The 10 Best Outdoor Smart Home Devices — From a Tech Expert
Updated: Nov. 17, 2023
From smart pool water monitors to outdoor cameras, these are our favorite outdoor smart home devices that aren't just affordable, but reliable.
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Smart homes, once a far-off dream of the future, are now a reality that make life easier. We may not rely on a central AI home hub or robots to anticipate our needs, but we can string together multiple devices to automate tasks. Some of the best smart home devices do just about everything with the touch of an app button.
Keep a watchful eye on who’s at the door via a smart doorbell, and adjust the thermostat, lighting and appliances from apps. But these devices aren’t limited to the inside of your home. There are also a wide variety of outdoor gadgets designed for use in the yard and beyond: smart cameras, grills, speakers and pool water monitors.
As a tech expert, I gathered some of the best outdoor smart home devices found through multiple tests and trial periods. Whether you’re looking to automate outdoor lighting for security or need to keep the grass watered on a schedule, there’s a device for you. Each of these devices bring the comforts of the modern day smart home into your own personal backyard oasis.
What to Look for When Buying Outdoor Smart Home Devices
Once you’ve established what kind of smart home hub you’d like to use, or whether you want to use a smart plug or smart switch to control your outdoor smart home devices, you choose how many products you’d like to add to your network. Are you creating a security-focused selection of devices centered around a doorbell camera? You might also want to pair them with smart locks. Do you need to automate tasks like pool water monitoring or turning on the sprinklers to water the grass and plants? You may want to set up two separate hubs that control a whole different variety of tasks.
Not all outdoor smart home devices are made equal. Do your research on how the products you’re interested in adding to your home work in harmony with each other, including how they’re powered (whether wired or wireless), how much footage the device can store if it’s a camera, and how many devices can connect to a hub if that’s the route you choose to go. There’s no one-size-fits-all route when purchasing the right outdoor smart home device.
Evaluation Criteria
When selecting the best outdoor smart home devices, we considered each product’s waterproof rating, durability and ruggedness, wired and wireless capabilities, battery life and reliability.
Best Smart Outdoor Speaker
Polk Atrium 4
The Polk Atrium 4 checks all the boxes you’d want from an outdoor speaker, and then some. It’s a fantastic option for creating an outdoor setting sound space, down to its form factor and price. Not only is the Atrium 4 perfectly-sized at 8.6 by 6.7 by 5.7 inches, but it delivers the full soundscape of a speaker twice its size. For less than $200, you get a smart speaker to place around the backyard that’s certified for all outdoor weather, so whether it’s raining or snowing outside, you can still enjoy the same audio.
Pros
What we liked about the Polk Atrium 4:
- Water and temperature-resistant
- Crisp treble
- Compact size
- Mount it vertically or horizontally
Cons
What to consider about the Polk Atrium 4:
- Mid-range bass
Best Smart Pool Water Monitor
WaterGuru Sense
If you have your own pool, you probably know all about how much work goes into maintaining it. The WaterGuru Sense is a smart pool water monitor that makes your life much, much easier. This outdoor smart home device is added to the pool’s water skimmer basket and connects to a smartphone via app. From there, you can perform a variety of tests, from whether you need to add more water to whether you have too much or too little chlorine. It makes testing your water daily simple, though each test can take a bit of time. Because it’s enclosed, it’s protected against the elements (and it’s made for the water) and there are no subscription fees. That makes it a smart option for anyone looking for simple, reliable pool testing on a regular basis.
Pros
What we liked about the WaterGuru Sense
- Easy installation
- No subscription fees
- Set it up and go
Cons
What to consider about the WaterGuru Sense
- Somewhat slow testing
- Some test parameters not included
Best Smart Grill
Weber Genesis II EX-335 Smart Grill
A backyard barbecue is a favorite way to spend time with friends and family. But most grills aren’t really conducive to quick or efficient cooking. Enter: the Weber Genesis II Smart Grill. It modernizes the entire process and serves up tasty grilled foods every time with very little fuss. It includes a large cooking area with an easy-to-read display that keeps you apprised of the grill’s temperature and fuel status. You can read all this via smartphone as well, including alerts on how much longer to cook steak to medium or what temperature your meats reached. Do all this while in the house, meaning you don’t have to babysit the grill and hover over it a hot flame. It’s not really meant for use out in the elements, of course, since it is a grill after all, and it’s obviously more expensive than a charcoal grill. But it’s a smart way to prep dinner and enjoy the weather while capitalizing on modern smart outdoor device functionality.
Pros
What we liked about the WaterGuru Sense
- Easy app to advise on cooking processes and low fuel
- High performance burners for an even flame
- Simple to set up out of the box
- Large cooking surface
Cons
What to consider about the WaterGuru Sense
- Pricey
- Not meant for use in wet weather
Best Smart Outdoor Plug
Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug
If you need a smart outdoor plug to control your outdoor smart home devices, the Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug has you covered. This best-selling plug comes with two AC outlets with a waterproof cover to protect it when not in use. You control it with a remote or via voice assistant on a smartphone, so you always have a way to operate what’s going on in the backyard even when you’re miles away. Set up schedules or a timer to automatically turn things on like lights, speakers and the smart grill whenever you want. This plug is the pillar of any outdoor smart device setup, so it’s well worth picking up several, especially as each plug is less than $25. Read my full Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug review. Browse this list of best outdoor smart plugs, too.
Pros
What we liked about the Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug:
- Quick setup
- Two AC outlets with voice control
- Create custom schedules
Cons
What to consider about the Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug:
- No auto-off setting
Best Smart Outdoor Mower
Worx Landroid S
Mowing the grass is no one’s favorite chore. Let the Worx Landroid S do its outdoor smart home device thing to make the job a much less frustrating endeavor. This robotic lawn mower connects to Wi-Fi and is controlled via app, much like a Roomba. It maps out the yard to start cutting efficiently, while helping you create a set schedule to give the grass a trim. Interestingly, it cuts in a zigzag pattern in an effort to give the most even cut. It seemingly does it all, and is surprisingly full-featured for an automated vacuum. It also sends alerts to your phone about the job it’s completing. It takes weather data into account when setting a custom schedule. If mowing the lawn is something you wish you never had to do again, you can make that a reality with this long-lasting mower that you can automate with the rest of your outdoor smart devices.
Pros
What we liked about the Worx Landroid S:
- Cuts grass evenly
- Two AC outlets with voice control
- Create custom schedules
Cons
What to consider about the Worx Landroid S:
- No bag to collect grass
Head over to our Worx Landroid review full the full scoop.
Best Smart Outdoor Camera
Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera
If you need to keep an eye on the backyard and surrounding outdoor area without breaking the bank, the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera is an excellent option. It’s a completely wireless security camera that’s weather-resistant and offers crystal-clear clarity with full-color night vision, video recording triggered by motion and a spotlight. It serves up 2K video right to your smartphone. Arlo is a reliable brand and this addition to its security camera product collection is perfect for use even in not-so-favorable weather. Best of all? It’s completely wireless and you don’t need a hub to set it up. Just customize the settings you need and rest assured the camera can handle the rest. Keep in mind you will need a subscription for some features, but if that isn’t a deal-breaker, this camera’s a great choice for most outdoor smart device users.
Pros
What we liked about the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera:
- Integrates with smart assistants
- Totally wireless with quick setup
- Spotlight for night security
- Doesn’t require a smart hub
Cons
What to consider about the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera:
- Subscription required for some features
Best Smart Outdoor Light
Philips Hue Lily Spotlight
There’s something to be said about outdoor lighting that sets up the perfect ambience for hanging out with friends or going outside to de-stress. The Philips Hue Lily Spotlight connects to smart hubs or a smartphone. Use the app to choose the color and intensity of the lighting you want to display or change it all with your voice. It’s compatible with most smart home hubs, including Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit. The spotlight is weatherproof, and you can angle it how you wish. It isn’t wireless, but that’s not a caveat that you’ll have to worry much about if you hook it up to a smart hub. It’s a gorgeous way to illuminate your yard any way you see fit, and it stays lit for 25,000 hours.
Pros
What we liked about the Philips Hue Lily Spotlight:
- Compatible with most smart hubs
- Variety of customizable colors
- Long-lasting lifespan
Cons
What to consider about the Philips Hue Lily Spotlight:
- Not completely wireless
Best Smart Outdoor Sprinkler
Orbit B-hyve XR Smart 8-Zone
It can be difficult making sure your lawn and flowers have all the water they need to grow. That’s where a smart sprinkler comes in handy. The Orbit B-hyve XR Smart 8-Zone can help make this a much less frustrating endeavor, no matter if you have a smaller yard or a larger area to water. It’s fully waterproof, weatherproof, and connects via Wi-Fi to help you set up a watering schedule and get connected to any smart hub you may have set up for your outdoor purposes. Plus, it covers 16 zones, and can help you automatically ascertain whether you’re watering too much, too little, or just right. Now, that’s one less thing you have to worry about when it comes to a well-manicured lawn.
Pros
What we liked about the Orbit B-hyve XR Smart 8-Zone:
- Painless Wi-Fi connectivity
- 16 zones to cover your entire yard
- Waterproof and weatherproof
Cons
What we didn’t like about the Orbit B-hyve XR Smart 8-Zone:
- Can occasionally drop connection
Best Smart Outdoor TV
Samsung Terrace Outdoor TV
Why not take your favorite indoor entertainment outdoors with you? Did you know you can buy a smart TV built to withstand the elements? The Samsung Terrace Outdoor TV is IP55 rated, meaning that even if it pours rain, or the TV gets dust or moisture in it, it’ll still work. In fact, it’s created to live outside, so you don’t have to worry about it getting destroyed. Best of all, it features a 4K QLED display in a variety of sizes for crystal clear picture and a built-in media bay. It’s compatible with tech you already have with your smarthome hub, too!
Pros
What we liked about the Samsung Terrace Outdoor TV:
- Various sizes to outfit your outdoor oasis
- IP55 rated against rain, dust, and moisture
- Compatible with smart home systems so you can stream your own media
Cons
What to consider about the Samsung Terrace Outdoor TV:
- Pricey
Want more? These are our picks for the best outdoor TVs.
Best Smart Garage Door Opener
Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub
The Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub is a base station to control, secure and monitor the garage door from anywhere. If you have smart home tech like an Amazon Echo device that can handle turning your lights on and off, or controlling your thermostat, this is the same concept, except you’re controlling the garage door. It’s something you might not even have considered needing for your home, but a piece of tech you’ll appreciate once you have it all installed. You just need a place to mount the hub, a smartphone for the app and an internet connection to make sure everything communicates properly. More than anything, it’s a simple way to make sure your home and belongings are protected, and it gives you peace of mind that you did remember to close the door. And if not? It’s as easy as opening the companion app and closing the door or checking the schedule to set up for autonomous garage door operation. It works with all major garage door openers made after 1993, so you don’t have to have a fancy new model. Here’s my full Chamberlain Garage Hub review.
Pros
What we liked about the Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub:
- Quick and easy setup
- Affordable so you can purchase multiple for multiple locations
- Automation with smartphone app means never having to check if you forgot to close the garage again
Cons
What to consider about the Chamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Hub:
- Doesn’t work with all legacy garage door openers
Originally Published: June 27, 2022
