5 Smart Devices Perfect for People Who Live Alone

We found the best smart home goodies for folks who live alone—many integrate with smart home hubs.
Best video doorbell
Nest Doorbell Battery
Nest Doorbell (Battery)
  • pro
    Works with Google Home
  • con
    Doesn't work with Alexa
  • con
    Doesn't work with HomeKit
Best smart light switch
Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit
Lutron Caseta
  • pro
    Works with Google Home
  • pro
    Works with Alexa
  • pro
    Works with HomeKit
Best smart pet food dispenser
WellToBe Automatic Feeder
WellToBe Automatic Feeder
  • con
    Doesn't work with Google Home
  • con
    Doesn't work with Alexa
  • con
    Doesn't work with HomeKit
Best smart plug
Wemo Smart Plug
Wemo Smart Plug
  • pro
    Works with Google Home
  • pro
    Works with Alexa
  • pro
    Works with HomeKit
Best smart slow cooker
Crock-Pot WeMo Smart Wi-Fi Enabled Slow Cooker
Alexa-enabled Crock-Pot
  • con
    Doesn't work with Google Home
  • pro
    Works with Alexa
  • con
    Doesn't work with HomeKit

SafeWise experts have years of firsthand experience testing the products we recommend. Learn how we test and review

Smart products can play a huge role in your safety while living alone—and they can make everyday tasks more convenient and fun.

If you live by yourself, take a look at these smart home technologies. We’ve found five great gadgets that let you do everything from turn off your appliances to feed your pets—all from your connected device.



1. Nest Doorbell (Battery): Smart video doorbell

Best overall
Nest Doorbell Battery

Info current as of post date. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Seeing who is at your front door before you open it can give you valuable peace of mind, particularly when you live alone.

The Nest Doorbell is a battery-powered smart doorbell that lets you see, hear, and talk with your visitor via your smartphone—whether you are at home or away. It's motion-activated, so even if someone doesn’t ring the doorbell you’ll know they are there.

pro
Pros
pro Free cloud recording
pro Smart motion detection
pro Battery or wired options
con
Cons
con Above-average price

The Nest Doorbell comes with free video recording, which is a rarity in the industry. 

Learn more in our full Nest Doorbell review.

2. Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit: Smart light switch

Best smart light switch
Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit

Amazon.com list price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

When connected to the Lutron Caseta app, the Lutron Light Switch allows you to use your smartphone to manage your home’s lighting. Among other benefits, this means you can turn on lights remotely so you don’t come home to a dark house, create the illusion that someone is home with you, or make it seem as though your home is occupied when you’re away.

pro
Pros
pro Dimming remote included
pro Works with Alexa, Google, and HomeKit
pro Works with existing wires
con
Cons
con Limited IFTTT functionality

View other options in our review of the best smart light switches.

3. WellToBe Automatic Cat Feeder: Smart pet food dispenser

Automatic cat feeder
WellToBe Automatic Feeder

Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Pets can be wonderful companions, but ensuring they get fed on time can be tricky when you live by yourself. Fortunately, there’s WellToBe Automatic Feeder—a smart pet feeder that dispenses everything from food and treats to medicine. With WellToBe you can use your smartphone to schedule your pet’s feedings in advance and send a little voice message to your animal when it's time to eat. 

pro
Pros
pro Holds 3.5 lbs. of cat food
pro Compatible with iOS and Android
pro Programmable schedules
pro Battery backup
con
Cons
con Batteries not included

4. Wemo Smart Plug: Best app-controlled outlet

Best smart plug
Wemo Smart Plug

Amazon.com price as of post date. Read full disclaimer.

Leaving the house and forgetting to turn an appliance off wastes energy—and it’s potentially dangerous. If you live by yourself, there’s no household member to correct the problem, which is one reason to consider getting the Wemo Smart Plug

pro
Pros
pro Works with Alexa, Google, and HomeKit
pro Programmable schedules
pro Compact design
con
Cons
con No energy monitoring

It’s a smart plug or remote control electrical outlet that allows you to control small appliances via your smartphone or tablet, from an Insteon keypad or remote, or even from an Apple Watch. With the Wemo Smart Plug, you can do things like create schedules for your small appliances and receive alerts about outlet use.

5. Alexa-enabled Crock-Pot: Smart slow cooker

Smart slow cooker

Cooking for one can be a hassle, but not with the Alexa-enabled Crock-Pot Programmable Slow Cooker. This state-of-the-art slow cooker syncs with your Alexa app and prepares an amazing meal while you’re at work. 

pro
Pros
pro Voice control through Amazon Alexa
pro Adjustable cook times
pro Temperature control
pro 6 quart capacity
pro Dishwasher safe insert and lid
con
Cons
con Spotty Alexa connectivity possible

Using your smartphone, you can monitor cooking time, adjust the slow cooker’s temperature, and turn it on or off. When your food is cooked, the Crock-Pot sends you a notification and automatically switches to the warm setting to keep your meal at serving temperature until you get home.

Read our guide to building a smart kitchen for more gadgets like this.

Final word

Living alone can be safer, more convenient, and more fun when you integrate one or more of these smart devices into your home. For additional security, consider getting a monitored home security system.

How we reviewed the best smart devices for people living alone

We looked for devices that solved common problems faced by people who live alone and that integrated with multiple smart home hubs. Although affordability is always important, we stuck with the best-of-the-best for this roundup, even if that meant recommending products that were a little pricey.

Link to SafeWise methodology page.

Related articles on SafeWise


Disclaimers

*Product prices and availability are accurate as of post date and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product. Safewise.com utilizes paid Amazon links.

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon. This content is provided “as is” and is subject to change or removal at any time.

Google, Nest, and other related marks are trademarks of Google LLC.

Alexia Chianis
Written by
Alexia Chianis
Wanderlust junky and mom of two, Alexia is a former police officer and U.S. Army Captain who draws on her experiences to write about a myriad of safety topics.

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