best in show

The best smart home devices from CES 2018

Our pick of the most gifted gadgets

Amazon Echo Spot £119.99 amazon.co.uk Amazon is Apple’s arch-rival in the home automation market, and it’s keeping up the pressure with its latest Echo speaker. The Spot is very cleverly designed – a compact speaker with a 64mm circular screen that’s ideal for a bedside table or in the kitchen.

Belkin WeMo Bridge £TBC belkin.com Belkin’s bridge plugs into your Wi-Fi router and adds HomeKitcompatibility to the company’s existing range of smart plugs, switches and motion sensors. It’s already sold out in the US, so UK-based customers might have to wait until spring.

LIFX + A60 £79.99 uk.lifx.com The LIFX range of smart-lights starts at just £25, but this high-end model includes HomeKit support – so you can change brightness and colour with Siri voice commands – and an infrared mode that can enhance visibility for security cameras.

Ring Beam £TBC ring.com Ring is extending its range of video doorbells and security cameras with the Beam outdoor security lights. There are models designed for use in the garden, or up on external walls for pathways, and they include motion sensors for extra security.

Somfy Outdoor Camera £TBA protect.somfy.co.uk Somfy’s Outdoor Camera is seriously smart. It starts by warning intruders that they’re being watched, and if that doesn’t scare them off it can let rip with an ear-splitting 110dB siren. It uses artificial intelligence to tell humans apart from animals, and it supports HomeKit as well.