Tried and tested: the best smart devices for your home

Smat-home gadgets can now make you coffee with a click, respond to your dog’s demands from afar, and keep you in the loop. We’ve tried them out – and here are our recommendations.

Coffee on command? Pets fed from afar? Smart home devices are tackling even more everyday tasks. These are some of the most promising new releases.

LAVAZZA A MIO MODO VOICY

A well-connected coffee machine to take your order from bed

$349, amazon.com.au

Lavazza A Modo Mio Voicy is an internet-connected espresso coffee machine that works with Amazon Alexa commands.

PROS

– Smartest coffee around

– Easy and quick espresso

– Will also play music, news

CONS

– Software is not ready

– Alexa commands don’t work

– Modestly sized speaker

Coffee lovers should appreciate the concept behind this machine: wake up, roll over, mumble ‘Alexa, make me a coffee’ at a smart speaker, and a caffeinated beverage appears in your kitchen. Lavazza’s latest capsule coffee maker is the first machine to add Amazon’s smart assistant and connects to the internet so users can request a coffee to their specifications to appear in a glass beneath it within a minute. The built-in speaker will also play music, news, and weather forecasts. Early software bugs mean it won’t respond to Alexa commands for coffee yet (as it thinks it’s a speaker) but it should please espresso fans when they’re resolved.

VERDICT: ★★★½

ARLO GO 2

A smart security camera that can go where Wi-Fi doesn’t

$429, arlo.com

Arlo's Go 2 connected security camera can work in areas without access to Wi-Fi.

PROS

– Truly mobile security cam

– Responsive security alerts

– Colour night vision view

CONS

– Best with paid subscription

– Requires separate 4G plan

– Screw mount only

Smart security cameras have made it much easier to see who’s standing outside your home, loitering where they shouldn’t. But what if parts of your home are outside Wi-Fi range? Or if you’re camping? For these purposes Arlo has created the Go 2: a smart camera that works on both Wi-Fi and a 4G SIM card. The device is somewhat large, to fit a generous battery, but delivers prompt alerts about people, animals and movement within its field of view. It’s best used with Arlo’s subscription service, which costs $4.49/m after three months and does need to be screwed into its base, but could shed light on crime blackspots.

VERDICT: ★★★½

EUFY PET DOG CAMERA D605

A smart way to check in with dogs during the work day

$500, myanker.com.au

The Eufy Pet Dog Camera features a camera, space to store and throw treats, and microphone.

PROS

– Rotating base to track pets

– Three treat toss distances

– Free video storage, no fees

CONS

– Needs a separate app

– Sizeable investment

– Uses older Wi-Fi connection

If you’ve ever wondered (or feared) what your dog does at home, this smart device can tell you. The Eufy Pet Dog Camera is a device that monitors your pup, lets you talk to them, and throw them treats from afar. It features a cup for larger treats, a microphone and speaker for chats, the ability to prerecord commands, and three levels of treat-tossing distance so they don’t get lazy. The base of this device also rotates 270 degrees to follow your pet and video is saved to the device so you can access it without paying a subscription. It needs an older 2.4Ghz Wi-Fi signal to connect, which can be tricky, and it can be used with cats (even though the app calls them dogs).

VERDICT: ★★★★

AMAZON ECHO 15

A smart display so big, it’s practically a TV

$399, amazon.com.au

The Amazon Echo 15 is a smart speaker with a huge touchscreen designed to be mounted on a wall.

PROS

– Biggest smart screen yet

– Shows many updates at once

– Great for streaming video

CONS

– Limited screen widgets

– Needs wall mount or stand

– Stand sold separately

Amazon has super-sized this Echo creation, making it a connected display that could help run your home. As its name suggests, it features a 15-inch touchscreen that can be loaded with widgets to show the weather, your calendar, notes, shopping list, and music at once. It’s also large enough to use as a TV for streaming entertainment, a sizeable digital photo frame, or for step-by-step recipe instructions. The full potential of this device is held back by its software – more widgets would make it more useful – and users will need to work out whether they’re willing to mount it on a wall or buy a stand for it.

VERDICT: ★★★★½

TECH 4 PETS PET FEEDER

A smart way to check in on your pets and feed their demands

$300, petstock.com.au

The Tech 4 Pets Smart Pet Feeder lets pet owners feed their animals and check on them from afar.

PROS

– Feeds pets at regular times

– Captures full HD video footage

– Stores up to 7L dry food

CONS

– Could be raided by large pets

– Older Wi-Fi connection

– Alexa, Google, but no Siri support

Even if you’re not home on time (according to your dog or cat’s clock), this smart pet feeder will ensure that dinner is served. The Tech 4 Pets Feeder is equipped with a full high-definition camera to check in on them, a microphone and speaker so you can communicate with your furry friend, and the ability to store up to seven litres of dry food, ranging from kitten to big dog-size. Meals can be scheduled by the clock or triggered with an accompanying app, depending on your animal’s demands.

VERDICT: ★★★★