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Smart Home Reviews

Once a fable, the smart home is now attainable for many. Though, since all homes are different, there’s no one-size-fits-all method for finding the best smart home devices. Our reviews of the latest smart thermostats, smart speakers, and security systems will help you figure out what’s right for you. And as smart assistants, like Amazon’s Alexa and the Google Assistant, grow in capability, we put them to task to see just how helpful they are.

Sonos Move review: house shaker, not road warrior

Sonos’ first portable speaker is more comfortable at home than on the go

Dan Seifert
Google Nest Hub Max review: bigger screen, better sound, and a camera

8

Verge Score

The new Nest Hub Max is a bigger version of the excellent Nest Hub with a few new tricks up its sleeve

Dan Seifert
Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is the smart alarm clock to get

The right size, features, and price make the Echo Show 5 tough to beat

Dan Seifert
Facebook Portal review: trust fail

Facebook’s video calling device demands lots of trust for little return

Dan Seifert
Google Home Hub review: the best digital photo frame

Google’s latest Home device is the perfect digital photo frame for your Google Photos library

Dan Seifert
The best home security system you can install yourself

Secure your home without breaking the bank

Dan Seifert
The Cortana-powered GLAS thermostat isn’t as smart as it looks

The GLAS smart thermostat is missing some key features

Dan Seifert
Lenovo Smart Display review: the Google appliance
Play

Google Assistant gets a screen

Dieter Bohn
Ring Alarm review: simple, cheap home security

Ring’s new home security system trades some flash for more value

Dan Seifert
Polk Command Bar review: smarter than it sounds

Another take on Alexa in a soundbar

Dieter Bohn
Sonos Beam review: living room upgrade

Exactly what it says it’ll do

Nilay Patel
Amazon Fire TV Cube review: a smarter streaming box

Alexa turns out to be a good match for your living room

Dan Seifert
The best mini projector to take on the go
Play
Nest Hello and Yale lock review: a smart entrance

Nest’s first video doorbell impresses, but the companion smart lock isn’t a necessity

Florence Ion
Google Home Max review: smart gets loud

Hey Google, turn it up

Dan Seifert
Amazon Echo Spot review: an almost-perfect smart alarm clock
Play

‘Alexa, are you watching me?’

Dan Seifert
Amazon Echo (2nd gen) review: smaller and cheaper, but mostly the same

The new Echo’s best feature is its price

Dan Seifert
Harman Kardon Invoke review: Cortana gets a speaker of its own

A smart speaker for Microsoft’s world

Dan Seifert