8 Cool Home Depot Finds To Add To Your Smart Home Gadget Collection

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Walk into a typical Home Depot, and you’ll probably see shelves full of light bulbs, smoke alarms, plugs, and thermostats that look pretty ordinary. What most people don’t realize is that many of those everyday home essentials double as smart home gadgets, and some of them may be the upgrades you need to save money. The same store you visit for paint rollers and lawn fertilizer quietly sells some of the most practical connected devices you can add to your home.

This is a big change from a few years ago. Back then, building a smart home meant spending a lot on special equipment, ordering devices online, and hoping they would all work together. Now, you can put together a useful smart setup with just a quick trip to Home Depot.

These gadgets are interesting not just because of the technology, but because they fit right into things you already use every day. For example, a CO detector can send alerts to your phone. A garage door opener lets you close it from anywhere. Light bulbs can change color without a complicated hub. Smart home tech is now practical for everyday households.

Home Depot has embraced this change by offering a wide range of connected gadgets that help with security, energy savings, convenience, and automation. The best part is that many of these devices are easy for beginners to use and work with major platforms like Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home. Here are eight smart gadgets from Home Depot that are worth adding to your collection.

Smoke detectors are one of those devices you rarely think about, until they start chirping at 3 a.m. or, worse, you actually need one. The Kidde hardwired smart smoke and carbon monoxide detector takes that essential safety device and gives it a modern upgrade.

This detector does more than just sound an alarm. It connects to the Ring app and sends alerts to your phone if it senses smoke or carbon monoxide. You’ll get notified even when you’re away from home. For frequent travelers or anyone wanting extra peace of mind, this is a big improvement over regular alarms.

The voice alert system is another useful feature. Rather than just a loud siren, the device tells you exactly what kind of danger it detects. This might seem minor, but having clear information can make a big difference in an emergency.

Good Housekeeping pointed out how convenient it is to get real-time alerts on your phone and to check your alarms from anywhere. On Home Depot’s website, this product has a 4.3 out of 5-star rating from over 170 reviews. Many customers like that it’s hardwired but also has a battery backup, so it keeps working even if the power goes out.

There are a few things to remember. Since it’s hardwired, you might need some basic electrical knowledge to install it. You’ll also need a Ring account to use the smart features.

Smart lighting is often where people start their smart home journey. It’s simple, affordable, and you see the benefits right away. You can control your lights from your phone, set up schedules, or change colors to fit your mood.

The Philips WiZ color and tunable white A19 smart bulbs make that process simple. Unlike some smart lighting systems, these bulbs connect directly to your Wi-Fi network, meaning you don’t need a separate hub cluttering your router shelf. Just screw them in, connect through the app, and you’re ready to go.

These bulbs offer a lot for the price. The two-pack is only $14.98 and gives you millions of color options, plus adjustable white light for daily use. If you need bright white light for work or study, you have it. If you want a warm glow for movie night, that’s easy, too.

PCMag’s review noted that the bulbs deliver solid brightness and a wide color range while remaining affordable. These bulbs have a 4.3-star rating from 139 reviews on Home Depot’s website. Owners appreciate how flexible the lighting automation is. You can set lights to turn on at sunset, dim in the evening, or change colors based on the time of day.

There are a few downsides. Since these bulbs use Wi-Fi instead of a hub, some users found setup and programming a bit tricky, and the Wi-Fi connection can be unreliable at times.

Almost everyone has experienced a moment in which they’re halfway to work when they suddenly wonder if they closed the garage door. It’s a common worry. The Chamberlain myQ Smart Garage Control helps with this by letting you check and control your garage door from your phone. Priced at $29.98 on Home Depot and rated over four stars by more than 1,000 buyers, it’s one of the most affordable ways to add smart-home convenience to your home.

The package includes a small Wi-Fi hub and sensor that work with your current garage door opener. After setup, the myQ app lets you check if the door is open or closed, operate it from anywhere, and get alerts if it stays open too long. Waiting for a delivery? You can open the garage from your phone. Need to let a family member in while you’re away? You can do that too.

Reviewers say the system is easy to set up. Tom’s Guide highlighted how clear the manual is, covering everything from installation to daily use. Home Depot customers seem to agree. They find the MyQ Smart Garage Control simple to install and like being able to monitor and control their garage door from their phone.

There are some drawbacks. Not all garage door openers work with myQ, so check compatibility before you buy. Some users have reported trouble with Wi-Fi connections, and the device does not work with popular smart home systems like Alexa or Google Assistant.

Security cameras used to be bulky, expensive, and complicated to install. Now, some of the best models are small enough to sit on a bookshelf and affordable enough to buy without much thought. The Blink Mini 2 is a great example. This small camera offers 1080p video, two-way audio, night vision, and a built-in spotlight.

Even though it is small, the Mini 2 is very versatile. You can use it inside to watch pets or monitor entryways, or set it up as an outdoor security camera. The spotlight brightens nighttime footage, and motion alerts let you know if the camera spots any activity.

Wired reviewed the camera and praised it for offering a lot of functionality in a tiny and affordable package. For people who want basic home monitoring without investing in an expensive security system, it’s a solid option.

Another major plus is how easy it is to set up. Just plug it in, connect to Wi-Fi, and put it wherever you need coverage. The Blink app lets you quickly check live video or review motion clips.

There are a few drawbacks. Some advanced features, like extra cloud storage, may need a subscription, and the camera needs to be plugged in since it is not fully battery-powered. That said, if you want to build a smart home without spending too much, the Blink Mini 2 is the kind of device that makes home security easy instead of overwhelming.

Outdoor lighting seems simple at first, but it can be a hassle when you have to go outside in the cold to unplug holiday lights or realize late at night that the patio lights are still on. The Defiant Smart Hubspace Outdoor Plug helps with this problem by making any outdoor outlet easy to control. It’s an affordable and straightforward way to automate your yard, porch, or patio.

The device has two outlets and connects to the Hubspace app, so you can control anything you plug into it. Whether it’s holiday lights, landscape lighting, or fountain pumps, you can set a schedule for each one.

PCWorld’s review highlighted the plug’s durability and the ability to control each outlet separately. Scheduling is another useful feature. You can set the outlets to turn on at sunset and turn off at midnight, or make custom routines that fit your daily habits.

Home Depot customers like how simple the plug is to use. Many say it’s easy to install and that the scheduling tools work well once set up. However, Hubspace is not as well-known as Alexa or Google Home, so your integration options might be different depending on your smart home setup.

For around $20, this plug can help automate a lot of your outdoor equipment. It’s a simple gadget that becomes essential once you start using it.

Most smart home gadgets don’t save you much money, but thermostats are different. For instance, the Google Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen) automatically adjusts your home’s temperature based on your habits and helps reduce wasted energy.

Here’s how it works. After a few days, the thermostat learns your routine. If you lower the temperature at night or when you leave for work, Nest will start doing it for you. It also notices when no one is home and adjusts the temperature. These small changes can add up to real energy savings over time.

You control the thermostat through the Google Home app, so you can adjust settings from anywhere. If you forget to turn down the AC before leaving for vacation, just open the app and make the change.

CNET reviewed the device and praised its smart scheduling features and its excellent screen, which shows more information, such as the outside temperature or the time, as you approach the thermostat. The Nest Temperature Sensor, included in the box when you purchase one from Home Depot, helps keep temperatures balanced across different rooms, something traditional thermostats often struggle with.

Installing the Nest thermostat can take a bit more effort than some other gadgets, and you might need to check if it works with older HVAC systems. But once it’s set up, it runs quietly in the background and keeps your home comfortable without you having to keep adjusting it.

Table lamps make a room feel cozy, but switching them on or off often means reaching behind furniture for a tiny switch. The Lutron Caseta Smart Lamp Dimmer and Remote Kit, which costs about $60 at Home Depot and has a 4.8-star rating, makes this much easier. Plug your lamp into the dimmer, pair the remote, and your lamp becomes a smart light.

With this kit, you can dim your lights wirelessly, set schedules using the Lutron app, and connect to Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple Home if you have the optional Caseta bridge. You can dim the lights for a movie, set lamps to turn on at sunset, or use voice commands. The Pico remote is a nice extra. You can mount it on the wall like a light switch or keep it on the coffee table, so you never have to search for the lamp switch again.

Wirecutter recommends the Caseta Smart Lamp Dimmer Kit because it works with many smart home devices, does not require a neutral wire for installation, and features an easy-to-use keypad with several buttons.

Home Depot customers agree. They like how quickly the kit installs and how easily it integrates with voice control systems like Siri and Google Home. Many owners also appreciate being able to control several lamps with one remote and enjoy scheduling lights through the Caseta app.

The Lockly Visage Facial Recognition Smart Lock is the one gadget here that truly feels like something from a sci-fi movie. You don’t need a passcode or key for this smart lock. It uses facial recognition to identify you and unlocks the door automatically as you walk up.

There are other ways to get in, too. The lock works with fingerprints, a keypad, mobile unlocking, and even Apple Home Key for iPhone users. Security is a priority as well. The system encrypts your biometric data and works with smart assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant.

Wired reviewed the lock and found it easy to install, with quick responses to fingerprints and facial recognition. There are a few drawbacks, though. Facial recognition works best when you are in the right position and with the right lighting, and the lock is more expensive than many others. Still, if you love smart home technology, this is one of the most impressive upgrades available.

We put this list together by selecting gadgets that really help with everyday problems. Our main goal was utility and safety, so instead of the usual smart speakers, we chose items that make running a home easier. We looked for products that offer peace of mind, such as smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, since these are key to a truly automated home.

We included at least eight brands to give you a broad view of the market, not just one company’s options. Then, we checked Home Depot user reviews, looking for models with hundreds of positive ratings and labels like “Best Seller” or “Top Rated.” To ensure the technology was reliable, we also read expert reviews from sources such as PCMag and Tom’s Guide to confirm that the products were both popular and well-built.

Finally, we included only products with at least 4 out of 5 stars from Home Depot buyers with at least 100 reviews.