Smart home and voice control

A light switch on the wrong side of the room or a thermostat too high to read can make a home harder than it needs to be. Smart home tools bring control within reach, by voice, phone, schedule or one big button.

What to look for

How the person will control it: voice, phone, schedule or a physical button.
Whether it needs a hub for voice control or control from outside the home.
Install needs. Some need no rewiring and work for renters.
Wi-Fi type. Some only work on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi.

Questions to ask first

Which control is hardest to reach today?
Does it work with the voice assistant already in the home?
Who sets it up?

Good to know

Thermostats replace the old wall unit; use the maker's compatibility checker first.

Listings for this need

12 listings

Listings are guides. Fit depends on each person's needs.

Smart display or photo frame
Amazon Echo Show 8 (2025, newest model)
by Amazon
What it helps with
A smart display for hands-free video calls, photos, and reminders.
Price
$199.99
Monthly cost
Optional: Alexa+ about $20 a month (included with Prime)
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Low
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Sensor or alarm
Aqara Presence Sensor FP2
by Aqara
What it helps with
A small radar sensor that knows when someone is in a room, even sitting still, and can turn on lights or run routines. It has an optional fall alert mode.
Price
$82.99
Monthly cost
None required
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Medium
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart home gadget
ecobee Smart Thermostat Essential
by ecobee
What it helps with
A Wi-Fi thermostat you can set by voice, phone, or schedule.
Price
$139.99
Monthly cost
Optional Smart Security plan from about $5 a month
Who it might fit
Families
Setup effort
Medium
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart home gadget
Flic Button Starter Kit
by Shortcut Labs (Flic)
What it helps with
Simple smart buttons you can stick anywhere to turn on lights or run other smart home actions with one press, no voice or app needed.
Price
$165.00
Monthly cost
None required
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Low
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart display or photo frame
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
by Google
What it helps with
A smart display that runs voice routines, reminders, and calendars.
Price
$99.99
Monthly cost
Optional Google Home Premium about $10 to $20 a month
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Low
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Sensor or alarm
Philips Hue Motion Sensor
by Signify (Philips Hue)
What it helps with
Turns lights on automatically when someone moves, so nobody walks in the dark.
Price
$48.99
Monthly cost
None required
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Medium
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart home gadget
Ring Wired Doorbell 2K
by Ring (Amazon)
What it helps with
A video doorbell so you can see and talk to visitors from your phone.
Price
$79.99
Monthly cost
Optional: paid Ring plan to save and replay video
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Medium
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart home gadget
SwitchBot Bot
by SwitchBot
What it helps with
A small button pusher that sticks next to a light switch or appliance button and presses it for you.
Price
$29.99
Monthly cost
None required
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Low
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart home gadget
SwitchBot Curtain 3
by SwitchBot
What it helps with
A small motor that clips onto your curtain rod and opens or closes the curtains on a schedule, from your phone, or by voice.
Price
$99.99 (1-pack)
Monthly cost
None required
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Low
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart home gadget
Wyze Plug
by Wyze
What it helps with
A smart plug that turns any lamp or small appliance into one you can control by voice or schedule.
Price
$29.98 (2-pack)
Monthly cost
None required
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Low
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Sensor or alarm
Wyze Sense Motion Sensor v2
by Wyze
What it helps with
A small motion sensor that can turn on lights or send a phone notice when someone moves in a room.
Price
$24.98 (sensor) plus $55.98 (required Wyze Sense Hub)
Monthly cost
Optional Wyze emergency dispatch plan about $10 a month
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Low
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing
Smart home gadget
Yale Assure Lock 2 Touchscreen with Wi-Fi
by Yale
What it helps with
A keypad door lock with shareable entry codes and auto-lock.
Price
$279.99
Monthly cost
None required
Who it might fit
Families and Providers
Setup effort
Medium
Last checked: Oct 21, 2026
See full listing

Every listing on this page was checked on the date shown. See how we check.

Questions people ask

Can I control a light without rewiring?

Yes. Smart plugs and stick-on button pushers need no rewiring.

Do smart home devices need a hub?

Some do for voice control or use away from home. The listing says so.

What helps someone with limited hand strength use appliances?

Button pushers and large smart buttons can press switches for them, by phone, voice or a single press.