Smart gadgets to make you Mom’s favorite

Roost Water Leak and Freeze Detector

Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 The good: The Roost Smart Water Leak and Freeze Detector boasts killer design, reliable performance and a reasonable price.

The bad: It isn’t waterproof, and it doesn’t include a probe range extender like some competitors. We’d also like to see more integrations in the future, to fit it in with larger smart-home setups.

The cost: $50

The bottom line: The Roost is one of the best devices of its kind. It features the design and features of pricier devices — with a reasonable price.

Nest Thermostat

Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 The good: The next-gen Nest Learning Thermostat has a larger display, a better resolution and an all-new far-field sensor for viewing time and temperature information from a distance. It works with Amazon’s Alexa, too.

The bad: Nest is behind in the accessories department; remote temperature sensors would add a lot to this smart thermostat’s functionality.

The cost: $244 to $250

The bottom line: Nest is still our choice for best overall smart thermostat, but it isn’t hugely different from the second-gen model, and competitors are catching up.

Breville Barista Express

Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 The good: The semiautomatic Breville Barista Express brews better espresso than more expensive machines. It’s comparatively easy to use and keep clean, plus it has an attractive stainlesssteel design. It also has a built-in burr grinder. The bad: The Express requires some effort to operate compared with fancy super-automatic machines. The cost: $600

The bottom line: The attractive, userfriendly Express makes delicious espresso, with outstanding value in a pricey category.

Neato Robot Vacuum

Cnet rating: 4.5 stars out of 5 The good: The Neato Botvac Connected is the best-performing robot vacuum we’ve tested. The new Neato app is well-designed and easy to use, and finally brings remote control functions to the Botvac line.

The bad: It’s the most expensive Neato yet — the list price is about $200 more than the previous generation. We also encountered a few usability quirks.

The cost:

$585 to $699

The bottom line: The Neato is better at cleaning floors than any other robot vacuum, and costs less than its appenabled rival, the iRobot Roomba 980. If you’re willing to live without remote controls, you can save money by sticking with the previous generation of Neatosthe splurge.— but we think this one’s worth