Everyone has a smart home in some way or another nowadays. It might just be a single smart speaker and a few smart lights. Or maybe, like me, you have a fully automated home with smart speakers, lights, thermostat, TV, shades, security – the whole she-bang. Whether you’re looking to expand or finally jump on the smart home bandwagon, there are lots of cool gifts you can get.
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1. HDA Smart Home AV Distribution
While you’ll have to consult with a custom integration specialist to look deeper into HDA, the British smart home AV distribution brand formerly known as HDANYWHERE is behind the uControl platform. It might be worth your while if you’re looking for a seamless way to integrate all your smart home devices. The smart remote unites TVs, music, lighting, and smart devices together into one easy-to-use control system.
Available in Canada through Sherpa Technology Group, the brand, which is relatively new Canada, is known for providing simplicity and reliability. Plus, the remote itself looks pretty slick.
The idea behind HDA, and any smart home control system for that matter, is to declutter your home, helping to hide away cables, and to make controlling everything in your home as easy as one push of a button or voice command.
With this system, everything is controlled through MHUB. With uControl, you can set routines and scenes, enjoy entertainment in any room of the home, and manage the home intuitively through remotes, wall keypads, apps, and voice control. It works with thousands of devices from many brands like Samsung, Philips Hue, Lutron, Sony, Sonos, Apple, and more. Home renovations are nice, but making your home smart is the future.
2. One For All Essential Universal Remote Control
On the complete other end of the smart home spectrum, when it comes to those of an older generation, they can easily get confused and overwhelmed when there are multiple remotes to navigate for multiple devices. You can set up mom and dad with a killer TV, receiver, speakers, Apple TV, and other devices. But using it all is a different story. This is where a universal remote like the One For All Essential Universal Remote Control comes into play.
Available through Erikson Consumer for just $20, this simple remote is designed to replace a TV remote, working with virtually all brands of TVs. They can use it to control all the basics, including the volume of a connected soundbar or receiver.
Set it up for them using the learning feature to add all the most important functions from the TV’s original remote. It even has three shortcut keys you can program to instantly open their favourite streaming services, like YouTube or Netflix. The hour you spend setting up this remote for them now could mean hours of phone calls saved later.
Other Gift Ideas
Tapo DL110 Smart Wi-Fi Door Lock
The sleek and modern designed Tapo DL110 smart Wi-Fi door lock provides seamless integration with smart home systems along with robust security features and user-friendly controls. There are six ways to access and unlock the lock: fingerprint, Bluetooth, keypad, smart assistant, or two back-up keys. It can be programmed to recognize up to 100 fingerprints and unlocks in seconds. Boasting a one-year battery life, it comes with built-in USB-C charging and a removable 10,000mAh battery. There’s an emergency USB-C power port and you can enjoy extended battery life when in local mode. It works with Alexa, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings for voice control. It tracks locks and unlocks for security, which you can view via detailed logs in the app. There’s a built-in doorbell as well. For additional security, enter decoy digits before and after the passcode. Manage resident and guest access, ideal for Airbnbs or those with dog walkers or babysitters, using one-time or scheduled codes. Automatic lockout will engage after several failed attempts, and you will receive real-time alerts for any suspicious activity. It’s easy to install with all the mounting tools included and is IP65-rated for protection against dust and extreme weather. It’s made of matte glass to help minimize fingerprints.
Ultrahuman Home Health Monitoring Device
Ultrahuman Home is a home health monitoring device that delivers continuous, real-time insights into environmental health, including indoor air quality, temperature, humidity, noise, and light. The advanced environmental sensing systems continuously measure key indoor parameters. The precision aero-flow design promotes accurate detection of fine particulate matter, from PM 1 to PM 2.5 and PM 10, which are linked to respiratory and cardiovascular risks when present in elevated levels. Chemical pollutants, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and formaldehyde (HCHO), are also tracked to ensure a healthier breathing environment. It also monitors carbon monoxide (CO) and carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations. When paired with the Ultrahuman Ring Air, available in Canada through Erikson Consumer, Ultrahuman Home unlocks deeper insights through UltraSync technology. This integrated system correlates environmental markers with physiological data like heart rate variability (HRV), sleep stages, and recovery patterns, to reveal how surroundings shape health. For example, UltraSync can detect spikes in noise or light levels during the night and directly link them to awakenings or sleep disruptions. This, says the company, can provide a clear, actionable picture of the relationship between the environment and the user’s sleep quality. Get it for US$549.
Tapo DL100 Smart Deadbolt Door Lock
The TP-Link Systems Inc. Tapo DL100 Smart Deadbolt Door Lock combines smart features with security at an affordable price point. Multiple unlocking methods ensure convenient access across a variety of preferences and use-cases. You can unlock the door using the Tapo app, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, directly on the device keypad, with a physical key, or via compatible smart home assistants including Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings. Control over Wi-Fi through the Tapo app also allows for remote access, granting access to guests while away or unable to reach the door. Builders Hardware Manufacturers Association (BHMA) Grade 3 certification ensures peace of mind when securing a connected smart home. Access Management allows homeowners to generate permanent, one-time and scheduled codes to easily grant access for residents, house sitters, visitors, and more without sacrificing security. Instant notifications and activity logs ensure you know when the door is being accessed. Meanwhile, auto-lock functionality means you don’t have to worry about forgetting to lock up when leaving home. With an IP54 weather-resistant design, get up to seven months of battery life, extendable to 10 months in Bluetooth mode, ensuring low-maintenance ongoing access. In the event of unexpected circumstances, a USB-C emergency power port ensures you are never at risk of being locked out, even without the physical key. The price? US$70.
Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat is not only a convenient way to keep your home at the optimal temperature at all times, it can also save you money in the long run. The Energy Star-certified Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat can integrate with the First Alert app for enhanced control and smart scheduling. Available for US$80, It’s a simple, straightforward solution, a greater starter model for someone just getting their feet wet in the smart home.
Schlage Arrive Smart Wi-Fi Deadbolt
The Schlage Arrive Smart WiFi Deadbolt is the company’s first push-button keypad deadbolt with built-in Wi-Fi. It connects directly to a home’s Wi-Fi network without the need for hubs or extra accessories. Once set up, homeowners can easily manage access by creating and managing up to 250 unique entry codes. Stay connected with real-time lock history and customizable push notifications through the Schlage Home app. There’s also hands-free voice control when paired with Alexa or Google Home. Available in Century, Remsen, and Camelot styles and Satin Nickel or Matte Black finish options, it can withstand the elements.
Motorola Q15 Mesh Wi-Fi BE3600 Router
The Motorola Q15 mesh Wi-Fi 7 BE3600 router offers ultra-fast Wi-Fi 7 performance, seamless mesh coverage, and robust parental controls, all managed through the intuitive MotoSync+ app on iOS and Android. Each router supports 120+ connected devices. With a 2.5 GbE WAN port, it will allow streaming speeds of up to 2.5Gbps, subject to your service provider’s plan. With one 2.5 GbE WAN port and two 1 GbE LAN ports, it’s ideal for high-speed wired connections to gaming consoles, streaming devices, and workstations. Leveraging the MotoSync+ app, parents can set it up in minutes and create separate work and home networks. There are powerful parental controls and real-time threat protection is built in. Every Q15 includes MotoSync+ Free features for life, plus a two-month free trial of MotoSync+ Premium, which offers advanced cybersecurity, AI-powered threat detection, real-time protection from malware, ransomware, phishing, and spyware, ad blocking and continuous updates, parental controls, custom profiles per user or device, website and app filtering, screen time management and daily schedules, and browsing history insights. After the trial, MotoSync+ Premium is available for $10/mo. or $90/yr. The Motorola Q15 sells in Canada for $180 ea., $330 for a two-pack, or $480 for a three-pack.
Skylink Side-Mount Garage Door Opener
The Skylink Side Mount Garage Door Opener is supposedly the “world’s smallest” of its kind. It employs a space-saving side-mounted design and a powerful DC motor with soft start and stop technology. It also has built-in LED lighting that illuminates the garage when you get home without the necessity for additional fixtures. With Wi-Fi connectivity and compatibility with Amazon Alexa, you can open, close and monitor the garage door from anywhere using the Orbit app. The ultra-quiet motor minimizes vibration and noise while the automatic safety reversal system stops and reverses the door if an obstruction is detected. It’s compatible with battery back-up and is simple to install with step-by-step guidance. It sells for MSRP $579.
Motorola MQ20 Wi-Fi 6E Mesh Router
The Motorola MQ20 Mesh Wi-Fi 6E home and SMB router is powered by the new MotoSync+ application on both iOS and Android. It delivers advanced features and cybersecurity, including tri-band Wi-Fi with 8.4 Gbps speeds and up to 3,000 square feet of coverage. As a triband device, it offers three bands (2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz) for maximized performance and reduced latency. A 2 GHz quad-core processor ensures seamless multitasking and handling up to 128 devices per unit. Wi-Fi speeds of up to 8.4Gbps are supported, with a single unit providing coverage of up to 3,000 square feet in the home or office. On the security end, MotoSync+ does things like block ads, adware, malware, spyware, and ransomware; actively monitors network weaknesses that hackers can exploit; leverages AI technology to detect any infected devices on your network; and provides real-time updates to ensure you are protected against new threats. The MotoSync+ premium features are available for a monthly fee of US$10 or US$90 per year with an annual subscription. The Motorola MQ20 is available in white or black for US$330 for a single unit or US$630 for a two pack.