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Welcome back to the website and today it’s all about the best smart home holiday gifts under $250 in 2019.
This is a highly requested price category, so thank you for your feedback and checking out our article on, the best smart home gifts under $50.
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Best Smart Home Holiday Gifts Under $250 in 2019
1. Anki – Vector Robot
I can say this is one of the coolest smart gadgets of 2019. This smart robot is on another level.
What I love about Vector is that this is more personal. Vector is actually waiting for you to come home to interact, unlike a smart speaker such as Amazon Alex and Google Home that’s are emotionalist Vector is waiting for you to ask a question. Vector actually wants to engage with you, like a real person, it reminds me a little of Pixar Wall-E.
Vector provides character to the questions you ask for example if you say what’s the weather outside and if it’s raining you will see rain on the display. Vector just cheer-up when it hears you, and it turns around only when it understands you and is ready to provide an answer.
Vector is always learning from all the data and sensors he constantly stores in its memory but isn’t storing any voice or video information in its cloud.
I’ve never owned an AI power cloud robot before so I’m really looking forward to getting this in our home for the holidays.
Vector is full of tech inside like being powered by QUALCOMM processor, it has an HD Camera with 120 degrees Ultra-wide field, sensors everywhere so it won’t fall off the table or stairs. It also knows when is being picked up.
This smart robot is definitely on the top of the list for being the Best Smart Home Holiday Gifts Under $250. This would be a great gift for any tech-head in your family. You can find Anki – Vector Robot on Amazon.
2. Google Wi-fi
To have a smart home running smoothly you will need a great Wi-Fi connection.
Now Google Wi-Fi is the best Wi-Fi “mesh” system on the market, it comes with three identical units so you can use any of these on multiple Wi-Fi points.
The Google Wi-Fi is easy to use and cheapest mesh Wi-Fi systems out there. You can even buy this Wi-Fi as one pack but to get good performance, I wouldn’t advise that.
You can also say it’s the best-looking Wi-Fi on the market.
If you’re suffering from poor or patchy wireless network at home, the Google Home is a great buy to make your Wi-Fi connection work just fine. You can find Google Wi-Fi on Amazon.
3. Apple TV 4K
We have an Apple TV (3rd Generation), and I can say it was one of the best gifts my wife purchased for me a few years ago. Before our Roku and Chromecast, we used Apple TV every single day, from watching movies, TV shows, and listen to music.
Now, the latest Apple TV (4th Generation) is much better.
But what is an Apple TV? It’s a smart streaming device which you can watch YouTube, Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime video but there are much more apps you can use on this device.
What makes it different from the rest of the other streaming device? First reason, it has Siri. With Siri, you can ask what’s the weather, play a movie or play music. Siri can also control your lights, so, when you tell Siri it’s movie night, Siri will dim down the lights and bring down the smart blinds to watch a movie. Very cool!
The second reason, Airplay. Airplay allows you to project what’s on your iPhone to your Apple TV. So, when family comes over for the holiday’s anyone with an iPhone can now show their pictures on the Apple TV so the entire family can see how cute you looked in your old holiday outfits. 😮
The third reason, the latest 4th gen has an Apple store which allows you to download games and play on your Apple TV.
But the real question is should you buy an Apple TV? In my opinion, yes, especially if you are in the Apple ecosystem, you’re going to have a better experience. The only downfall is the price compared to its competitors such as the Google Chromecast that only cost $35.00. But hey! when you pay for a premium device like Apple, you’re paying for the best.
4. Google – Home Hub with Google Assistant
Google finally came out with its own smart home touchscreen display called the Google Home Hub. Not only is it smart but maybe the smartest touchscreen display on the market from what I have seen.
Google Home hub is pretty much Google Home with a 7in control touchscreen, so now you can hear and see your answers
Compare to its competitors, Google Home hub screen is much smaller and does not come with a front facing camera. This could be a deal breaker for some if you are looking for those features.
But on the other hand, what makes Google Home hub have a slight disadvantage over choosing this device as a holiday gift over something like Amazon Echo Show or Portal from Facebook, is privacy concerns (no front-facing camera) and streaming YouTube videos.
I would say this is a great gift for someone who is into smart touchscreen display’s and have a few smart devices already installed at home.
5. Amazon – Echo Spot
The Amazon Echo Spot is a tiny touchscreen alarm clock with Alexa experience.
The Echo Spot was intended for your bedroom on the nightstand but can be used in any room such as the kitchen.
It’s similar to the Google Home Hub but much smaller and has different features.
The screen size for the Echo Spot is 4.1 x 3.8 x 3.6 inches and weighs 14.8 ounces. The small display is perfect for showing basic Information such as the weather, a calendar, trending headlines, and your to-do-list.
You can also use it for video calling as it has a front facing camera but you can disable the camera. You can enable Bluetooth and the Echo Spot can be used as an intercom when paired with other Echos in your home.
If you want, you can watch Amazon Prime, movie trailers and flash briefing news. You can also see Alexa answers on the screen, so, when you ask Alexa what’s the weather for the week, it can now show you a six days forecast.
With so many features this is a great gift for someone who’s looking for the perfect bedside companion with voice commands and touchscreen display all in one package.
You can find The Amazon Spot on Amazon.com.
6. Nest Protect Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm
Smoke and carbon monoxide are a requirement in most states to prevent dangers of fire and carbon monoxide poisoning. They’re also the least exciting devices in a home but are necessary as they are for your safety. But to make a little more exciting, The Nest Protect is a smart, all-in-one smoke and carbon monoxide detector for a house or apartment.
The Nest Protect allows you to control your alarm remotely and you can personalize to your preferences. This alarm system detects smoke much faster than standard detectors due to being a “split-spectrum” sensor which means it detects both fast-burning and smoldering fires more quickly and with accuracy. Not only will it alarm you with a standard alarm sound but it also alarms your phone.
I can easily say that the Nest Protect is one of the best and coolest smokes and carbon monoxide alarms on the market to date. If you have family or friend in need of a good smoke and Carbon Monoxide alarm this would be a great gift. You can find The Nest Protect on Amazon.
7. Fire TV Cube, hands-free with Alexa
The Fire TV Cube is a great gift for someone who enjoys home entertainments. Amazon Fire TV Cube makes your home entertainment all controlled by voice commands but you can still use a controller if needed.
Fire TV Cube can control your TV, sound bars, and A/V receivers all by voice commands. Plus, if you are still using cable service you can tune to live cable or satellite boxes from providers like Comcast, DISH, DIRECTV/AT&T U-verse, and more.
You’re able to control just about everything in your home entertainment center with minimal need for a remote. The Fire TV Cube also includes 4K resolution.
If you are wondering what the future of home entertainment would like, well, Amazon Fire TV is the blueprint of what to expect for smart home entertainment. You can find The Amazon FireCube TV on Amazon.com.
8. Chamberlain MyQ-Garage Controller
This last device is nothing new to smart technology from using remote control inside the car, drivers have been communicating with their garage door to open or close for some time now. But that’s old technology and the Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Door opener makes your Garage door even smarter.
This Chamberlain MyQ-Garage Controller, allows the user to be able to control garage door via smartphone on an app miles away from home. You can check to see if your door is open, and then close or open it remotely. You will also receive alerts to your phone if your door is open.
Before buying this smart garage door opener for a gift you will need to know some information. The first step, confirm that the Chamberlain MyQ is compatible with the current garage door.
The second step is it to check on the Wi-Fi signal in the garage, is the signal strong enough to power the device? How far is the Wi-Fi router from the Chamberlain MyQ- Garage Controller?
The last step, how old is the user garage door, is it older than 1993? If the answer is yes, it’s not compatible with the Chamberlain MyQ-Garage Controller. It can only be installed to a garage door opener no older than 1993.
According to a customer user review on Tom’s Guide, “It’s really a simple device and easy to install. I installed it and got it up and running in less than an hour,”
The Chamberlain MyQ-Garage Controller also works with Google Assistant and IFTTT but only if the user signs up for a $1/month or $10/year plan with MyQ. Sadly, to say, as of right now, it does not work with Amazon Alexa. Only works with: Wink, Nest, SmartThings, Xfinity Home, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, IFTTT.
If you are familiar with your friend or family garage door, this could be a great gift to surprise them with for the holidays. You can purchase The Chamberlain MyQ-Garage Controller on Amazon.
Wrapping up
So, that about does it for the best smart home holiday gifts under $250 and I hope you find this post useful. Shopping for your family and friends without spending a fortune can save a lot of money for the new year. Whatever gift you pick I’m sure that person will be impressed.
If you looking for the best smart gadget on the lower end, check out our post, the best smart home gifts under $50.
Again, I Hope you find the Best Smart Home Holiday Gifts Under $250 in 2019. Happy shopping!
For more useful gifts for the holidays, please continue to check out AutomateYourCrib.com.
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It's great to see that you have come across my website. I hope you explore it thoroughly. The website caters to regular consumers who have an interest in home automation. I am based in the Tri-state area and enjoy the latest smart tech along with my wonderful wife and three energetic boys.
