Our pick of the big smart home winners stories of the past 12 months
The votes have been cast. The results have been counted. The time has come to announce the winners of the 2021 Ambient Smart Home Awards.
A bit like last year, we’ve spent more hours inside our houses than we probably would have liked to in 2021 and, while that absolutely sucks for obvious reasons, there has never been a better time to get your smart home up and running.
A smart home doesn’t have to mean completely new and crazy gadgets or robots. Often it just means replacing gadgets, appliances and accessories with connected or automated versions of a similar thing.
And, with ever-evolving and quite-frankly-brilliant ecosystems from the likes of Apple, Amazon, Google and SmartThings providing the backbone, it’s super simple to get your smart home pimped out with the latest and greatest gear.
Which leads us on nicely to our top smart home picks for 2021…
Smart Home Product of the Year
Google Nest Hub 2nd-gen
A tough pick this as we wanted to choose something that not only seemingly sits within our smart home but is also a device that pushed the envelope forward in terms of innovation.
Despite very little changing on the outside, it’s the 2nd-generation Nest Hub that ticks those boxes.
Catching up with its stablemates the Google Nest Mini and the Nest Audio, the Nest Hub now has the same on-device machine learning chip for faster Assistant responses and gains an additional far-field mic so it can hear you better. It also packs 50% more bass into the same size speaker with a 1.7-inch driver.
But it’s the sleep sensing features that really set it apart.
Simply angle the screen towards your torso and the built-in Soli chip will watch your chest rise and fall and monitor your movement.
The built-in microphones, ambient light sensor, and temperature sensor will keep an eye and ear out for disturbances like coughing and snoring, and light and temperature changes.
Beyond being a handy sleeping partner, the 2nd-gen Nest Hub has all the smart home features and tricks you’ve come to know and love.
You can control your smart home from its touch-screen, and the smart home dashboard, Home View, is a simple but (genuinely) innovative way to see and control all of your smart home gadgets.
Read our full Google Nest Hub 2nd-gen review to find out just why it’s our overall top pick.
Smart Speaker of the Year
Sonos Roam
Sonos’ smallest speaker to date is super compact and is designed to be taken out and about.
The Roam is a great little Bluetooth/Wi-Fi/AirPlay speaker that packs in a hell of a lot of features for a very reasonable price-tag.
And it’s very much a smart speaker, with both Alexa or Google Assistant available for voice commands. Obviously, as these digital butlers need data, they will only be active when on Wi-Fi mode.
Like the Move, the Roam is also capable of being a regular Bluetooth speaker, while at the same time able to become part of your regular Sonos system with its Wi-Fi mode.
However, it actually trumps the Move on the Bluetooth front as it’s able to be on both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi mode at the same time.
Find out more by reading our Sonos Roam review.
Smart Home Platform of the Year
Amazon Alexa
In 2021, Alexa and Google Assistant have been trading blows like nobody’s business – but while Google has won some battles, it’s Amazon that won the war again this year.
HomeKit is, once again, just behind but the addition of a Thread radio in the HomePod Mini and some great improvements should see Apple’s smart home ecosystem being a serious contender in 2022.
But, for overall versatility and ease of use, and for great new features such as local processing, sound detection and Alexa Together, it’s Amazon’s digital butler that once again leaves its rivals (just) behind.
Home Entertainment Tech of the Year
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The new Stick 4K Max is 40% more powerful than the mere 4K version, with a new 1.8GHz quad-core processor and 2GB of RAM plus a faster GPU.
It also adds faster Wi-Fi 6 capabilities which for a smoother and more reliable streaming across more devices, and support for Dolby Vision, HDR, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio.
Bundled with this streaming stick is the new Bluetooth Alexa remote. Size-wise, it’s similar to the old model, fitting comfortably in hand.
However, this model adds shortcut keys to launch Netflix, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video and Amazon Music. Amazon has also added a TV button that takes you to the Live section in the main interface.
Have a browse of our Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max to find out more reasons why we think it’s top dog.
Smart Lighting Product of the Year
Nanoleaf Elements
Nanoleaf has had a very busy year and, to be honest, it was tough to choose a winner from its ever growing smart lighting arsenal to pick up the gong this year.
But there’s just something unique about the Elements panels, which are are made from a laminate plastic with a wood grain finish. This means instead of a blank white lighting panel on your wall, the Elements double as a piece of wall art even when they’re not lit up.
The wood-look of the Elements goes a long way to curing this issue, adding an interesting textural and architectural element to your wall whether the lights are on or off.
Read our Nanoleaf Elements review to find out how it lit up our lives in 2021.
Smart Home Security Camera of the Year
Arlo Ultra 2
It’s been a great year for smart security cameras. Nest made a long overdue comeback and the likes of Ezviz, Eufy and Wise added to the ever growing list of brilliant budget home security cameras.
But it’s the Arlo Ultra 2 that stood out from the competition, the second generation of Arlo’s flagship 4K camera.
Completely wire-free with a removable battery and a magnetic charging point for charging in-situ or connecting to an external power source, the Ultra 2 features an 8 megapixel image sensor, HDR imaging, and an up to 180-degree field of view.
The digital zoom provides 12 times magnification and a dual microphone array features wind and noise cancellation for top-notch 2-way audio.
There isn’t a more fully-featured battery-powered security camera out there today than the Arlo Ultra 2.
With crisp, 4K footage and total flexibility of placement thanks to an entirely wire-free design and easy to use mounts, Arlo’s Ultra 2 is the ultimate smart security camera. You can literally stick these things anywhere and keep an eye on what’s happening.
Read our Arlo Ultra 2 review for more details on why we think it’s a top security cam pick.
Home Security Tech of the Year
Eufy Smart Lock Touch & WiFi
While the snappily named Eufy Smart Lock Touch & Wi-Fi is not Eufy’s first skin in the door lock game, it is its best, upping the stakes from the first fingerprint model by adding a Wi-Fi radio while keeping the same launch price.
This stylish looking device also boasts five ways to control your door – touchscreen keypad, fingerprint reader, regular key, app unlock, and voice control with Alexa or Google.
This smart lock ticks all the boxes; easy to use, easy to install, multiple options for access, a nice design, and plenty of smart home integrations.
The fingerprint reader is an excellent feature, making it super easy to get into your home with no need for a key, phone or fob.
Have a look at our Eufy Smart Lock Touch & WiFi review for a lot more details.
Smart Home Innovation of the Year
Thread
Matter may have been put on hold until next year but one of its key components, Thread, had a stellar year in 2021.
Although not a new technology, Thread has burst into mainstream consumer tech in 2021 as brands prepare for next year’s big Matter push.
Thread is interoperable by design. It uses open standards like IPv6 and a 6LoWPAN foundation. This means that all of your devices would be able to talk to each other, no matter the manufacturer, if they include Thread.
Apple pushed Thread front and center last year by making the HomePod Mini a Thread router and the protocol has gained momentum in 2021 with the likes of Nanoleaf and Eve launching Thread compatible products.
It’s been a great year for The Thread Group, but 2022 is when it’s set to explode. Watch this space.
Read our Thread smart home guide to learn a lot more about it.
Smart Video Doorbell of the Year
Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2
Once upon a time Ring essentially had the video doorbell market to itself. But while the likes of Eufy, Nest and Arlo all now have viable alternatives – it’s Ring’s latest Pro model that is our no.1 choice for 2021.
Ring is really pushing the innovation envelope with the Pro 2, packing in a bunch of unique and incredibly useful features.
Having Alexa answer your doorbell for you might feel gimmicky to some, but that’s the future right there. The 3D motion detection and Bird’s Eye view powered by radar are also very cool, but the biggest upgrade, and what makes this doorbell worth buying, is the much-improved video quality and excellent head-to-toe view that’s adjustable so you can check for packages or converse easily with your visitor, that alone is worth the price jump over the original Pro.
Here’s our Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 review.
Robot Vacuum Cleaner of the Year
Roborock S7
Choosing the top robot vacuum cleaner for 2021 was a tough ask. But it was only really tough deciding between the various different Roborock models that have gone live this year.
The brand may only be a few years old, but it already offers the smartest range of robotic vacuums on the market, complete with features that set it apart from rivals and allow it to easily navigate around the home.
There is no robo-vac brand that comes close to Roborock in terms of navigating a room.
And it’s the S7 that is the standout performer from the company – which gives you all of the features we’ve come to love, plus a new sonic mop that scrubs your hard floors.
So, not only is it a brilliant vacuum cleaner, but it’s also an amazing mop. Sonic cleaning makes a huge difference, and this cleaner can tackle hard floors with ease.
Find out more in our comprehensive Roborock S7 review.
Smart Energy Product of the Year
Tado
Our winner last year and our winner again, thanks to a whole host of upgrades that makes multi room heating to the next level.
When it comes to smart heating in 2021, there’s much more to it than a smart looking thermostat that talks wirelessly to your boiler.
Combining Tado’s Smart Thermostat, Bridge, Extension Kit and multiple Smart Radiator Thermostats into a whole-home, multi-zone, heating system is pretty much the pinnacle of DIY smart heating solutions right now.
The devices themselves look slick and are simple to install, the app is feature packed and easy to use, and the control methods – including smart home digital assistant compatibility – are plentiful.
The system got even better in the past year as a result of the Smart Thermostat V3+ and the new Wireless Temperature Sensors going live.
Add to that a new Energy Savings function, designed to highlight how much energy and money you’ve saved using your Tado gear, and you can see why the German brand remains our smart heating favorite.
Read our Tado smart heating system to learn more.
