I install smart home gear for a living. I've seen every brand, every gimmick, every "as seen on TV" disappointment. Some of it is genuinely great and changes how my customers live. Some of it is expensive, useless, or both.
Here are the 5 categories I tell every customer to skip, and what to put in your home instead.
1. Smart Refrigerators
Why people buy them: "I'll be able to see inside my fridge from the grocery store!" The Samsung Family Hub fridges have a 21-inch screen on the door, run apps, show your calendar, etc. Cost: $3,500-$5,500.
Why they're not worth it: The fridge itself is a fine fridge. The "smart" parts age badly. By year 5, the apps stop getting updates, the screen looks dated, and the camera that was supposed to let you see your eggs has fogged over. You spent $2,000 extra on features you used twice and a screen that becomes e-waste.
What to get instead: A good $1,500 fridge with no smart features. Put a $25 mini whiteboard on the front for your grocery list. Use your phone for everything else. You just saved $3,000 and the fridge will outlast the "smart" version by a decade.
2. Smart Toasters, Coffee Makers, and Skillets
Why people buy them: Gift catalogs make them look magical. "Voice-controlled toast!" "App-connected coffee!"
Why they're not worth it: The toaster takes the same amount of time whether you control it with a phone or a knob. The "app" wants your email address, often nags for premium features, and the company will likely stop supporting the app within 3-5 years. Then it's a $200 toaster that toasts.
What to get instead: A good $40 toaster from Costco. The hour of your life you save on dealing with the app pays for itself.
3. Cheap "Generic" Video Doorbells from Amazon
Why people buy them: They look identical to a Ring or Nest, but cost $35 instead of $150.
Why they're not worth it: The cheap ones break in 6-12 months — usually the battery swells or the camera lens fogs over from condensation. The app is hosted on a server in China that might disappear next year. Worst of all, several of the cheap brands have been caught uploading your video footage to questionable cloud servers.
What to get instead: A real Ring Doorbell ($100-150) or Nest Doorbell ($180). The hardware lasts 5+ years, the company is going to be around, and the app actually works. If you don't want to pay the monthly subscription, that's fine — basic motion alerts and live view work without it.
4. Smart Plugs You Don't Need
Why people buy them: Black Friday deals. "Get 4 smart plugs for $20!" Then they get home and… what do they plug them into?
Why they're mostly not worth it: Smart plugs only make sense for things that have a clear "should this be on or off?" answer. A lamp that's already on a switch you can reach? No reason to add a smart plug. A coffee maker that's right there in the kitchen? You're not saving any steps.
When they actually make sense: A few specific cases — a lamp on a timer for when you're on vacation, a Christmas tree (so you don't have to crawl behind it to unplug), an outdoor light switch you can't easily reach, or a hard-to-reach electric heater in a basement room. Pick one or two and skip the rest.
What to get instead: One or two Kasa smart plugs or Amazon Smart Plugs for the cases that actually matter. Don't buy a 4-pack just because it's on sale.
5. Smart Locks Without a Real Plan
Why people buy them: "I'll be able to let the cleaning lady in without giving her a key!" "I can unlock the door from my phone when the grandkids come over!"
Why they're often not worth it: A bad smart lock is worse than a bad key. The battery dies and you're locked out. The app loses connection and you're locked out. The lock body itself is often a step DOWN in physical security from a basic deadbolt.
The other problem: most folks who install smart locks never actually use the smart features. After 6 months they're just using the keypad for the code, which a $40 keypad-only lock would have done for $200 less.
What to get instead: If you want a "no more lost keys" lock — get a basic keypad deadbolt for $60-80 at Home Depot. Mechanical, no batteries, no app, no Wi-Fi required. The code unlocks the door, that's it.
If you genuinely need remote unlocking (Airbnb hosts, families with caregivers coming and going), a real smart lock from August or Schlage is worth it — but get me to install it, because the bracket and orientation are touchy and a bad install causes 90% of the "my smart lock stinks" reviews.
The smart home stuff I actually do recommend
For 90% of my Portage County customers, the genuinely-worth-it smart home setup is:
- A video doorbell (Ring or Nest)
- One Echo Dot or Nest Mini in the living room for timers, weather, and music — see my privacy guide if you're worried about the always-listening part
- One smart thermostat if your current one is mechanical
- Maybe a couple of smart plugs for specific needs
That's it. Total cost: under $400. That setup actually saves time and money. The other $2,000 of "smart home" stuff in the gift catalog is mostly junk drawer fillers.
Want me to look at what you have and tell you what's worth keeping vs. tossing? That's literally what I do. (330) 200-8042.