Smart Home and Robot Guides: Vacuums, Mowers, Plugs and Thermostats
Buy smart home gear for a job it does better than you: a robot vacuum for daily pet hair, a robot mower for a lawn you never want to mow again, a smart plug that shows what an appliance really costs to run.
These guides compare models by coverage area, suction, mapping, app ecosystem and running cost, so each pick fits the home rather than the spec sheet.
11 smart home and robots guides
Best Smart Plugs With Energy Monitoring for 2026
The smart plugs that actually log kWh, which ecosystems they fit, the 15 A limit, and how to turn the reading into dollars at your state's rate.
Top picks: TP-Link Tapo P110M Matter Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring (2-pack), Kasa KP125M Matter Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring (2-pack), Eve Energy Smart Plug and Power Meter (Matter over Thread)
Updated Oct 16, 2026
Best Smart Thermostat to Save Money (Ranked by Payback)
ENERGY STAR smart thermostats ranked by payback: about 14 months for the cheapest model at average savings. Plus C-wire, sensor and heat pump notes.
Top picks: Amazon Smart Thermostat, ecobee Smart Thermostat Enhanced, ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium with SmartSensor
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Is a Smart Water Shutoff Valve Worth It? The Math
1 in 67 insured homes files a water damage claim a year, averaging $15,400. What a $624 automatic shutoff does about it, and the cheap sensor option.
Top picks: Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor and Automatic Shutoff (3/4 in), GoveeLife Smart Water Leak Detector 1s, 3-Pack with Gateway, Phyn Plus Smart Water Assistant and Shutoff (2nd gen)
Updated Nov 2, 2026
Moen Flo vs Phyn Plus: Which Water Shutoff to Buy
Moen Flo vs Phyn Plus: pipe sizes, how each detects a leak, price and install. Moen Flo for 3/4 or 1 in mains, Phyn Plus up to 1-1/4 in.
Top picks: Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor and Automatic Shutoff (3/4 in), Moen Flo Smart Water Monitor and Automatic Shutoff (1 in), Phyn Plus Smart Water Assistant and Shutoff (2nd gen)
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Best Robot Lawn Mower by Yard Size, Slope and Trees
Robot lawn mowers matched to lawn size from 1/8 acre to 1.25 acres, slopes up to 84%, and yards with trees where RTK-only mowers lose their signal.
Top picks: ECOVACS GOAT O1000 RTK robot mower, 1/4 acre, Segway Navimow i215 LiDAR robot mower, 0.37 acre, WORX Landroid Vision Cloud WR344 4WD robot mower, 1 acre
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Best Robot Vacuum for Pet Hair (and When You Need the Dock)
Robot vacuums for shedding pets, picked by what matters with hair: a self-emptying dock, LiDAR mapping, suction for carpet and a mop for hard floors.
Top picks: Shark AI Ultra self-emptying robot vacuum, roborock Q10 S5+ self-emptying robot vacuum and mop, iRobot Roomba Max 715 Pet self-emptying robot vacuum
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Best Robotic Pool Cleaner for Your Pool Size and Type
Robotic pool cleaners matched to in-ground and above-ground pools by rated size, wall and waterline cleaning, and corded or cordless power.
Top picks: BRINBO S2 cordless above-ground pool robot, WYBOT C1 cordless in-ground pool robot, Beatbot Sora 10 cordless pool robot with waterline cleaning
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Best Cordless Vacuum for Pet Hair: Runtime First
Cordless stick vacuums for pet hair picked by what matters: an anti-tangle brush, enough runtime for your floor area, swappable batteries and self-emptying bases.
Top picks: Dreame R10s Essential budget stick vacuum with extendable rod, roborock H60 Ultra-N 90 minute stick vacuum, Dyson V16 Piston Animal cordless vacuum
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Best Window Cleaning Robot (and the Safety Features That Matter)
Window cleaning robots compared on what keeps them on the glass and cleaning: suction, a safety rope, a backup battery, auto spray and frameless glass support.
Top picks: HOBOT-2S Dual Ultrasonic Spray Window Robot, ECOVACS WINBOT W2S PRO Triple Spray Window Robot, Mamibot W120-DP 4-Spray Window Robot
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Best Smart Blinds and Curtain Motors: Retrofit or Replace
Smart curtain openers, blind tilt motors and motorized roller shades matched to what you already have on the window, with battery life, noise and hub needs.
Top picks: SwitchBot Curtain 3 automatic curtain opener, rod, SwitchBot Blind Tilt, SwitchBot motorized roller shade, small
Updated Oct 13, 2026
Best Wet-Dry Vacuum Mop: Self-Cleaning, Hot-Air Drying and Runtime by Square Foot
Cordless wet-dry floor cleaners compared on self-cleaning, hot-air drying, edge cleaning, runtime per square foot and pet hair. Picks from $170.
Top picks: Dreame H14 Pro Wet Dry Vacuum, Roborock F25 GT Gen 2 Wet Dry Vacuum, Roborock F25 LT Wet Dry Vacuum
Updated Oct 28, 2026