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Even with rising airfares and gas prices, many of us are planning to take a vacation this summer. It could be just a few hours' drive away, or you could fly around the world. Regardless of where you'll end up, you'll want to make sure that your home remains safe and secure while you're away.
Over the years, I've tested dozens of smart home gadgets, and have edited reviews of dozens more — everything from smart lights to locks, water leak detectors, cameras, video doorbells, and much more. So, before you pack your bags, make sure that you have these smart home devices looking after things while you're gone.
Security camera
Whether you want to keep tabs on the inside or outside of your house, one of the best home security cameras will do the trick. Like the best video doorbells, they can track the comings and goings of anyone around your property; if you have a camera inside your house, you can also use it to check up on your pets.
To save yourself some money, I'd recommend a camera that doesn't require a subscription, so you don't have to pay a monthly or annual fee just to see the video it recorded.
Smart lock
If you're leaving pets at home or need someone to water your plants, then one of the best smart locks will let you monitor and manage who gets into your house. Smart locks can be programmed with specific codes for specific people, so you'll know when someone types in a code into the keypad.
Plus, you can set the codes to only work during certain days and hours, preventing someone from trying to get in when they shouldn't. Some newer locks can even use face and palm recognition, or even your Apple Watch to unlock your door. I still prefer a good ol' keycode, though.
Water leak detector
There's nothing worse than coming home to a flooded basement. There's the massive cleanup expense, you'll have to throw out thousands of dollars of waterlogged items you stored in the basement, and there's a potentially huge water bill, too.
At the very least, the best water leak detectors can alert you when something's amiss; these sensors are relatively cheap, so you can place them all around the home, under every sink or anywhere else. Other, more expensive models can automatically shut off your water, saving you even more hassle. Better yet: they may even decrease your insurance bill.
Electricity monitor
Power surges and outages are also something you'll want to keep tabs on. If there's a blackout, you'll want to know if all the food in your fridge will need to be tossed. Or, if there's a power surge, you'll also want to get an alert.
The Ting is a small plug-in device that monitors all the circuits in your home, and measures the voltage and current running through your house. If anything is out of the norm, it will send you a message to your phone. It can also let you know if anything you've plugged into an outlet has faulty wiring.
Smart smoke alarm
After water, a fire is the next most scary thing that could happen to your house. A smart smoke detector will let you know, wherever you are, if there's a problem in your home.
Some of the best smart smoke detectors can even work with 24/7 professional monitoring companies (for a fee, of course) so emergency responders can be dispatched to your home in the event of a fire.
Smart light, plug or switch
How to you make it look like someone's home when you're not? With a smart light, smart light switch, or a smart plug. They all work pretty much the same these days, but look for ones with specific "vacation modes." This setting will have your lights turn on and off randomly during specific times, to give the appearance that your house is occupied.
If you have floor lamps, a smart plug or smart light will do the trick; if you have a lot of ceiling lights, a smart light switch might be the better choice.
Smart thermostat
Did you know the best temperature to set your AC during the summer is 78º F? Yeah, that may seem a bit high, but whatever your preference, one of the best smart thermostats can manage your home's climate more efficiently, so you're using less energy while still keeping your house cool.
The best smart thermostats can take into account not just the temperature inside your house, but also look at weather reports and other data to recommend proactively cooling your home, so you're using less energy during peak hours.
And, as they're linked to your phone, you can program them so that you're not cooling your house excessively while you're away, but you can still return home to a comfortable environment.
Even better: Many utility companies offer some excellent rebates on smart thermostats, so you can often find them for very little money.
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