The 5 gadgets that actually made our home smarter

Smart home products promise a lot and most of them end up in a drawer. These are the five that stayed plugged in after a year, with notes on what each one is good for and what to skip.

1. Start with the Wi-Fi

Nothing smart works on a flaky network. A mesh system fixes the dead zones first.

2. Smart plugs for the dumb stuff

Lamps, fans, the coffee maker: plugs are the cheapest way in and the easiest to explain to guests.

3. Light where you work

A monitor light bar is the upgrade nobody expects and everybody keeps.