Identifying products that can provide measurable benefits and solve day-to-day menial tasks will help prioritize purchases.

Below are some products that may be of benefit to you:

• Wi-Fi Mesh – This is must, especially if you have a larger home and multiple devices to connect. It solves the coverage problems we’ve dealt with in the past such as dropped connections or dead zones in and around your home.
• Garage Door Opener – did you forget to close the garage door? Give access to family members. May allow parcels to be delivered in your garage, you need to trust your delivery courier. One would not actually call this a ‘smart product’.
• Connected Sprinkler System – monitor and control your sprinkler system remotely. Often, they are weather aware (doesn’t water if it has or will rain). It can also conform to local water usage requirements (days you can water, what time you can water, etc.). Advanced units can automatically adjust watering time based on soil moisture.
• Connected Light Switches – control lights via app and voice. Advanced switches can also provide varying levels of automation, dimming, scenes, grouping etc. Automation enables the lighting to respond naturally and gives a hands free experience, great when you enter a room with your hands full. They can adapt to your lighting needs as seasons change and outdoor ambient light changes.
• Video Doorbell – Useful to know who is at the door and can provide a sense of security if video recording capable. One would not actually call this a ‘smart product’.
• Smart speakers – simply ask something, setup timers and alarms with voice commands. Great in the kitchen to set a timer while you’re in the middle of your cooking routine, and not a clean or free hand to be found
• Connected Thermostat – set an elaborate heating/cooling schedule. Automatically adjusts itself to save energy when you are away from home with pet friendly limits to ensure they are safe. 

Choosing a smart or connected product requires you to assess how useful the features are and whether it will simplify various tasks. If you choose a product and you still have to use an app or voice control every time, then it clearly isn’t a smart product.

There are many other products beyond the above list that may be of higher importance to you. Ensure there’s a real benefit that can be delivered, rather than just the initial “look at my new toy, isn’t it neat?”.