Futuristic gadgets to turn your house into a sci-fi home
The future is always a second away but these gadgets will make it feel like you’re already there
That sci-fi home you dreamed of is now a reality…
It wasn’t long ago that AI companions, robot butlers and voice-controlled lights were the stuff of sci-fi.
But now there are stacks of gadgets that are so advanced they’ll make you feel like you’re already living in the future.
Here’s our pick of the most futuristic tech you can buy today.
1. Ring 2
In the future there will be no knock knock jokes because everyone will have a video doorbell like the Ring 2.
The Ring links to an app on your phone, meaning that every time there’s someone at your door you can see who it is, and speak to them. It even works if you’re not at home.
2. Philips Hue
Being able to control your lights from your phone is cool enough as it is, but throw in voice control via Alexa or Siri, colour-changing skills and optional motion sensors, and Philips’ Hue system is a one-stop futurist shop.
3. Amazon Echo Dot
A tiny black box that contains the answers to any question you care to ask? What could be more futuristic than that?
How about one that can also control your smart home kit and is controlled entirely by your voice? Hook the Dot up to a Bluetooth speaker or Sonos and it’ll play at being your DJ too.
4. Appkettle
When kitchen appliances started to get smart, nobody expected the humble kettle to be so near the front of the queue.
This connected H20 heater, however, can be controlled via an app that shows you how full it is and even lets you set boiling schedules.
Actually, given how important our morning cuppa is to us, we’re delighted this exists.
5. Netatmo Welcome
Netatmo’s Welcome is a robotic eye that monitors who walks through your front door and notifies you if someone it doesn’t recognise arrives.
It’ll also alert you if it hears a smoke or security alarm going off, which is nice.
6. Neato Botvac D7 Connected
If the future doesn’t make chores extinct then we’ve let ourselves down as a race.
Neato’s Botvac D7 is halfway there, keeping your carpets clean without requiring you to lift a finger. The most you’ll have to do is use Alexa to tell it to get sucking.
Buy the Neato Botvac D7 Connected here
7. Smarter FridgeCam
Not just useful for checking whether you’ve got any beers left without having to get up from the sofa, Smarter’s FridgeCam means you’ll always know what you need to buy, even if you’re standing with your phone in your hand in the supermarket.
Buy the Smarter FridgeCam here
8. Ikea Riggad
Considering how far mobile phones have come in the past 10 years, the fact that some of them still need plugging in to charge is just ridiculous.
If yours is capable of wireless charging, Ikea’s Riggad lamp will juice it up just by plonking it on the plinth at the bottom.
9. Nest Protect
Smoke alarms have a tendency to go off just because you’ve forgotten about the sausages you’ve got under the grill, but Nest’s Protect can tell the difference between a proper fire and some bad cooking.
What’s more, if you’re not home when it goes off it’ll send a notification to your phone rather than just screeching at nobody in particular.
10. Yale Conexis L1
Keys have been around for about 6000 years, so isn’t it about time we had something better?
Yale’s Conexis L1 lets you use your phone to unlock it, plus you can send temporary virtual keys to people so they can get in when you’re not home.
11. Amazon Echo Show
Video phones have been a big part of sci-fi for years and Amazon’s Echo Show finally makes them a reality.
You can use it to hold video chats with other Show owners, or anyone who has the Alexa app on their phone, plus access all the other usual voice-activated Echo stuff.
12. Furbo
It’s not quite a robo-pet, but the Furbo is like having a robot for your pet.
Its built-in camera allows you to see and talk to your hound when you’re not home, plus an onboard treat dispenser chucks out biscuits when they’ve been a good dog.
13. Smarter Coffee Machine
Baristas, beware! In the future your craft will be replaced by a coffee machine with a companion app.
Get a taste of robot-brewed coffee with Smarter’s Wi-Fi coffee machine, which allows you to choose your brew from bed and have it ready when you finally get up.
Buy the Smarter Coffee Machine here
14. Parrot Pot
Who needs a robot butler when your plants can water themselves?
Stick them in a Parrot Pot and built-in sensors monitor how thirsty they are, topping up the soil from an onboard reservoir. Just don’t forget to keep that topped up…
15. Nokia Body Cardio
You might not think having inanimate objects tell you you’ve put on weight is much of a step forward, but at least smart scales can help you do something about it.
Nokia’s Body Cardio scales also measure your pulse wave velocity, which is a good indication of how healthy your heart is.
Buy the Nokia Body Cardio here
16. Foreo Issa Hybrid
So sci-fi it’s actually been featured in the new series of Star Trek on Netflix, Foreo’s Issa Hybrid toothbrush cleans your gob using sonic pulses and a combination of silicone and polymer bristles.
Buy the Foreo Issa Hybrid here
17. Netgear Arlo Pro
CCTV isn’t exactly a new idea but when the camera’s weatherproof, completely wireless and as small as Netgear’s Arlo Pro, it starts to feel pretty damn futuristic.
It’s activated by sound or movement, so only proper ninjas will be able to outsmart it.
18. Sonos One
If Sonos’s multiroom system wasn’t futuristic enough, along comes Alexa support to make it even better, meaning your various Sonos products can now be controlled using just your voice. Expect cries of "Alexa get that Justin Bieber off my stereo!" to be heard around the world immediately.
As you’d expect from such renowned audio experts, the Sonos One also sounds better than other Alexa-powered speakers.
19. Nest
Not only does Nest look like it’s a thermostat sent back from the future, it behaves like one too, learning the patterns of your life and adjusting itself accordingly.
All of which means that when the robots do take over, at least we’ll all be warm.
