27 Smart Home Gift Ideas from £5 to £500 [UK Guide]

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  • Post last modified:August 21, 2022
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If you’re gift-hunting for someone whos a big smart home enthusiast, then you’ve come to the right place. As a smart home addict myself, I’ve shared a list of gift ideas that would be suitable for birthdays, Christmas, mothers day, fathers day, or any other special occasion.

One thing you should check when buying a smart home gift for a friend or loved one is which ecosystem they are using. This will usually be Alexa, Google Home, or Siri. Then you can ensure any gift you buy them is compatible.

Many devices will work with a range of voice assistants. In this guide, I’ll try to provide different options for Alexa and Google Home where it makes a difference.

Best Smart Home Gifts

Gifts Under £50

Here are the best smart home gifts for under £50.

1. NFC Tags

Right at the lower end of the budget, NFC tags make a great little stocking filler for smart home fans. They are small little tags or stickers that you can place around your home. The idea is that you set them up to trigger routines when you tap your phone against them when your voice assistant isn’t in reach.

Some of the cool things you can do with NFC tags include opening a smart garage door, unlocking a smart lock in your back garden, or changing the lighting effects in the bathroom for a relaxing bath. Note that these are best when used with Android phones.


2. Streaming Stick

Top of the list when it comes to smart home gifts has to be a streaming stick. Pop it into the back of your TV for a big upgrade. Access streaming apps, radio apps, games, social media, and more.

Even if your recipient has a smart TV such as a Samsung or LG TV, adding one of the below streaming sticks will provide access to voice assistants and allow them to use the TV as part of smart home routines.

Top Picks: Chromecast with Google TV or Firestick

If your recipient has chosen to use Google’s ecosystem to build their smart home, then a Chromecast makes an excellent addition. This will allow you to easily stream videos and music on your TV by asking Google Assistant via a smart speaker.

Unlike previous generations of Chromecast, the new Chromecast with Google TV has a full user-friendly interface with remote control.

For those that have opted to use Alexa at the centre of their smart home, a Firestick is a more appropriate gift since it is also part of Amazon’s smart home ecosystem.

It has similar functionality to the Chromecast, only using Alexa as the voice assistant instead of Google Assistant. The Firestick also works well with Ring video doorbells since they are both owned by Amazon.


3. Alexa for Dummies

This isn’t so much a smart device but a helpful gift for Alexa users. This user-friendly book from the renowned ‘For Dummies’ series explains everything you need to know about Alexa and how to get the most from Amazon’s voice assistant, from routines to useful Alexa commands.

At less than a tenner for a 192-page paperback book, this is a bargain and would make an epic stocking filler. It’s also available as a digital download although it’s usually nice to have a physical gift to open.

However, keep in mind that it’s written with a US audience in mind so there are some features inside that aren’t available this side of the Atlantic just yet.


4. Echo Wall Clock

The Echo Wall Clock is an unusual device from Amazon and is often overlooked by smart home enthusiasts so it’s unlikely they’ll already have one.

The clock looks and functions like a regular wall clock, only it connects directly to an Amazon Echo and transforms into a countdown clock when you set a timer using Alexa.

This is very useful for the kitchen if you regularly set timers whilst cooking. See my full guide for more smart devices for the kitchen.


5. Smart Diffuser

If you’re looking for a great smart home gift for mum, she’ll be grateful when the home is smelling beautiful and they are feeling relaxed thanks to a smart essential oil diffuser.

Like a regular diffuser, they typically work by using ultrasonic waves to emit essential oils into the air along with a fine mist that will arouse your senses when inhaled. Of course, being a smart device, you can automate them too.

These make a great gift set when paired with different essential oils for different scents such as uplifting, inspiring, or relaxing.

Top Pick: Meross Alexa Diffuser

I’ve chosen the Meross diffuser as my top pick since it offers a great features-to-price ratio. It can be controlled via the Meross app (they also make a ton of other smart home devices) or you can connect it to Alexa and Google Home for use in routines.

There are two fog settings for light or heavy mist and it has a built-in aroma lamp which can be set to a colour of your choice or left to cycle through them automatically.


6. Echo Auto

The Echo Auto is essentially a smart speaker for your car. Priced under £50, it makes life on the road much simpler with full access to Alexa.

The device connects to your car stereo so that you can play music using voice commands, ask questions, take voice notes, or even tell your smart devices at home to prepare for your arrival.

Note: Many newer cars come with Alexa built-in, this device is best suited for retrofitting voice control to older cars.


7. Tile

We all know someone who is super forgetful, and if you don’t then it’s probably you. This next gift idea is perfect for them. I had never considered them until I received one as a secret Santa gift and have become an advocate.

Tile is a Bluetooth item locator that you can attach to keys, wallets, handbags, or any other device. You can then easily locate them using the app or by asking your voice assistant. Some of the more creative uses I’ve come across for the devices include attaching them to backpacks, kids toys, and pets.

One of the features is that it works the other way too, so you can use the tile to find your phone. However, I’ve never found much use for this because it’s easy enough to ask Google Assistant to locate my phone at home.

An alternative for iPhone users is Apple’s new Airtags which offer similar functionality. I’ve also shared an article detailing some of the best uses for Apple Airtags such as tracking remote controls, pets, or your bicycle.


Gifts Under £100

Taking things up a level, these next gifts fall into the £50-100 price bracket:

8. SwitchBot Curtain

Turn your dumb curtains into smart curtains for less than £100 with the Switchbot Curtain. The device simply retrofits to your curtain rod or rail for automatic opening and closing of your curtains.

It has built-in Wi-Fi so that you can connect it to your smart home, with support for Alexa and Google Home. As well as voice commands, you can create routines for the curtains to open in the morning and close at night as you please.

I like to create a Google Home routine for movie night to close the curtains, turn off the lights, fire up the projector with Netflix and play the pearl and dean theme tune for extra effect.


9. Smart Lighting

As a smart home addict myself, I’ll confess that I couldn’t declare my smart home complete until every light in the house was smart. Even then, I would still upgrade or try new brands.

That’s why smart lights make a great gift. You can purchase bulbs to use in existing fittings like the recommendation below, or you could try some smart table lamps or even smart switches.

Smart lights allow you to control lighting with your voice, create routines to turn the lights on/off automatically, and some will even sync to Spotify for a disco in the living room.

Top Pick: Philips Hue

If you’re buying smart lights for someone else, you can’t go wrong with Philips Hue. They are reliable and work with every major smart home platform including Alexa, Google Assistant, SmartThings, HomeKit, and more. Shown here is the B22 Bayonet fitting, but there are also E27 Edison Screw fitting and GU10 Spotlights.

They also sync with Spotify and there are tons of third-party apps to create lighting effects. Check out the sync box later in this article to see how they can be used to mirror your TV too.

However, keep in mind that Hue are a premium price and you’ll need a Hue Bridge to connect them since they use Zigbee rather than Wi-Fi. If they don’t already have a bridge, see the starter kit here which includes one.


10. Smart Display

If they already have a smart speaker, why not gift them an upgrade in the form of a smart display. A smart display can do everything a smart speaker can, including playing music and accessing your favourite voice assistant.

However, thanks to a built-in screen, they can do far more than their screen-less counterparts, including video calls, visual searches, watching videos (great for recipes in the kitchen), and more. When not in use, they can act as a digital photo frame and cycle through your favourite snaps.

Top Picks: Amazon Echo Show and Google Nest Hub

An Echo Show is the best way to interact with Alexa. As well as all the normal Alexa features, you can video call other Echo Show users, check in on your security cameras, watch Prime video and even answer your Ring doorbell. It’s available in 5”, 8”, 10”, and the new 15”.

For those in the Google camp, their smart display is called the Nest Hub. Again, you’ll have access to all of Google Assistants features plus you can stream YouTube videos, bring up images from the web, and answer your Nest doorbell. It also acts just like a mini Chromecast so you can cast video from any cast-supported apps.


11. Smart LED Light Strip

Once you’ve kitted out all the traditional light fittings with smart bulbs, the next step is to place some LED light strips around your home for extra ambience.

These look great when placed underneath wall cabinets, around the ceiling recess, underneath shelves, or even under the bed.

Top Pick: Innr Flex Light Strip

There was a time when I’d always recommend Philips Hue light strips for their reliability and integration with most platforms. However, I recently discovered Innr which are a more affordable alternative that still work with the Philips Hue bridge so you can mix and match them together.

The strip is RGB so you can access more than 16 million colours, plus you can add them to routines and create fun lighting effects. There is both a 2m and 4m version, although you can cut them down to size easily.

Keep in mind that you’ll need some sort of bridge, this could be the Innr bridge, Philips Hue bridge, Smart Things, or even an Echo Plus with Zigbee hub. More info about this is on the product page.


12. Smart Alarm Clock

A friendly way to let someone know they need to get better at waking up in the morning is to gift them an alarm clock. Rather than a boring traditional alarm, opt for a smart alarm clock to open up a whole world of new features including voice control, waking up to music of your choice, radio and streaming services, and more.

Top Picks: Echo Spot and Lenovo Smart Alarm Clock Essential

The Echo Spot is like a smaller, circular Echo Show that fits neatly on your bedside table. It has built-in Alexa and a 2.5” screen that can display skills or be used for video calls. However, the round screen means that most video is cropped which can limit its appeal.

I’ve already mentioned the Nest Hub smart display earlier which can also double up as an alarm clock. However, if you want something more akin to a regular alarm clock, the Lenovo Smart Alarm Clock Essential is just the ticket.

It has an easy-to-read LED display with a night light and a USB charging port. But don’t be fooled, this device might look dumb, but it has full access to Google Assistant inside so you can issue voice commands, stream music via the built-in speaker, or have her read you an audiobook before bed.


13. Outdoor Smart Lights

If your recipient is a fan of smart lighting setups but hasn’t got around to installing them in the garden yet, why not take this opportunity to gift them some smart outdoor lights.

There are several different kinds of outdoor lights, . If your recipient likes to entertain outside or is big on home security, some wall lights would be great.

However, if they just enjoy a fab looking garden, maybe opt for some feature lighting such as an LED strip that will add ambience in the evenings.

Top Picks: Hue Discover Wall Light and Innr Flex LED Strip

The Philips Hue Discover Wall Light provides a powerful 2,300 lumen of light which is enough to keep your outdoor areas well lit into the night. Access the full-colour spectrum and integrates with all the major smart home platforms, including HomeKit. There are also a ton of other Hue shapes and designs if you want to match the style of your garden.

The Innr Flex outdoor light strip is a great choice for feature lighting in your garden. The lights diffuse across the strip to provide a nice glowing effect and at 1,000 lumens it’s ideal for lighting up key areas. It also works with Philips Hue, Google Assistant, Alexa, and other smart home brands.


14. Smart Bathroom Scales

If your recipient is a fitness fanatic and loves tech, then some connected scales are the perfect way to smarten up your bathroom.

By connecting to the internet via Wi-Fi or using a Bluetooth connection to a phone, smart scales help track how your body is changing over time and display it neatly in a companion app. Many of the better devices will also integrate with other health apps for a combined health dashboard.

These are the perfect Christmas gift ahead of the January health push and when combined with a smartwatch or fitness tracker, your giftee will have everything they need to reach their fitness goals.

Top Pick: Withings Body+

The Withings Body+ has everything you could want from a set of smart bathroom scales, and more. As well as measuring weight, it has full body composition analysis which estimates body fat, muscle mass, body water percentage and several other factors.

Your weight can be synced to Apple Health, Google Fit and Fitbit or you can use the Alexa skill to ask “Alexa, ask Withings how much weight I have lost this year” among other queries.


15. Echo Buds or Pixel Buds

Those voice assistants seem to be popping up everywhere and now you can have them directly in your ear no matter where you are thanks to a new range of wireless earphones.

Amazon and Google have both launched high-quality earphones with their voice assistants built-in. This makes it super easy to choose what to listen to next without getting your phone out.

For Alexa users, see the Echo Buds or if you’re buying for a Google Home user, the Pixel buds are the equivalent.


Gifts Under £200

Gifts for tech lovers don’t come cheap as you’ll know. These next gift ideas fall into the sub-£200 price bracket:

16. High Res Smart Speaker

I haven’t featured a smart speaker in this gift guide as I’ve assumed your recipient already has one in their smart home since this is one of the first devices you’d buy. However, you could treat them to a nice upgrade with a high res smart speaker.

Top Pick: Echo Studio

The Echo Studio is Amazons’ top-of-the-range smart speaker for ultimate audio. It has 5 speakers inside that offer crisp base, perfect for audiophiles. This is perfect for anyone who subscribes to Amazon Music HD to get the most out of their high-res subscription.

The speaker creates a 3D  audio landscape and self-tunes to the room for optimal playback.

It still has everything you’d want from an Echo with Alexa built-in via the microphone and full access to commands, skills, and routines. There’s also a Zigbee hub inside for connecting devices directly to it.


17. Smart Coffee Machine

For someone who loves coffee just as much as they love tech (take it from someone who knows), a smart coffee machine is an ideal Christmas or Birthday gift.

Finally, your favourite voice assistant can serve you up a decent cup of coffee ready for when you wake up in the morning or when you get home from work.

Top Pick: Smarter Coffee Machine

Earlier this year, I reviewed all of the best smart coffee machines available in the UK and the Smarter Coffee Machine was a clear winner when it comes to smart features.

It’s a filter coffee machine with Wi-Fi connectivity and voice assistant support so you can add ask for a coffee when you like or automate it with Alexa and Google Home routines.

If you’re looking for an espresso-style machine that makes lattes and cappuccinos, the only decent device available at the moment is the Melitta Barista TS Smart Coffee Machine, although this comes with a very high price tag.

If your gift recipient is more of a tea lover, check out a smart kettle instead, my top pick is the Smarter iKettle.


18. Video Doorbell

This next gift idea offers both convenience and extra security for a smart home. Video doorbells have been around for a while now so there’s a lot of choice in the market. All video doorbells will offer two-way audio to speak with anyone at your door whether you’re home or not and they’ll record clips when motion is detected.

However, the best doorbells on the market have more advanced features such as pre-roll footage, pre-recorded messages (like a voicemail for your doorstep), person/object recognition, package alerts, and some even have facial recognition.

Top Picks: Ring 4 and Eufy 2K

My top pick is the latest 4th generation Ring doorbell. I love the speed and reliability of Ring which is essential in a video doorbell, but they also have a ton of other great features including colour pre-roll and quick replies. It can be used with a wired connection or powered by an on-board rechargeable battery.

If your recipient has an Echo speaker this can be used as the chime or with an Echo Show you can view and interact with visitors handsfree. However, you will need an ongoing Ring Protect subscription to make it worthwhile.

The downside to the Ring doorbell is that it requires a subscription to make the most out of it. If you’d rather avoid gifting someone an ongoing cost, the Eufy 2k doorbell is a great subscription-free doorbell.

It has all of the features you’d expect including motion detection and two-way audio, but it stores the footage on a hub in your home rather than in the cloud which avoids the need for a subscription.


19. Smart Pet Feeder

If you’re buying for someone who has a pet (or if your dog is just really into smart home tech), then this smart pet feeder will make a great gift.

Suitable for both cats and dogs, the feeder allows you to set automatic feeding schedules or connected remotely with the mobile phone app to see your furry friend and dispense food.

There’s also two-way audio so you can chat with them and let them know you’re thinking about them even whilst you’re out of the house.

These are several cheaper brands to choose from, but if you want something with a good quality camera and that can’t be broken into by hungry rascals, the one shown here is your best bet even if it is a little more expensive.


20. Hue Sync Box

If you’re buying for someone who loves Philips Hue (and why wouldn’t they!), the Hue Sync Box make a great addition to any home entertainment set-up.

It allows you to sync the audio and video being shown on the screen to the Philips Hue lights in the room. It splashes colour across the room, allowing for an immersive viewing experience.

Note: This is only suitable if you use an external source for watching shows and movies such as a streaming stick, Chromecast, Freeview box, Sky box, or any other external device. If you only watch TV using built-in apps on a smart TV, this isn’t suitable.


21. Hue Gradient Strip or Tube

If your recipient already has a Hue Sync Box, the next must-have accessory is some smart lighting for behind your TV (the sync box is a must for these).  The Hue Gradient Strip attaches to the back of the TV and syncs with the audio and video to emit light effects from behind the TV, similar to the Philips Ambilight TVs that came out a few years ago.

Alternatively, the new Hue Gradient Light Tube (coming soon) accomplishes a similar task but it sits beneath the TV rather than behind it. You can use both together, although you’ll find that the cost quickly stacks up.


Gifts Under £500

If it’s a special birthday or you want to spend that little extra, here are some smart home gift ideas for less than £500:

22. Smartwatch

If you’re recipient already has the home decked out with every Google Home device imaginable, then buying them a smartwatch can enhance the experience with on-wrist controls whilst at home and away.

A WearOS smartwatch comes with Google Assistant built-in, this means they can use all of the same Google Home commands that they use with a smart speaker to control devices, but they only need to lift their wrist.

Of course, there are all the other features that a smartwatch has, from fitness tracking to tether-free music and quick messaging without getting the phone out. Some can even take calls and monitor your health.

Top Pick: Ticwatch Pro 3

I’ve reviewed lots of smartwatches for Android users but many of them have the same problem; battery life. However, the Ticwatch Pro is different. It still runs Google’s WearOS for seamless integration with Android, but it has a dual-screen.

Underneath, it has your typical full-colour AMOLED screen but when that’s not in use, there’s a digital screen on top which displays an always-on watch face with little power consumption. The battery life can last for 3-5 days, that’s more than double the life of most Samsung and WearOS watches.

If you’re buying for an iPhone user, then the Apple Watch is a better pick, see below for more on this.


23. Apple Watch

The Apple Watch is a great gift for iPhone users since it makes Apple’s ecosystem of apps easily accessible from the wrist, including Siri, Apple Music, iMessage, and more. This means they can control all of their HomeKit enabled devices from their wrist.

They are also highly regarded when it comes to health tracking with a raft of sensors for tracking your general health as well as daily fitness goals.

Top Picks: Series 6 and Series 3

The Apple Watch Series 6 offers all their latest and greatest features including an always-on retina display, blood oxygen monitoring, and an ECG. This is also available as a cellular version which works even when not tethered to a phone.

However, if you want something more affordable, the Series 3 offers all the core features such as on-wrist calls, fitness tracking, music, and full access to the App Store, without breaking the bank.


24. Mesh Wi-Fi

Even if you’re not Richard Branson, you can still give the gift of fast internet with a mesh Wi-Fi router. A mesh system works differently than a standard system to provide better coverage across your home.

With traditional routers, the signal decreases the further away from the router and extenders only degrade performance. Whereas mesh networks offer scalable whole-home coverage.

When buying a router, look at the AC number for a measure of how much bandwidth it can handle, as a minimum you’ll want AC1200 but the higher the better. I listed a few other things to look out for in my guide to the best routers for smart homes.

Top Pick: Nest WiFi

My top pick is Nest WiFi from Google which has great speeds and lots of customization for parental controls and privacy.

My favourite feature is that each point (their name for an extender) also acts as a smart speaker with Google Assistant. Although it’s not a cheap system, when you consider the saving you’ll have on smart speakers it’s not too bad.

Note: Nest WiFi is not the same as Google WiFi. Nest WiFi is the newer of the two with better performance and a nicer design.


25. Robot Vacuum

Give the gift of time with a robot vacuum that will help your recipient stay on top of the cleaning without needing to lift a finger, is Rosie from the Jetsons becoming a reality?

There is a huge range of robot vacuums on the market, ranging from cheaper devices that take a random path around your home up to the more advanced robots that create floor plans to ensure they don’t miss anything, even mopping as they go.

Top Picks: Ecovacs DEEBOT N8 Pro+ and Eufy G30 Edge

The Deebot N8 Pro+ is my new favourite robot vacuum in 2022. It maps your home which allows room-by-room cleaning (initiate this with a voice command). It also has 3D object detection and avoidance. The cleaning performance is superb and it’s a self-emptying vacuum so you’ll rarely need to intervene.

Coming in at half the price of the Deebot N8 Pro+ above, the Eufy G30 Edge still provides a decent cleaning performance, only without the added smarts.

It doesn’t map your home, although it does still take a logical route and you can see a cleaning report which is a cut above many cheaper vacuums. The main difference between the G30 and G30 Edge is the ability to set no-go zones where you don’t want the vacuum to clean or where it can get stuck.

See my guide to the best robot vacuum cleaners in the UK for more details and additional recommendations.


Gifts Over £500

Now we’re into the luxury smart home gift ideas that will score you extra points with your loved ones (and you must really love them to spend this much).

26. Smart TV

There’s no better gift than one that you can enjoy too which is why a smart TV makes sense. Most TVs sold these days are smart TVs with all your usual streaming services such as Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+, etc.

But, if you’re buying for someone who loves smart home tech, there are a few extra features to look out for such as voice assistant integration, the ability to stream your home security cameras, and the ability to use your TV in routines.

Don’t forget about the viewing quality too, 4k is a must to future-proof the purchase and look for HDR 10 as a minimum if you want a great viewing experience with high contrast and depth.

Top Pick: Samsung TU7000

The TU7000 TV is part of Samsung’s [current_year format=’Y’] TV range. As with all their TVs, it runs Tizen which is a slick platform that integrates with a range of services.

It’s one of my favourite Alexa TVs because you can control it using your Echo smart speaker thanks to Samsung’s Alexa skill. It also works with Samsung SmartThings, Google Home, and AirPlay.

As well as great smart home integration, the viewing experience is superb. It’s a 4K Crystal UHD TV with HDR 10+. It’s available in 43″, 50″, 55″, 65″ and 75″.


27. Smart Projector

A smart projector is an excellent smart home gift for dads who love their home cinema. Rather than connecting a normal projector to an input source, you can tap in the Wi-Fi code and stream straight to the device.

This also saves having too many cables around the place and makes it easy to get out and put away again afterwards. They don’t all work in the same way so check that it supports your giftees favourite apps.

Top Pick: Viewsonic M2

The Viewsonic M2 offers a great balance between price and features. It’s an LED projector that connects to Wi-Fi for screen mirroring from phones, tablets, or laptops. It also supports Chromecast and Airplay so you can use your favourite streaming services on it.

It has built-in Harman Kardon speakers or you can use the Bluetooth speaker output. It can be powered by a power bank so you can also take it away with you. Keep in mind that this is intended as a home cinema project so it’s only suitable for dark rooms, it wouldn’t be suitable for daytime viewing.


28. Robot Lawn Mower

My final recommendation is best for use during summer, but could still be a suitable gift idea no matter what season it is. A robot mower is the most essential smart garden device and would be perfect for a green-fingered recipient.

Robot mowers work differently from traditional mowers, instead of doing one big cut every few weeks, a robot mower goes out almost daily to keep the grass short.

The cuttings are mulched into tiny pieces which fall into the soil and feed the grass, also saving you from having to collect grass cuttings.

Top Pick: Flymo Easilife

The Flymo Easilife range is my top pick when it comes to robot mowers. They have several models depending upon the size of your garden, from 200m2 up to 800m2 (see comparison of Flymo models).

It has a Bluetooth app for setting up and managing the cutting schedule, however, it’s best when you allow it to create its own schedule so that it can take account of the weather, frost, and lawn conditions.

Unfortunately, there’s no Alexa or Google Home compatibility since it doesn’t have a permanent Wi-Fi connection. If this is an important feature, check out the more expensive Bosch Indigo 250+.

Kieren

I have been building up my smart home since 2016 so I'm a bit of a smart home expert by now. On this blog, I share my favourite smart home devices that I've tested along with tips and tricks I learn by watching countless YouTube videos, scrolling through forums, and tinkering around with my own smart devices. I've always been a Google Home user but I'm starting to think Alexa might have the edge, what do you think?