Alexa Plus is smarter — but it’s not yet smart enough
Alexa Plus is smarter — but it's not yet smart enough The new UI on the Echo Show 21 is a big improvement, but Alexa Plus needs a deeper integration with its screen-based hardware. This week, Amazon will launch new Echo hardware designed to supercharge Alexa Plus, the AI-powered upgrade to its voice assistant. I’ve […]
Fall into smarter lighting
Fall into smarter lighting Smart lighting is one of the most useful and enjoyable smart home upgrades you can make. The convenience of turning lights on and off with a voice command or having them come on at precisely the right brightness when you walk into a room, adjusted for the time of day, is […]
This big stick solved my smart garden connectivity problems
This big stick solved my smart garden connectivity problems Home Assistant’s new Z-Wave antenna is designed to improve range and reliability for Z-Wave devices I recently installed the biggest smart home antenna I’ve ever seen, and it helped open up new areas in my smart home, from the attic to the chicken coop. The towering […]
This smart lock lets me see through my door
This smart lock lets me see through my door Eufy’s FamiLock smart lock features an integrated video screen and a neat palm unlock option. | Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge Eufy’s FamiLock S3 Max ($399) is a multitasking workhorse. Launched earlier this year, it combines a smart lock and video doorbell in one, […]
I tested 30 smart locks, and these are the best
I tested 30 smart locks, and these are the best A smart lock is an easy solution to some common problems. Locked yourself out? Need to let a friend in to water the plants? Your latchkey kid lost their key? Hands are full, and it’s raining cats and dogs? A smart lock solves all of […]
24 hours with Alexa Plus: we cooked, we chatted, and it kinda lied to me
24 hours with Alexa Plus: we cooked, we chatted, and it kinda lied to me There’s a new AI in the house. I’ve waited two years to try out the new Alexa, which was first announced way back in 2023, and this week I finally got access to Alexa Plus (not organically – I did […]
Kwikset’s newest smart lock gets almost everything right
Kwikset's newest smart lock gets almost everything right Kwikset’s newest smart lock gets almost everything right Kwikset’s Halo Select smart lock. Legacy lock maker Kwikset has been producing innovative smart locks since 2013, when it released the first touch-to-open lock, the Kwikset Kevo. The company followed that up with the launch of one of the […]
This smart pizza oven improved my pie-making skills
This smart pizza oven improved my pie-making skills Current’s smart pizza oven can cook a 12-inch pizza in two minutes. | Photo: Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge I am an excellent home cook, if I do say so myself. I regularly produce restaurant-quality dishes from my smart kitchen. But I have two favorite dishes […]
The best robot vacuums we’ve tested for 2025
The best robot vacuums we've tested for 2025 The best robot vacuums we’ve tested for 2025 Robot vacuums are impressive devices that will clean your floors well and — thanks to bigger batteries and better robot brains — rarely get tired of doing their job. Over the last few years, they have gone from being […]
I tested a robot vacuum with an arm, and my dog may never forgive me
I tested a robot vacuum with an arm, and my dog may never forgive me The Saros Z70 likes socks just as much as Gus does. I suspect my dog does not like the Roborock Saros Z70. Unlike the dozens of other robot vacuums that Gus happily lets clean around him while he sleeps, the […]