Cheap Smart Home Devices That Are Worth Every Penny
Imagine stepping into your home after a long day, and with just a tap or a voice command, your lights set the perfect mood, your door unlocks smoothly, and your security cameras keep a silent watch. Sounds like a dream, right? But what if I told you that building a smart home like this doesn’t have to break the bank? Hi, today we’re sharing the best inexpensive smart home devices you can buy right now—without sacrificing quality or features. Let’s dive into the world of smart home devices that are cheap, but definitely not cheap on performance!
Note: As we know, we are in a weird world right now, as tariffs are in full effect, prices will vary below.
💡 Smart Light Bulbs: The Classic Starter Kit
Smart light bulbs are the bread and butter of any smart home setup. They’re like the first step in a dance—you gotta get them right or the whole routine falls apart. And guess what? I found some bulbs so affordable that even George Costanza would be impressed. Remember when he said, “I’m cheap? You think I’m cheap?” Well, these bulbs will have him singing a different tune.
| Brand | Lumens | CRI (Color Rendering Index) | Matter Certified | Price | Recommendation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kasa | 1000 | 88 | No | $13 | Great brightness and colors, but not Matter-certified |
| Topo | 1100 | Unknown | Yes | $13 | Terrible connectivity, not recommended |
| Linkind | 800 / 1600 | 90+ | Yes | $13-$16 | Best value with Matter and great connectivity |
The Kasa bulb is bright and colorful, with 1000 lumens and a CRI of 88, which means colors look pretty good. At only $13, it’s a steal for a smart bulb that works with most systems, though it’s not Matter certified. That means it might not integrate as seamlessly with future smart home technology. Then there’s the Topo bulb, which I thought would be a slam dunk—1100 lumens, Matter certified, and cheap. However, the connectivity was horrendous. Like, “did you even try?” bad. Avoid this one.
Our top pick? The Linkind bulbs. They come in two sizes: a smaller 800-lumen and a whopping 1600-lumen version. The CRI is over 90, meaning colors and whites look great. Plus, they connect flawlessly via Matter. We never thought we’d say this, but for the price and performance, Linkind’s smart bulbs are difficult to beat.
🌈 Light Strips That Don’t Look Tacky
Light strips can often get a bad rap for looking cheap or “tacky,” but that’s because many budget options skip on dedicated warm and cool white LEDs. If you want a light strip that’s both affordable and classy, I’ve got two winners for you.
The first is from Wiz, which I personally use in my family room. These strips are $33, use WiFi, and integrate smoothly with most smart home systems. They have great warm and cool whites that blend beautifully with Philips Hue lights—makes sense since both are under the Signify umbrella. The RGB colors aren’t super vibrant, but for the price, that’s a fair trade-off.
Now, if you want something a bit more colorful and fun, check out the Aqara T1 light strip. It’s a bit pricier at $45, but the colors pop way more. It uses ZigBee and can connect directly to Home Assistant with a ZigBee dongle. However, if you want multi-color effects, you’ll need the Aqara ZigBee hub. Warm and cool whites aren’t as bright as Wiz’s, so if you mainly want those, stick with Wiz.
🔔 The Best Budget Video Doorbell
Video doorbells are one of the most popular smart home devices out there, but many budget options come with sneaky monthly fees. Not the Reolink WiFi doorbell—it’s about $110 and stands out for three reasons:
- No fees: You get all features without monthly charges.
- 24/7 recording: Save footage locally on an SD card or a Reolink NVR inside your home.
- HDR: This means your video won’t be washed out by bright sunlight.
Connecting the doorbell to the NVR can be a bit of a hassle—you’ll need a monitor and keyboard—but for the price, I can live with that. Compared to the Eufy E340, which costs $150 but has blown-out footage in bright light, Reolink is the clear winner.
🔐 Smart Door Locks: Convenience Meets Security
Smart locks are all about convenience, but a little security goes a long way. I’ve tested locks with hand, face, and fingerprint scans, and the fingerprint reader is hands down the fastest and most reliable.
Here are two budget favorites with fingerprint sensors:
- Eufy E31: Lightweight, rechargeable battery, Matter compatible. Around $150. However, setup requires the Eufy app because Home Assistant integration is limited—you can only lock/unlock, but not set codes or fingerprints. A bit frustrating for a Matter device.
- Aqara U100: Heavier and more robust, works directly with Apple HomeKit and Homekey (tap your iPhone/watch to unlock). Connects to Aqara hub for Matter compatibility and Home Assistant integration. Fingerprint sensor works even with sweaty hands (Arizona test approved!). Priced around $142, it’s the best value here.
So, if you want a lock that works well out of the box with Home Assistant and doesn’t require an extra hub, Eufy is decent. But if you want reliability and better fingerprint recognition, go Aqara.
💡 Light Switches That Don’t Break the Bank
When it comes to budget smart light switches, one product stands out: the Kasa dimmer and on/off switch. At about $20, these switches are Matter compatible and connect almost instantly to Home Assistant. They’re compatible with all major smart home systems and work flawlessly, making them the perfect cheap and good option.
📹 Indoor Cameras That Keep an Eye on Things
Indoor cameras are great for monitoring babies, pets, or just keeping an eye on your garage. While Wyze, Topo, and Eufy all offer budget options, my go-to is the Topo C120.
- Costs around $25 – $40
- Records 24/7 to an SD card
- Easy to scrub through footage
- Multiple alert types, including baby crying detection
- Integrates with Home Assistant for live streaming on your dashboard
It’s not the fanciest camera out there, but for the price and features, it’s an unbeatable bargain
🌳 Outdoor Cameras: Reliable and Affordable
Outdoor cameras are essential for security, but they can get pricey. Reolink offers fantastic budget options with no fees, excellent Home Assistant integration, and solid 24/7 recording.
While solar and battery-powered cameras are tempting, they often don’t integrate well with smart home systems. I recommend going with a hardwired camera like the Reolink RLC-810A:
- 4K resolution
- Records 24/7 to a Reolink NVR
- Reliable performance for years on end
- Priced around $80
SD card-only cameras are less secure and can fail over time, so for peace of mind, hardwired is the way to go.
🚶 Motion Sensors: Essential for Automation
Motion sensors help automate lighting, security, and more. While some sensors come with extra features like light and temperature detection, maybe you just want simple motion detection at a budget price.
Two favorites:
- Aqara: Smaller size, uses coin cell batteries, includes a stand. Works great but coin cells can be a hassle.
- Third Reality: Slightly larger, uses two AAA batteries (I recommend rechargeable ones). Strong signal and works well with Home Assistant and Echo with ZigBee hub.
If I were to buy one more, I’d go with Third Reality for better battery convenience and reliability.
📡 Millimeter Wave Sensors: Presence Detection Magic
If you want to detect presence rather than just motion—like knowing if someone is sitting still breathing—millimeter wave sensors are your friends. They detect tiny movements like breathing, which motion sensors can miss.
Here are three budget options ($30-$40):
- Treatlife: $30, simple Amazon/Google integ ration, no bells or whistles, but reliable for routines.
- Aqara FP1E: $40, ZigBee, easy Home Assistant integration, includes a stand, shows distance of motion.
- Apollo MSR-2: $40, smaller, mounts to wall outlet, uses ESP Home, good if you use Home Assistant.
Between Aqara and Apollo, I lean slightly towards Aqara for ZigBee compatibility, but they’re both solid picks.
🚪 Contact Sensors: Small but Mighty
Contact sensors detect if doors or windows are open or closed. Budget options again come down to Third Reality and Aqara:
- Third Reality: Larger size, uses AAA batteries, stronger signal, stronger magnet for larger gaps.
- Aqara: Smaller, uses coin cell batteries, but I’ve noticed occasional offline issues.
I’d recommend Third Reality for better battery life and reliability, especially if you want fewer maintenance headaches.
💧 Water Leak Sensors: Keep the Floods Away
Water leaks can cause serious damage, so having sensors around your home is smart. Surprisingly, IKEA’s water leak sensor is a budget hero at only $10—about half the price of Aqara or Third Reality.
- ZigBee compatible and works great with Home Assistant
- Uses one AAA battery (can be rechargeable)
- Built-in siren alerts you locally
- Sleek design
Third Reality’s sensor has a louder siren and more water contact options but costs twice as much. For multiple sensors, IKEA is a fantastic way to save money without sacrificing quality.
🔘 Smart Buttons: Small Devices, Big Impact
Ikea’s new ZigBee buttons don’t work well with Home Assistant, which is a bummer given their low price. Instead, here are two budget-friendly alternatives:
- Third Reality ZigBee Button: Uses AAA batteries, comes in different colors, supports single, double, and long presses, great for automations.
- Philips Hue Switch: Around $22, designed for lighting control, pairs directly with Home Assistant, supports multiple press types, includes a magnetic wall mount.
For general automations, Third Reality is solid. For lighting scenes, Philips Hue shines.
🎛️ Vibration Sensors: Detect the Subtle
Vibration sensors are niche but useful. The Aqara vibration sensor at $17 works okay, but I recommend spending a few extra bucks on Third Reality’s version. It’s more sensitive, lets you adjust sensitivity, and uses AAA batteries—no coin cells!
Size doesn’t matter here since these sensors are usually hidden, so go with performance and convenience.
🔌 Smart Outlets That Track Power Usage
Smart outlets that measure energy help automate appliances like washing machines or dishwashers. Casa offers an inexpensive WiFi outlet with Matter support. But a heads-up: if you connect it to Home Assistant using only Matter, you won’t get power monitoring—just on/off control.
For full energy monitoring, IKEA and Third Reality make ZigBee smart outlets that also act as ZigBee repeaters, extending your network range. They cost about $12-$13 and are my go-to choice.
🚪 Garage Door Controllers: Reliable and Affordable
Years ago, I’d have recommended EVIL Corp (no joke), but now Meross is the clear winner. They have a $30 version compatible with Amazon, Google, and SmartThings, and a $50 HomeKit version that connects locally to Home Assistant.
The HomeKit version is my pick. It has a sensor attached to the garage door with a long cable—no batteries to worry about. It’s rock solid, and Meross even sends free attachments if you have a newer garage opener.
I have tons of automations with my garage door, and I never accidentally leave it open anymore.
🌡️ Budget Smart Thermostats: Comfort Without Compromise
More budget smart thermostats are hitting the market, like Honeywell’s X2S at $100 with Matter certification. But I’d spend an extra $30 for the Ecobee Essential—basically an Ecobee 3 Lite without a built-in motion sensor.
Why? Because you can still use Ecobee’s external sensors for presence detection. I have a couple of these, and they work wonderfully. The controls are user-friendly, and the HomeKit integration with Home Assistant is local and reliable, even if missing some features.
Ecobee might not be the cheapest, but it’s worth the extra cash for comfort and control.
🌬️ Air Quality Monitors: Breathe Easy
Air quality monitors are a recent addition to my smart home, and they’re fantastic. Expensive models exist, but two budget options around $50 each might be all you need.
- Apollo MSR-2 with CO2 sensor: Adds CO2 monitoring to the millimeter wave sensor. Great for stuffy rooms. I use it in my studio, and it’s made a massive difference.
- IKEA VINDSTYRKA: Measures PM2.5 particulate matter and VOCs. Perfect near 3D printers or kitchens to monitor unhealthy particles.
Depending on your needs, either is a smart buy without breaking the bank.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions About Budget Smart Home Devices
Q1: Are cheaper smart home devices reliable?
Yes! Many budget devices, like the ones from Aqara, Third Reality, and Reolink, offer great reliability and integrate well with popular smart home platforms like Home Assistant.
Q2: What is Matter and why does it matter?
Matter is a new smart home standard that ensures devices from different brands work well together. Devices that are Matter certified are future-proof and easier to integrate..
Q3: Can I use these devices without a hub?
Some devices connect directly over WiFi (like Kasa bulbs and outlets), while others use ZigBee or require a hub for advanced features. It depends on the product and your smart home setup.
Q4: How important is local control?
Local control means your smart devices don’t rely solely on cloud services, making them faster and more reliable, especially during internet outages. Many of the recommended devices support local control via Home Assistant..
Q5: Are rechargeable batteries better for sensors?
Absolutely! Rechargeable AAA batteries are cost-effective and convenient, especially for devices like motion and contact sensors that consume more power
🎉 The Bottom Line: Building a Smart Home on a Budget
Building a smart home doesn’t have to drain your wallet or leave you stuck with unreliable tech. From smart bulbs that even George Costanza would envy to air quality monitors that help you breathe easier, there are plenty of inexpensive smart home devices that deliver excellent value and performance.
Remember, the key is to balance price with features like Matter compatibility, local control, and integration with platforms like Home Assistant. And don’t be afraid to mix and match brands—sometimes the best smart home is a little bit of everything.
So, are you ready to upgrade your home without emptying your bank account? Dive in, experiment, and watch your smart home come alive with these budget-friendly devices. Your future self—and your family—will thank you.
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