Life is complicated enough as it is. Setting up a smart home need not be time consuming or overly complex with one of these standalone smart home appliance.
There is no home hub to setup or multiple modules to mount, just install the companion app, switch on the device and off you go.
These devices are non-intrusive. You can simply leave this on the book shelf, coffee table or bedside table.
By the way, it is only a coincidence that most of these standalone devices have a cylindrical shape. Although, we think it is the right shape to not attract too much attention and yet look elegant.
10 Best Standalone Smart Home Appliances
We list the 10 best standalone smart home appliance in the market right. Some of these may have the same or similar features but each brings to the table different capabilities so you can easily decide on one that meets your requirements or application. As smart home appliance goes, all the devices featured here require wireless Internet connection and are controlled using the free companion apps.
1. Amazon Echo
Category: Voice-activated assistant
Remember the talking computer in Star Trek or Jarvis in Iron Man and the Avengers’, take your home to the space age with one of these voice activated assistant. Echo lets you connect to the Alexa Voice Service so you can ask it to play music, hear the news, get sports scores, weather and more. Basic features include Alarm, Timer, Shopping & To-Do Lists and linking to your Google Calendar to manage your schedule.
It also has skills that you can activate via the Alexa app to tie in with other services offered by third party such as Uber, Dominos, SkyScanner or use it to control lights, switches, thermostats with compatible smart home devices.
The list of compatible devices include those from WeMo, Philips Hue, Hive, Netatmo, Nest, SmartThings, Honeywell, Venstar, TP-Link Kasa, LIFX, tado and Yonomi. This list is set to grow so if you like to voice control over your smart home, this is an absolute essential.
For music, it links to Amazon Music for Amazon Prime members and TuneIn out of the box. It also supports Spotify. It will read audiobooks from audible. Finally, there is voice purchasing for repeat order which can be disable or if enabled, protected with a four digit pin.
ALSO: Amazon Echo Dot 2nd Generation (and multipack) and Amazon Tap, Alexa-enabled portable Bluetooth speaker.
2. Google Home
Category: Voice-activated assistant
Google’s answer to Amazon Echo, promised to be more intuitive, smarter and better using the same Google Assistant found on Android smartphones. To activate, simply say “Ok Google”. The following are key features of Google Home:
Play music, podcasts or radio from Google Play Music, Spotify, YouTube Music, Pandora and TuneIn
Get answers using Google’s search engine power
Get real time answers to the latest weather, traffic, finance, sports, local businesses and more
Retrieve flight information, set alarms and timers
Control smart devices like Chromecast, Nest and Philips Hue
Available in seven different colours.
3. Canary All-in-One Home Security Device – Black
Categories: Monitoring + Cameras & CCTV + Safety & Security
A Wi-Fi home security system with built-in High Definition (HD) 1080p video monitoring system, siren, motion detection, humidity and air quality monitoring, all-in-one package. This is easily the simplest home security system, but suitable for monitoring a single room only. You can, of course get multiple of the same device. You can set it up to send notifications with HD video and audio direct to the smartphone using your home WiFi Internet connection. It comes with free cloud storage for recent events. Watch and hear real time video, monitor the air quality, temperature and humidity at home all in one device.
HD video camera: 1080p HD camera 147° viewing angle, night vision
Siren: 90db
Motion detection: with notion activated recording and auto arm/disarm
Humidity
Air quality monitor
Temperature
4. Netatmo Welcome Camera
Categories: Monitoring + Cameras & CCTV + Safety & Security
Here is a home monitoring or presence camera that has a revolutionary face recognition technology. Netatmo Welcome sends the name of the person it recognizes directly to your smartphone so you get the right notification without checking video footage. You get alerts if your love ones, children or elderly parents arrived home safely or if it was a stranger, an unknown face.
It can also be set to listen out for smoke alarm, CO alarm, security alarm or siren and sends a notification or record a video when this happens. For privacy, the videos and identification data are stored locally on the unit’s microSD card. A 32GB memory card is enough for up to 2 hours of video recording.
Face Detection Video Camera with 130° viewing angle, 10m viewing range, 10m night vision viewing range
Allows you to view and record to microSD card
Size & Weight: H150, W35, D35cm, 200grams
Add-ons: Netatmo Tags for doors and windows security are available separately and works with Netatmo Welcome Camera to detect opening and closing or any door or window and vibration. It is a simple one piece tag, has a working range of 260 feet and works for both indoor and outdoor.
Nest Smart Thermostat, Sensors and Camera
Nest Smart Learning Thermostat (3rd Generation)
Nest Protect Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (2nd Generation) – Safety, Temperature Control & Security
Nest Cam WiFi Surveillance Camera (Indoor and Outdoor) &
Not quite a package, but sold separately, the Nest 2nd Generation Protect Smoke and CO2 Alarm and Nest 3rd Generation Smart Thermostat can be controlled from the same app.
5. Nest Smart Learning Thermostat (3rd Generation)
Categories: Monitoring + Control
The Nest Learning Thermostat gets better as you use. It learns the temperature you like, controls both the hot water and heating to help you save money on bills and stay comfortable. Now in its 3rd generation, it spots a bigger, sharper display and is more beautiful than ever. It uses Farsight to show you the time or temperature you have set across the room when you approach it. The intelligent part is that it knows when you are home or away and turn the heating on or off accordingly and detects how your home warms up or how draughty the house is.
Heating and hot water control
Temperature sensor
Auto Away
Remote control
NOTE: The Nest Smart Learning Thermostat needs to be installed by a Nest professional.
6. Nest Protect Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (2nd Generation)
Categories: Monitoring + Safety
The Nest Protect Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm is an industrial grade smoke detector with an built-in alarm system. The box can be monitored, tested, activated or disabled from the phone with companion app. The smoke sensor lasts up to 10 years. It will alert you and tell you what is wrong on your smartphone. The unit is battery operated with 1 AA battery and is smart enough to check its batteries and sensors over 400 times a day. It also uses Sound Check to quietly test its speaker and siren once a month. It operates over your home’s wireless Internet connection.
Smoke Detector
CO Detector
Detects occupancy
Size H13.5, W13.5, D3.9cm.
NOTE: A hard wired version is also available so you do never have to worry about swapping batteries.
7. Nest Cam WiFi Surveillance Camera (Indoor and Outdoor)
Categories: Monitoring + Security
The Nest Cam Smart Security Camera, sometimes available as a package with multiple cameras comes in two variations, indoor or outdoor. You can use is to monitor your home or as a security camera. It is powered by the mains and requires your home wireless Internet connection. Tap into the live feed from the camera directly on your smartphone from anywhere in the world and watch what goes on at home or set alerts so you receive notification when sound or movement is detected. It records and stream in full 1080p HD and has built-in nigh vision capability. Nest Cam works with Nest Learning Thermostat and automatically start recording when you are away and turn off when you are home.
HD 1080p WiFi Camera with Night Vision
Detects motion and sound
Record and stream live footage
2 way audio
Size & Weight: 167 x 166 x 107 mm (H x W x D), 800 grams
8. Withings Home WBP02 Wireless Home Security Camera & Baby Monitor
Categories: Monitoring + Safety & Security
Withings Home is has a High Definition 5MP camera with 12x optical zoom and nigh vision. It offers live streaming via your home’s WiFi or over 3G/4G. You can track events and customise alerts to you get the right amount of notifications. Apart from the live stream there is an events recorder with timeline of events from the last few hours, 48 hour time lapse function and a premium paid service that saves up to 30 days worth of video recording for a monthly fee so you can watch, download and share HD videos. But what makes it stand out from the other smart cameras here are the baby monitor and air monitor functions. It can play lullabies and switch on special soothing LED light sequences to entertain the baby. The air quality sensor tracks the indoor air quality and help you build a healthier environment.
HD Video: Connect in HD to your home on your phone, from anywhere and stream from 5MP camera with Night Vision and 135° wide angle view
Smart Alerts: Get notifications when an event is detected (noise or movement)
24/7 Security: 24h- Timelapse, 2-day diary of events & continuous recording options
Air Quality: Monitor indoor air quality & be notified of pollution spikes or if it senses dangerous levels of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC)
Baby Monitor Mode: Hear and watch your baby, talk to them or entertain them with light & sound lullabies from your smartphone
2 way push to talk audio
9. RING Video Doorbell Bundle
Categories: Monitoring + Security
The Ring Video Doorbell can be triggered by ringing the doorbell or simply by motion detection. Apart from the live feed, you can also use the cloud service to store and review the video. This however is a paid service beyond the 30 day trial. In addition to the video footage, there is a two way radio built in so you can speak to the visitor using the built-in microphone and speaker over the app on your phone. The wireless ring chime unit plugs straight into the mains socket.
WiFi HD Camera 720p with Night Vision, 180 degree wide field of view and a range of up to 30 feet
Wireless Ring Chime
Alert via free app or email
2 way audio
10. RING Stick Up Cam
Categories: Monitoring + Security
Using the same technology as the Ring Video Doorbell without the door bell function, the RING Stick Up Cam is designed to be mounted on the wall or ceiling and works as a surveillance camera for the front door or anywhere in the house (outdoor or indoor). You can see and hear visitors to your home remotely via mobile app. The camera supports night vision and is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. It is powered by internal rechargeable battery with a 12-month battery life so no complicated wiring or power requirement, just connect it to your home Internet connection. The two way audio lets you speak to the visitor. A ceiling and wall hook with buil-in spirit level is included for easy installation.
WiFi HD Camera 720p with Night Vision
Alert via free app or email
2 way audio
Weather Resistant
Size & Weight: 170 x 208 x 48 mm (H x W x D), 589 grams
OTHERS
Guardzilla All-in-One Video Security System
MOTOROLA Focus 85 Wireless Home Security Camera
D-Link DCS-5010L Home Monitor 360
Also: D-Link DCS-5020L Wireless N Day & Night Pan/Tilt Cloud Camera
Netatmo Weather Station
Additional Module for Weather Station
Netatmo Rain Gauge for Netatmo Weather Station
Netatmo Wind Gauge for Netatmo Weather Station