Smart Home, home automation, Internet of Things, call it what you want - we've rounded up the best deals for anyone looking to get their home connected this Christmas.
Whether you're after a connected speaker, smart lights or a money-saving connected thermostat, we've got you covered.
Amazon Echo (2017 edition)
Putting Amazon's own voice assistant Alexa on the map is the Echo. This newer version improves on the original by including a smaller profile and a number of eye catching fabric colour coatings, instead of the imposing Darth Vader black metal and plastic of the original.
Compatible with Amazon Music, TuneIn and Spotify and more, Amazon's Echo lets you stream your favourite tunes as well as control multiple devices around the home, call taxis via Uber, check the weather and set reminders.
Amazon Echo Dot
The Echo Dot speakers are designed to complement the bigger Echoes, and sit in rooms like your kitchen or bathroom, so you can shout at Alexa if you want to convert ounces into grams, or have some Enya piped in while you’re having a soak.
Google Home
One big advantage Google Home has over Amazon’s speaker system is that you can sync up to six user accounts with the speaker, so that you can get it to add calendar reminders for different people in your home. It’s also compatible with Chromecast Audio, making streaming tunes an absolute breeze.
Logitech Harmony Elite remote control
While you can control smart home and IoT devices and systems from your phone, or chain commands together with platforms like IFTTT (If This Then That), you might prefer to have one discrete remote control to rule them all; that’s where Logitech's Harmony Elite remote comes in.
This universal remote will let you turn Philips Hue and LIFX smart lights on and off, control Nest and Honeywell smart thermostats, turn down the volume of your Sonos speakers, have your TV, set-top box and amp (depending on your AV set-up) all come on at the touch of one button.
Netgear Arlo Pro security system
Easy to install, this IFTTT compatible security hub lets you record 720p HD video at day and night and comes with two cameras included as standard, meaning, if you wish, you can have surveillance inside and outside your home. Perhaps best of all, the Netgear Arlo Pro doesn't tie you in to any expensive subscription plans for cloud storage.
Nest Cam Outdoor security camera
Part of the Nest ecosystem, which means it can be easily paired with other security cameras as well as Nest's smart thermostat and smoke alarm, the Outdoor cam from Nest is a durable, rainproof camera capable of recording 1080p Full HD video in the daytime and at night, thanks to a ring of eight infrared LEDs circling the main sensor.
Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd gen)
Nest's 3rd gen thermostat features a slimmer profile than previous versions and, for folks who don’t have combi-type boilers, lets you heat up your water tank in advance or delivery quick bursts of heated water for when you want to jump in the shower first thing in the morning or immediately after you’ve finished a park run.
Philips Hue Starter Kits including Hue Bridge 2.0 and 3 x Hue Colour Ambiance bulbs (B22 bayonet and E27 screw type bulbs)
Philips's Hue smart lighting system is arguably the poster kid for the smart home; easy to set up, endless fun, totally enjoyable.
Thanks to the Hue app for iOS and Android, it’s easy to subtley or dramatically alter your surroundings with a gentle tap. Call up pre-configured lighting scenes, or pick a colour for each bulb from a huge colour palette.
The Philips Hue Starter Kit, consisting of the Hue Bridge 2.0 (which connects to your router and handles all wireless communications) and three colour bulbs - for both bayonet and screw-type fittings - is an excellent place to start.