It's nearly Earth Day, and there's no better way to celebrate than finding devices that make your home greener and help you save money. This advanced technology can pay for itself while fixing common problems you may have been struggling with -- what's not to love?Â
While you don't have to adopt all of these smart home gadgets at the same time, see which options could bring an eco-friendly shine to your home and which are some of my own favorites.Â
Smart thermostats
Aqara's thermostat is one of the new models that's adding Apple's smart temperature adjustments and savings.
Smart thermostats are one of the most powerful ways to save energy and money around the home -- and I personally find them incredibly convenient too, with remote app controls, scheduling and advice on where to set temperatures so you can save money. That's usually enough to pay off the thermostat itself within a year or two.Â
You can set temperature thresholds appropriate for the season or switch on the eco modes provided by Nest, Ecobee, Amazon and other popular thermostat brands.
But that's just the start of what these thermostats can do. Many include presence sensing technologies so they can automatically detect when humans are in the room and adjust temperatures to match, even learning schedules and adapting over time. Newer models also include extra temperature sensors you can put anywhere send readings back to the thermostat, so it reacts to a particular spot.
Lights
Smart lighting can serve many roles around the home.
With or without the smarts, LED bulbs are far more efficient than old-school incandescents -- so efficient, if you replace all the old lights in your home, you could save over $100 a year.
With smart technology, LED lights get a huge upgrade. You can create a schedule to make sure the right lights are on or off during the day, and no lights get left on accidentally. You can also control them with voice assistants like Google Home or Alexa, or use bulbs that incorporate the latest motion technology so they only turn on when they're needed.
Smart plugsÂ
Govee's plug is the best option if you want to expand your outlet as well as add smart capabilities.
One of my favorite starting places for a smart home, smart plugs can automatically turn on and off on a schedule. Plug in any gadget or small appliance you'd normally use in a wall outlet, and a smart plug will bring it online, letting you control it remotely, giving voice commands and lots more.Â
But the true value of smart plugs come with versions like those offered by Emporia that include energy monitoring, so you can see how much energy particular appliances or devices around your home use, and adjust your habits accordingly to save money.Â
If you need something a little larger, I have a list of the best smart surge protectors you should really take a look at.Â
Solar batteries
Bluetti's home backup stack -- the AC500 unit with a single B300S expansion battery at just over 3kWh.Â
Home batteries are a hot new option that can power certain parts of your home or specific appliances without needing a grid connection. The best versions, especially if you're greenmaxxing this Earth Day, support solar panels so you can charge them with sunlight until they're needed.Â
We've tested a bunch of these batteries at CNET. Here are our favorite solar power versions if you want to start exploring.Â
Solar security cameras
Eufy's powerful pan/tilt camera includes a solar panel for battery charging.
Wireless security cameras are one of my top recommendations for home safety, but recharging or replacing those batteries can be annoying, especially if your cam is in a high, hard-to-reach place.
Fortunately, most brands now offer solar panels to connect to your security camera, either built-in or with a cable so you can position the panel a couple of feet away to get the most light. This eco-friendly option is excellent for saving energy and, with enough light, you'll hardly ever have to worry about batteries.Â
Smart shades
Smart shades can help manage home energy more than you may think.
Sunlight can be a source of energy-zapping heat in the hotter months, especially if you have a lot of windows that let light pour in and heat up your home.Â
Managing so many windows can be a pain, but smart shades make it much better. These shades let you set schedules and even automate your blinds and shades based on the time of day, so they always give you maximum sun protection.Â
Smart sprinklers and irrigation
Smart sprinklers save both water and money when used correctly.
Spring is coming upon us quickly and if you have a lawn, it's the season of water bills. I can help with that, and you can help your environment by using smart irrigation technology.Â
For example, I have the latest model from Rachio. It installs right where my old irrigation controller was (a completely DIY project), but is completely controlled by an app, which allows you to schedule watering and adjust on the fly to save money and water. The apps generally give you advice and can even link to local weather and automatically pause when there's rain, among other tricks.
If you're living the sprinkler life, get an upgrade with a smart controller and you won't look back.Â
