If you feel like the connected economy has crept from your living room to your litter box, you’re not wrong. The smart home has gone from “lights that turn on when you clap” to “a toilet that makes better nutrition choices than you.” Somewhere between those endpoints, we lost track of the line — and now your shower is on a first‑name basis with Alexa.
The Lay of the Land (and the Lawn Sensors)
The smart home category is booming again. Google just swapped in a new artificial intelligence (AI) house brain — Gemini for Home — to replace Google Assistant on speakers, screens and cameras, with a redesigned Google Home app to match. Amazon answered with a fresh crop of Echo gear built for Alexa+. And Apple quietly pushed substantial Home updates that unlock guest access, activity history, and more in the Home app (and has been rolling out new HomePod software features). Translation: the majors keep adding intelligence and plumbing to your home’s apps and that lets stranger, edgier devices flourish at the fringes. Here are nine gadgets you could buy this weekend.
9 Bizarre But Buyable Smart Home Things for Your Weekend Cart
Withings U‑Scan Nutrio — the “urinalysis that lives in your toilet.”
A pebble you clip in your bowl runs hands‑free urine tests and sends results to the Health Mate app. Privacy‑squeamish? You and your bathroom are already on a first‑name basis. Where to buy: Withings.
Kohler Moxie Showerhead — Alexa, cue the power ballad.
A Harman Kardon-tuned, Alexa-enabled speaker snaps into your showerhead so you can ask for news, timers, or “more hot water” (try not to overshare). Where to buy: Home Depot, Kohler, Amazon.
SwitchBot Bot — the robot finger that presses your dumb buttons.
Stick it beside a rocker switch or espresso machine; the app (and optional hub) turns virtually any appliance “smart” in seconds. It’s home automation by mechanical mischief. Where to buy: Amazon, SwitchBot.
Sure Petcare Microchip Pet Door Connect — a curfew for your cat.
This door reads your pet’s microchip and lets you lock/unlock from an app, complete with activity logs and shared access for the pet‑sitter. Where to buy: Sure Petcare, Amazon.
Bird Buddy — the feeder that ID’s visitors like a bouncer.
A camera plus AI recognizes species, sends app alerts and captures close‑ups of your yard’s influencers. Condé Nast for cardinals. Where to buy: Bird Buddy (direct).
Litter‑Robot 4 — the Wi‑Fi litter box that texts when it’s time.
Self‑cleans, tracks usage and litter levels in the Whisker app, and helps you forget scooping ever existed. Your cat now has better ops than your office. Where to buy: PetSmart or Best Buy.
Mill Kitchen Bin — the deodorized, app‑scheduled food recycler.
This Wi‑Fi bin quietly grinds and dries scraps overnight, with scheduling, locks and pickups managed in the Mill app. Climate tech disguised as a trash can. Where to buy: Mill (on Google Play).
Aera Mini Smart Diffuser — push‑button atmosphere.
Set scent schedules, adjust intensity and run room‑by‑room via the Aera app; it’s the “smart plug‑in” for vibes. Where to buy: Aera, Amazon.
Furbo 360° Dog Camera — treat‑tossing nanny cam.
Pan‑tilt HD video, bark alerts and flingable snacks — all in an app. Add the subscription for richer AI alerts and health insights. Where to buy: Furbo, Amazon.
Eight Sleep Pod Cover — water‑cooled bed that learns you.
Dual‑zone cooling/heating (55–110°F), silent alarms and robust sleep analytics in the app — plus new Pod 5 upgrades if you want the surround‑sound, big‑budget version. Where to buy: Eight Sleep.
What It Says About the Connected Economy
When the shower can take dictation and the bird feeder runs computer vision, we’re well past “turn the lights on.” The commercially edgy smart home is less about shiny hubs and more about sneaky, single-purpose gadgets that bind our most analog moments — cooking, sleeping, showering, scooping — to apps, subscriptions, and AI.
Whether that feels convenient or creepy depends on your threshold for letting sensors into your rituals. The majors (Google, Amazon, Apple) have set the stage; the weird stuff is now center stage.
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