SMART HOME & LIVING

Upgrade your house with the best tech for monitoring security and saving energy, plus lifestyle luxuries to make life easier

VOICE ASSISTANT

GOOGLE HOME

Google’s home assistant is being woven into more and more devices, but the original Home tower is still one of the best to get. An attractive design and pleasing sound make it a modern must-have.

$79, store.google.com

SMART DOORBELL

RING VIDEO DOORBELL 2

Part motion-detecting security camera, part ring-anywhere doorbell, the Video Doorbell 2 alerts you via your smartphone when you have a visitor – and you can two-way talk even if you’re not home. $329, ring.com

LIFESTYLE WI-FI CAMERA

NEST CAM

This indoor cam streams sharp HD video to your phone or computer, and can alert you when it senses motion or sound, so you can tune in – with an 8x zoom and 130-degree view, you won’t miss a thing. $319, nest.com/au

KETTLE

BREVILLE SMART KETTLE

The perfect cup of tea requires careful temperature control. The Breville kettle offers five options depending on your desired brew, and can keep itself nicely warm for 20 minutes.

$169.95, breville.com.au

SMART PLUG

BELKIN WEMO INSIGHT SWITCH

This isn’t just a way to switch your devices on and off (though it does do that); the WeMo also keeps close tabs on your energy usage, so you can see just how much that tumble dryer is costing you. $69.95, belkin.com/au

MANUAL VACCUUM

DYSON CINETIC BIG BALL ANIMAL UPRIGHT

Heavy, yes, but the suction the Cinetic Big Ball generates is beyond compare, particularly considering its unique skill at dealing with pet hair.

$799, dyson.com.au

SMART LIGHTING SYSTEM

PHILIPS HUE

Philips is the big name in smart lighting, thanks to a flexible, expandable system. Great app control, clever lighting options and integrations with other smart home devices make it the brightest of the bunch. From $144, meethue.com/en-au

ROBOT VACCUUM

iROBOT ROOMBA 980

Strong suction, brushless extractors and clever navigation mean this Wi-Ficonnected vac can take care of just about any cleaning need. You can control it via Alexa or Google Assistant, too.

$1,199, irobot.com.au

SMART SECURITY CAMERA

NETGEAR ARLO PRO

With a battery lasting months inside each camera, the Arlo system does away with the painful process of wiring your security cameras, and you get seven-day cloud storage of motion-detected recordings. $799 (two cameras), arlo.com/au

COFFEE MACHINE

GAGGIA NAVIGLIO

Everything you need to create a delicious bean-to-cup brew at an entry-level price. Gaggia’s pedigree is all poured into this quality espresso maker, and proves you don’t need to spend a cent more.

$990, gaggia.com

WEATHER STATION

NETATMO WEATHER STATION Netatmo’s outdoor sensor pulls in metrics about temperature, humidity and more, but it’s the indoor sensor, which keeps tabs on the air quality and CO2 levels in your home, completes the package. $299.99, netatmo.com

PRESSURE WASHER

KAERCHER K7

By using multiple pressure layers and an adjustable spray lance, Kaercher’s premium water blaster cleans efficiently and quickly, with enough options available to scrub just about any surface or vehicle. $994, kaercher.com