Smart Devices for Home Under AED 500
Affordable smart home gadgets can boost your home's intelligence without draining your wallet. We've tested many under AED 500, often finding them as good or better than pricier options. Check out our list for budget-friendly smart plugs, light bulbs, and more, all compatible with major smart assistants for hands-free control.
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Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen)
Specifications
- Size: 3.9 x 3.9 x 3.5 inches
- Speakers: 1.73 inch speaker
- Ports: N/A
- Wireless: 2.4/5 GHz, Bluetooth
- Smart assistants: Alexa
Amazon's 5th generation Echo Dot is back with a bang, offering a budget-friendly smart speaker packed with features and quality. Despite its small size and low price, its spherical design and upgraded speaker hardware deliver richer audio. While it's not meant to control all your smart home devices or fill your room with sound, it does come with built-in eero and a room temperature sensor, making it ideal for starting your smart home journey. Plus, it makes a great gift!
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Google Nest Mini
Specifications
- Size: 3.7 x 1.7 inches
- Speakers: 40-millimeter driver
- Ports: None
- Wireless: 2.4/6 GHz, Bluetooth
If you own a Pixel smartphone or prefer Google Assistant, the Google Nest Mini is one of the best affordable smart home devices for you. Building on the success of the first-generation Google Home Mini, the Nest Mini comes in different colors and has touch controls for music playback and Google Assistant. With improved microphones, it can even hear commands from across the room. Whether you're just starting or expanding your smart home, the Nest Mini available in the UAE within price bracket of AED 115 to AED 130 is an excellent choice.
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Wemo WiFi Smart Plug
Specifications
- Size: 1.3 x 2.0 x 1.8 inches
- Works With: Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, IFTTT
- Electrical rating: 120V~/15A/60Hz/1800W
Priced around AED 150 in the UAE, the Wemo WiFi Smart Plug stands out as one of the best and most affordable smart home gadgets, especially when it comes to smart plugs. It's even smaller than its predecessor, the Wemo Mini. Although it lacks energy monitoring, it's compatible with all major smart assistants. With a physical switch, you can easily control your appliances without using voice commands or an app. Plus, its clever Away mode can simulate your presence by turning a lamp on and off intermittently, deterring potential intruders when you're away.
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Wyze Cam v3
Specifications
- Video resolution: 1080p
- Field of view: 110 degrees
- Night vision: Yes
- Audio: half-duplex
- Local Storage: Yes
- Battery Powered: No
- Weather Resistant: No
- Smart Home Compatibility: Alexa, Google Assistant
- Cloud Storage: Free cloud storage for 14 days
Similar to the Wyze Smart Lock, the indoor Wyze Cam is an incredibly affordable smart home device that competes well with more expensive options. It can connect to other smart home devices through Alexa and Google Assistant. As one of the top home security cameras available, the Wyze Cam v3 records video in 1080p resolution, providing clear images of who's around. Although there's no subscription service, the Wyze Cam v3 offers two weeks of free cloud storage, albeit with clips limited to 14 seconds. Additionally, it features a microSD card slot for continuous recording and creating time-lapse videos. With an add-on module, you can integrate this camera with Wyze's motion sensors and smart bulbs.
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Aqara P1 Motion Sensor
Specifications
- Works With: Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit
- Hub Required: Yes
- Battery Life: Up to 5 years
- Detection Radius: 170 degrees
Aqara's P1 sensor,selling within price bracket of AED 126 to AED 140 in the UAE, is the top choice for many because it's affordable, has a long battery life of up to five years, and is compatible with Homekit and Alexa smart home platforms, making it easy to use. This small device accurately detects activity over a wide 170-degree range, triggering automations in your smart home. Instead of constantly using voice commands or reaching for your phone, simply walking into the room prompts connected devices to take action, such as turning on lights, playing music, or adjusting the temperature.
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Wyze Bulb
Specifications
- Works With: Alexa, Google Assistant
- Hub Required: No
- Lifetime: 25,000 hours
- Brightness: 800 lumens
- Power consumption: 9.5 watts
- Bulb Type: A19
The main issue with smart lights is their high cost, even compared to regular LED bulbs. That's where Wyze's smart bulb comes in handy for budget-conscious consumers. It's among the best affordable smart home gadgets if you want a light bulb that's controllable and compatible with other smart devices. You can adjust both brightness and color temperature (2,700k - 6,500k) using the Wyze app or with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT. Within the Wyze app, you can schedule when the light should turn on and off, though only at specific times, not based on dawn or dusk. Additionally, there's a Vacation mode that randomly switches the bulbs on and off to give the appearance of someone being home.
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Wyze Scale
Specifications
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Size: 12 x 12
- Android/iOS: Yes/Yes
- Max Users: 8
- Stats: 12, incl. weight, BMI, heart rate
- Max Weight: 400 pounds
- MyFitnessPal Compatible: No
- Batteries: 4 AAA
Among the top smart scales available, the Wyze Scale stands out as our top choice for those on a budget. In the UAE, its different models are available in the price range of AED 211 to AED 639. It offers an impressive array of features, supporting 12 health metrics such as weight, BMI, heart rate, muscle mass, body water percentage, and more. While its display and app are somewhat basic compared to the Withings Body Plus, it still provides Apple Health and Google Fit integrations, allowing you to track your fitness progress comprehensively. Although it lacks Wi-Fi connectivity, requiring your phone to be nearby for data syncing, this is a minor drawback. Overall, the Wyze Scale is an excellent option for your first smart scale purchase, and it's more affordable than most other fitness equipment on the market.
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Lutron Aurora
Specifications
- Size: 1.5 inches (dia) x 0.7 inches
- Wi-Fi: Via Philips Hue Bridge
- Motion Sensor: No
- Works with: Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Philips Hue
- Dimmable: Yes
- Supports three-way switches: n/a
In some homes, wall switches control an outlet, not a light. This means you can control a lamp plugged into the outlet from the wall switch. But if you also use the outlet for devices that need to stay on, like a clock radio, you may accidentally turn everything off when flipping the switch. The Lutron Aurora solves this problem. It attaches to the toggle switch and connects to Philips Hue lights. This lets you control the lights without cutting power to the outlet. While it's designed for specific situations and requires Philips Hue lights, it's effective.