistant from Google, Amazon or Apple.

And new features are being added all the time, with features like Alexa’s ability to take a message from visitors when you’re away, or new sleep-focused features from Google, being announced in recent months. And if you want to make the best use of your new assistant, consider one of the best video doorbells, which work seamlessly with smart speakers and displays.

We’ve listed here what we consider to be the best smart speakers right now, and you can keep reading for more advice on how to choose.

The best smart speakers 2022

There’s a reason that Amazon’s Alexa has dominated the smart speaker world for years now, and that’s its commitment to simplicity and functionality in its own range of speakers. The Amazon Echo is the flagship display-free speaker, the larger sibling of the more minute Echo Dot, and a major update when it was released in 2020.

The biggest additions to the 4th Gen speaker are Zigbee compatibility, improved speakers and an in-built temperature sensor - all of which give the Echo an edge as a smart home hub. Having Zigbee on board means it can be used with devices such as Philips Hue, for example, and improved audio quality means it can be used more readily as a speaker for podcasts, music and audiobooks.

Multi-room listening (providing you have more than one Alexa speaker) allows you to not only extend audio across multiple areas of the house but also make announcements to other rooms (e.g. when dinner is on the table). All in all, this still deserves the top spot in our best smart speaker rankings.

Ensure you get the best price by using one of our Amazon discount codes.

Now that the original HomePod has been discontinued, Apple's only offering in the smart speaker space (though there are always rumours of a new device) is limited to the HomePod Mini. But thankfully this is a great device that can more than hold its own against the Amazons and Googles of the world.

The compact smart speaker uses Siri as its assistant, so will be especially suited to those who already use an iPhone, iPad or Apple TV in their daily lives. Cross-compatibility with other devices is possible but will be a little more difficult than with a Google or Alexa speaker.

But if it suits you, the HomePod Mini is a great choice. With 360-degree audio with automatic audio tuning, it will offer great sound quality when playing music, podcasts or anything else, and - good news for large families - Siri will recognise up to six different people, serving individualised answers and results. 

A new version of Amazon's smallest smart display was revealed in 2021, featuring a 5.5-inch touchscreen and 2MP camera to fulfil our growing need for regular video calls and meetings from home. Its ability to do more than a screen-free Echo device, and the amount it offers to the average household, make it our pick for the best smart speaker with a display.

On standby mode as a normal voice-activated device, you can benefit from on-screen lyrics with music, step-by-step recipes or just a digital photo frame, and when needed it can become a small screen for streaming or - as mentioned - chatting with friends and family.

Amazon has thought of privacy, too, as a camera cover has been included along with a mute switch to turn the microphone off.

Taking a different approach to the smart display idea, Google's Nest Hub (2nd Gen) offers a 7-inch touchscreen for organisation and other smart features but doesn't have a camera. If you don't plan to use it for video calls, though, this could be the better choice.

Often you’ll find yourself asking queries to your voice assistant such as, 'how old is the queen' and the Google Home is generally the speaker that’s going to be better at getting that right. It’s because Google has all of that knowledge from its search engine that it can bring up pretty much immediately – but bear in mind, the two competing voice assistants are getting better at this all the time.

Sleep has been prioritised with this 2nd Gen device, with Sleep Sensing monitoring sound and motion, as well as the conditions of the bedroom, to give you a full morning report. You can also use gestures to do things like pause a song or snooze an alarm, which is a nifty touch for convenience.

Many people would be happy with a smart speaker that just listens to their commands and answers queries, but others will understandably want their device to function as a quality speaker for music, podcasts and more. The Google Nest Audio has been designed with these people in mind.

Earlier speakers from both Amazon and Google were criticised for their low-quality audio output, but companies have worked hard to rectify this mistake ever since. Google's Nest Audio not only features updated hardware but also boasts adaptive tuning software that tweaks sound based on the environment.

You can also pair multiple speakers, either for multi-room listening and announcements or for stereo sound in a single space. The only reason the Audio doesn't find itself higher on this list is its design, which is really just an expanded version of the Nest Mini. Still, it comes in a variety of lovely colours.

How to choose the best smart speaker for your home

When it comes to buying the best smart speaker, there are a few factors worth considering to ensure you get the most for your money. These include:

Smart assistant

Your choice of smart speaker will be determined by your preference of smart assistants. Popular choices include Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri. Read each of our reviews to decide which is the best option for you:

Design
If you're design-conscious, it's worth seriously considering the aesthetic appeal of each smart speaker, ultimately opting for a design that suits the look and feel of your home.

Sound quality
You'll also need to decide if you're looking for a smart speaker with impressive sound quality, in its own right. This will likely cost you a little more than a more basic smart speaker, but it will replace any other sound system in your home.

Capacity
If you're looking to build a larger smart home system, it's worth ensuring your smart speaker has the capacity to do everything you're expecting of it.

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With our homes becoming an even bigger part of our lives in recent months, it's not a surprise that smart home security systems are just as popular as ever. There are quite a few to choose from, but the Yale Family Starter Kit has one of the better selections to kick off your system.

Including two sirens - one for indoor and one for outdoor - a pair of motion sensors and a contact sensor, the kit is designed to be built out over time with additional devices but will cover an average-sized home on its own. 

We tested the home security kit to see how it performed in real life, and you can read what we thought below. And check out our guide if you want to see what we've previously ranked as the best home security systems overall.

Yale IA-320 Sync Smart Home Security Alarm: Specs & Features

• Includes: Keypad, 2 x motion sensor, contact sensor, indoor and outdoor sirens
• Range: 200m
• Siren: 100dB

The capabilities of the Yale IA-320 Sync Smart Home Security Alarm are impressive even when compared with competitors, offering a massive 200m range that dwarfs the 76m of Ring's latest home security kit. This range makes it better for those with large houses or who want to add a device to somewhere like a garage.

Everything is self-monitored with no extra subscriptions costs, which means that, once set-up, you're in complete control of your security system. The app allows you to arm everything or just some of the devices, and it's compatible with smart home platforms like Alexa, Google Home and your Apple Watch (if you want to control your home security from your wrist!).

Once the system is triggered (e.g. by an opened door or window fitted with the contact sensor) the siren is quick to sound and VERY loud. You're in no danger of missing it, and neither are your neighbours, which should make quick work of scaring any unwanted visitors away.

All of this said, instructions provided are difficult to follow so, for those who are coming to home security fresh it might be difficult to follow the purely pictorial directions given. You should also be prepared to connect the base station via ethernet cable, as Wi-Fi installation isn't possible.

Yale IA-320 Sync Smart Home Security Alarm: Design

As said, set-up for the Yale system was trickier than we had hoped, with no option out of the box to mount without drilling into the wall. This wouldn't be a problem for homeowners, but could be trickier for renters. 

Most of the elements of the Yale IA-320 Sync Smart Home Security Alarm are sleek and easy to blend into the home without sticking out too much, with only a small dark grey logo interrupting the white casing. The base station is small enough to sit on a side table without making a nuisance of itself, and the motion sensors can be tucked away in a corer or on any flat surface.

The only big potential issue is the outdoor siren, which takes the form of a large yellow circle that needs to be mounted to the outside of your home. While on the one hand this is an additional feature that many other home security systems are missing, the design is a little garish, and may put some people off.

Yale IA-320 Sync Smart Home Security Alarm: Our Verdict

A smart home security system that can be built out to include devices like locks, security cameras, Hue lights and more, this Yale Starter Kit is a great place to start but might frustrate during set-up and first uses. Once you've gotten the hang of it, however, the system offers a solid level of protection that betters that of some competitors.

About this review

Caroline tests and reviews smart home products including home security systems and cameras for Real Homes, trialling them in real environments to ensure our recommendations are based on how the products perform when used in the home.

The Tado smart thermostat is one of several options for those looking to gain more control over their heating. In short, it pairs with an app, allowing you to remotely change the temperature in your home, create heating schedules and see your energy usage. Taken to its full capability though, it can be used to control temperatures room by room, automatically switch off the heat should you leave a window open, warn you about heating system issues, and generally take all of the guesswork out of getting your home to a comfortable temperature.

Like all of the best smart thermostats, Tado kit connects to your smartphone and is controlled via an app. It can then be connected to your smart speakers and other home assistants to give you maximum control of your heating with minimum effort. Forgotten to turn the heating off when you left for work? Turn it off from the office (if you pay extra it will automatically turn off for you). Want the house warm and cosy for your return? Tado will work out a schedule that sorts, then use geofencing to work out when you will be home and what time to whack the heating on to get it to your desired temperature.

If some of these functions sound familiar from your experience of other smart thermostats, you might be wondering why Tado is the one for you. We wondered this too, having heard great things and been impressed by its tidy look and ever evolving capabilities. So when we were offered the chance to review it, I jumped at the chance to put it to work in my Victorian mid-terrace. With just two bedrooms, I chose to add the smart thermostat to my lounge and use one smart radiator thermostat in my bedroom. I was sent the wireless thermostat so I could set it up away from a plug socket, but I also needed an extension kit to allow the smart thermostat to 'talk' to my boiler. Here I will explain the set up, but as the specific bits of kit you need will be particular to you and your home, the focus is on the smart thermostat and the app control. Find out how I got on testing the Tado smart thermostat last winter.

Tado Smart Thermostat starter kit specifications (wired and wireless options):

• Connectivity: comes with internet bridge that connects via radio network
• Setup: wired and wireless options
• Sensors: temperature and humidity
• Power: wireless is battery powered, wired – bridge connects to mains via USB plug
• Max number of tado° devices per home: 25
• Max number of Home app users: 100
• Control: app, website and can be connected to your smart speaker. Apple Home Kit, Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, IFTTT compatible
• Subscription fee: €24.99/year for Auto-Assist capability

What I tested:

• Tado wireless smart thermostat – room thermostat
• 1 x Smart Radiator Thermostat V3+ – controls individual radiators
• Boiler extension kit/wireless receiver – connects your boiler to the smart thermostat

Setting up the Tado smart thermostat

Before doing anything, you register on the Tado website. This gives you full access to the set up instructions which can be followed on your laptop/phone browser or in conjunction with the app on your phone. Note that some parts (like adding the extension kit) were only available to me via the main website. Though the app did walk me through other parts of the set up, you can't install with app alone – so, just a note to have web access to hand in some form.

After putting in a few details about your home, and downloading the app for your phone, you are ready to go.

Tado should be easy enough for any competent DIYer to install. The products come with quite limited instructions (great for saving paper), allowing the web app to do the work. This is great, but if like me you didn't know your heating system well enough to know you would need the extension kit too, it does mean you find yourself some way through the process before having to abort mission to get what you need. Not Tado's fault – definitely a user issue – but some brief written instructions might have saved me the 30 minutes or so I spent getting to the stage that I realised I needed something for the boiler to 'speak' to the thermostat. 

Once I had the extension kit, it was time for attempt two. Again, the set up is in theory very easy. The web app explains each step, customising the instructions based on your boiler and heating system. From my experience last time, I figured I would need to do the trickiest part first – connecting the wireless receiver (aka extension kit) to the boiler. Sadly, 4pm on a Sunday afternoon in winter is not the best time to be trying this. You will need to turn off power to the boiler as you are going to be fiddling with the electrics and if you are like me, you like to turn off all power – just incase. What does this mean? No lights (I am really paranoid about electrocuting myself) sitting in the dark, hotspotting your phone for internet connection while attempting to remove the cover from your boiler. Not ideal. Abort mission for a second time.

Finally, I watched a couple of videos – berated myself for not choosing professional installation which would have been much faster – and checked how to turn off power to my boiler while maintaining lighting and power to my router. 

I won't go into details too much, as set up at this point depends on what boiler you have and whether the controller is integrated or not. All this is explained by the web app with you being able to select the right instructions by inputting your boiler manufacturer, model and controller name – this should be on your boiler. In some instances, Tado might not have full instructions in their database and you have to send a support request, meaning their engineers will create some bespoke instructions for you in the next couple of days. The support really is forthcoming for those who need it.

Once your extension kit is wired in and the power is on, you just need to use the internet bridge provided, to pair the device. Time to connect the smart thermostat itself. Mine was going to live in my lounge where it acts as a temperature sensor and controls the temperature of any radiators in my home that I have not fitted with a smart radiator valve. This is far less faff that the extension kit – you simple pair to the internet bridge, add the device to the app all guided by the Tado website. You can wall mount this or buy a bracket to stand it on a shelf or table. 

The final step for me was fitting my smart radiator thermostat. I opted for one in my bedroom as the lounge would be set by the main thermostat and the only other room with controllable valves is my spare room which I don't use as often. I might get one down the line for this very reason as Tado is great for flexing around your heating needs.

The process was also nice and easy – pair the device to the internet bridge and app, then it needed attaching to the actual radiator. First I had to remove the existing valve before I could add the new smart valve using a new mounting bracket supplied with the kit. I was able to screw the valve mounting bracket directly onto the valve, then just had to screw the smart radiator thermostat into place. This was quick and the app confirmed once I had finished this stage correctly. If you have further valves to add smart radiator thermostats to, you can add each one room by room, pairing and adding to your app as you go.

With set up complete, I was looking forward to getting stuck in to some of Tado's famous features.

Using the Tado app to control your heating

Set up may have taken me some time and a few attempts, but the app really is simple and time saving. So what does it do?

Scheduling
Firstly, you can use it to build schedules for your heating. The scheduling sits under Home mode meaning if people are home, it follows your preferred schedule. In the opposite – Away mode – it follows a different schedule that is suited to an empty home.

One of the very clever things about Tado is that rather than telling it what time you want your heating to go on and off, you tell it what time you need it to be a certain temperature and it works out the rest. So, before I used Tado, I set my central heating to come on at around 6am as I am starting to get up, meaning it could be some time (usually once I had left the house back in my commuter days) before rooms were a comfortable temperature. Now, Tado works out when my heating needs to come on to get up to my desired temperature at the time I want. It reacts to external temperatures and comes on earlier if needed, so I never get out of bed to a chilly room.

The app scheduling offers simple choices of weekdays and weekends, the full week or lets you specify a different schedule for each day. These options make it very easy to use, but also give you plenty of flexibility to optimise your heating. Instead of backstop temperatures, you can also turn the heating off altogether at certain times with frost protection meaning the heating kicks in if the temperature gets too low – great for when you head off on your hols.

Geofencing
Because of geofencing Tado does much more than just using a schedule. You can define settings for when you are away from the home too, because Tado knows when you have left and when you are on your way back. When the last person leaves home for the day, the app knows to remind you to switch to Away mode to avoid heating an empty home. Then when you set off home, it reminds you to turn the heating on to make sure it will be warm for your arrival.

You can add multiple users to the account. This is recommended so that they can all download the app and synch to the account so it knows when they have left or returned. 

Open window detect
There is a host of features on Tado that are – in short – designed to stop you from wasting energy and keep you warm. One of these is open window detection. If you leave a window open, Tado will tell you to shut it or turn your heating off. With the paid for version of the app (more on this below), it turns the heating off automatically if the window remains open.

Weather adaptation
As mentioned before, Tado can work out when to put the heating on to reach your preferred temperature by the time you have set on the schedule. It does this by using weather reports to help it know how much oomph the heating will need and how early. On top of this, it checks the weather and helps you make smarter choices about your heating use to match.

Air comfort
Another thing the app can do is use the humidity monitors of the smart thermostat to tell you about your indoor air quality. Mould is a big cause of respiratory problems, but Tado can help prevent mould forming by warning you about high condensation and humidity levels. If it thinks a room is getting a bit stuffy, it will advise you to open a window. This is great, but as someone who lives in a Victorian terrace which struggles with condensation and has no opening windows in the lounge, it can start to feel like it it telling you off for something you can't control. Still, this is a problem for me and not the many – and it is usually right...

And it isn't just the air inside your home either. Last year, Tado added pollen reports to the app – great for the hayfever suffers among us to prepare for the day. Or to warn us to shut the windows and load up on antihistamines. 

What is Tado Auto-Assist?

Most of what Tado does comes for free in the app. However, for €24.99 a year you can really make the most of Tado's smart capabilities. This is called Auto-Assist and as the name suggests, it automates a lot of what Tado tells you to do. For example, geofencing is great, but the free version just sends you a push notification – usually when you are driving and can't act on it – telling you to turn the heating off because everyone has left home. 

The same applies for window detection. With the free version, Tado tells you a window is open and you should turn off the heating to avoid energy wastage. Auto-Assist just does it for you (turn off the heating, not shut the window that is...). 

If you are thinking the difference between being told to turn off the heating and it doing it itself is not worth €24.99 a year, then the final paid for feature might sway you. Care and protect – which is not available on the free version at all – helps monitor your heating system for problems. It can even spot a developing problem before it becomes a full on breakdown and can save you costly boiler engineer call out charges. Yep, it even tells you how to solve some common issues by yourself before you ring for help.

I am yet to test the subscription part of the app, but other users think it is well worth the money for added automation and heating assistance.

What happens to my heating if my internet connection drops?

Something that had put me off smart heating for a while was just this. I have slightly unreliable internet and was worried that one big rainfall could mean I was without heating when I really need it. I didn't want to be at the whim of my shoddy web connection.

However, Tado does have a fallback for this – you can override the app and control your heating manually should you need to. This is a good safety net that put me right at ease.

How much energy can you save with a Tado smart thermostat?

Tado stats say that their customers save an average of 22 per cent on their heating each year. This could mean savings of up to £400 each year for the average home. 

I found that my app was telling me I had saved an average of 24 per cent in the colder months, but as much as 32 per cent in March. It is worth noting that my stats are based on me having been working at home full time for the last year and barely leaving home due to various lockdowns. As Tado works so well by turning off your heating when you aren't home, I have probably missed out on some of these saving opportunities by being stuck in the house. Expect an update when we return to normality.

What else do we love about Tado?

Once you have everything set up, you barely know it is there. Aside from the odd radiator valve noise which I noticed initially in the early hours when my heating came on, the devices are very discreet in look and operation.

I could go on more about how much nice the devices are to look at than other smart thermostats – especially if you have the wireless build – but it is the app that really shines. It has everything you could expect and I particularly like the energy savings section that tells me how much energy I have saved each month, as well as other stats like how many hours of sunshine we have had, how much time I have spent away from home (barely any at the moment of course) and how often my heating has switched to energy saving mode.

What don't we love about Tado?

The set up was a drawback for me as it took several attempts and was more involved than I thought it would be. However, it is worth noting that this won't be the case for everyone and if you already have wireless heating control, it is much easier to integrate. What's more if you don't want to set up, you can get it installed professionally and can make this decision partway through the set up process (which I did consider...).

Also, you only have to set it up once, so the time it takes is worth it in the end for all the benefits of heating savings and easy use.

How does it compare to other smart thermostats?

Tado's main competitors are the Nest Smart Learning Thermostat and Hive Active Heating kit. The first thing most people compare them on is price. The Tado smart thermostat itself is slightly cheaper than the Hive and Nest kits, but to really get the full advantage of Tado, you will want to add on some smart radiator valves to control room by room. These cost from £55 each so you will soon be paying more than you would for the competitors even if you only control one or two rooms independently.

I also had to get the extension kit to control my boiler remotely. This currently costs around £100 by itself. So the cost is starting to look stacked against Tado, but we do advocate this kind of buildable system that you can grow when you need to.

However, you really are paying more and getting more. Nest is generally preferred for its smart learning. You begin with a fair bit of adjusting, but it starts to learn your preferences and schedules. Over time, it is probably the most hands off and unlike Tado, you aren't paying extra for automated heating turn off with Auto-Assist – it just learns and does it. However, it doesn't offer quite as much control and we think Tado really is a great retrofit option that functions like quite expensive, fully integrated automated heating systems you tend to get in very modern luxury homes.

Hive is comparable to Tado when it comes to zoning. You can make it part of a multi-room system, controlling each room as required. But what Hive lacks is the smart radiator valve function that allows you to have full control room-by-room.

We think Tado is the best option if you want a more advanced smart heating system with lots of flexibility. You can keep it simple with just the thermostat if you want simple on and off heating, or up your heating game by adding a smart valve to every radiator you can – costly in the short term, but it really does save you a lot of money over time.

About this review and our reviewer

Lindsey Davis is Editor in Chief of Homes Ecommerce at Future. That means she is tasked with making sure our audience get the very best in product buying advice, and works with her team of product experts to find the right buys for your home. She has worked in homes journalism for nearly ten years and has a particular interest in anything that will make the planet a little healthier.

At Real Homes we think the only way to test products is in the homes they are designed for. That is why we make sure our reviewers have them for at least two weeks, though in this case the Tado smart thermostat was tested over several months. Items we review are usually gifted, free of charge and we are allowed to test them for as long as needed. In this case, the reviewer was able to keep the units meaning further updates to this review over time. After all, we want to know how the product delivers not just in the first month, but those to come, too.

This is the first smart heating device Lindsey Davis has tested in her home, though she has hands on experience of Nest and Hive products in the homes of others. She would describe herself as welcoming of smart home technology, so long as it genuinely makes life easier, which is exactly what she tests it for. She lives in a two-bed Victorian cottage with a fairly new central heating system and a mix of single glazed, secondary glazed and double glazed windows. The small rooms heat quickly, but regulating the temperature to be comfortable throughout can be difficult. 

December 25th is almost here – well, nearly – and you’re probably feeling those stress levels rising. Or, maybe you're looking forward to seeing people outside of a Zoom call for Christmas 2020?

Either way, these are the cool technology gifts we're buying this weekend. A little bit of tech could help make the whole Christmas season run a bit more smoothly, especially if you're entertaining (and we are). 

Whether it's a smart speaker to get the party started, or a robot vacuum cleaner to make cleaning up a breeze, these the eight gadgets every homeowner needs this Christmas. Get Alexa to order them for you, and you can sit down with a mince pie to watch Home Alone for the 300th time. Merry Christmas!

1. A smart thermometer (so you don't poison anyone)

When it comes to cooking, a smart oven gives you greater and more convenient control over your oven, allowing you to preheat it and turn it off using your phone – great for when you need to get away from the kitchen for some family time. But something like the Meater Plus Wi-Fi thermometer can be delivered in time for Christmas and will help to ensure the turkey is perfectly cooked. Simply put it into the thickest part of the bird and load up the app – it will ask a few questions about what you’re cooking and how, and then can offer you notifications for key stages in the cooking process.

2. A smart speaker (to start the party)

When it comes to entertainment, smart speakers – or even multi-room music systems – are fantastic for spreading the Christmas cheer throughout your house, whether you fancy the Christmas classics or a bit of Bublé. The Amazon Echo Plus is best for sound quality, but even the smaller Amazon Echo Dot will get the party started. If you want to stream Christmas tunes in the bedroom, you can pre-order the Amazon Echo Dot with clock, which also doubles as an alarm (not that you'll need one of those when the kids wake up at 4am on Christmas Day!).

3. Tablet based party games (take up less space)

Games that can be played on a tablet are a lot of fun. A real party favourite is Heads Up, where one person holds the tablet or phone up in front of them, words flash up, and their fellow game players have to give clues to help them guess what word it is. It’s free to download with a few themes for free, with others available for around 99p each. You can also play a variety of games with through your smart speaker, Alexa, for instance, has free games that include a song quiz and name-that-movie challenge. 

4. A robot vacuum cleaner (there's always a mess)

Cleaning up is probably the worst part of entertaining, but a robot vacuum could make life easier. It’s no replacement for a deep clean, and it’s not going to clear up the mountains of wrapping paper, but it’s great for staying on top of things. You can set it to do a quick run around the kitchen and living room when you sit down to eat, to ensure things are looking a little fresher for those after-dinner drinks and games. The very best will work over wooden floors, rugs and carpet, and even return themselves to their docking station for charging, so your guests are none the wiser you have a robot helper!

5. A new dishwasher? (Black Friday is the time to buy)

Unfortunately, we still don’t have appliances that can do the washing up for us, but there are smart dishwashers that can give you a bit of extra control to make getting through the piles of dishes a little easier. The cleverest adjust their settings depending on how dirty the dishes are, to avoid them needing a manual clean at the end. You can also control wash cycles from your phone, turning the dishwasher on and off to suit, as well as receive notifications on when it’s ready for the next load.

• Check out our pick of the best dishwashers on sale today

6. Alexa (she's sooo helpful)

Still need to do some last-minute shopping? Then tech can help you out with that, too. If you have a smart speaker that supports Alexa, you can order things from Amazon just using your voice, be that presents, paper or Prosecco. You will have to have the various settings in place on your connected Amazon account to make it work, such as 1-Click ordering and valid payment details, but it only takes a few minutes to get that set up if it sounds helpful.

7. A video doorbell (what, you've still not got one?!)

A smart doorbell, like the Ring 2 Video Doorbell, will allow you to speak to delivery people as they arrive, and tell them a safe place to leave your precious parcels. You don't even have to be home to do this. It's genius.

8. Non-stop Christmas movies (obviously)

Whether your fave Christmas movie is Elf, Die Hard or It's A Wonderful Life, you need a smart TV in your life. Order now and you'll be able to stream all manner of movies whenever you want – some services like Netflix will require a subscription, while others will be chargeable per movie. If you don't want to invest in a new TV but want smart capabilities, invest in an Amazon Fire Stick, which simply plugs into the USB port on your TV and allows you to steam content from Amazon Prime and other providers.

• Best streaming devices: keep up with your favorite box sets, wherever you are

Great deals on all the best Christmas gifts:

Been meaning to invest in a security camera for a while now? Whether you've been eyeing up the best security camera money can buy or want something affordable to do a simple job, we're here to help. And, as luck would have it, Amazon have reduced the price of the TP-Link Tapo Mini Smart Security Camera to just £19.99 right now. This compact little camera can spy on your home when you are not there, check up on your pets or even act as a baby cam. The best part? It connects to Alexa, so you can check what's going on using your voice. Downstairs? Spy on what's happening upstairs without doing the steps. In the garden? Check from your smartphone what's going on in the kids' bedroom.

Not only is this security camera great for checking everyone is okay – humans and pets, of course – but it acts as a great burglar deterrent. That and should a burglar decide to break in, you've got the footage on camera. You'll be immediately alerted, too, and you can save the videos. Bursting with features, this camera also boasts a night vision mode, it offers two-way talk and it detects motion very well. That and it displays a 1080p image, it has a privacy mode and it boasts a wide-angle view to see 105 degrees.

What are you waiting for? Soon it'll be dark every day come 5pm. So, if you want peace of mind that your home is safe, this is the most affordable way to get it. And to spy on the kids and pets, of course.

More great security cameras...

Prepared to splash the cash on a new security camera, indoor or out? Try out the Ring Spotlight Security Camera for size: it's rated our best security camera for good reason. If you have a large home and want to go all out with an entire security system, the Amazon Blink XT2 Security Camera is your best bet. Want something easy to use and even easier to set up? Pick the Ezviz C3A Security Camera. If you want a security camera to spy on your pet while at work or out of the house, the Ezviz C6CN Internet PT Camera is a great option.

Looking to buy the Amazon Echo Show (2nd Generation)? Smart idea. This Alexa device is best placed in a kitchen or living room, and it makes controlling all of your already-owned smart tech a breeze. Boasting a large 10-inch HD screen, the Echo Show can be used to watch TV, play games and even video call family and friends.

Currently, this is Amazon's largest Echo Show device on offer, just in front of the Echo Spot, Echo Show 5 and Echo Show 8. We've spent quite a while reviewing this device and have been using it in our home for the last year or so. Here's how we've been getting on with it and if we still think it's worth all of the fuss...

Looking for more advice? See our guide to the best smart speakers for your home.

• Read our Amazon Alexa review for a deeper insight into this smart assistant
• Find the best Amazon Echo deals at our page – don't overpay

Amazon Echo Show: specifications

• Weight: 1755 grams
• Dimensions: 24.6cm x 17.4cm x 10.7cm
• Screen size: 10.1in 
• Speaker size: Dual 2n drivers with a passive bass radiator
• Camera quality: 5MP
• Included in the box: Echo Show, power adaptor/cable (1.8 m) and guide

Who will the Amazon Echo Show suit?

The Amazon Echo Show is suitable for just about anyone who wants to make their life easier at home. We recommend placing your Amazon Echo Show in your living room or kitchen to make the most of its features. 

Those who have newborn babies can use it to view their baby monitor, or ask it to play soothing music to help the baby sleep. You can order formula just by asking, and thanks to the screen you can make sure it's the right one.

A toddler will be entertained for hours talking to Alexa, with a copious amount of games to play, and stories and jokes to tell. Teenagers can use it to blast their music all day every day, and to check on their favourite football team to see how they played in their last game, or to help with their French homework translation.

Young adults can use it to see easy-to-follow recipes to help prevent cooking fails, set reminders to remember bin day, check their local cinema for screenings and take group photos at parties. Adults can do their oh-so-fun finances using Alexa, view their commute to work, whether it be by plane or train, and make announcements to the kids' devices. It's also a huge help when it comes to purchasing last-minute gifts. 

The elderly can ask Alexa for updated news stories, information on local shops and their closing times or what the weather will be like in a week's time, and for those who are hard of hearing, subtitles can be turned on, so the device works just as well. It can also play the role of someone to talk to if you're lonely, and most importantly, you can connect with other family members so easily, whether it be through messaging, audio call or video call.

Amazon Echo Show: where should I put it?

For those who are thinking of placing this smart home product in their kitchen, the Echo Show can set timers, show you videos of recipes, order your food shopping (or a cheeky takeaway), play music and even set a reminder for you to take your rubbish out every week. 

If you're thinking of placing your Echo Show in your living room or even bedroom, then each morning you'll be greeted with updated traffic information on your route to work, weather information and the top news titles will be displayed on screen. The kids will be kept happy with the games they can play, and during Christmas, there's even an open-an-advent-calendar every day if you ask.

If you currently own other Alexa devices, then you can sync them together, so you can tell everyone that dinner is ready or turn off all devices while watching a family film, to ensure that family time isn't disturbed.

Amazon Echo Show: how to use it

The Echo Show is happily easy to set up, especially if you're using the quick manual which comes in the box. For those who are newbies to Alexa, you can download the Alexa app to your phone where you can see recent activity on your device(s), and essentially control your Echo Show from afar. This is also where you can add other smart devices such as a smart doorbell or smart thermostat. 

Similar to other smart home devices, the Echo Show needs to be plugged in at all times in order to work. This is one point which is a slight disadvantage, especially if you want to move the device from room to room as the product will turn off each time. However, if you just want the Show in one room as you're decked out with other Alexa products in other rooms, then this isn't a problem.

The beauty of the Echo Show is that it really does make boring or stressful tasks less painful, such as cooking new recipes, as you can see a step by step video to ensure you don't miss a step, you can ask Alexa to re-order bin bags when you discover that you've only got a few left,  you can ask how to say 'how are you?' in Japanese, and even watch the morning news while you're waiting for the kettle to boil.

There are three buttons on the Echo Show: the first one is a mute button for when you don't want Alexa to respond or listen, and also to turn the camera off; the other two buttons control the volume of the speakers – although you can also control the volume by saying 'Alexa, turn the volume down/up'. 

Operation is easy – if you want the device to go on standby, you say 'Alexa, goodnight' or if you want to turn it off completely, you can simply just switch off at the wall or unplug it.

Amazon Echo Show: how I use it

How have I been using the Echo Show? 

Setting timers when cooking
I started off with the basics, like setting a timer, which is very handy when you have 10 things going on at once while cooking and aren't sure if your roast potatoes have been roasting for long enough. You can set several timers at once, as well as reminders. Now, we never forget to put our bins out!

Asking for recipes
A lifesaver for those who have a sparse collection of cookbooks, I am always asking Alexa for a recipe whether it be for dinner or dessert. It's also handy for us to have in the kitchen when it comes to converting measurements. And, the Echo Show can tell you food replacements should you not have something you need for a recipe.

To listen to music
The Amazon Echo Show connects Spotify so I can play my own playlists and control everything from the volume, to which song is playing and more, all hands-free.

For a morning greeting
First thing I did after receiving my Amazon Echo show was set up my daily routine, so that every morning when I say 'Alexa, good morning' or 'Alexa, start my day', she tells me any information I may need to know about my commute to work, she tells me the weather and also if there has been any breaking news. I've also connected my calendar so that if I have something on – work or home life – I'm aware.

To control other smart devices
I also use my Echo Show to be notified when someone knocks on my door – thanks to my Ring Doorbell 2 – and I can use it to control my Dyson Pure Hot + Cool, as well as the smart bulb and smart plug in my bedroom. In other words: it's a great way to control smart tech in other rooms without actually having to move. 

Games
After a few too many Proseccos, we sometimes like to play Alexa's song quiz (I highly recommend). You can also entertain little ones with the huge range of Alexa games available to download on your device.

Amazon Echo Show: screen

It's true: the Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) boasts a huge 10-inch HD screen – perfect for watching and playing. This screen works by touch so you can control your Alexa by touch or voice.

Amazon Echo Show: pros

Well, other than the fact that all of my friends are absolutely amazed by a smart-home device which has a screen and it makes me feel slightly cool, I really like the fact that the Amazon Echo Show really can be used by anyone, at any age. 

Now when I have guests over, I'm more often than not in less of a rush thanks to the Echo Show. I'm used to following a recipe from a tiny phone, but now I just ask Alexa to show the recipe, play some music and set a timer for when I need to start cooking or take food out of the oven. 

All-in-all, the Amazon Echo Show has an answer for nearly all of my questions and queries, and when you get one, you'll wonder how you ever survived without the help.

Amazon Echo Show: cons

The need to be plugged in constantly is a big disadvantage for me, because I'm used to having wireless devices, and because our Echo Show is in our kitchen, when we move into the dining area to eat, I always want to take it along for music, but unplugging and plugging back in can be a hassle. 

Amazon Echo Show: how is it different to other Amazon devices?

All Amazon Echo devices are different – the Echo Dot is their most affordable, the Echo Spot the smallest with a screen, the Echo Show 8 is a mini version of the Amazon Echo Show 2nd Gen and so on. Simply enough, all Alexa devices can pretty much do the same thing, with the exception of those with a screen. The one you buy should depend on what size you want or need, as well as who will be using it and how much money you have to spend. See all Echo devices below.

Amazon Echo Show: where to buy

• Argos
• Amazon UK
• Currys PC World
• Very
• John Lewis

Also read:

• How to set up Alexa – a little help
• Our Amazon Alexa review – here's what we thought

Considering buying an Amazon Alexa device? Whether you've got your eye on the Echo Dot or the Echo Show 5, we're here to help you decide whether this smart assistant is the best choice for you. For those who don't know: Alexa is owned by Amazon, while there are several other smart assistants to choose from such as the Google Assistant, Apple's Siri, Microsoft Cortana and so many more. Should this be your first delve into the world for smart home devices, you'll want to make sure – ahead of paying – that the one you choose you will like, especially before buying compatible tech such as smart bulbs, plugs, and more – there are currently 10 plus Alexa devices to choose from.

We've written a jargon-free Amazon Alexa review below so you know all about this smart assistant ahead of buying one. From the basics to the stuff only serious Alexa users know. And, to do so, we've enlisted the help of TechRadar's James Peckham. So sit back, relax, and get ready to discover what Amazon Alexa is really about...

Don't miss our pick of the best smart speakers – you'll need one once you've decided which smart assistant is for you. First up, prices. See all Amazon Alexa smart speakers – otherwise known as Amazon Echo devices – below along with their best current prices. Or, head to our Amazon Echo deals page afterward.

Amazon Alexa: what?

Amazon Alexa is one of the easiest to use voice assistants on the market. It’s also one of the most accomplished as it got out of the gates earlier than a lot of the competition and Amazon’s collective brain has been tinkering away on extra features and improvements since its launch in 2014. 

Alexa is built into the whole Amazon Echo range of products including:

• Amazon Echo
• Amazon Echo Dot
• Amazon Echo Auto
• Amazon Echo Dot with Clock
• Amazon Echo Spot
• Amazon Echo Plus
• Amazon Echo Show 5
• Amazon Echo Show 2nd Gen
• Amazon Echo Studio

That’s not all though – there’s a huge range of third-party gadgets of speakers, soundbars, and more that also tote the voice assistant.

For example, some of the top-end speakers in the Sonos range come with Amazon Alexa built-in, as well as speakers across the JBL, Ultimate Ears, Libratone, and others. Browse our guide to the best soundbars to find out more.

Plus some other smart appliances, such as smart fridges, are Alexa enabled so that you can look up recipes on your fridge via your smart assistant. Mind-blowing.

Amazon Alexa: is this smart assistant the one for you?

The first step to building a smart home system is ensuring you have a smart speaker that allows you to communicate with your smart assistant. This is essential to controlling the rest of your smart home set-up.

Often, in choosing a smart speaker, you end up choosing a smart assistant by default. The most popular options include Google Assistant (available on Google Home Hub products), Siri (on Apple products) and Alexa (on Amazon products).

While you won’t necessarily buy a product because it's Amazon Alexa compatible, you do need to think about what other smart home tech you'll want to control via your smart assistant, in future. 

After all, you won't be able to switch eco system further down the line without incurring unwanted costs. So, ask yourself: does Alexa cater to the smart fridge/smart thermostat/smart plugs I've got my eye on? Or would Google or Siri-enabled smart assistants be a better choice?

Amazon Alexa: standard features

Amazon Alexa has always been built around smart speakers, and the fact it has been out in people’s homes for almost five years now means it’s one of the most fully fledged voice assistants you can invest in. Here's everything Amazon Alexa has to offer, in terms of default features:

• Smart home control
• Timers and alarms
• Calendars
• News
• Lists
• Weather forecast
• Access to Spotify, Amazon Music Unlimited, TuneIn (which can be used to play the radio) and Audible (for audiobooks) as part of Amazon Alexa's impressive audio offerings.

Amazon Alexa: basic features

Ask Alexa to play a track and it will immediately be able to find the music you want directly from your preferred streaming service. If you also ask for it to play from Spotify, or another service, specifically it’ll be able to do that.

Timers work accurately, lighting turns on and off on demand, alarms are easy to set and it’s easy to ask about the weather, too. Essentially, the default features for Amazon’s Alexa work exactly how you’d like them.

• How to use Philips Hue with Alexa

Amazon Alexa: skills

In addition to Alexa's standard features, there are a whole host of extras, also known as 'skills' available to users, too. According to most recent statics, there are over 70,000 to choose from, though this is constantly increasing. Some of our favourite examples include:

• Ask for answers for questions that come directly from the internet.
• Listen to Ted Talks or catch up on BBC New headlines.
• Guided meditation and audio based workouts.
• Fitness tracker.
• Translation.
• Create heating or lighting zones to complement your smart home set up.
• Sleep sounds.

There are thousands more Skills that you can download easily from the app and the likelihood if you’ll be able to find yourself a variety of skills you want to install on your smart speaker immediately.

Amazon Alexa: do these skills work?

More and more of these search options are getting better with stronger contextual information, but for the time being Google Assistant is a touch better at answering more questions with more depth.

If you’ll regularly be asking for information like this, you may want to look at Google Assistant as your voice helper of choice.

The thing with all voice assistants is they will continue to improve with time. Alexa will be better a few hours after this review is first published as Amazon is continuously working on it, and the same thing goes for Google Assistant and Siri on smart speakers.

Amazon Alexa review: the verdict

You’ll find that Amazon Alexa works with a lot of the top-end services you will use to make your dream smart home a reality. Here's everything you need to know:

• Amazon Alexa works with both iOS and Android phones, and we’ve found the app easy to control.
• Alexa will also be able to control most smart home products you may want to buy. Including Philips Hue, Hive, Ring, TP-Link, Nest, August Smart Home, Logitech Harmony and many more.
• You can connect in your smart home devices with ease, via the app, making any setting alterations required.

When you’re buying smart home equipment, you’ll spot a logo with a blue icon that says 'works with Alexa' next to it. That’s how you’ll know it’s compatible with your speaker.

Amazon Alexa: where can I buy one?

You can buy an Amazon Alexa device from Amazon themselves – here is where they are usually cheapest – but also from other US and UK retailers, too. Find the very best Amazon Alexa deals below.

Looking for more reviews?

• Apple Siri review
• Google Assistant review
• Best smart home tech for your house

Buying an Echo Show 5? We can get behind this. A great investment for a bedside table, the Amazon Echo Show 5 is undoubtedly one of the best smart speakers you can buy. It's slightly more feature-packed than the Echo Dot, yet smaller and cheaper than the Echo Show 2nd Gen. A very good happy medium in the Alexa smart speakers world. In fact, there's not much this smart speaker can't do. Some of the things that we use it for include switching off lights, turning on smart fans, playing sleep sounds, setting alarms, controlling smart plugs and so much more.

With a smart display and a camera, the Echo Show 5 can also be used to make video calls and watch videos, although we should stress that this is not all that it should be used for. You can also turn off the camera – there's a cover for it – and mute the microphone, if you like. A great bedroom companion for an attractively low price tag, we think. Read on to find out how we got on with it.

When you're done reading, we'd recommend comparing the Echo Show 5 to our pick of the best smart speakers. 

• Read our Amazon Alexa review for a deeper insight into this smart assistant
• Find the best Amazon Echo deals at our page – don't overpay

Amazon Echo Show 5: specifications

• Weight: 410g
• Dimensions: 14.8cm x 8.6cm x 7.3cm
• Screen size: 5.5in
• Speaker size: Full range 1.65 built-in speaker
• Camera quality: 1MP
• Included in the box: Echo Show 5, power adaptor/cable (1.5 m) and 'Things to Try' guide

Who will the Amazon Echo Show 5 suit?

Anyone who's considering a smart speaker who might also want to watch videos, too. Think of it as somewhere between a smartphone (the Echo Show 5's 5.5in screen's resolution isn't much better so don't expect TV-quality images) and a tablet (although it isn't flat and needs to be plugged in to work so isn't as portable). 

For those who remember, it's about the size of a traditional clock radio, so it'll sit neatly on a kitchen worktop or – as it did throughout our test – on a bedside table. 

It's worth noting (for the technophobes out that) that it's really easy to set up. You simply input your details, and download the Alexa app on to your smartphone to control it remotely and to access all of Alexa's Skills (weather reports, story telling... and so on).

Amazon Echo Show 5: how to use it

The Echo Show 5 features three different buttons: one for turning the microphone on or off; one for turning the volume up and the other for turning the volume down. The device works via voice command and touch screen. However, Alexa can’t switch to some menus via voice command, which means you will need to use the screen and a totally hands-free experience you'll be used to from traditional smart speakers (such as the Echo Dot) isn't an option.

What else? The screen can be dimmed and brightened, there's also a Do Not Disturb setting that I liked.

Amazon Echo Show 5: how I use it

Here's how I use the Amazon Echo Show 5 daily, which will give you a good idea of how it can be useful. 

Got me started in the morning
It sat on my bedside table, and once I'd woken up the device with 'Alexa, good morning', it gave me the weather forecast, traffic information for my commute to work, some news briefings and what was on my calendar for the day. I also asked to listen to the radio. 

Helped me get to sleep
Alexa has an application called Sleep Sounds that you can enable from your smartphone. From here you can choose a sleep sound – the thunderstorms one is my fave – to help you get to sleep and stay asleep.

Allowed me to answer the door from my bedroom
I synced it with my Ring doorbell, too, so if anyone came to the door, it told me 'There is someone at the door'. I could then talk via the Echo Show screen and view the Ring doorbell's camera from my bedroom. Ideal if I'd just got out of the shower. 

See our best video doorbell buying guide for the latest buys at the best prices.

Let me work my bedroom fan by voice control
This smart display is, as I've already said, compatible with other Alexa-enabled devices. In our case, that also meant our Dyson Pure Hot + Cool fan, heater and air purifier (see our review for more on that). I could simply say: 'Alexa, turn on Dyson' and it would. 

Gave me privacy when I wanted it
I was conscious that there was a camera in my bedroom. Happily, there's a shutter that slides across the camera to disable it. You just need to remember to do so. 

Helped me find my phone
Ask Alexa to find your phone and it will call it for you. A life saver. 

Gave me an alarm clock with bonus features
This device doubles as an alarm clock which can be customised to suit both your personal preference and your room's decor, or you can use it to show off one of your own photos. The Echo Show 5's clock display is dimly lit, which is great because I am a very light sleeper. Plus, the sunrise effect will also help you wake up naturally; this effect can be set to begin 15 minutes before alarms set between 4am to 9am. 

Find the best wake up lights in our buyer's guide.

Turn on the bedroom light
I use this Alexa device to turn on and off my bedroom light each day. This is great for when you are snuggled in bed and really don't want to get up to flick the switch, while it also makes getting up in winter easier when you can say "Alexa, turn on bedroom light' and be instantly awake.

Vacuum the house
The Echo Show 5 connects to my robot vacuum so I can say 'Alexa, turn on robot vacuum' and it will start cleaning. I can also instruct Alexa to send the vacuum home once i think it's finished.

Turn off hair straighteners
I always worry that I have left my hair straighteners on after leaving the house. After buying and connecting a smart plug to my Alexa, I can check remotely and turn the plug off from my phone, or simply ask her to do so. Great for peace of mind.

Connect it with another smart speaker
I've connected the Echo Show 5 with my Sonos S1 speaker so that I can control it using my voice. This is great since the speakers built into the Echo Show 5 aren't quite as impressive as the Sonos S1, while the Sonos S1 isn't as smart. Joining them together means I can reap the benefits of both.

See our best smart plugs guide for some recommendations.

How else could it be used?

Play music videos and stream movies
As I said above, the screen isn't that much large than my smartphone's so I didn't enjoy watching videos or shows on the Echo Show 5 any more than I would have done on my phone – plus, because it has to be plugged in to work, there was no portability.

You can stream Amazon Prime Video but the rear-facing speakers don't play music that loudly or that cleanly. Something to consider if you're gifting this to a teen.

Amazon Echo Show 5: screen

Smart displays are simply smart speakers with a touch screen. What is a smart speaker (we hear some of you ask)? It's a speaker you can control via a smart assistant such as Alexa: think the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot.

What can a smart display do that a smart speaker can't? Well, with its screen it can be used to show videos, photos, allow you to video chat, display a clock face, weather forecasts... and so on. 

Echo Show 5: pros

It's affordable and does more or less everything my Echo Show 2nd Generation does, but is more compact, making it a better buy for my bedside table. I use it daily to do everything from answer my front door to turning on my robot vacuum, turning off my bedroom light, switching on my Dyson fan and checking that my hair straighteners are off. And also sleep sounds – what a great feature!

Echo Show 5: cons

The main downside – other than a disappointing screen resolution and speaker performance – is that it needs to be plugged in to work. So, if you have it in your bedroom like I did but want to use it to look up recipes in your kitchen, you'll have to unplug it, reboot it and start again. And if you're doing that you may as well just use your smartphone. 

Echo Show 5 VS Echo Show 2nd Gen

As I said above, both smart displays (see below) can perform much the same tasks. The Echo Show 5 is smaller, more lightweight and has the added bonus of a camera cover, plus there's a clock display on this device.

The Echo Show 2nd Generation may be bigger and a little heavier, and there's no clock display, but it does give you an improved viewing experience when it comes to videos and photos. For us, that makes the Echo Show 5 a better buy for a bedroom.

Amazon Echo Show 5: where to buy?

• Amazon - UK
• Amazon - US
• Argos
• Currys PC World
• John Lewis & Partners
• Very

More useful guides:

• Beginner's guide to smart assistants: Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri – a jargon-free explanation 
• Read our Echo Show 2nd Generation review if you are after a larger smart speaker

With the nights beginning to draw in, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus could be a consideration for enhancing your home security. 

Luckily in recent years a series of innovations have come to market which have made home security a retail proposition – meaning that you don’t need an electrician to hard wire a new alarm system in your home. Instead, you can quickly by systems that are effectively plug and play – and battery operated devices that run off your home’s WiFi.

The Ring Video Doorbell became a leading player in this market as a kind of security device that also has a clear function, replacing your home’s doorbell. It’s a neat and smart little piece of kit, incorporating a camera into the bell so that you can see who’s at your front door – effectively allowing you to answer your door from anywhere in the world. It’s been selling these doorbells for several years – and we gave its latest model, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, a try out to see what had changed and if it was still as effective as ever.

Keep scrolling to hear how it fared during testing or check out our best video doorbells for more smart ways to answer the door.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus specifications

• Connection requirements: Dual-Band WiFi, Alexa Enabled
• Video quality: up to 1080p HD Video
• Range: 1.5 to 4.5m
• Installation: easy, and it's battery-powered
• Field of vision: 160 degrees
• Exclusive feature: Pre-roll

How does the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus work?

The Ring Video Doorbell notifies you when someone’s at your front door. It does this through a built-in motion detector which triggers both the alert and recording of the ‘event’. Obviously, it also operates as a regular doorbell. You’ll need to install the app in order to set up the doorbell, and for us installation took around 15 minutes including the physical installation of the bell itself on our front porch.

In terms of connections, the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is battery operated and there are no wires involved. A rechargeable battery is supplied with the kit and, after three months of operation, has needed recharging once. The user receives an alert of the low battery and replenishment takes a few hours. Removal of the battery is straightforward. Wi-fi connection for us was OK, but clearly depends on the distance between the Doorbell and router. Ring sell an extender, the Chime Pro.

You can also use the Ring Doorbell 3 Plus as a standard security camera. The app allows you to see the live view from the camera giving extra peace of mind, which makes it a very useful part of Ring’s smart home range. 

What's new about the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus?

This advanced third-generation model irons out some of the familiar issues with motion-detection technology. It offers a ‘Near Motion Zone’ capture which is suited to front doors on busy roads with pedestrian traffic, and reduces the false alert problem that affects so much of this type of system. Even better, the user can set motion detection zones, which further allows personalisation of the alert system. Indeed, the success of security cameras and video doorbells almost entirely comes down to how smart the alert process is, and we consistently find Ring’s systems score very highly in this regard. 

The Video Doorbell 3 has a ‘Plus’ upgrade model. For an extra £20 or so, you can take advantage of the four second video preview pre-roll feature on the Plus, which eliminates another gripe of the long-term wireless security consumer: that the kit wakes up too late to capture the action. This is a genuinely important addition and in our view well worth the extra expense.

How easy is the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus to use?

It’s an easy-to-set-up piece of kit which then requires a bit of time investment to tailor to your individual needs. There is no shortage of features on the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus, and the key to enjoying it and making it useful is to identify how you want to use them. Luckily, the app is very intuitive and easy to adapt, offering a sense of control. For example, the app allows three different modes: disarmed, home and away, which offer different default settings for alerts which then in each case can be personalised. The app also offers a range of different tie-ins with other smart home technology most notably Alexa – allowing you to programme custom notifications through your home’s speakers, and even turn the lights on automatically when someone’s at the front door.

Again, it’s worth reiterating that you’ll need a good few hours to really explore the features and personalise the app to get the best out of this kit. The Doorbell comes with a 30 day free trial of Ring Protect, which for a regular payment of £2.50 records all your events on the cloud and from a security perspective feels essential.

The verdict?

The acid test for smart home kit - and the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus is no exception – is in how much it becomes part of your life. We found the doorbell easy to install and requiring a bit more than average brain power to make the most of. The app is very well designed with an appealing and easy to use interface – you really do feel like you have control over the system through your phone. The app will also make suggestions for you in terms of improving your user experience, which is very welcome for what can occasionally be quite a complex set of decisions.

In terms of value for money, the point of security systems like this is that they offer a return on investment on their function – meaning how secure they make you feel, how much they deter potential trouble, and how much you feel confident in using them. At just shy of £200 the Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus isn’t cheap – particularly with Ring’s older doorbells usually available for around half that - but the added features and better useability make it money well spent. Not that looks matter too much in this regard, but Ring has always enjoyed sharp design and the 3 Plus is no exception. Interchangeable grey and black covers offer some design flex, too.

More on smart tech:

• Ring video doorbell 2 review: see how this older model compares
• Do you really need a video doorbell?
• Best video doorbell: 6 (more) smart doorbells to boost your home security

Whether you're tired of losing your keys, you're already in the process of automating your home, or you're setting up a B&B, a vital part of the process is choosing a smart lock that fits your needs. There are plenty of different smart locks to choose from, each with their own unique abilities. However, we recommend the August Smart Lock Pro for most people since it's super easy to set up and comes with everything you need.

The August Smart Lock Pro is for anyone looking to simplify the process of entering and leaving their home. 

If you get tired of fumbling with keys, worrying about whether you locked the door when you left the house, buying new spare keys for your children, or precariously placing a spare key in one of those entirely unsafe fake rocks, this smart lock is for you. August lets you create virtual keys for friends and family staying at your place. It also keeps tabs on the comings and goings of your household using a built-in 24/7 activity log.

Its appearance is immediately striking and will give any door a futuristic look, with your choice of dark gray or silver finishes. You can use your smartphone to unlock or lock your door remotely. Or you can set up a proximity lock: Your entry will unlock when you approach with your phone and lock when you move away.

The August Smart Lock requires no wiring and installs using an existing deadbolt. It also works with HomeKit, Alexa, and Google Assistant, so you can control it with Siri and the Home app for iOS and just about every other smart device you own.

The Nest × Yale Lock supports notifications, letting you know when someone operates the lock. You can set up passcodes that expire after a period of time if you plan on having guests or need a maintenance person to gain temporary access to your home. What's more, the lock uses geofencing tools to automatically lock when you're not around — no more forgotten doors. 

The lock replaces your deadbolt, offering a tamper-proof and secure solution to keep your door locked up tight. If the lock ever senses tampering, it will send you a notification. There's also a handy feature I'm particularly excited about: If your lock ever loses power, you can use a 9-volt battery to quickly charge and unlock the door. 

The Nest × Yale Lock is perfect for anyone that has Nest products in their home, and while it may not work with HomeKit, it will work with other accessories like Google Home. It's built to integrate with the system and requires the Nest Connect or Nest Guard to interface with the rest of your Nest system and connect with the Nest app.

If you enjoy receiving up-to-the-minute information about the activity in your home and want a lock that matches your home, have a look at the Schlage Encode. This advanced smart lock has a touchscreen keypad for entering your entry code and works effortlessly with Amazon Alexa while remote access allows you to unlock your front door with just a tap on your smartphone. No hub is needed and you can lock or unlock your door from anywhere in the world on your smartphone. You can set it to lock automatically after a set time span of inactivity. 

The Schlage Encode boasts the highest safety rating possible, a built-in alarm ready to sound just in case anyone is tampering with your locks. Another terrific feature this smart lock has is the ability to add in temporary codes, so if you go away on holidays and a neighbor needs to look after your plants or pet, you can add in a code for them, and delete it when you get back home, so they no longer have access to your house. 

The two-piece system is available in aged bronze, matte black, or a satin nickel finish in two different styles to suit your home's decor. The only downside is that it isn't compatible with HomeKit.

The Ultraloq UL3 is a 5-in-1 keyless smart lock that's a great fit for indoor and outdoor smart lock installation. 

It works with your iPhone, allowing you keyless entry, the ability to see who's coming in and out of a specific door, a log record of all visitors, and the ability to clone and transfer your information to a new lock if you choose to buy another.

The Ultraloq UL3 isn't just a keypad lock — it also comes with a fingerprint scanner, so if you need that extra level of security, this smart lock has you covered. You can add up to 95 fingerprints to your Ultraloq UL3.

The coolest part about the Ultraloq UL3: If you knock on your iPhone four times, even if it's in your pocket, you can open up your door. It's as simple as that.

The Samsung SHS-3321 is a reliable, sleek-looking, and an easy-to-use smart lock that's battery operated with an emergency power connect in case the batteries die. 

The lock is designed without a keyhole, making it accessible via touch-pad, while a magnetic sensor automatically locks the door behind you when you leave. If you're away for a long time, the lock even has an Away mode that can be activated to monitor and track movement, kind of like a home alarm system.

The Samsung SHS-3321 is both affordable and sharp looking, making it ideal for putting on several different doors around your home — not just your front door. Silent mode means that you can put this lock on the door of your baby's room and not worry about sounds waking them up in the middle of the night.

Lock it down

The August Smart Lock Pro provides the most functionality for most people. It's Alexa-compatible. You can monitor, lock/unlock your door, control keyless access, and track who comes and goes from anywhere in the world using your smartphone. DoorSense tells you if your door is securely closed and locked uptight. A 24/7 activity feed keeps you updated on anything that happens near your door. Attach it to your current deadbolt so you can continue using your current keys. Set it to lock automatically when you leave and unlock automatically when you come near.

The August Smart Lock Pro is incredibly easy to install with 10 minutes and a screwdriver. Purchasing it opens you up to August's entire line of smart home products — including a smart keypad and doorbell camera. It's reliable, it's stylish, and it's perfect for anyone looking to add smart, wireless access to their home.

What is a smart speaker? The world of smart tech can seem like a confusing one, but it doesn't have to be. We're here to cut through the jargon and deliver the clear, concise information you need to increase the connectivity of your home, which will ultimately make daily life easier and more efficient. We'll fill you in on exactly what a smart speaker is, as well as providing information on what they can offer and why you might think about investing in one, if you haven't already.

What is a smart speaker?

A smart speaker differs from the average speaker in that it's designed to provide a home for a smart assistant – Alexa for the Amazon Echo, Google Assistant for Google Home and Siri for Apple devices are the most popular examples. 

This, in turn, allows you to play music, set timers, receive weather updates and control your smart home devices using simple voice commands, which has the power to make daily life easier and more efficient. 

Here's how a smart speaker might make life more efficient:

• Access your diary, with ease, so you know exactly what you're doing, when
• Connect smart bulbs – this will allow you to set lighting schedules for enhanced home security, improved ambience and more
• Turn off your heating with a single voice command, or from any location, to improve energy efficiency and reduce bills
• Keep a closer eye on your home from any location by connecting smart security systems, be that cameras, video doorbells or something more specific
• Keep up to date with the latest news, match results and other important information
• Order an Uber, and receive a notification when it pulls up, without having to reach for your phone
• Call friends and family members while pottering around your home

Discover more about smart tech

• 10 reasons you need a smart speaker
• Can't sleep? Here's how Alexa can help

At this point, we're all pretty familiar with what (or who?!) Alexa is. And if you don't already have a smart speaker to house Amazon's infamous smart assistant, you'll likely have a friend/colleague/in-law who can't stop raving about how Alexa has changed their life. Like, seriously.

But, what if we told you that the vast majority of Alexa users aren't making the most of the skills available? And that knowing exactly what Alexa can do isn't always super obvious... there are an unimaginable amount of skills on offer, all of which are designed to make life easier and more efficient, with more introduced by the day, it's pretty exciting and you deserve to be in the know.

Well, we're here today to share some of the latest skills we've discovered and implemented into our own lives. From helping you discover the best beer to compliment your food, to ensuring even the busiest amongst us can keep fit, there's an awful lot to learn. Keep scrolling to discover some of our favourite skills...

• Discover 10 reasons you need a smart speaker

1. Let Alexa leave you feeling inspired

Leave home feeling a little more inspired, thanks to this handy skill from Alexa. To enable, simply download Inspire Me, then say: 'Alexa, inspire me' to hear fragments of truly inspirational speeches taken from throughout history and across the world.

Perfect for getting you geared up in the morning, and an easy way to discover more about the world around you. We love the idea of enabling this skill while getting ready for work. They may just give you the motivation you need to be the change you want to see in the world.

2. Use Alexa to help you keep fit (no matter how busy your schedule is)

Too busy to workout? Can't justify paying for a gym membership? 7 minute workouts is for you...

Designed to help you keep in shape, no matter how little time you have, 7 minute workouts talks you through simple exercises that can be completed at home, without the need for any gym equipment. 

Choose between low impact, standard and advanced routines, depending on your fitness level – and how much of a workout you're after – and give your body the blast of exercise that it's craving.

3. Choose the best beer to complement your dinner

Hosting a dinner party and want to make a good impression? Or simply interested in learning more about beer? Brewer's Table will help you do just that, from the comfort of your own home.

Simply open the skill, let Alexa know exactly which beer you have to hand, and listen up for suggestions as to what to serve. Simple – and tasty.

4. Get advice when you have missing ingredients 

Half way through preparing dinner and discovered that you forgot to pick up a vital ingredient from the supermarket? We all know the feeling. And if you're not super confident in the kitchen, it can be difficult to know what can be replaced with what.

Well, what if we told you that by enabling the Ingredient Sub skill, it's super easy to ask Alexa for an alternative to your missing ingredient? Genius.

5. Discover the ultimate life hacks

Knowledge is power, as they say, and life hacks have the power to make daily life easier and more efficient. Use Alexa to open Life Hacks and discover everything you never knew you needed to know.

Read more:

• Amazon Alexa review
• Smart assistants: a guide for beginners and the confused

Looking for an honest Google Assistant review? You've come to the right place. Despite being one of the youngest of the leading smart assistants – discover more about them in our beginners guide – Google Assistant can now be found in a wide variety of the best smart speakers designed both in-house by Google, as well as from a variety of external companies. 

But is Google Assistant worth the hype? And, more importantly, is it the smart assistant for you? If you're taking your first step into the world of smart home tech you'll want to know before committing to a specific smart eco-system. We enlisted the help of tech expert James Peckham to help us cut through the jargon and deliver the cold, hard facts. Here's what we found...

What is Google Assistant?

Released in May 2016, Google Assistant replaced a similar feature called Google Now, bringing a two-way conversation feature to smart enabled devices for the first time. Google's answer to a smart assistant – much like Alexa – Google Assistant 'lives' inside a smart speaker, responding to a variety of voice commands and controlling your wider smart home system.

You can use Google Assistant in phones and tablets as well as the Google Nest range of speakers that includes the Nest Mini and Nest Max (previously known as the Home Mini and Home Max). Google Assistant can also be sound in a variety of third-party products such as Sony, Sonos and JBL speakers, as well as an increasing number of touch screen devices.

Is Google Assistant the smart assistant for you?

With a wide variety of third-party speakers and the whole Google Nest range to choose from, you won’t struggle to find a top-end speaker that allows you to make the most of Google Assistant's ever-increasing capabilities. The smart home control is second to none, and there are lots of apps that support the platform as well.

One of the highlights of Google Assistant is the Chromecast integration that allows you to easily control your TV – including access to Netflix and other streaming platforms – even when you can’t find the remote control. 

The search functionality and contextual information Google Assistant offers is also a big highlight. With some clear highlights and very few negatives, the Google Assistant is an easy to use platform that many can embrace easily and we think you’ll be happy with what it offers.

Google Assistant standard features

Much like the other voice assistants, you can just call out to your smart speaker with a command to wake it and use your voice to state your question, query or request. 

With Assistant, you’ll have to say 'OK Google'. You can then ask a variety of questions relating to features like playing music or podcasts, directions for your journey, information from the internet, smart home features and more.

Google Assistant will be able to answer your music requests from a variety of services such as Google Play Music, but there’s also support for Spotify, Google Podcasts and services such as TuneIn where you can listen to the radio over the internet.

Do Google Assistant's basic features work?

Where Google excels at the moment is contextual information in your searches. It’s particularly good at answering queries such as 'how long is it until Christmas?' or 'when was Marilyn Monroe’s birthday?'. Amazon Alexa and Apple’s Siri are slowly getting better at this, but the power of Google’s search engine currently makes it consistently the best for these sorts of searches.

It even has conversations with you, so it’ll remember your last search and it’ll often understand the context of a follow up question. For example, we asked 'how old is Taylor Swift' and got the correct answer from Google. We then said 'play her music from Spotify' and it managed to remember we had been talking about Taylor Swift and played a playlist of her music.

This is useful for a variety of searches and isn’t something that’s offered to such a high hit rate on the other voice assistants at the moment. 

If you use a lot of Google services such as Gmail or the calendar, you may find the Assistant suited to you as it connects with your accounts and means you can set up reminders and more from your speaker.

For example, if you have a calendar meeting set up, the Google Home (or other speaker) can remind you of it on a morning. You can also set it up so the speaker will remember your commute and let you know on a morning if there’s a delay on your normal route.

Plus if you own the Google Home speaker, you can use it as a way to make phone calls to other speakers in other people’s homes too. It’s a useful way of having a conversation in your home when you can’t find your phone.

One nifty feature is if you have a TV with a Chromecast plugged in – those are the affordable streaming dongles from the company that connect your telly to the internet – you can even use Google Assistant to play things on your TV.

For example, if you’re in the room with your speaker you can ask 'Play Orange is the New Black from Netflix on my TV'. It’ll then connect to your Chromecast and automatically play it for you. It may sound lazy, but this is good when you don’t want to spend time sifting through all the menus on your favourite streaming services and just want to dive straight into the action.

Smart home compatibility

Google has done well to get its voice assistant to support a wide variety of smart home gadgets. It means you should be able to control your smart home tools with a Google Assistant ready speaker without much hassle at all.

If you’ve got Nest set up in your home, for instance, you’ll find you’ll be able to ask your speaker to set the perfect temperature or you can turn it all off together. It’ll also control Philips Hue lighting gadgets in a similar way too.

Google has support for over 200 brands of smart home tools, and that adds up to around 1,500 products across its range. Examples include Philips Hue, Roomba, TP-Link, LIFX, Nanoleaf, Arlo, Swann Security and many, many more.

Google Assistant makes it easy to control your smart home gadgets with your voice, plus the new selection of smart speakers with screens allows you to play around with the settings of your home on the tablet-like interface as well.

Discover more of our handy guides

• How to use Philips Hue with Google Assistant
• Google Nest Hub review

Wondering how to set up Alexa? If you've been given an Amazon Echo or Echo Dot for Christmas, you might be only just getting around to wondering just how you get it set up with Alexa. 

We've got good news for you: it's very, very easy to set up your Echo, so long as you have wireless internet at home and a reasonably up-to-date operating system on your phone (IOS 11 and higher, Android 5.1 and higher, or Fire IOS 5.3.3 or higher).

Follow these easy tips for installing your new device. Haven't got the Echo yet? You could find one at a great price by heading to our January sales hub page. 

1. Download the Alexa app

If you're downloading Alexa onto a mobile device, simply go to your app store and type in 'Alexa'. If you're downloading for desktop, go to the Amazon Alexa website to download it.

2. Plug in the Echo

Connect up and plug in the Echo using the adapter provided. The device will glow blue, then orange when Alexa has connected up to it. You will hear Alexa saying that the device is ready for set-up.

3. Set up Alexa to your wi-fi

Typically, you'll be able to this via the Echo and will be guided through the process. If for some reason this hasn't happened, simply open the Alexa app and find your Wi-Fi network on there. You'll have the option to store your password on Amazon. If you're connecting up via an unsecured public network, that option won't be there.

The best Amazon Echo deals today:

Looking for tech gifts for the smart home tech lover in your life? If you're really not into technology, are only loosely acquainted with Alexa and can't recall which iPhone model we're on now (is it 5, 9, X, 9X, who really knows?) ,shopping for the techie in your life may seem like something of a daunting activity. But, it doesn't have to be.

Today's technology is pretty inspirational and – you'll be pleased to know – doesn't have to cost a fortune. So, we've rounded up some of the best (and most gift-worthy) tech to make the process of gift giving as simple and straightforward as possible this Christmas. Shop our top picks below and expect a pretty happy giftee. 

Today's best deals on tech gifts:

1. Pick up the super popular Amazon Echo Dot with clock

A bestseller this Black Friday, the Amazon Echo Dot with clock would make a perfect gift for those keen to expand a smart home system (aka most tech lovers).

As well as boasting all of Alexa's basic skills – setting reminders, providing updates on the weather, public transport, sports fixtures and more and playing music – this stylish smart speaker also features a simple, LED clock which makes it perfect for use as an alarm clock.

2. Gift the super stylish Ted Baker ConnecTed wireless chargers

You don’t think fashion or style when it comes to phone chargers usually, but this partnership between Ted Baker and mobile phone accessory maker Proporta changes all that.

Finished to the brand’s luxury standard, the Ted Baker Wireless Charger lets you charge your phone simply by placing it on to the wireless dock, no plugged-in cables necessary. And, unlike your usual charger, it’ll look mighty stylish left on your desktop surface.

• Shop the Ted Baker Wireless Charger in the UK

3. Help them upgrade their Alexa with Amazon's Echo Show 5

An upgrade from its older sibling – the Echo Show 2nd Generation – the Echo Show 5 is a super handy addition to a smart home set-up for those with security systems, as well as those of us who enjoy step-by-step tutorials and more. It comes complete with all of Alexa's usual functions, as well as some handy new skills, a super stylish design and more.

We also love the idea of gifting the Echo Show 5 to a partner, friend, or family member, who live far away as it make video calling super easy. Read our full review of the Amazon Echo Show 5 for more information.

• Shop the Amazon Echo Show 5 in the UK
• Shop the Amazon Echo Show 5 in the US

4. Or the Best Hub Max if they're a Google devotee 

If you're thinking of gifting a smart device, you really need to know whether your giftee is team Amazon Alexa or team Google Assistant. If the former, shop the above. If the latter, this is the one for you. Not sure? Drop them a text, feigning an interest in investing in a set up yourself. Simples.

If your giftee is a Google devotee, it really doesn't get much better than the Nest Hub Max. Released earlier this year, this model boasts an impressive 10 inch HD screen, plus a 6.5 MP camera which makes it super easy to video call friends and family.

• Shop the Google Nest Hub Max in the UK
• Shop the Google Nest Hub Max in the US

5. AirPods

It took a while, but we've finally reached a point where people wearing AirPods aren't ruthlessly mocked by their friends, family and the whole of Twitter. And now that we're there, they make a pretty cracking Christmas present.

Not something that people would necessarily buy for themselves, AirPods are the perfect gift the Apple user in your life. And there are two options available to you. The classic AirPods – which come complete with a charging case – or if you're feeling super generous, the newly released AirPods Pro.

• Shop Apple AirPods in the UK
• Shop Apple AirPods in the US

6. And a case to keep them in

If the techie in your life already has a pair of AirPods – or you're looking for something a little more budget friendly – why not buy them a super cute case to house their headphones in?

We love this Marble AirPods Case from Skinny Dip. They're stylish, yet understated and certainly don't cost a fortune. 

• Shop the Marble AirPods Case in the UK
• Shop similar Marble AirPods Cases in the US

7. Sky Now TV Smart Box

Love Sky TV programmes, but don’t want to commit to a costly satellite subscription? The Sky Now TV Smart Box is an affordable way of getting pay-as-you-view access to loads of Sky TV content away from any lengthy contracts, with individual monthly passes sold to all the best TV and movie content that Sky has to offer. 

This latest version of the Sky Now TV Smart Box is jammed full of techy features too, including 4K high resolution visuals and the ability to search for the show or movie of your choice using your voice alone.

For more inspiration, check out our guide to the best streaming devices.

• Shop the Sky Now TV Box in the UK

8. Samsung HW-MS650 soundbar

What’s a great TV without some great audio to support it? If you want to hear with supreme clarity the dulcet tones of the Queen’s speech this Christmas, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better soundbar than the Samsung HW-MS650 to do it with.

It may be over a year old (making it more affordable than at launch, too, and perhaps a Black Friday steal this year, too) but it remains the superior soundbar on the market, with physics-defying bass handling, incredibly powerful and punchy sound, support for lots of input sources and a massive array of streaming services including Spotify, Deezer, Tidal and more.

The MS650’s one-body design offers a 3.0-channel (left, right, centre) mix powered a superb combination of six woofers and three tweeters - all powered by their own individual 20W amps. Though it’s not capable of delivering fancy overhead Dolby Atmos sounds, it’s otherwise about as good as soundbars get.

Not sure this is the model you want to gift? Browse our guide to the best sound bars.

• Shop the Samsung HW-MS650 in the UK
• Shop the Samsung HW-MS650 in the US

9. Subscriptions to Spotify, Xbox Live, PlayStation Plus, Netflix or Amazon Prime

Looking for a useful, simple stocking filler? Or a gift for the person who has everything? We'd recommend picking up a subscription to an online service. They’re the sort of essential that’s a costly chore to maintain, but well appreciated as a gift – and easy to pick up last-minute, if you’d forgotten that special someone’s special preference. 

You’re looking at an average of £10 a month for most of the following services, though premium and entry-level accounts for some services are also available. 

• Gift a Spotify membership
• Gift an Xbox Live membership in the UK
• Gift a Playstation Plus membership in the UK
• Gift an Amazon Prime membership

10. Parrot Anafi Drone

Played around with drones before and looking for the next step up and away into the skies? The Parrot Anafi is the drone for you.

Ultra compact thanks to its folding frame design, it shoots pro-quality 4K HDR video and can capture crystal clear 21MP photos. And that’s before flying the thing, with beginner-friendly controls letting you make high-speed, daring stunts way above your head.

• Shop the Parrot Anafi Drone in the UK
• Shop the Parrot Anafi Drone in the US

11. Botvac D4 Connected

Next up, a piece of home tech that even the least techie amongst us are guaranteed to appreciate. Yep, that's right, a robot vacuum cleaner. And a good one at that.

While the best robot vacuum cleaner won't replace their regular current vacuum cleaner entirely, what it will do is make keeping up with daily chores easier and more efficient. Especially this Botvac D4 Connected Robot Vacuum Cleaner, which boasts an impressive runtime – particularly when compared with competitor products – and makes use of lasers to ensure a more effective clean.

12. GPO Brooklyn Boombox

Want to bring some retro cool to your next party? The GPO Brooklyn Boombox is the only way to be playing Run DMC’s Christmas in Hollis this festive season.

Aesthetically a dead-ringer for the 80s classic boombox, it’s got all the mod cons you could ask for from a contemporary music player, from Bluetooth connectivity to USB playback. It’s even got a CD player and a tape deck, as well as an FM radio, with a microphone input allowing for karaoke sessions too. It’s the office Christmas party on your shoulder.

• Shop the GPO Brooklyn Boombox in the UK
• Shop the GPO Brooklyn Boombox in the US

Looking for more gift inspiration?

• The best eco-friendly and ethical gifts to give this Christmas

We all know that Alexa, Siri and Google Assistant can play music for us or check the weather, but can you correctly guess all the other smart home items they can control? 

As part of National Smart Home Month, the Real Homes Show carried out a survey on tech usage. Of the thousands we asked, only 30 per cent correctly guessed which items from the following list could be controlled by a voice assistant or smart speaker. How would you get on? 

Simply select all of the smart products in the list below that you think can be controlled by a voice assistant:

• Heating
• Lighting
• Security camera
• Oven
• Plugs
• Blinds
• Fridge
• Washing machine
• Doorbell
• Lock
• Robot vacuum cleaner
• Automated pet feeder
• All of the above

The correct answer is that all of them can be controlled using your voice assistant if you have the right products and apps. 

To help make home tech easier to understand, we've created a special episode of the Real Homes Show, in partnership with our colleagues TechRadar. Watch now for tech expert James Peckham explaining what a smart home is, how it'll make your life easier, and how to get started.

Check out these related articles

• Check out our guide to getting the most from your smart assistant
• Fancy a video doorbell? Here's our Ring 2 review
• No idea what 5G is? Here's our jargon-free guide for the confused

Amping up your home security on a budget in time for winter? This is the device you need: a genius smart entry sensor that sends you messages when doors or windows are opened. 

The best part? These devices are a fraction of the price you'd pay for an alarm system.

Here's how they work: you download the app, then peel and stick the devices on vulnerable doors and windows; you'll receive instant notifications if the doors or windows are opened via the app (or via Alexa if you're hooked up), no matter where you are in the world. 

You can, of course, arm and disarm the devices from your phone to, so that you don't get alerts when you or other family members are home.

We think it's an affordable way to monitor your home – perfect for anyone on a budget or if you're renting and your landlord won't pay for an alarm system. Pair it with a video doorbell or wireless security camera like the lightbulb spy cam we found yesterday and your home security is sorted – at a smart price.

Scroll for more info and of course, to shop

• Click to buy the Kangaroo Home Security Motion + Sensor for $29.99 at Amazon US now. In the UK? This similar device is only £14.99.

• This budget home security camera is a mini spy cam burglars won't spot
• Worried about home security? You need this brilliant (budget) burglar deterrent

Want to know about the US version of this particular device? If you're a pet owner, you don't need to worry about your energetic cat triggering your sensor – the Kangaroo has built-in Pet Rejection Technology that is smart enough to disregard them so not to worry you without need.

And both devices – UK and US – have long battery life so you won't have to worry about changing them in the near future.

• Best smart locks
• Best home security systems

Although 57 per cent of us own a smart assistant, playing music is still the main reason we buy one. This is according to research of 1,042 people carried out by the Real Homes Show, our online TV show, sponsored by Checkatrade, which now features a smart home tech section. But, it turns out, we're missing out on a whole world of fun.

If you're one of the 53 per cent of people who own an Alexa-enabled voice assistant (such as the Echo, Echo Dot or Echo Plus), or amongst the 22 per cent of people who own a Google Home device, here are nine of the weird, wonderful, and occasionally useful, things you could be using it for.

If you haven't got smart speakers yet, or you want extra speakers for other rooms, make sure you check out the best Amazon Prime Day deals when the sale goes live this weekend.

1. Ask Alexa or Google Home to play a game with you

Remember the days when everyone sat around playing Monopoly of an evening? Nah, us neither. You've got more chance of getting the whole family involved in a game if it's of the digital variety. Ask your smart assistant to play a game and you'll be spoilt for choice. From a name-that-song music quiz to a testing of your general knowledge, you'll find something to keep everyone entertained.

2. Add to your joke repertoire 

Friends fed up of your cheese jokes? They're probably not very Gouda (sorry). Luckily, both Alexa and Google Home Assistant can help improve your puns. Ask either to tell you a joke, remember it and prepare for the laughs to roll in. You might even pick up a cracker (sorry, again).

3. Tell everyone when dinner is ready

If you've got teenagers in front of Fortnite and your other half glued to the TV, then yelling that dinner is ready can fall on deaf ears. Instead, use your smart assistant and speakers as an intercom. Great fun for making announcements, especially if they embarrass the kids... 'Josh, hope you're having fun up there with your new girlfriend...'.

4. Make a handsfree phone call

Still dialling friends and family on the old dog and bone? That's sooo 2018. Instead, sync your phone to your smart assistant and then use it to make handsfree calls, either on the phone or to your smart assistant. Letting your mum natter away while you get on with something useful? Priceless.

5. Get help in the kitchen

If it's that time of the week when there's nothing in the fridge but some cheese, an egg and half a pepper, your smart assistant can come to your rescue. Ask your smart assistant for recipes containing the items you have. And if you're confused as to how many grams are in a cup, they can help with that, too.

6. Learn a new language

If 'paella, por favor' is the extent of your Spanish skills, then use your smart assistant to learn some more of the local lingo before you jet off on holiday. Alexa can teach you a word of the day in your chosen language, or let you listen and learn from a daily audio lesson, both using the Daily Dose app. Google Home Assistant, meanwhile, can translate words and phrases into English, German, French, Spanish, Italian and Japanese for you. Bonne chance!

7. Remember all the stuff you usually forget

Fed up of getting home from the shops and realising you've forgotten the milk? Then use your smart assistant to send you reminders or make lists for you. For instance, say 'Alexa, add eggs to my shopping list' or 'Hey Google, remember my work door passcode'. Using the linked app, you can listen back to your reminders or get them entered into a linked app, such as AnyList, and Todoist.

8. Get a better night's sleep

Having trouble nodding off? Ask Google Home Assistant to play you white noise on your bedroom speaker, which is proven to help you drift into the land of nod. Alexa, meanwhile, can teach you to meditate – simply ask Alexa to open Headspace or Mindful Meditation and then sit back, relax and fall asleep.

9. Control your smart home

Okay, we're guessing you already know this, but as most of us are only using our smart assistants to play music, it's worth a recap. Both Alexa and Google Home Assistant-enabled devices can be synced with everything from smart lighting to smart washing machines, allowing you to control your devices using your voice if you're at home, or using the app if you're out and about. Clever, aren't they?

Choose your Alexa or Google Home device...

Check out these related articles:

• Check out the best tech to help you get a good night's sleep
• No idea what a smart fridge is? Check out our handy guide
• Want to see who's ringing your bell? Get a smart doorbell

We are all pretty used to the concept of smart assistants now. If you don't own one yourself you probably know someone who does. We've become accustomed to saying things like 'Okay Google, what's the weather like tomorrow?' and 'Alexa, what happened on Love Island last night?'. But just how much have these virtual assistants become part of our homes?

A new survey conducted by the Real Homes Show has revealed that smart assistants are in fact the most popular home tech gadget, with Amazon Alexa and Google Home being used by over half (57 per cent) of those surveyed. 

• Amazon Prime Day is coming, but these smart home deals are worth snagging now
• Get £100 off a Google Home Speaker with this pre-Prime Day deal
• Don't wait for Prime Day: Google Home Mini is now £24 at John Lewis

According to the 1,042 participants of the survey, the most popular smart assistant was by far the Amazon Alexa (53 per cent). The next most popular choice was Google Home Assistant, with 22 per cent saying this was their preferred smart assistant (check out our reviews on both). And, we've reviewed Apple's Siri, too.

The factors that affected buyers the most when choosing which smart assistant to go for was easy connection and ease of use, and the most popular type of smart device bought was a smart audio gadget, with 37 per cent of smart devices bought being some kind of speaker.

• Best smart speakers 2019 – an expert buyer's guide

As well as smart assistants, the homeowners surveyed also noted they are considering prioritising their investment in smart audio, smart lighting, smart security, smart heating and smart plugs with in the next year. Well over 50 per cent also stated that they regularly control their home tech remotely from their smart phones and tablets, and they do tend to use their smart gadgets more than once a day. 

Feeling tempted to invest in your own smart assistant? Well with Amazon Prime Day coming up (starts next Monday 15th July), there will be some amazing deals go on, so now is going to be the best time to get your hands on one. Not sure what device to go for ? Check out these reviews and advice:

• Smart assistants: a beginner's guide
• The smart plug: a beginner's guide
• Smart meters: everything you need to know
• Amazon Echo Show (2nd Generation) review

Jason Orme, presenter on the Real Homes Show, sponsored by Checkatrade, says, 'We’re quite a smart home tech nation, according to the Real Homes audience survey. It’s gratifying to know that in this fast-paced world, the Real Homes Show is attracting a loyal audience who are keen to hear more about the latest products and to educate themselves on ways in which they can enhance their homes, make the most of their space and enjoy their surroundings even more by introducing small improvements that won’t cost the earth and are user-friendly.  We’re really excited about the second series which will bring more hints, tips and advice to our home loving, tech savvy viewers.'

For a load more content on smart home tech then make sure you check out our new section, The Hub. You'll find plenty of advice and in depth reviews over there. 

Plus, make sure you check out the latest episode of the Real Homes Show, which is back for a second season tomorrow and has a new smart home tech section. Each episode, tech expert Verity Burns will give viewers a beginner's guide to creating a more connected home, focusing on everything from robot vacuum cleaners to smart fridges. 

So, we've all – just about – got used to asking Alexa what the weather's going to be like, and we might even have progressed on to getting a smart assistant to turn on a coffee machine via a smart plug. But what about asking Alexa to rearrange the furniture at home? 

Sounds far fetched, right? It's not. And not only that, it's going to be Ikea furniture that does the voice-command reshuffling. Yup, the Swedish home store has just announced plans to pilot a series of robot-powered furniture, designed to save space in small homes, from 2020. 

Say what now? The system, called Rognan, has been developed in collaboration with American furniture startup Ori Living, and it's a large unit that is remote controlled via a wall unit by either an app on your smart phone or with your voice on an Alexa-enabled device. Rognan contains a bed, desk, and couch combination, that can slide around a room, dividing up the space and transforming it into two living spaces at your bidding. 

• Best smart assistants 2019

The thinking behind this new innovation? 'Cities are booming and at the same time living spaces are shrinking,' an Ikea spokesperson says. 'More and more people are living and moving into cities where approximately an extra 1.5 million people join the urban population every week. This mass urbanisation is accelerating and creates heavily populated cities that are at the same time consuming both land and resources at an unsustainable pace. Ikea wants to create a better everyday life for the many people, enabling them to create their dream homes in small spaces.'

So how does it work? Rognan is built on to Ori’s robotic platform, and works with Ikea’s Platsa range of modular storage furniture. It’s also compatible with their Tradfri line of cabinet and wardrobe smart lighting. Ikea claims the Rognan can save an extra eight square metres of living space. That might not sound like much, but if you live in a tiny flat, it could make all the difference.

The new piece is set to be launched in Hong Kong first as a pilot run. More details about the Rognan furniture are expected to be announced later this summer so we will keep you posted on this futuristic furniture as details arrive. In the meantime, keep up with the latest home tech on The Hub, our jargon-free, no nonsense approach to smart home tech.

Small Spaces Month:

This article is part of Small Spaces Month, brought to you in association with the new Real Homes Travel Edition. A compact version of our hugely respected monthly magazine, Real Homes Travel Edition brings you all the same great content as the full-sized edition, but in an even more bag-friendly format that’s perfect for inner city commutes and French riviera holidays. Get yours now at WHSmith, Easons and selected newsagents.

On the hunt for the best portable speakers going? Just a few short years ago, your options for portable audio were pretty much limited to headphones, but these days there's an incredibly wide variety of portable speakers with wireless/Bluetooth capability so you can take the music with you wherever you go – be that on a camping trip, to the beach, to a music festival and more. 

Modern portable speakers are so good, in fact, that many people end up using them around the home as a replacement for a bulky stereo system. While, admittedly, most can't offer the same sound quality as a plugged in speaker, they're certainly a step-up if you're currently relying on a built-in laptop speaker to listen to music. 

Looking for more advice when it comes to home technology? Head over to The Hub, the home for more advice, buying guides and honest reviews. Or, narrow your search with more speaker buying guides:

What is the best portable speaker?

The best portable speaker is the Ultimate Ears Blast, thanks to its impressive 12 hour battery life and sound quality. Perfect for use at home – it comes with Alexa smart assistant built in – as well as when you're out and about, this is a no frills piece of kit that ticks all of the boxes. Find out more about it, and the rest of our top picks, below.

How to buy the best portable speaker

When you're shopping for the best portable speakers, there are a few factors worth bearing in mind if you're going to get the most for your money. These include:

Sound quality

While sound quality is, admittedly, a little tricky to quantify, it is something to consider when investing in a portable speaker.

We'd never claim that a small portable speaker is going to sound anywhere near as good as a mains-powered stereo, but if the convenience of being able to carry it from room to room is more important to you then it could be a trade-off worth making. Plus, most models offer competitive sound quality.

Battery life

What's the point in having a portable speaker if it's constantly running out of battery and requiring the presence of a mains socket to charge it up?

If you intend on taking your speaker camping, backpacking or to a festival, you'll want to choose a model with the longest battery life going, in order to avoid disappointment. If you're planning on keeping it a little closer to home, this needn't be such a high priority.

Waterproofing

Other features worth looking out for include a waterproofing rating in case  you want to take a speaker to the pool or (more likely) be able to wipe it down if it needs a clean. 

USB charging socket

A USB charging socket can also be a helpful inclusion if you want to be able to use your portable speaker to charge a phone or tablet. This can be particularly handy if you're planning on taking your speaker to festival or on a camping trip. 

Voice assistants 

Finally, a small number of portable speakers are now packing in support for voice assistants such as Alexa and Google Assistant. This is a cool inclusion if you want to do things like select a song without having to use your phone, but such assistants are reliant on a constant Wi-Fi connection, so be aware that they can impact upon how portable your speaker is. 

The best portable speakers you can buy right now

The UE Blast represents the next generation of portable speakers. Although on the surface it looks very similar to the existing UE Boom 2, this speaker comes packing support for Amazon's Alexa voice assistant which means you can control the music with your voice alone. 

That means requesting songs, it means pausing the music without having to touch the speaker, and it also means getting all the other benefits of an Alexa speaker such as setting timers or getting answer to trivia. 

But all of this functionality would be useless if the speaker didn't also sound great. Thankfully, since the UE Blast builds upon the existing (and excellent) UE Boom 2, the speaker has a lot to offer with a punchy sound that's dripping with detail. 

It's a little light on ports, which means you won't be able to hardwire or charge a phone from it, but if you want a top notch speaker that's packing the latest voice assistant tech, then the UE Blast is the one for you. 

Shop the full range of portable, wireless and Bluetooth speakers available from John Lewis & Partners

If you're not concerned about voice control and you're prepared to pay a little more, then the Dali Katch is a great premium option. 

It might be a compact speaker but it sounds fantastic, with a rich sound that's dynamic and absorbing and is capable of playing for a lengthy 24 hours. 

Although it doesn't have Alexa or any form of waterproofing, that doesn't mean you don't get any modern conveniences with the speaker. A small 3.5mm jack is included if you're rather hard-wire your phone than connect it via Bluetooth, and a USB socket is on hand to charge your phone. 

These features come at a price premium, but if you want a more capable portable speaker, then the Dali Katch is what you need. 

Browse more portable speakers available from Argos

If you want the audio capabilities of our top pick but aren't fussed about Alexa integration, then the UE Boom 2 is a great way to save some money. 

Better still, it actually has some features that the UE Blast is missing, including an aux input, and a USB charging socket. 

You'll have to put up with slightly worse dust protection (which might be an issue if you're taking it to the beach), but the waterproofing of the two speakers is identical. 

In terms of pure sound quality though, this is every bit as capable, with a lovely full sound that's capable of going loud without compromising on detail on dynamics. 

All of this means that the UE Boom 2 is a great budget portable speaker pick. 

See more portable, wireless and Bluetooth speaker available from Amazon 

The JBL Charge 3 doesn't quite sound as good as the top three entries on this list, but with its budget-friendly price tag and 20 hours of battery life you're unlikely to care too much. 

JBL produce an almost terrifying variety of Bluetooth speakers, with the Charge line focussing on battery life. 

That means this isn't the most subtle of speakers around with a thick and chunky sound that's more about kicking bass than refined mids. 

It's also a little big and bulky, but if you want a portable speaker with plenty of sonic heft than you're unlikely to care too much. 

Browse the full range of portable, wireless and Bluetooth speakers available from Currys PC World

Portable speakers can get pretty bulky, and at a certain point you start to wonder whether they're actually still 'portable' after all. 

The UE Wonderboom, with its incredibly compact form-factor, suffers from no such concerns. It's small enough that you can easily chuck it into a bag for when you need it, and it still packs an impressive sonic punch. 

You're making some compromises with a speaker this small. It's battery life is a more limited 10 hours, and there's also no USB charging or 3.5mm input for hardwiring a phone. 

But if these are features you're not as concerned about, then the UE Wonderboom is an absolute steal at its budget price point. 

Head to AO for more portable, wireless and Bluetooth speakers

The Creative Muvo 2C is about as cheap and compact as Bluetooth speakers get, but it doesn't skimp on functionality to reach this price point. 

It's IP66 rated, which means it should survive a light showering, and it's also compatible with a variety of different input sources including microSD cards if you want to load it up with MP3s and not bother with using your phone to control it. 

You can even pair it together with a second 2C if you want a pair of stereo Bluetooth speakers. 

At this size and price you don't get much in the way of battery life (6 hours), and nor do you get conveniences like NFC pairing and USB charging, but if you want an ultra-cheap speaker to get the job done then the Creative Muvo 2C is a great choice. 

See the full range of portable, wireless and Bluetooth speakers available from Very

Looking for more speakers and sound systems?

• The best wireless speakers
• The best floor standing speakers
• The best desktop speakers

Heard the term ‘smart plug’ bandied about and wondered what all the fuss was about? Here, we tell you what smart plugs are, what they do, whether they’re worth the trouble and how they can make your life easier (or not). There’s also a quick list of the best buys.

Find more of the best smart home buys, advice and reviews on The Hub.

WHAT IS A SMART PLUG?

A smart plug can plug into your electrical outlets and sockets. You then plug any device into it and use the smart plug’s corresponding app to control the device via your phone or smart assistant (think: Alexa, Google Hub Max or Apple Siri).

Some smart plugs come with or can be controlled with a separate remote control that can be used around the house. These are called smart buttons, which are Wi-Fi or Bluetooth enabled mini controls that can send commands to other devices. Where to start? Flic and Logitech Pop. 

Smart plugs are generally sold as singles, but you can buy smart plug power strips, too, into which you can plug multiple devices. 

Find the best smart speakers to host a smart assistant in our guide.

HOW MUCH IS A SMART PLUG?

They needn’t be expensive – good quality buys start from around £25/$30 each for single smart plugs; smart plug strips cost a little more.

WHAT CAN A SMART PLUG DO?

Not all smart plugs are created equal, but good quality ones can manage most of the features below. It’s worth working out what you’d like your smart plugs to do for you before you buy so that you ensure get the service you want from them.

Make dumb appliances smart

A smart plug can turn an appliance that isn’t smart (in other words, smartphone or smart assistant enabled) into one that is, instantly.

Let’s say you’ve plugged a basic lamp or plain old coffee maker into the smart plug. With the smart plug, you can instantly turn them it on and off remotely. So, if you’re away overnight, you can use the app on your phone make your home look occupied by turning lights on and off as if you were at home. Or perhaps you’re on the sofa and want to start a pot of coffee brewing – you can ask your smart assistant to turn on the coffee machine with the simple instruction: ‘Alexa, put the coffee machine on’ – in other words, you don’t even need to remember the number of the smart plug; it’s that simple.

Turn your appliances on and off

Better still, a smart plug can be programmed just like any other smart home gadget or device to create schedules. So, you can instruct your smart plug – via the app – to turn your lamps on and off automatically at set times or to start brewing your coffee at a set time every morning.

Control zones

Some smart plugs will work as a group to create zones. So, you could create a lighting zone with all the table lamps in your living room, for example, and control all of them at once: ‘Google, turn on the living room lighting’ could be your set up instruction – and boom, each living room smart plug connected to a table lamp will switch it on. 

Make it look like you’re home when you’re away

Just like we used to set plug-in timers to make our lights come on and off when we’re away, good quality smart plugs have an ‘away’ mode, too, meaning your smart-plugged-in lamps, for example, will come on and off at intervals while you’re on holiday, just like they would if you were home. But instead of fiddling with the timings manually like on old plug-in timers, you control the schedule for your smart-plugged-in-lamps via your phone or smart assistant (whether you’re home or away already). 

Control outdoor devices, too

Want your garden lights to come on and off when you’re away, too? Or simply want to set a schedule for them for summer or winter? Anything outdoors that’s plugged in via a smart plug designed for exterior use can be controlled in the same way as smart plugs for indoors.

Lower your electricity bills

Of course, if your lights and appliances can be switched off from afar, you can cut your electricity bills. But some smart plugs, such as the WeMo Insight can go further, tracking how much energy a device is using and giving you the cost, too. And this, of course, can encourage you to swap out expensive devices or energy-guzzling lightbulbs for more eco-friendly ones. Handy as we all become more environmentally conscientious. And while we’re on the subject, you can set smart plugs to prevent latent energy use by devices while they’re turned off.

React to other smart devices

If you’re looking to really build up a smart home, it’s important to pick smart plugs that will work with your other smart devices. Let’s say, for example, that your smart doorbell or smart security cameras spot a potential intruder while you’re out or away, some of the cleverer smart plugs can be set up to switch on a lamp indoors, making it look like you’re home. Look out for the acronym IFTTT (If This Then That) on the smart plug’s spec. 

Read more about the ways smart plugs can make your life easier.

How to choose the best smart plug?

There is a lot of choice when it comes to smart plugs. If you already have a smart speaker with a smart assistant on it (let’s say Amazon’s Alexa on an Echo Dot as an example), it makes good sense to buy smart plugs that are compatible so that you can control the plug not just from your phone but with your voice, too. Most plugs are compatible with more than one smart assistant, but always check first. 

Don’t have a smart assistant yet? We’d still recommend that you go for a plug that’s compatible with one of the main brands (Amazon Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Samsung SmartThings) because it’s likely this will be your next step into the smart home.

The easiest smart plugs to set up and go can connect to your home’s Wi-Fi. Others connect through a hub, and tend to be cheaper than Wi-Fi enabled ones. However, the reason to opt for the second type of smart plug shouldn’t be price: rather, you’d buy these because they might integrate with another system you have or are planning to buy, such as smart lighting.

WHICH IS THE BEST SMART PLUG?

Which is the best smart plug to buy?

We think the Belkin WeMo Insight Switch is the best smart plug because it ticks all the boxes above. It works with Amazon, Apple and Google services, can slot readily into smart home setups, and can monitor energy usage as well as letting you turn your appliances on and off from your phone. 

If you want a cheaper option or are still experimenting with smart home tech, opt for the Hive Active Plug, which has many of the features of the WeMo: control your sockets from your phone or pre-set schedules. We like basic but competent Amazon Smart Plug, which works with Alexa, too. 

We also like Samsung’s SmartThings plugs which will work with Samsung’s smart hub to control both Samsung and third party devices, such as Philips Hue smart lightbulbs or Yale’s smart locks. 

TP-Link’s smart plugs work with Alexa and, like WeMo’s allow you to rename switches so that you can easily control each device without having to remember the smart plug’s number – in other words, it’s easier to say: ‘Google, turn off the living room light’ than it is to say: ‘Google, turn off plug… er… four, no… five?’.

Are smart plugs safe?

Smart plugs are as safe as any other outlets and many include automatic shut-off features in the event of power surges. Again, as with other plugged devices, it’s important not to overload them. 

Are smart plugs worth the spend?

If you're not planning on replacing any of your traditional appliances, particularly lighting, for smart ones any time soon, a smart plug is a good way to get your foot on the ladder at minimal cost. 

How to set up a smart plug

Each one is slightly different to the other, but all are pretty simple. Here’s what you do with Amazon’s smart plug: 

• Plug in the smart plug.
• If your smart assistant says ‘New plug found’, you’re ready to go.
• Otherwise, tap the smart assistant (let’s say Alexa in this case) app on your phone and click the ‘+’ icon.
• Instruct your smart assistant to start using the plug: ‘Alexa, add the first plug’. 
• From there, you can delve deeper!

More smart smarts:

• 10 reasons why you need a smart assistant
• Amazon Alexa review
• Google Assistant review

Hands up if you've got a smart device in your home? Order shopping through Alexa? Check the weather via Google Home? Our lives are busier and more connected than ever, so it makes sense that we're looking to satisfy our need for speed and convenience. But how far would you go in the quest for a smart home?

Phone recycling company RecycleZone.org.uk has tried to answer that very question. Their analysis of a report by Mindshare, who surveyed over 6,000 Brits on the smart technology they'd love to own, has revealed the emerging technological trends across households in the UK.

Top of the list is a smart thermostat that automatically adjusts based on a person's body temperature, with 46 per cent of participants saying they'd be interested in it. Smart vacuum cleaners (40 per cent) that can move items off the floor come next, followed by smart fridges (37 per cent) that can suggest recipes based on what food is inside them.

A laundry-folding robot came in at 32 per cent, while smart shelves – which can reorder items as soon as they run out – trailed behind at 30 per cent.

Shawn Hallums, spokesperson for RecycleZone.org.uk, said: 'Technology has significantly evolved. We are in the era of instant gratification – when people want to utilise technology to make aspects of their life easier and more efficient.

'Companies have created a multitude of devices and applications to cater to this apparent need. Now with a plethora of innovations available on the mass market, many of them have proved to be hugely popular and valuable. 

'As existing as well as new technology advances and develops, consumers expectations will undoubtedly grow.'

What would you choose?