Security cameras are one of the most affordable tools for protecting your home, whether it be to watch for intruders or just to keep tabs on your pets while you’re away. Most cameras, however, require an ongoing subscription if you want anything more than just a livestream. If you want a recording of an event that happened while you weren’t watching, you’re out of luck unless you cough up a monthly or annual fee. Fortunately, that’s not the case with every security camera. Some models avoid the need for a subscription by having onboard storage for recordings, so the manufacturer doesn’t need ..read more

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Battery or wired power options Extreme wide-angle field of view Attractive hardware, reasonably priced Cons Image quality isn’t the best Some app hangs during testing Pricey subscription plan is all but required Our Verdict Arlo’s upgrade to its video doorbell is modest; and in today’s market, it’s probably only worthwhile if you already have other Arlo gear. Price When Reviewed $129.99 Best Prices Today: Arlo Video Doorbell 2K (2nd Generation) (model AVD4001-100NAS) Retailer Price $89.99 View Deal Arlo $129.99 View Deal Price comparison from ..read more

The robot vacuum market is booming, with more innovative and diverse models hitting the shelves every week. These household helpers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with features ranging from intricate mapping capabilities to integration with home automation systems. This explosion of options, while exciting, also brings a significant challenge: choosing the right robot vacuum for your home has never been more complicated. That’s where we come in. We take the testing of robot vacuums and mops seriously. Understanding that these devices are designed to make life easier ..read more

Earlier this year, Sling TV’s Freestream became the first free, ad-supported streaming service to offer a cloud-based DVR. This allowed users to record movies and shows from dozens of linear channels, and then skip through the commercials. As I noted at at the time, Sling’s free DVR only includes 10 hours of storage, and officially you can’t add more without a full $40-per-month Sling TV subscription. But there is an unofficial workaround: By signing up for a cheap Sling TV International plan, you can get 50 hours of DVR storage that’ll work on almost any Freestream channel. The least-expensi ..read more

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Affordable Tough on pet hair Accurate room mapping Great battery life Cons Missed larger debris So-so obstacle avoidance Our Verdict For pet owners who have low-pile carpets or hard flooring, this affordable smart vacuum cleaner is designed to efficiently manage everyday cleaning chores. Price When Reviewed $279.99 Best Prices Today: Eufy Clean L60 Retailer Price $199.99 View Deal Eufy $279.99 View Deal Price comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwide Product Price Price comparison from Backmarket Back in the day, a robot vacuum equip ..read more

The budding Matter smart home standard just added a slew of new features today, including the ability to take charge of smart ovens, cooktops, leak and freeze detectors, and water valves.   Even better, Matter can now handle smart lighting scenes for individual bulbs or even a roomful of lights, and it can also pass along details about the power usage of connected devices.  The new features and functionality come in version 1.3 of the Matter specification, which was released on Wednesday by the Matter Working Group of the Connectivity Standards Alliance.   While the expand ..read more

With more than a third of North American homes protected by a video doorbell or some other Wi-Fi-dependent device, it’s reasonable to worry about the growing threat of Wi-Fi jammers. These mysterious devices can override your smart home security monitoring, effectively neutralizing the systems you’ve relied on for peace of mind. Indeed, these increasingly cheap and accessible jamming devices make it easier than ever for criminals to block your security system’s primary communications signal. With that signal blocked, the crooks can break into your place without you noticing—until it’s too lat ..read more

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Very well-priced Reasonably slim design, with a replaceable battery and 10-year useful life Loud alarm with both siren and spoken alerts Cons No smart features LCD display won’t add much A bit obtrusive in design Our Verdict This affordable smoke/CO detector includes an LCD readout of CO conditions that, ideally, you’ll never need to look at. Price When Reviewed $29.99 (plus shipping, if purchased direct from X-Sense) Best Prices Today: X-Sense XP0A-SR smoke/CO detector Retailer Price $29.99 View Deal X-Sense $29.99 View Deal Price comparison ..read more

At a glanceExpert's Rating Pros Neatly stores, recharges and cleans the system in a stand-alone tower Impressive suction power Great for touch-up mopping Allery sufferers will appreciate the tower’s dust-removal prowess Cons Bulky tower design Expensive Suction power may be too much for flimsy rugs  App connectivity tends to flake out  Our Verdict Powerful, versatile, and packed with features, the LG CordZero All-in-One A9 busts dust with aplomb and will clean up after itself, but owners of delicate carpets may wish for a lower power setting. Price When Reviewed $999.99 Be ..read more

Smart home gear will make your home life easier. Be it smart thermostats that can automate your home’s temperature, color-changing light bulbs that can be controlled from your phone, or smart speakers that can do almost anything with simple voice commands. But did you know that some smart home tech can also you save money? We found through our research that smart home tech that can help protect against property loss can also earn you a notable discount on your homeowners’ or renters’ insurance. After talking to seven of the nation’s top insurance companies, we learned that smart home gear tha ..read more