9to5Toys Gift Guide: Rikka’s must-have smart home upgrades for any budget from $25

If you’re still looking to cross a few names off the holiday shopping list, today we’re taking a look at some of our favorite smart home accessories that would make perfect gifts come Christmas. Headlined by mainstays in the world of Siri, Alexa, and Assistant-enabled tech like Nanoleaf, Philips Hue, Wemo, and other brands, we’re wrapping up all of the best smart home buys in our latest gift guide.

Wemo’s latest Thread Smart Plug is a great place to start

Easily one of the most popular smart home gadgets that is going to end up under Christmas trees this year is headlining out gift guide for 2022. Smart plugs are of course nothing new and a staple in the world that is connected tech, but this year saw the full introduction of Thread and the upcoming Matter protocol that has made some even more reliable solutions hit the market.

Of these, the latest Wemo HomeKit Smart Plug V4 is one of the more notable highlights. The compact build houses all of the features you’d expect, including support for Siri on top of the more common Alexa and Assistant integrations. Perfect for even automating holiday lighting through the end of the year or just bringing some smart features to existing lamps, appliances like coffee machines, and really anything else the person on your gift list can think to plug in; the $25 price tag makes this an affordable option to consider, as well.

Nanoleaf Lines steal the show with an eye-catching design

Marking the second year in a row that these made the cut, this wouldn’t be a Rikka gift guide if Nanoleaf wasn’t representing smart home tech in some form or another. As one of the brand’s more recent debuts, the new Nanoleaf Lines arrive to deliver a more striking take on modular smart home lighting. Each of the interchangeable light bars can be connected in a number of ways to create eye-catching geometric designs up on the wall.

Since launching, I’ve gotten so many complements on the Nanoleaf Lines, with the unique form-factor providing a nice mix between the usual RGB ambiance and actual stylings that you want hung up on the wall all the time. Alongside just multicolor lighting features that can be set to various animations and themes, you’ll enjoy access to Siri, Alexa, and Assistant voice control out of the box.

A starter set will run you $180 right now, with plenty of delivery time ahead of Christmas Day. If you’re still not sold on these new lights, our hands-on review offers a pretty in-depth look at what to expect.

Govee Neon offer a more cost effective smart home upgrade

In a similar vein to the Nanoleaf Lines, Govee has recently released a new smart wall light that stands out from other offerings on the market. Drawing inspiration from neon signs, the appropriately named Govee Neon Rope Lightstrip packs a flexible design that lets you create your own design up on the wall.

It has quickly become one of the most popular smart home gadgets amongst 9to5Toys readers, and that makes it well deserving of a spot on our gift guide. While there’s an $80 MSRP, you can almost always find this one on sale for far less at Amazon, delivering all of its ambient lighting as well as Alexa and Assistant tech for an even more compelling price.

Eve Room takes your smart home to the next level

Now if the person on your list already has smart lighting taken care of, going a different route will ensure that you place a gift under the tree that they can put to use. A lot of smart homes are all invested in the voice controlled side of the equation, but fewer actually live up to the smart part of the name, which is why gifting a smart home sensor like the Eve Room is a great idea.

This multipurpose sensor is a great option for bringing various stats into your setup to automate all of the gear around the house. On top of tracking temperature and humidity, it can also monitor VOCs and air quality to help give you a better idea of your home. That lets you automatically turn on a heater when it gets to cold, activate a humidifier to tackle dry winter weather, and any number of other functions. The $100 price tag makes it one of the pricier items on our smart home gift guide, but the support for Siri and Thread as well as its nifty little e-ink screen will make this a notable upgrade to that special someone’s smart home.

Philips Hue Starter Kits are the perfect option for those getting started

And if you’re just looking to score a package to start someone off with new smart home gear from scratch, Philips Hue still makes some of the most reliable options on the market. Out of its entire catalog of lights and accessories, its Smart Button Starter Kits are perfect ways to dive into all of the perks of voice controlled and automated lighting. Whether you go with the full color offering at $170 or step down to the dimmable white package at $100, both of these provide compelling ways to try out what smart home ownership is all about.

Each of the bundles include everything you need to get started, including three smart light bulbs and the companion bridge that they pair with. Then there’s an included Smart Button remote that makes it a bit easier to control lights without having to always dig your phone out of a pocket or summon up Siri, Alexa, or Assistant. That makes either of these bundles a great option for those who don’t want to go all-in on voice control and would still like to enjoy some form of dedicated switch.

Or just go check out Amazon’s list of best-selling smart home gadgets for some other gift inspiration.

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