Smart Home

I like cooking, but I’ll be honest—I don’t cook a lot. Between a full-time job and two young kids, I don’t exactly have the patience to whip up gourmet meals every night. Most mornings, I just cook eggs for breakfast, and more than once I’ve completely forgotten them on the stove… you can imagine how those eggs turned out. And when I’m working from home or rushing back from the office, there’s rarely enough time to prep meals the way I’d like. That’s when I started looking for smarter solutions—and I discovered a few affordable kitchen gadgets that not only saved me precious time but also kept our meals from turning into “oops, we’ll just order pizza.” The best part? They don’t cost a fortune. Here are five smart kitchen gadgets in 2025 that will save you time, keep you sane, and maybe even help you level up your cooking skills without adding stress to your day. 5 Game-Changer Kitchen Gadgets 1. Smart Wi-Fi Coffee Maker Why I Love It I don’t know about you, but mornings in my house are a blur—packing lunches, finding missing shoes, and trying to get myself ready at the same time. If coffee doesn’t happen fast, the whole day feels off. That’s why a smart coffee maker is a game-changer. You can schedule it the night before so it’s ready the moment you walk into the kitchen, or even start brewing with a quick tap on your phone while you’re still upstairs getting dressed. Some models let you control the strength, cup size, and timing right from the app, so it’s always exactly how you want it. Time-Saving Perks Schedule brewing times in advance Control from your phone or with your voice Receive notifications when the pot is ready Some even let you adjust strength and size from the app Affordable Pick: The Keurig K-Supreme Smart is a great option under $150 that integrates with Alexa. For a lower price point, check out the Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker, often under $100, which works seamlessly with Alexa. Parent Bonus Tip: Set it to start just before the kids wake up so you’ve got caffeine ready for the breakfast rush. 2. Smart Meat Thermometer Why I Love It How many times have you hovered nervously over the oven or grill, checking a roast or chicken breast every five minutes? A smart meat thermometer ends that cycle of guesswork. These compact gadgets connect to your phone via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and send real-time updates on your food’s internal temperature. Many also provide estimated cooking times, so you know exactly when dinner will be ready. No more dry chicken or undercooked burgers. My husband especially loves the smart meat thermometer. Without opening the grill or oven a few times, you can know whether the meat is done or not. It actually affects the taste of the meat! It encouraged him to cook more! And I love that! Time-Saving Perks Monitor meat remotely from your phone Alerts you when food reaches the perfect temperature Allows you to multitask without losing track of dinner Works in the oven, grill, or even air fryer Affordable Pick: The MEATER Plus (around $99) is wireless and simple to use. For an even more budget-friendly choice, the ThermoPro TP25 offers four probes and an easy-to-read app for under $70. Pro Tip: Great for busy evenings when you’re juggling homework help, laundry, and dinner at the same time. 3. App-Controlled Air Fryer Why I Love It Air fryers have become a kitchen staple for good reason: they cook crispy, flavorful food in a fraction of the time compared to ovens. But smart air fryers take it a step further by connecting to apps that let you adjust time, temperature, and even browse recipes from your phone. No more standing by the counter guessing if your fries need five more minutes—they’ll notify you when the food is done. Many also come with presets for common meals, from chicken tenders to roasted veggies, making healthy cooking almost effortless. Time-Saving Perks Set and monitor cooking from your phone Automatic presets for common meals Quick cooking = faster weeknight dinners Easy cleanup compared to traditional ovens or fryers Even though I love the Smart Air Fryer, I do have mixed feelings about it. I like how quick and easy to cook using Air Fryer. But many Air Fryers are built with healthy materials. Just like the coated non-stick pan. Make sure you look for those healthy ones. If I have time, I still prefer using a traditional oven to cook. I believe that’s the healthier way to cook. 4. Smart Scale for Meal Prep Why I Love It If meal prep is part of your weekly routine—or if you’re trying to cook healthier—investing in a smart kitchen scale is a quiet game-changer. Beyond weighing ingredients, these scales sync with apps to provide nutrition facts, recipe breakdowns, and even help track macros. For busy parents or professionals, this means less time Googling “how many grams are in a cup of rice” and more confidence that your meals are balanced. Time-Saving Perks Automatically converts units (no more math mid-recipe) Syncs nutrition info to apps like MyFitnessPal Helps with portion control and meal prep planning Perfect for baking, where precision counts Affordable Pick: The GreaterGoods Nutrition Scale (around $60) is app-compatible and easy to use. For a budget-friendly option, the Etekcity Smart Nutrition Scale is often under $40. Health Hack: Pre-weigh school lunches or snacks to save time in the morning and keep portions consistent. 5. The Zwilling Enfinigy Power Blender Why You’ll Love It This one might not be as “smart” as some of the other gadgets on this list, but I love it because it’s such a powerful, multi-function blender that honestly feels like having several appliances in one. For my kitchen, one great blender is enough. The Zwilling Enfinigy comes with preset programs for Pulse, Smoothie, Cocktail, Ice Cream, Ice Crusher, and even Cleaning—which means less time

A beginner’s guide for real people who just want their stuff to work Let’s face it: the idea of a smart home sounds great… until you open the app and wonder why your “smart” light won’t even turn on. If you’ve ever wanted to dip your toes into smart home tech—but felt intimidated by the setup, the jargon, or the cost—you’re in the right place. We’re keeping it simple, no pressure, no complicated hubs or rewiring required. Here’s how to build a smart home that actually makes life easier—starting with the basics. Step 1: Decide What You Actually Want to Automate Before buying anything, ask yourself: What small tech changes would make your daily life smoother? Start here: Lights turning off automatically when you leave a room? Voice-controlled music while cooking? Getting a notification when someone’s at your door? Making sure the coffee starts brewing before you even get out of bed? You don’t need to automate your entire house. Start with one or two areas that’ll give you the biggest quality-of-life boost. Step 2: Pick Your Platform (and Stick With It) Most smart devices work with one or more of the big three: Amazon Alexa Google Home Apple HomeKit (Siri) Pick one ecosystem and build around it. This keeps things simple and compatible. ? Tip: If you already own an Echo Dot, Nest Hub, or iPhone—start there. Step 3: Start with These Easy Smart Devices These are the best beginner-friendly devices that don’t require any rewiring, drilling, or tech skills: Smart Plugs Plug them into your wall, connect them to Wi-Fi, and now your lamp, coffee maker, or fan can be voice- or app-controlled. Start with: TP-Link Kasa or Amazon Smart Plug. Smart Light Bulbs Screw it in, connect it via app, and boom—control brightness, color, or timing from your phone. Start with: Philips Hue (if you want fancy) or Wyze Bulb (budget-friendly). Smart Speakers These let you control all your devices with your voice. Plus: music, weather, timers, and more. Start with: Echo Dot or Google Nest Mini. Smart Doorbells or Cameras Want to see who’s at your door or check on a delivery? Try Ring or Google Nest cameras. Easy to install, surprisingly helpful. Step 4: Set Routines (This Is Where the Magic Happens) Once you’ve added a few devices, the real magic is in creating routines—simple automations like: “Good Morning” = lights turn on + coffee maker starts “Leaving Home” = lights turn off + smart plug shuts off “Movie Night” = dim the lights + turn on speaker You can create routines using your smart home app in just a few taps. No code, no tech degree. Step 5: Don’t Overdo It You don’t need to make your home feel like a robot showroom. Start with what’s useful and add only what solves a real problem. And yes—expect a little trial and error. (We’ve all yelled “Alexa, stop!” more than once.) Final Thought Smart homes aren’t about showing off—they’re about creating small conveniences that add up. You don’t need thousands of dollars or an engineering degree to start. So take it one plug, bulb, or speaker at a time. Keep it simple. Make it yours. And if you ever get stuck? That’s what we’re here for.