The holidays are the time for gift-giving, but finding an original stocking stuffer gift is tough. One thing is for certain— it has to be small, and something people will love. If they are techie, think about a Smart Home gift. There are many small smart home products that would fit inside a stocking. Let’s look at four great smart home stocking stuffer ideas for tech lovers.
Smart plugs to control electronic devices
Smart Plugs are one of the first things any smart home needs after smart speakers. They allow people to control a wide variety of devices through an app or voice. Plus, they’re small and affordable. This is why it makes a great stocking stuffer. Smart plugs connect to a wall outlet. From there, users can connect any electronic device with a dedicated on/off switch. This could be a portable heater, television, coffeemaker, lamp, etc. Once connected, users can use an app to set schedules or remotely turn devices on or off.
GE Cync Wi-Fi Smart Plug
The GE Cync Wi-Fi Smart Plug is my first stocking stuffer recommendation. It’s small, compact, and easy to set up. One great way to use it is controlling fans. In the summer, set a schedule in the app. Have it so the fan turns off a couple hours after you go to bed. Then in the winter, use it to control portable heaters. Remotely turn the heater on from your smartphone before you get home. That way, your room is warm and cozy when you arrive. I use this smart plug with my indoor growing lights. I set the light to stay on for 18 hours, and off for 6 hours. This allows me to get a head start on growing peppers from seed. As you can see, smart plugs are highly versatile. That’s why they make for a great stocking stuffer gift.
Safety Monitors and Sensors for smart homes
If you want to get creative with your gift, consider Safety Sensors & Detectors. These are the kind of gifts that show someone you really care about them. Find the right gift between CO and Smoke Detectors, Water Leak Detectors, and Weather Stations/Air Quality Monitors.
Ring Alarm Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Listener
Most homes have smoke alarms but they are not smart. One gift option is the Ring Alarm Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Listener. It works alongside UL-listed smoke and CO alarms that are 10 years old or less. It’s supposed to be placed within 3”-6” to a smoke alarm. If the alarm goes off, the Ring Alarm will send users an alert to their smartphone. This gives people a lot of peace of mind when they are not home. If smoke or CO is detected, they’ll know right away no matter where they are.
Google Nest Protect
Another gift option is the Google Nest Protect. This is a smart smoke alarm that can differentiate between a little bit of smoke from cooking from a full-on fire. This minimizes the false alarms you get. For example, my smoke detector is old and goes on everything I’m baking chicken in the oven. As soon as I open the oven door, the alarm goes off. The Google Nest Protect assesses the level of emergency. If it detects smoke or rising levels of CO, it will give an owner a heads-up. If the situation gets worse, the alarm will be activated and the user will be notified.
Smart bulbs inside a smart home
As a stocking stuffer gift, you can’t go wrong with a Smart Bulb. One bulb can make a difference in a room. Use it in a lamp or in the ceiling fixture. Smart bulbs fit in standard light sockets so it’s a quick, easy, and effective gift. It’s like changing a light bulb—literally. Smart bulbs can change into any colour, be scheduled on an app, or be controlled with voice. Personally, I think it’s a great gift for frequent travelers. They can make it seem like their home when they’re not. Furthermore, they can remotely turn a light on or off. What a simple but clever way to thwart would-be burglars—all by changing a light bulb. If you want a gift that people will use, get them a smart bulb as a stocking stuffer.
Smart switches
Imagine reading in bed and turning the lights off with your voice. With a Smart Switch, you can do that. It’s a simple DIY upgrade that makes a great stocking stuffer. With a smart switch, there are multiple ways to control lights. One is the old-fashioned way by hitting the switch. Another is through a smartphone app both locally and remotely. The third way is through voice. Simply talk to a nearby smart speaker to turn the lights on or off. All of this flexibility comes in a single switch.
Lutron Caseta Smart Light Switch
The one product I recommend is the Lutron Caseta Smart Light Switch. I installed it in my bedroom which has a bedside Echo smart speaker. Each night, I turn the lights with my voice while I’m in bed. Before I had to physically walk across the room to turn the lights off and walk back to the bed in the dark. Honestly, it’s life-changing. Sometimes I use the light switch, and sometimes I use voice control. It’s also small enough to fit in a stocking so definitely consider a smart switch as a gift.
Stocking stuffer ideas for smart home lovers
The bedrock of any smart home is a Smart Speaker. Once someone has that, there are so many stocking stuffer gifts you could give them. The bigger the stocking, the more gift options you have. Smart plugs are handy tools to control devices from an app or through voice. It’s perfect for portable heaters, fans, and even coffeemakers. Just remember your electronic device needs a dedicated ON/OFF switch to work with a smart switch. Safety monitors and sensors are gifts that show you care. Make an existing smoke alarm smart or add a new smart smoke alarm to a home. Smart bulbs are a quick and easy way to add colour to a room. Connect multiple bulbs together in groups to control them together through a single voice command. Finally, smart switches bring existing lights into the smart home. Use them as you normally do, remotely on an app, or with your voice.
Rest assured, there is no shortage of Smart Home stocking stuffer gift ideas to consider. This buying guide will help you decide which one you should give as a gift this holiday season. Hopefully, you have big stockings to work with.
