All controlled via an app on your iOS or Android-powered devices, these gizmos will bring fun and functionality into your home
LOGITECH HARMONY ULTIMATE SMART UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL
With multiple entertainment devices at home comes one perennial pain – losing any of their remote controllers. This touchscreen device offers access to up to 15 of your devices, controlling them all, whether behind a cupboard door or out on display. Download the Harmony app and select from 50 icons on your smartphone screen to take further control of your gadgetry. £159.95
NEST BATTERY AND MAINS POWERED LEARNING THERMOSTAT
Time to rethink your home heating, this Nest system creates a personalised schedule for your home and eliminates the need for a programmer. It also gives you the tools you need to save energy and, by learning from your schedule and programming itself, turns down the heat when you’re away. The app lets you control your heating remotely and shows you how much heat you’ve used over the last 10 days and sends a monthly report to track energy use. £179.99
BELKIN WEMO INSIGHT SWITCH
Control just about any piece of electrical equipment in your home with this gadget that also allows you to monitor your energy consumption. Turn plugged-in devices on and off remotely, set schedules based on your routine or set the timer to sunrise/sunset. The WeMo app is both iOS and Android compatible, will tell you if you’ve left something on for a while and, by setting up notification levels on the app, will let you know the device’s energy consumption and what it’s costing you. £49.99
iKETTLE
Set this one to alarm function and it’ll wake you via your smartphone telling you it’s all boiled and ready to pour. It also has several heat settings to create the ideal temperature for your chosen brew and can be set so it’s ready when you walk in the door. A superb bean-to-cup coffee maker is also available from this brand. £99.99
MOTHER
Looking like a plain Russian doll, this multi-tasking gadget tracks your family’s daily life: it’s a fitness tracker, statistics keeper, security system and life coach all rolled into one. By capturing individual movements and actions of each person, this data is fed back to the main unit and is all visible on the smartphone app. From reminding someone to take medicine and visualising your night’s sleep to protecting your home from intruders, this is one very smart piece of kit. £249.99