I tried the battery version, which requires you to recharge it every couple of weeks, but the wired-in version is the top recommendation in our guide to the best video doorbells.

A better birdhouse

This spring I had a new problem: bird infestation. A little bird built a nest in our front door frame. One evening, my sister opened the door, and the bird flew out of the nest and came straight to our house. After a 30 minute fight to get it back outside (and keep my cat from eating it), it wasn’t until we saw the bird fly through the door again the next day that we realized it was calling our house home too.

If this is a common problem in your home, our resident bird gear tester Kate Merck has a solution: a smart nesting box. Birdfy makes a few different smart bird feeders that we love for bird watching, and the Nest Duo is a birdhouse that lets you watch the birds as they nest inside. It’s a slim, attractive box that will add style to your front yard while also packing two solar-powered cameras (one facing the entrance, one focused inside) so you can see birds from multiple angles. It comes with different hole sizes to appeal to different species, metal predator guards to prevent chewing around the hole, and a remote control to reset or recharge the camera without disturbing your feathered neighbors.

Stylish smart lights

Govi

Outdoor clear bulb string lights

I’ve loved Govi’s smart outdoor string lights before, usually for my holiday decor, and before I’ve recommended something similar with a bistro light look that used to be smart. These clear bulb string lights are part of Govee’s current lineup and have a contemporary twist with a triangle in the center instead of a wire filament. They’re a fun option for outdoor lights that you can enjoy on warm nights, and they can be all colors and shades of white without looking overwhelming like permanent outdoor lights. (Added bonus, these lights are also material compatible!)

Fresh bulbs

sink

Smart LED Light Bulb, PAR38

If you have light fixtures that you want to control remotely, install an outdoor smart bulb. There are many to choose from, and you can usually find one from any brand you already have at home. The only downside is that outdoor-rated smart bulbs are typically 4.75-inch diameter PAR38-style bulbs, so they’re perfect for downlights on your porch or balcony. They will be too large to fit into a wall fixture as a replacement for normal sized bulbs. Don’t grab just any smart bulb—not all are outdoor rated. Check the mentions of outdoor use and waterproof ratings to make sure they are safe for use. I’m a huge fan of Cync bulbs, and the brand has an outdoor version of Cync full-color bulbs that I like to use indoors. You’ll be able to add fun colors as well as shades of white, so you can turn the porch into spooky orange or red for Halloween, pink for Valentine’s Day, or the colors of your favorite sports team on game day.

Remote control garage

If your garage is the center of your home’s curb appeal, you can add a smart controller to control it as easily as a smart door. You can do two different approaches: I have a Chamberlain MyQ Professional Smart Garage Opener installed, which means the device controlling my garage includes these smarts (a camera, but I find the device doesn’t work very well with how far it is from my wifi router), or you can get a smart garage controller that can add existing features to the door. Both let you check if the garage is open or closed and operate it remotely, and you can add a video keypad that doubles as a video doorbell and lets you open or close the garage without your phone.

Smart Shades

The front of my house faces west, so it’s absolutely baking at the end of the day. What I need to add are some of our favorite smart shades that automatically close the shades on that side of the house at the right time of day. They also give your home a nice, cohesive look and instant, controllable privacy from the outside world. Wired reviewer Simon Hill recommends SmartWings shades as his top picks, and Lutron’s Caseta shades if you’re looking for a more upgraded look.

Invisible Exchange

Want to add some smarts without touching your existing setup? These switch-ups can make your front door and yard smart without being seen.

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