5 Cool New Amazon Finds To Add To Your Smart Home Gadget Collection

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Smart home gadgets are some of the most useful additions you can make to your house, and many consumers have joined the smart home movement. Around 45% of all American internet households today use smart home services. One of the biggest reasons for their popularity is that smart home upgrades can actually save you money in the long run. Products like smart bulbs, thermostats, doorbell cameras, leak sensors, and plugs can reduce energy waste and identify small issues well before they burn a hole in your pocket.

However, a true smart home geek doesn't stop hunting for cool gadgets that can help them automate everyday life. There are plenty of options available on the market, and new ones arrive often. An advanced smart home boasts more functionality than just having Amazon Echo or Google Home flick a few lights.

With cool new under-the-radar gadgets like a sunrise-simulating alarm clock, self-stirring coffee mug, vibration sensor, indoor countdown timer, and candle warmer lamp, you can use smart home technology to also improve your sleep, mood, and focus, streamline everyday tasks, and more. And where can you find these solutions? The largest online retail storefront, Amazon is home to thousands of product categories, and you can easily find the an assortment unusual smart gadgets there.

Do you wake up grumpy, stressed, or anxious? No, it might not be that bad dream you had; it could actually be your alarm clock. Waking up to loud "buzzer" alarms can put unnecessary stress on the body, elevating your heart rate, blood pressure, and overall stress levels. That's because our bodies are hardwired to wake up to light, not sound — but, of course, your routine can't depend on the sun. Enter the Wake Up Light Sunrise Alarm Clock by JALL. It has an impressive 4.3-star rating on Amazon after 27,700 reviews, and for good reason.

It has a large circular LED screen that activates 10, 20, or 30 minutes (depending on your preference) before your set alarm time, and goes from a very dim orange glow (10% brightness, akin to dawn) all the way to a bright white light (100% brightness). Although it does have an alarm that eventually goes off, if you position it correctly beside your bed, you'll often find yourself waking up before the alarm sound thanks to the natural light. 

In addition to letting you adjust the maximum brightness and choose from seven natural sounds for your alarm tone, this device also allows you to set multiple alarms and automate them with Every Day, Weekday, and Weekend options. What's more, it also doubles as an FM radio and a nightlight/bedside lamp. Overall, it's an excellent option for kids, heavy sleepers, or anyone who doesn't wake up with the sun but would still like the benefits of doing so.

Stirring your tea, coffee, or protein shake is harder than it looks. Stir too timidly and it won't mix; stir too hard and you'll spill it everywhere. If you want a perfect stir every single time — and in under 10 seconds, with elegance and zero mess — consider getting the NeovaHome Self-Stirring Mug.

Priced at just $16, this electric mixer cup is built with borosilicate glass, which doesn't just boost your setup's aesthetic quotient (thanks also to the mug's wooden lid and handle), but is also easy to clean and recycle. Most importantly for tea/coffee lovers, borosilicate has a long shelf life and isn't affected by sudden temperature changes. According to the manufacturer, this mug can withstand both extreme cold (68 degrees Fahrenheit) and piping hot drinks (up to 248 degrees Fahrenheit).

We like how the mug keeps things simple. There's just one on/off button to operate it. And while that does mean there are no speed settings (which you won't need anyway, since the mixer rotates at 6,000 RPM), it makes the mug easy enough for everyone to use, including kids and seniors, who will also appreciate that there are no sharp blades involved. Instead, the stirrer uses a small rotating propeller that can be detached for effortless cleaning. It's also very quiet. It emits just 48 dB of noise, similar to what you'd hear in a quiet library or during moderate rainfall. This means you can easily use it in shared spaces, such as your office or library, without worrying about disturbing others.

For most people, setting up a smart home starts with purchases like smart lights, smart thermostats, or smart home doorbell cameras. Many modern washing machines and air purifiers also come with their own apps for remote control. However, if you want to take your automation game to the next level — or if you want a cheap way to turn your house into a smart home — consider purchasing the THIRDREALITY Zigbee Vibration Sensor.

A pack of three costs $43.99, but you can also get just one for $15. Equipped with the latest Zigbee 3.0, it's compatible with a wide variety of Zigbee-supported hubs and devices, including several Echo models, SmartThings, and Hubitat, among others. And while it doesn't "smart-ify" appliances in the traditional sense, it does act as a personal assistant, alerting you of changes or updates you'd like to stay on top of. For example, you can slap the sensor on your garage door and tune it to notify you (via sound, phone notifications, or both) whenever it opens or closes. This way, you'll be able to ensure your property's safety when you're away. Other applications include placement on doors, windows, and jewelry boxes.

You can also get creative with this device. For instance, if you have smart lights in your living room, you can tuck the sensor under your couch and curate the settings so that whenever you sit, the main lights turn off and the table lamp turns on. A 110 dB siren alarm means you'll be able to hear it throughout your house, and you also get four different sensitivity levels, which you can adjust using the two switches on the sensor.

Scented candles not only add personality to your home but also offer a wide range of psychological benefits. Depending on the candle you light, you might experience better mood, mindfulness, and sleep, and may reduce anxiety, stress, and even headaches. However, traditional candle-burning has a few important disadvantages. The flame can produce unwanted soot and indoor air pollution, plus it can pose a safety hazard to kids or pets. A traditional candle warmer lamp is handy in a pinch, but it requires manual adjustment.

According to SwitchBot, its Smart Candle Warmer Lamp (just $34 at the time of writing) is the first of its kind to be controlled by voice. It supports both Apple and Google Home, and can be controlled via Siri or Alexa — or directly through the SwitchBot or SmartThings app, if you prefer. It comes with a lot of different settings. For starters, you can control the brightness, a setting ranging from 1% to 100%. You can also set custom countdowns (up to 12 hours) and on/off schedules, allowing you to tune it to your routines in a completely hands-off manner.

Best of all, you can control the unit remotely, meaning you can have it turn on (in your bedroom, office, or living room) while you're on your way there, so the space is ready for you before you step in. Just note that it does not come with the candle included, and you'll have to purchase one that fits its ring size, which is 5.51 inches by 3.74 inches.

Much like the Zigbee vibration sensor, the BN-LINK Indoor Countdown Timer allows you to turn a regular home appliance into a smart gadget by giving it auto on-off functionalities. It comes with a single power outlet on the left-hand side. And given that it has a power rating of 15A and up to 1875W, it can handle most heavy-duty home appliances with ease. This includes curling irons, coffee/bread makers, air fryers, hair dryers, and more.

It features six timer buttons: 15 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, and 6 hours. Plus, there are two additional buttons on the side: one main on/off button, and a "repeat" button. All you have to do is plug in your appliance and press the on/off switch for power. Then, depending on how long you want to use the appliance, select your preferred timing. If you want to use the repeat function, turn on the appliance, press a time button, and then click on the repeat button. It'll then repeat the selected duration at the same time the next day. If there's any confusion, you can always refer to the detailed manual that comes with the package.

One of the biggest benefits of this countdown timer is improved safety. For example, if you're using a gadget that can run hot, like curling irons or heating pads — and you don't want to carry the risk of forgetting to turn it off, especially when you're in a hurry — you can just set a timer and enjoy peace of mind. Also, the product is ETL listed, which simply means it has been independently tested to verify that it conforms to predefined safety standards.

One of our biggest considerations while picking products for this guide was to steer clear of popular smart home gadgets such as smart bulbs, thermostats, plugs, or doorbells, and instead focus on more under-the-radar, relatively new gadgets that are genuinely useful and aren't just repetitions of the usual smart home staples. They're also reasonably priced and offer excellent bang for your buck, helping you beef up your smart home gadget collection without needing to break the bank.

Even though our search for products involved looking outside of Amazon and at independent expert reviews and YouTube videos, we made sure that all of the products we've mentioned are available to purchase on Amazon right now. We also only picked products that have solid ratings and reviews on Amazon and are built to last. As always, we selected products based on our independent research.