5 smart home devices you need to keep your home safe during the holidays

(Image credit: Amazon)

Are you planning to go over the river and through the woods this holiday season to visit family and friends? While you're away from your house, how are you planning to make sure everything inside is safe and secure?

In the past, you might have needed a professionally installed security system — and they do work — but you can put together your own ad hoc system by choosing the smart home devices that best fit your needs and budget. Below are five essential devices that can help keep your home safe while you travel.

Security camera

This one is pretty obvious, but installing one of the best outdoor security cameras can let you see who's approaching your house from any angle. Some models also have built in floodlights and spotlights, which not only deters intruders, but can also help you if you're pulling into your driveway or walking up to your front door at night.

Inside, one of the best home security cameras not only can warn you if someone gets into your house, but can also be used to keep tabs on your pets while you're away. Since all cameras have built-in speakers, you could even shoo them off the couch if they're not supposed to sleep there.

Video doorbell

The best video doorbells of course let you know who's knocking, but the models we like the most also have features such as package detection, so you know when UPS or FedEx has delivered something to your door. Thanks to AI, some video doorbells will even alert you if they see someone stealing a package, which is especially helpful around the holidays.

Smart lock

If you're heading out of town for the holidays and have a dog walker or sitter coming over, a smart lock is a super-helpful device. You can create custom codes for guests, and even create schedules for when they're allowed to get into your house — and when they're not. Plus, you'll get a notification on your phone any time someone unlocks your door.

Some of the more advanced smart locks also have fingerprint and palm readers, as well as the ability to be opened with an Apple Watch.

Smart smoke detector

Is the turkey burning in the oven? A smart smoke detector will alert you to any smoke, fire, or carbon monoxide events in your home, so you can quickly act on any potential problems. Should you not want to replace all the alarms currently in your house, some of the best smart speakers can also listen for alarms and send you an alert, too.

Water leak detector

As we head into the winter months, the threat of freezing pipes becomes even more real. The last thing you want is to return home to a flooded basement. The best smart water leak detectors can alert you not just to when a leak is occurring, but also to temperature dips or rises in humidity levels, so you can act on a problem before it happens.

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Michael A. Prospero is the U.S. Editor-in-Chief for Tom’s Guide. He oversees all evergreen content and oversees the Homes, Smart Home, and Fitness/Wearables categories for the site. In his spare time, he also tests out the latest drones, electric scooters, and smart home gadgets, such as video doorbells. Before his tenure at Tom's Guide, he was the Reviews Editor for Laptop Magazine, a reporter at Fast Company, the Times of Trenton, and, many eons back, an intern at George magazine. He received his undergraduate degree from Boston College, where he worked on the campus newspaper The Heights, and then attended the Columbia University school of Journalism. When he’s not testing out the latest running watch, electric scooter, or skiing or training for a marathon, he’s probably using the latest sous vide machine, smoker, or pizza oven, to the delight — or chagrin — of his family.

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