Some products stick with me, even after my reviews. Here's what I'm currently using, and why.

Editor / Home Security and Smart Home

Most of my reviews end with me returning or packing up smart home gadgets — after all, I only have so much space in my house. But on rare occasions, some testing goes so well that the devices are the best fit for my home, so I get versions of my own or keep using them even months and months later.

From smart locks and smart lamps to unique kinds of security sensors, here’s what currently has a place in my house, and why this tech isn’t going anywhere.

I use several different smart plugs around my home, but Ikea’s is one of my favorites. It has Matter support for Apple Home thanks to my HomePod (which acts as a Matter hub), but you can use it with the Ikea app, too. At only $8, it’s one of the cheapest plugs I’ve tested. It also has a remote control, one of the only times I’ve seen this add-on for smart plugs.

I don’t use the remote control very much, but Ikea’s plug does have a spot on my mantle where it powers my Wi-Fi router. That makes it easy to immediately shut down the router for a reboot when a device stops working, although I do have to tap the plug’s side button to bring everything back online afterward.

If you’ve been looking for a smart plug, this version is one of my favorites to start with, although I’m also partial to the dual-plug Govee modelI use.

SwitchBot’s comprehensive air monitoring solution works in any part of your home.

I’m already a fan of satellite sensors for smart thermostats, which let the thermostat react to the temperature in the specific spot where the sensor is placed. But this SwitchBot does even more. Right out of the box, it starts sensing temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide levels wherever you put it. That’s great for checking air quality levels in spots where I’m curious about monitoring conditions, like the bedroom or kitchen.

You can customize refresh times, choose to get alerts about dangerous air quality levels, and with the long-lasting battery (mine lasted a full year), you can move the sensor whenever you please. For winter, I’m thinking about bringing it closer to the gas fireplace to see how much indoor air pollution it’s causing. Maybe I’ll move my air purifier around as well.

Schlage’s smart lock is not your ordinary deadbolt upgrade, and that’s why I love it. It eschews the traditional keyhole for a slim, almost sci-fi design. It lights up with a tap and shows either a locking option or a glowing keypad to unlock, depending on what you’re doing.

With the UWB technology, I can walk up to the door with my iPhone in my pocket and it will accurately unlock the moment I reach it, no need to tap or wave my phone around (Apple Watches are supported, too). The Apple Home compatibility is excellent, but with Schlage’s upcoming Aliro certification, the same benefits will be available for Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet in the coming months, so you don’t need to worry about your preferred phone ecosystem.

Also, if you’ve never had a smart lock before and aren’t sure what you would be getting into, take a look at my full guide to DIY smart lock installation to see just how easy it is.

The Google Nest floodlight cam is so useful I haven’t bothered taking it down yet.

I originally started testing the Google Nest Cam floodlight model in conjunction with my review of the ADT Plus security platform. That testing and the ADT system are long gone, but I kept on using the Nest Cam floodlight in my backyard via the Google Home app (where I can also see my doorbell at the same time). The LED brightness was easy to manage (and very bright at higher settings), the magnetic base made the cam simple to angle in just the right way, and Google’s free AI object detection remains one of my favorites. What’s not to love?

Well, fair warning — you do need to wire the camera in, and wiring work on a ladder isn’t exactly fun, so prepare accordingly. Also, this is a particularly pricey high-end camera: You get what you pay for, but you may also think about waiting until a sale brings it down to around $200.

The Echo Show 11 is the best Show yet.

What makes a smart display any better than a smart speaker if you don’t plan on watching many videos? For me, it’s the on-display information I can check at a glance. In the kitchen, where my Echo Show 11 lives, that usually means checking recipe details or juggling multiple timers so I can see how much time is left with just a look, something a speaker just can’t do.

The Kelvin heater is one of the best I’ve found for radiant heat. 

Space heaters can be energy hungry and create dangerous fire hazards, even if you do have room for one. Kelvin is a smart heater with an entirely different approach. It’s a radiant heater that hangs on the wall like a picture, saving space with very little fire risk. That also means I can use the app to schedule the heater to come on and start heating early before anyone is in the room. That app also helps you track energy and monitor savings depending on your local rates and setup. Overall, it was just the kind of space heater alternative I was looking for, although the initial cost is a bit high.

I’ve tested more security sensors that I can count, but Aqara’s version is something special. Unlike traditional door-window sensors, the P100 doesn’t need two halves to work together. It’s a single, small sensor that accurately detects when something opens or closes. Add an Aqara hub device — such as one of its latest cameras, which I fortunately have — and the sensors can detect tilting, vibration, tampering and more.

I especially like that the app gives you a countdown from the last time the sensor detected movement, so you can know if it’s an ongoing issues. There are even more smart tricks at play here, but you should read my full guide to learn it all. Basically, I’ve never been happier to adopt a security sensor.

Petcube’s small wireless fountain upgrades drinking water with several smart features.

Out of all the pet fountains I’ve tested, Petcube’s has one of my favorite designs: durable and easy to clean with filters that are easy to manage. The bubbling fountain is quiet and activates via motion detection. You can use the app to monitor filter changes and cleaning, too. The battery is good for around 3 weeks of average use, but you can also keep it on the charging pad if you and your pet prefer. This one is for cats and small dogs, not larger pets.

If your budget is a bit larger, I’d also recommend the PetFit Eversweet Ultra, which does everything, including heating water to specific temperatures.

Ikea’s lamp is smart, stylish and feels at home.

Ikea’s newest smart lamp is cute, cool and fully Matter compatible, which means with the right hub you can control it from Apple Home, Alexa or Google Home (Ikea’s own hub is waiting in the wings if you need it, but at over $100 I was very grateful to have other options). I use it with Apple Home, which lets me set timers, adjust brightness and color on the fly and create home automations. 

The lamp is made out of hardened plastic, giving it a ceramic feel and a weight that belies its cozy appearance. You can hang it on the wall thanks to its mountable base, but for now, I’m happy to use mine on a table. 

SwitchBot’s leak detector is a little larger, but Wi-Fi ready and easy to place within minutes.

I’ve always been a fan of leak detectors that perform a quiet but serious service in homes and connect to apps for remote alerts so you know if there’s something wrong even when you aren’t at home. That’s useful for any kind of flooding, but my SwitchBot version has a permanent place under the kitchen sink, where I’ve had leaking problems before.

SwitchBot’s model is a little bulky compared to some detectors, but it has an onboard siren as well as a Wi-Fi connection for the app, and it’s simple to set up. Once it’s in place, I don’t have to worry about it until the worst happens — or I get a “replace-battery” alert in a few years.

Arlo’s home security system is very compact and lets me choose what I want to monitor.

When I’m not testing out large security kits, my arming/disarming security needs are quite simple. That’s why I was so pleased to test out this Arlo kit. It’s ultracompact, with two sensors that can act as anything I need, including monitoring the opening and closing of doors, detecting motion, giving smoke and temperature warnings and even more. It’s excellent to cover the few spots that I want to keep a closer eye on without getting tangled up in a big system with lots of requirements, and there’s no need for a contract or monthly fees, either (but you can get professional monitoring if you want). 

If we’ve whetted your smart home appetite, stop by our guides for the best smart home devices, check out how much a smart thermostat can save you and learn what the best home security cameras are. 

Don’t miss any of CNET’s unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome.