Clever Tech: 18 Smart Gadgets That Will Make Your Life Easier
Not all tech is useful. Don’t get us wrong, we’re big fans of it all – from sports car-branded Bluetooth speaker collaborations to smart tables – but desirable doesn’t always mean functional. That’s what led us to put this collection of smart tech together.
Not only are the items on this list extremely lustworthy, they’re also genuinely useful and highlight how far we’ve come technology-wise. From robot vacuum cleaners to pocket translators, each and every one will make your life that little bit better.
Pocketalk Translator
You can keep kidding yourself that you’re going to prepare for your post-Covid holiday by hammering Duolingo on the bus or you can just get yourself a two-way translating device and be done with it.
Promising confident communication in over 100 countries worldwide, the PocketTalk translator offers the most accurate real time translations whilst regularly updating itself thanks to cloud technology.
Apple Watch Series 6
It’s funny to see a product release that’s so ahead of its time that it just goes straight over everyone’s head. Google glass will no doubt make a comeback one day but it’s easy to forget that the original Apple Watch was widely panned.
Now it’s genuinely essential thanks to its advanced health tracking capabilities, GPS mapping, personal assistant, Apple Pay, iPhone connectivity and more. You name it, it does it.
Philips Hue Light
More a collection than one individual product, Philips Hue is a smart light system that can be controlled from your phone.
A range of fixtures and fittings will completely transform your home lighting via a wealth of colours and settings, with the added bonus of being able to schedule your lighting away from home for security purposes and adjust a room’s ambience to aid relaxation.
Hoover Vision Smart Oven
What makes an oven smart, you say? Well, the Hoover Vision has a touchscreen for easy adjustment of settings, a built-in HD camera so you can see the state of your cooking without opening the door and a handy app that brings everything together.
There’s a high chance you’ll never burn anything ever again and your cooking will significantly improve too.
Anova Precision Cooker
So you’ve watched Masterchef and you keep seeing all these fancy dishes which require a water bath. Anova have got your sous vide dreams covered with their smart precision cooker. Simply attach it to your pan of water, bag up your food and let the smartphone compatible app help you cook at precise temperatures for perfect meat every time.
iRobot Roomba s9+
We’ll put our hands up and admit it: when the Roomba first launched we never thought it would take off. Years later and we’ve been converted. A robot that effectively does one of the most tedious chores. It hoovers perfectly, gets into the places you need it to and is able to do the whole thing automatically when you’re not around.
iRobot Braava Jet M6
Even better. The Roomba of mopping floors. Complete with specialised dry sweeping and wet mopping pads, the Braava is an extremely useful robot companion for keeping your non-carpeted floors fresh and clean. Our kitchen wouldn’t be without one these days.
Tanita RD-545 Connected Segmental Body Composition Monitor Scales
If you want a medical-grade set of scales that will do more than just a weight check, look no further. With wireless smartphone connection and a top-of-the-range app, these scales have over 20 in-built body composition measurements allowing you to track every aspect of your fitness and lifestyle.
August Smart Lock Pro
Smart homes need smart locks. It’s as simple as that. Market leader August do a nifty smart option with keypad connectivity and a mere 10 minute installation time. The associated lock allows for instant access and locking controls, guest passes, and even lets you know who’s been and gone.
Tile Mate
We’re quite good at Ape when it comes to not losing things but if we did, Tile Bluetooth trackers would be top of our list. Not only do they work for hunting down lost keys but with a quick squeeze of the fob they’ll make your phone ring, even if it’s on silent, to help you find it quicker.
Pictar Smart Grip
More on the novelty side here but if you’re required to do a lot of iPhone photography, be it for work or play, this handy camera extension is amazing. Multiple capture settings can be accessed through on-board buttons and there’s connection options for a tripod and hot shoe. Time to put that state-of-the-art smartphone camera to proper use.
Horwin GT Slider 350w e-Scooter
If you want to get somewhere in a hurry but don’t fancy public transport (especially during lockdown), an e-Scooter might be just the thing. The Horwin GT Slider is a practical foldable option that boasts a comfortable ride thanks to its high-quality suspension and air tyres, as well as speedy acceleration and extra grip thanks to a non-slip platform.
Steamery Cirrus No 2 Travel Steamer
Gadgets don’t have to be app compatible for them to be essential. Honestly, if you go to just one wedding abroad in your lifetime, this will pay for itself. Heating up in 25 seconds and weighing in at a mere 590 grams, with accessories for different fabrics, this handy steamer will leave your clothes, fresh, neat and looking good – wherever you are.
Silentmode Powermask
The king of all sleep masks. What looks a bit brutal in the photos is more than likely going to dramatically improve your sleep. Scientifically proven to lower your heart rate and train your mind and body to relax, the memory foam mask also has Bluetooth connectivity for listening to music and meditation sounds.
LARQ Self-Cleaning Bottle
LARQ Purifying Water Bottle, 500ml
Not using plastic water bottles is all well and good but even the sleekest metal water bottles develop that horrid musty smell after a while. At a time when personal hygiene is more important than ever, the LARQ self-cleaning bottle is an extremely useful and futuristic piece of kit.
Masterlock Biometric Padlock
The future is here and it doesn’t require you to remember stupid four-digit codes. Whether you’re protecting the garden shed or your gear at the gym, this handy and extremely robust fingerprint lock can store up to 10 prints and has a directional lock just in case you lose your fingers.
Steamery Pilo Fabric Shaver
Gentle, stylish and removes lint and pilling from a variety of woollen and other fabric garments, the Steamery Pilo Fabric Shaver is USB chargeable and easy to stash away. A shrewd investment for keeping your garments looking their best.
Click And Grow Smart Garden
The need for a Click and Grow Smart Garden is simple: sprinkling herbs on food lifts the meal. You could be serving the most basic of slop but stick a bit of coriander on top and you look like a pro. All those little bags and leftover supermarket plants are wasteful though.
The solution is simple: add pods and water, plug it in and stick the garden of the future on your kitchen counter. You’ll never buy herbs again.
