7 Renter-Friendly Smart Home Upgrades Your Landlord Won't Mind

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Renting a place comes with certain restrictions, which might limit your options for smart home upgrades. Major installations are off the table, as not only are you probably prohibited from making significant renovations, but you also should be able to easily pack up your devices when it's time to move. Fortunately, as technological developments are making smart home gadgets smaller and more portable, there are still some substantial smart home upgrades available for renters.

Our suggestions cover various types of smart home devices that provide different kinds of benefits, such as reliable security and improved convenience. We also explain how these gadgets are renter-friendly, and how they can help you take full advantage of your smart home.

To give you an even better grasp on these potential renter-friendly smart home upgrades, we recommended a device for each category. Each product has received strong reviews from both shoppers and reputable websites, and we've highlighted comments that support our picks. Prices may vary.

With a smart plug, you'll be able to give smart features to any electronic device. There are apps that'll let you create schedules when the plugged gadgets will turn on or off, which you'll also be able to do manually. Some applications include having your coffee maker start brewing at a certain time every morning, restarting your Wi-Fi router without having to get up from your couch, and turning on lamps at home before you arrive late at night so you won't have to fumble around in darkness. This smart home upgrade is particularly helpful if the place that you're renting is furnished with appliances, as you won't need to replace them with internet-ready versions of themselves.

The Kasa EP10 Mini is a highly-rated example of a smart plug, as it currently stands at 4.5 stars on Amazon after more than 39,700 reviews. It's very easy and straightforward to set up through the Kasa app, according to Amazon shoppers, and it works with both Amazon's Alexa and Google Assistant for voice commands. The device is very responsive to them, according to Android Police, which also said that it's one of those gadgets that you can forget after the initial installation because of its reliability.

Some smart lighting gadgets require electrical work and semi-permanent installation that aren't ideal for renters, but you can still get customizable lights through smart light bulbs. Unlike smart dimmer switches that need a wiring job and smart light strips that you'll have to stick onto a path on the walls, you can easily screw smart light bulbs into your apartment's receptacles or in your lamps. It's easy to replace them with the old, traditional bulbs once you move out.

For smart bulbs that are incredibly easy to set up and install, as reviewed by Amazon shoppers, you can take a look at the TP-Link L535, which has an average score of 4.3 stars after almost 1,800 reviews. They're available on the platform at $24.99 for a pack of two, and they work with Amazon's Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri. The Tapo app will guide you through the entire initialization process, and it's also what you'll use to operate the smart bulb, adjust its brightness, and change its color. Trusted Reviews said that the app is packed with features, such as an Away Mode that randomly turns the bulb on or off to make it seem like someone is home, but it's still simple to use.

Security cameras used to require lengthy wiring and difficult installations, but that's no longer the case with smart security cameras. While some of them are still designed to be drilled into walls, particularly those meant for outdoor monitoring, there are smaller models you can simply place on a desk or a shelf. Using their companion apps, these smart home gadgets will let you look through their lens at any time through your phone, so you'll always have eyes on your rented place.

If you want hidden indoor security cameras, the Blink Mini 2K+ will make it easier. It needs to be plugged in, but TechRadar pointed out that this allows the gadget to go very small at just about 2 inches by 2 inches, as there's no internal battery. The device offers 2K video resolution and up to 4x zoom so that when you're using the Blink app to look at its livestream, you'll get a sharp and detailed view. The security camera also has a two-way talk function to let you speak with whoever's at home through the app. Its video and audio are surprisingly clear for such a small device, according to customers on Amazon, where it has nearly 2,800 reviews and an average score of 4.4 stars. The retailer is selling a two-camera bundle for $69.99.

Controlling your gadgets and searching for information through voice commands used to be limited to science fiction, but these are now possible with digital assistants. Smart speakers provide easy access to your voice assistant of choice, and they're very renter-friendly because they're plug-and-play devices that don't require any physical installation. Just as you can easily transfer these gadgets from room to room, you'll only have to reconnect them to the Wi-Fi network if you decide to move to a new place.

The Amazon Echo speakers are probably the most popular examples of this type of smart home gadget, and the Amazon Echo Dot Max at $99.99 is among the latest releases from the brand. It already has almost 2,800 ratings on Amazon and an average score of 4.4 stars, as customers who upgraded from older models of the smart speaker have immediately noticed the improved audio of the new device. Setup is still easy, and as PCMag pointed out in its review, it's a seamless upgrade with its support for several smart home protocols, and it's an excellent gateway to Amazon's Alexa+.

Buying an air purifier is one of the small smart home upgrades that instantly make your home more comfortable. It protects your family's health by improving air quality, and smart versions of the device usually allow for operation and monitoring through an app. Smart air purifiers come in a wide range of sizes, depending on the area that they're designed to cover, but they're all relatively portable and don't require any special installations that may not be allowed in a rented place.

For small rooms, the BlueAir Blue Pure 511i Max is a high-scoring option on Amazon at 4.5 stars after more than 1,400 reviews. For $139.99, the device is capable of capturing dust, pollen, pet dander, and other airborne particles across an area of up to 926 square feet. The gadget has a noise level of just 19 decibels, which is a very faint sound, and Air Purifier First confirms this in its review by saying that it's "one of the quietest air purifiers at low speeds." Amazon shoppers agree to how silent the device is while it works in the background, while also praising the ease of getting it up and running. The air purifier's built-in sensors automatically make adjustments when they detect increased pollution levels, and its app provides information on air quality and reminders on filter replacements.

Landlords require tenants to keep their places clean, so they don't mind if their renters use robot vacuum cleaners. In fact, they probably love the gadgets, as not only can they get the job done, but they also don't leave any traces of usage once the tenant moves. Even those with docking stations don't require any special installations, as they're just plugged in and placed in a certain spot. Some robot vacuums come with companion apps, and some are also compatible with voice assistants.

If you're thinking about buying a robot vacuum, the Roborock Q10 S5+ for $499.99 is a powerful option on Amazon with an average score of 4.2 stars after more than 3,200 reviews. It's the brand's most affordable robot vacuum and mop combo, as flagged by Vacuum Wars, which also said that it delivers amazing value with its performance. The device offers powerful suction with an anti-tangle system, a vibrating mopping system, and a self-emptying station that can store up to 70 days of dust and debris. Customers are impressed by its mapping function that allows it to clean every inch of their home, and by its quiet humming while it works that won't disturb anyone. The Roborock app will let you schedule cleaning sessions and adjust its settings, and you can also use Alexa or Google Assistant to operate the robot vacuum using voice commands.

If you're bringing a smart T.V. into your rented place, you have the option of mounting it to your wall, but that might require clearance from your landlord. The hassle-free option is to simply use its stand. They're great as entertainment devices, as they provide access to the top streaming services. And, they can also improve the video game experience. There are also some underrated smart T.V. features you need to start using, such as controlling your other smart home gadgets, which further increase the value of these appliances.

The TCL QM6K Series, with its 55-inch model available on Amazon for $447.99, is a well-reviewed smart T.V. with an average score of 4.4 stars on the retailer's website following almost 1,500 ratings. The T.V., which has TCL's QD-Mini LED technology, offers picture quality and brightness that are better than what you would expect for its price, according to CNET. This is confirmed by shoppers, who added that they've enjoyed rich colors and superb contrast. It runs on the Google TV platform, and if you decide to buy this T.V., check out our recommendations for Google TV apps to install.

We chose types of smart home devices that won't require any form of renovation that may be restricted in a rented place, such as drilling in walls or intensive electrical work. We focused on plug-and-play gadgets so that they're easy to box and ship when you decide to move to another place.

For our recommendations, we selected products that are available on Amazon, where they have received an average score of at least 4.0 stars following more than 1,000 ratings. We also combined insights from comments posted on the retailer's website, as well as from professional reviews, to further support why they're perfect smart home upgrades for renters.