So you’ve invested in some Nest-branded smart home products and want to make your abode even more connected. Fortunately, you don’t have to break the bank to meet your goal. Get started with this helpful list of 10 budget-friendly gadgets from various companies that offer compatibility with the Nest ecosystem through the company’s Works with Nest program.
[1] LIFX smart bulbs
These Nest-compatible lighting sources begin at $25 and help you control your lights and even choose specialty colors with just your smartphone and a Wi-Fi connection. Because some of the lights in the collection have LED technology, they’re especially energy efficient yet provide the brightness needed to make your house look welcoming.
[2] Mimo Smart Baby Breathing & Activity Monitor
Getting an infant into a regular sleep schedule can be challenging for many parents. The Mimo Smart Baby Breathing & Activity Monitor can help by providing a wearable, machine washable movement tracker that gives caregivers statistics about their little ones’ slumbers, such as skin temperature, breathing rate, and instances of when a baby sleeps or wakes up. Cost varies depending upon the age of the child, ranging from 0-3 months, 3-6 months, or 6-12 months.
[3] Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Plug
You can use this smart home accessory to turn many interior conventional gadgets into items operated with an app just by plugging them into this specialized outlet. The plug also allows remote operation of the things plugged into it, meaning if you forgot to turn off a lamp, for example, you could do that through the app even while on vacation in another state.
[4] iHome iSP100 Wi-Fi Outdoor Smart Plug
This outdoor accessory powers lighting, decorations, and small appliances requiring 1800 watts or less, making it ideal for entertaining or keeping guests comfortable during parties. The rain-resistant design gives peace of mind and prolongs the product’s lifespan. Besides working with Nest, this gadget also has support for Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant.
[5] Google Home Mini speaker
After investing in the small but mighty Google Home Mini smart speaker (see image at the top of this page) and activating some especially handy skills, you’ll probably rarely go even an hour without using it, whether to use your Nest product, add an event to your schedule, or find out information.
It could become your pre-dinner companion by providing delicious recipe suggestions or ensure you don’t arrive to work late by suggesting when to leave based on current traffic conditions. Its compact size also makes it ideal if you live in a small apartment or have roommates and don’t want to make them feel cramped due to your gadgets. Price at Google is $49.
[6] Amazon Echo Dot speaker
Available for the same price as the Google Home Mini, the Amazon Echo Dot is another possibility if you want to venture into the smart speaker realm while maintaining a modest budget and getting the most from Nest products. The third generation of the speaker is larger and more capable than the previous one.
Alexa helps the Echo Dot provide an ever-growing range of skills, and you can create personalized skills with the newly launched Blueprints portal as well.
[7] Zuli Smart Plug
The Zuli Smart Plug allows you to control connected devices and keep track of total energy usage from an app without getting up from the couch. The gadget can even decrease the intensity of lights in your home that don’t have dimmer switches.
A feature called Zuli Presence senses when you walk into a room and adjusts the light and temperature accordingly. It’s also possible to set up the plug in minutes, making it a wise choice if you’re time-starved.
[8] Awair Glow air quality monitor
The Awair Glow is a single-room air quality tracking device that you can integrate with a Nest thermostat to activate the home heating and cooling system when the gadget detects that the air quality or temperature is outside an optimal range or level. The plug component feature can even activate non-smart devices for your convenience.
[9] Flair Puck thermostat
This device is a less-costly and wireless thermostat alternative to the wired Nest thermostats, and it works with other Nest products to keep your home comfy throughout any season. It makes automatic adjustments to room temperatures based on your habits and preferences and turns off when you leave the room to save energy. Cost is $99 on the Flair website.
[10] BEDDI Intelligent Alarm Clock
In addition to pairing with your Nest thermostat to make sure you sleep in a comfortable environment and working with your favorite streaming music services to help you relax or feel energized, the BEDDI alarm clock provides customized illumination to help you wake up from your snooze.
Furthermore, it has both a standard and rapid-charge USB port to charge your tech while you rest. There’s an integrated white noise generator too, which gives you the option of trading the white noise for one of several nature sounds.
Enhance your smart home for less than expected
Although some smart home gadgets that offer Nest compatibility are quite pricey, they aren’t all so expensive. Rely on this list to become familiar with the brands and products you can buy to increase the ways you interact with Nest products—for less than $100. Do keep in mind that in order to bring Works with Nest functionality to your space, at least one Nest-branded product—such as a Nest Learning Thermostat or Nest Cam—is required in the home.
