This article was taken from the June 2015 issue of WIRED magazine. Be the first to read WIRED's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content by subscribing online.
In addition to easily adjusting the temperature, this smart thermostat logs your energy usage, presenting the data in a user-friendly format and predicting your settings. Through the companion app you can monitor or adjust your central heating remotely -- which should rein in your monthly bill. £179 (stand £29)
This WiFi-enabled sensor can report loud noises, smoke and excess humidity while you're out. It can also check on rowdy children: if Minut Point detects prolonged noise, it will message your smartphone and glow orange as a signal to your babysitter to turn the volume down.€99
By considering the time of day, who is in the room and what their music preferences are, this add-on for your hi-fi always knows what track to play. So long as each person has a Prizm profile, the music from Spotify, Deezer and SoundCloud will be to somebody's taste. (Released in October) $139
Each one of these 20cm-wide speakers contains a 160W amplifier and WLAN module, so all you need to add is a smartphone running Raumfeld's app to hear your playlists or stream from Spotify. Together with the slave unit, these concentric drivers deliver harmonious, room-filling stereo sound. £399.99
Thanks to a helpful companion app and integrated WiFi, this smart air-con unit has the sense to switch off when you leave the house, and on when you approach. It's triggered by the proximity of your phone via the Wink app, which can also track your energy usage to help you reduce your bills. $279
Face-recognition software lets this cylindrical security camera greet you by name when you get home -- and perhaps more usefully, tell you who's there when you're not. Familiar faces that enter its 130-degree field of view are logged by the smartphone app; a stranger will trigger an alert and their video will be recorded on to an SD card. £169
Mother is a Wi-Fi hub for sensors called Motion Cookies. These can track a variety of objects via the Sen.se smartphone app -- ranging from a toothbrush (to log brushing times), a medicine bottle (to schedule medication), or to send notification when a child gets home. Data is fed back via WiFi to Mother. €290
The simple exterior of this bottle hides a USB-powered ultrasonic nebuliser that gradually releases 430ml of water vapour into the room. The power cuts automatically when the reservoir runs dry and you can view the operating status at a glance, depending on the brightness of a display LED.£58
Hang your dirty and delicate clothing in this laundry device and it will emerge refreshed, de-wrinkled and ready to wear in just ten minutes. Using a fine mist and a small detergent pod to cleanse and relax the fabric, it aims to reduce the weekly volume of washing, ironing and dry cleaning. $499
This article was originally published by WIRED UK
