![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/tcOVx6IezJHNcdhoafaH_A--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDtoPTEzNg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/xHdKge7QVeXmfJPBn1Qo0w--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/8c6b3b20-fb2a-11ee-bfed-8259cb0b134e\")
More options<\/a><\/p>\nEcho Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023 release)<\/h3>\n<\/h4>\n
$65 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$65 at Target<\/a>$80 at Shop Premium Outlets<\/a>See more options<\/a> $27 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$43 at Newegg<\/a>See more options<\/a> $39 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$40 at Kohl’s<\/a>$40 at Target<\/a>See more options<\/a> $30 at Lowe’s<\/u><\/a>$40 at Amazon<\/a>$40 at Kohl’s<\/a>See more options<\/a> $150 at Amazon<\/u><\/a> $36 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$55 at Newegg<\/a>See more options<\/a> $70 at Amazon<\/u><\/a> $180 at Walmart<\/u><\/a>$180 at Wayfair<\/a>$180 at Amazon<\/a>See more options<\/a> $179 at Sonos<\/u><\/a> $23 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$40 at B&H Photo<\/a>$38 at Newegg<\/a>See more options<\/a> $80 at Amazon<\/u><\/a>$80 at Newegg<\/a>$80 at Instacart<\/a>See more options<\/a>See 6 more<\/a> You can think of the Echo Show 5<\/a> as the command center for your automated home. Amazon tweaked<\/a> their smallest display in 2023 to be a little faster and a little bassier than its predecessor<\/a>, and it\u2019s still a good smart display for a compact space. It shows footage from your connected cameras and grants voice control over your smart plugs and other devices. Plus, it\u2019ll play your music or podcasts, tell you the weather and even stream your favorite show (just note that the Netflix app isn\u2019t<\/a> supported).<\/p>\n $65 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$65 at Target<\/a>$80 at Shop Premium Outlets<\/a> Connected bulbs might be the easiest way to turn your analog home into a \u201csmart\u201d one. A single smart light can ensure you never walk into a dark apartment again. You can set schedules for your daily routines or make it look like you\u2019re home when you\u2019re not. Being able to turn things off with just your voice or via an app can save you from getting out of bed when you\u2019re ready to crash. Our senior commerce editor, Valentina Palladino tested a number of bulbs for our guide<\/a> and thinks TP-Link\u2019s Kasa Smart Bulbs<\/a> give you the best value. Installation will be easy, even for those new to smart devices, thanks to Kasa\u2019s clean and simple app. It\u2019s worth noting that voice control is only available with Alexa or the Google Assistant; Siri is unfortunately incompatible.<\/p>\n $27 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$43 at Newegg<\/a> Roku\u2019s Streaming Stick 4K<\/a> turns any screen with an HDMI port into a smart TV for under $50. Our commerce writer, Nicole Lee, likes Roku\u2019s straightforward interface<\/a> and the fact that it supports universal search so you can find out which service a given show is playing on. Unlike some streaming sticks, Roku works with all the major voice assistants: Siri, Google Assistant and Alexa. You can even control your TV by saying \u201chey Roku\u201d to the included remote or through the Roku app. The same app turns your phone into a second remote and enables private listening through your headphones as well. The 4K dongle is made for high-resolution screens, but if you don\u2019t have a 4K TV and want to save more money, Amazon\u2019s Fire TV Stick Lite<\/a> is our favorite budget option.<\/p>\n $39 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$40 at Kohl’s<\/a>$40 at Target<\/a> An indoor security camera can give you eyes on your pets when you\u2019re out, or just some peace of mind when you\u2019re away for the weekend. The updated Blink Mini 2<\/a> camera now packs a spotlight, offers better night vision and is rated for both indoor and outdoor use. The price went up $10 as a result, but it still ranks as one of the more affordable smart security cameras out there. Blink is an Amazon brand, so the camera should sync easily with Echo Show displays, but will also send video feed to your phone or Fire TV. A built-in mic and speaker let you hear and talk to anyone in the room, nice for confusing the cat or freaking out your guests.<\/p>\n $30 at Lowe’s<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$40 at Amazon<\/a>$40 at Kohl’s<\/a> Whether it\u2019s traffic exhaust in the city, pollen in the suburbs or wildfire smoke everywhere, it\u2019s not always ideal to throw open your apartment\u2019s windows to get some fresh air. An air purifier<\/a> can help keep your indoor air healthier when you\u2019re shut inside, and we like this small-space unit from Levoit. The Core 300S smart air purifier<\/a> is an app-compatible gadget that can automatically adjust its fan speed depending on how much particulate matter it detects in the air. We found it to be nearly silent running on low and not too distracting when on high. Plus it\u2019s relatively affordable and the replacement filters only cost around $35.<\/p>\n $150 at Amazon<\/a> I found the tackiest, most amazing lamp in the lobby of one of my first apartment buildings and I still cherish it to this day \u2014 but its rotary switch is extremely hard to turn. I\u2019ve since plugged it into one of Kasa\u2019s EP25 Smart Plugs<\/a> and now it automatically comes on just before sunset and goes off when I say goodnight to Alexa (or ask it to turn off the \u201cugly lamp\u201d). Many smart plugs out there will do this, but the EP25 is the top performer from our guide<\/a> because we found it connects easily, works reliably and is compatible with all four major smart home platforms.<\/p>\n $36 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$55 at Newegg<\/a> Nobody\u2019s knocking Christmas lights as decor, but strip lights are a slightly classier way to add flair to your space. You can use them to light up bookcases, create ambiance for your streaming setup or turn your bedroom into a color-coordinated haven. Govee makes many different smart LED strips, but the one senior commerce editor Valentina recommends in our guide<\/a> is the M1 RGBIC<\/a>. She was impressed by the light’s brightness and wide spectrum of available hues. You can control different segments independently and the app has an \u201ceffects lab\u201d that offers pre-programed lighting presets like sunsets, starry nights and movie-themed color palettes.<\/p>\n $70 at Amazon<\/a> Engadget’s Valentina Palladino has tested more than a dozen robot vacuums and recommends iRobot\u2019s Roomba 694<\/a> to anyone looking to keep their floors clean without spending too much money (or time). The company\u2019s companion app is simple and probably the 694\u2019s biggest selling point, guiding you through installation and programming. The vacuum can handle hard floors and carpet, and it runs for about 45 minutes on a charge, which should be enough for most smaller apartments. You\u2019ll have to help it out when it gets snagged on a cable and empty the bin when it’s full, but other than that, it\u2019s a fairly hands-off way to get cleaner floors.<\/p>\n $180 at Walmart<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$180 at Wayfair<\/a>$180 at Amazon<\/a> The Sonos Roam<\/a> is both a smart and portable speaker, packing a decent amount of utility into a $180 package. While not the cheapest around, it\u2019s relatively low-cost for Sonos, a brand known for quality audio<\/a>. The Roam will play whichever music service you prefer, delivering clear highs and impressive bass<\/a> for its size. Alexa is built in and you can access the Google Assistant too, which means you can use the speaker to order around your compatible smart home devices. And when it\u2019s time to relax, you can ask Roam to play just about any song you can think of.<\/p>\n $179 at Sonos<\/a> Thick walls, weird layouts and other factors can make home WiFi reception spotty. If you\u2019re experiencing dead zones in your apartment, a WiFi extender might help. TP-Link\u2019s AC1200 RE315<\/a> is our favorite budget pick<\/a>: it covers 1,500 square feet and delivers speeds of up to 1,200Mbps \u2013 plenty fast for streaming and working from home. It also has a built-in Ethernet port, which should provide an even more reliable connection to essential tech like your TV or game console.<\/p>\n $23 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$40 at B&H Photo<\/a>$38 at Newegg<\/a> Cooking for yourself is one of the bigger adjustments of adulting \u2013 it certainly was for me. Luckily a big batch of beans and rice can keep most humans alive for much longer than you\u2019d think. The Instant Pot Duo<\/a> cooks beans without soaking and makes fluffy rice; add a jar of salsa and you have a fairly well-rounded meal. Of course, it can cook more elaborate stuff too: search for Instant Pot recipes and you\u2019ll get a lifetime\u2019s worth of ideas<\/a>. We recommend a larger version in our guide to kitchen gadgets<\/a>, but this three-quart model is both more affordable and a better size for just one or two people.<\/p>\n $80 at Amazon<\/a>Explore More Buying Options$80 at Newegg<\/a>$80 at Instacart<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Your first apartment after graduation is probably not your forever home, but you can make it something you\u2019re proud of with gadgets that do your bidding. You can automate your lights, keep an eye on your pets and clean up your floors more efficiently with relatively affordable devices that won\u2019t eat up too much of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":5046,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55,52,49,56,48,4768,159,51,53,47],"tags":[66,63,60,67,59,4769,162,62,64,58],"yoast_head":"\nMore options<\/a><\/p>\n
Kasa Smart Light Bulbs<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
More options<\/a><\/p>\n
Roku Streaming Stick 4K<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/eC6Iq5Sgvn_8uphUJLKkAA--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDtoPTEzNg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/f9gej_M9mCqqvb2rzxHiQg--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/98bd3900-fb2a-11ee-bf9e-a7b299db1484\")
Blink Mini 2<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/Ri5aHBmspAXP8I1q9iidhg--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDtoPTEzNg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/QfKXuWuV5cl5D35kRSkB7g--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/b2f7b340-fb2a-11ee-b6ae-bc167b7a4126\")
Levoit Core 300S<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/ny\/api\/res\/1.2\/j9iyX0PE_P08rVAn.ii0Tw--\/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTI0MDtoPTEzNg--\/https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/X_xizXPu6ZFmlBiwTV7vGg--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/a7552f40-fb2a-11ee-8dde-1d9721e7d46c\")
Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
Govee M1 RGBIC LED Strip Lights<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
More options<\/a><\/p>\n
iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
<\/p>\n
Sonos Roam<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
More options<\/a><\/p>\n
TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
More options<\/a><\/p>\n
Instant Pot Duo (3-quart)<\/h3>\n
<\/h4>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/xHdKge7QVeXmfJPBn1Qo0w--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/8c6b3b20-fb2a-11ee-bfed-8259cb0b134e\")
Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen, 2023 release)<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>TP-Link \/ Kasa<\/p>\n
Kasa Smart Light Bulbs<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Roku<\/p>\n
Roku Streaming Stick 4K<\/a><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/f9gej_M9mCqqvb2rzxHiQg--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/98bd3900-fb2a-11ee-bf9e-a7b299db1484\")
Blink Mini 2<\/a><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/QfKXuWuV5cl5D35kRSkB7g--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/b2f7b340-fb2a-11ee-b6ae-bc167b7a4126\")
Levoit Core 300S<\/a><\/h3>\n
![](\"https:\/\/s.yimg.com\/uu\/api\/res\/1.2\/X_xizXPu6ZFmlBiwTV7vGg--~B\/Zmk9c3RyaW07aD03MjA7dz0xMjgwO2FwcGlkPXl0YWNoeW9u\/https:\/\/media-mbst-pub-ue1.s3.amazonaws.com\/creatr-uploaded-images\/2024-04\/a7552f40-fb2a-11ee-8dde-1d9721e7d46c\")
Kasa Smart Plug Mini 15A<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Govee<\/p>\n
Govee M1 RGBIC LED Strip Lights<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Photo by Valentina Palladino \/ Engadget <\/p>\n
iRobot Roomba 694 Robot Vacuum<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Photo by Nathan Ingraham \/ Engadget<\/p>\n
Sonos Roam<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>TP-Link<\/p>\n
TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender<\/a><\/h3>\n
<\/a>Instant Pot<\/p>\n
Instant Pot Duo (3-quart)<\/a><\/h3>\n