Smart home essentials for beginners: 12 must-have products to get your started

A selection of Amazon smart home products. — (Image credit: Amazon / Edited by Gemini)

Building a smart home from scratch is no easy feat. There are countless brands and products to sift through, and for most people, making an 'ecosystem' choice is understandably overwhelming.

But here's the thing: the cost for beginner-friendly smart home products is low, and it's okay to change your mind early on. You don't have to go all-in on Google products or stick with Apple no matter what.

Plus, a lot of smart home products nowadays are compatible across ecosystems via smart hubs or third-party apps. So it's absolutely acceptable to start with one or two small smart home products, and build your way up from there. For anyone with zero smart home tech in their homes, these 12 products are the ones I'd recommend trying first.

Follow Tom's Guide on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our up-to-date news, analysis, and reviews in your feeds.

TOPICS

Sarah Chaney is a freelance tech writer with 4 years of experience across multiple outlets, including How-To Geek, MakeUseOf, SlashGear, Laptop Mag, and of course, Tom's Guide. She loves reviewing the latest gadgets, from inventive robot vacuums to new laptops, wearables, and anything PC-related. When she's not writing, she's probably playing a video game, exploring the outdoors, or listening to her current favorite song or album on repeat.