WIRED has refreshed its 2026 guide to outdoor smart home gear, with a familiar constraint for anyone who does not want the front of the house to look like a Best Buy endcap: the device has to be useful without being ugly.
The July 2026 update adds Beatbot’s AquaSense 2 robotic pool cleaner for homes where a pool is visible from outside, and WIRED says it also checked current links and prices. The publication discloses that its editors independently select featured products, while it may receive compensation from retailer links or purchases.
The smart lock pick hides most of the smart part
For door access, WIRED highlights Level’s Lock Pro, a $349 full lock replacement. The pitch here is restraint. According to WIRED, the lock keeps the outside of the door looking close to a conventional deadbolt, while the interior hardware avoids the oversized battery-box look common on smart locks.
The Level Lock Pro supports NFC, Apple Home Key, Matter compatibility and long battery life, according to WIRED. Remote control requires Level’s Connect Wi-Fi Bridge, listed at $79. Level also sells a bundle with keypad and bridge for $507.
Google gets the doorbell slot
WIRED names Google’s Nest Doorbell, wired third-generation model, as its style pick among video doorbells. The device is still visibly a camera doorbell, because physics and visitors exist, but WIRED says its shape and available finishes make it less visually clumsy than bulkier alternatives such as Ring’s cameras.
The wired Nest Doorbell is listed at $180 through Google and Best Buy, with sale prices shown as $152 at Amazon and $140 at Walmart. WIRED says it tested the battery version, which needs recharging every couple of weeks, while the wired version is its top recommendation in its separate video doorbell guide.
Birdfy’s Nest Duo turns nesting into a camera feed
For birdwatching, WIRED points to Birdfy’s Nest Duo, a smart birdhouse priced at $257 on Amazon, down from $320. WIRED bird-gear tester Kat Merck recommends it as a way to watch birds inside a nesting box rather than letting them move into less convenient spots, such as a front-door wreath.
The Nest Duo includes two solar-powered cameras: one aimed at the entrance and another looking inside. WIRED says it also ships with multiple entrance-hole sizes for different species, metal predator guards to reduce chewing around the opening, and a remote control for resetting or recharging the camera without disturbing the birds.
Outdoor lighting gets Matter, color and size caveats
WIRED’s lighting picks include Govee Outdoor Clear Bulb String Lights, listed at $90 from Govee and $85 for a 48-foot version at Amazon. The lights support Matter and can display colors and shades of white, according to WIRED.
For existing outdoor fixtures, WIRED recommends checking outdoor ratings before using smart bulbs outside. Its example is Cync’s Smart LED Light Bulb in PAR38 format, sold as a two-pack for $35 on Amazon, down from $45. WIRED notes that PAR38 bulbs are large, about 4.75 inches across, so they fit better in downward-facing floodlights than in many wall fixtures.
Pool and garage gear round out the list
Beatbot’s AquaSense 2 is the new pool entry. WIRED reviewer Christopher Null calls it a strong sub-$1,000 option. The cleaner is listed at $749 from Beatbot and Amazon, down from $1,298. WIRED says it offers three cleaning modes, runs for four hours, scrubs floors, walls and the waterline, and returns to its dock for wireless charging.
The garage picks come from Chamberlain: the MyQ Smart Garage Controller, listed at $50 on Amazon, and the MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener with integrated camera, listed at $249 at Lowe’s, down from $280. Those are the least decorative products in the group, but at least they live in the garage, where aesthetics already lost the war years ago.
This story draws on original reporting from WIRED.
