Echo Dot (5th Gen)
The smallest Echo finally sounds like a real speaker, and Alexa is still the most capable voice assistant for controlling a home. At $49 it is the easiest smart home decision there is.
$49.99
Smart Home
Smart home reviews focused on reliability, not novelty. Speakers, plugs, thermostats and sensors that work every day, with honest guidance on ecosystems and what a hub does and does not buy you.
3 reviews · 2 comparisons · 1 guides
Nest Learning Thermostat (4th Gen)
Redesigned for 2024 with a sharper display, Matter support, and smarter savings. It learns your schedule in about a week and quietly pays for itself.
$279.99
Kasa Smart Plug Mini
Cheap, tiny, unbreakable, and it works with everything. If you buy one smart home product this year, it is probably this one.
$12 - $20
Echo Dot vs Nest Mini
Two $50 speakers, two assistants, one clear winner for most homes. We ran both in the same kitchen for a month.
Winner: Echo Dot (5th Gen)
Kasa vs Amazon Smart Plug
Two cheap plugs, one clear answer. Where your five dollars should go.
Winner: Kasa Smart Plug Mini
$100 Smart Home Starter Kit
A smart home does not start with $2,000 of gadgets. Here is exactly what $100 buys in 2026, and the order to buy it in.
2026-09-09
Elsewhere on Nestdusk
From other categories
Philips Hue Play Gradient Light Tube
Two slim tubes that turn any wall behind a TV or sofa into a soft, shifting wash of color. Expensive, yes - and still the best-looking ambient lighting you can buy.
$199 (2-pack)
Ruggable Washable Rug
A two-piece rug system that goes in a standard washing machine. It solves the single worst thing about owning a nice rug in a house with kids, dogs, or both.
$99 - $395
Shark Stratos Cordless
Anti hair-wrap brushroll, a deodorizer cartridge, and real pickup power at half the price of a flagship Dyson. The best cordless vacuum for households with shedding animals.
$299 - $399