Flipping on lights, adjusting a thermostat, and even unlocking a door may be challenging or simply tedious for anyone who has disabilities. Smart-home technology allows some of those everyday tasks to become, well, everyday for everyone. “Technology done right is a real source of righteous dignity and [provides] some really amazing independence,” C4 Database Management’s Todd Stabelfeldt said.
Smart plugs
Smart plugs bless traditional electrical devices with smart controls, yet they are the most straightforward assistive devices around: Plug one into an electrical outlet, pair it with a smartphone, and then connect a table lamp, a fan, or another on/off device to the smart plug. You can now remotely turn your device on or off, or put it on a repeating schedule.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: Smart plugs alleviate the need to physically manipulate switches for devices like table lamps, heaters, and fans, as well as for Christmas lights and other items that may be inconvenient to access. Smart plugs are also less complicated to set up than a traditional timer, which can often have pins and complicated programming.
Why it’s a pick: The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim EP25 has everything you’d want in a single-outlet smart plug: remote control, easy-to-set timers, and scheduling. It’s also compatible with all of the major smart-home platforms for voice control. An extra feature for anyone who’s conservation-minded is that it monitors the energy usage of whatever device is plugged into it.
Smart lighting
Smart LED light bulbs and smart in-wall switches/dimmers make it easy to set up your household lights to run on a Schedule, have them trigger by movement (or even other smart devices), or simply turn lights on and off as needed using a smartphone or voice command.
“The ability to say ‘turn on the light’ or ask ‘what is the state of the lights’ is really an accessibility thing,” said Lucy Greco, accessibility evangelist at UC Berkeley and a smart-home tester who has been blind since birth. “[As a blind person] I don’t know if my lights are on or not. And in the middle of the day, who cares. But at nighttime, my guide dog might care, or the robber coming past the house might think it’s okay to break in because I’m in total darkness.”
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri Shortcuts, Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: One of the reasons we love smart light bulbs is that they dramatically transform and improve any lamp or light fixture with little more effort than it takes to screw in a light bulb. Using app features like Alexa Routines, you can quickly and easily automate your bulbs to enhance convenience as well as to boost home security and peace of mind. For instance, you might use the app to make it so that when someone walks past the camera in your backyard after a certain hour of the day, a bulb inside turns red to alert you.
Why it’s a pick: The WiZ 60W A19 Color LED Smart Bulb is bright enough for reading and other everyday activities, but it also delivers beautiful colors—and it’s cheap enough that you can add smart bulbs all over the house. It also has special effects and includes a Vacation Mode, which will turn the bulb on and off to make it look as if you’re home when you’re not.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: Smart in-wall light switches are a great way to incorporate smart lighting. These devices (which replace existing light switches) allow you to use lighting the old-fashioned way—by touching a wall switch—while still offering all of the remote-control and automation features of smart lighting.
Why it’s a pick: The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch Dimmer KS220 has three buttons for power and dimming. And it can be programmed to react based on how you touch it—so a long press or a double-tap, for example, can set the connected light to a preferred preset dimming level. It also works with all of the major smart-home platforms. And if you don’t need dimming capabilities, we also recommend the slightly less expensive TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch KS200.
Smart thermostats
A smart thermostat can reduce energy consumption while making your home consistently comfortable. These devices are especially ideal for those with mobility, dexterity, and vision issues, who may have difficulty manipulating a thermostat (or simply don’t want to). Some models can be put on a schedule or actually learn your habits and automatically turn on and off, to make everything optimally comfortable yet efficient.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: A smart thermostat boosts the comfort level of your home while also making it more energy-efficient. These devices can be set on automated schedules, if you prefer to micromanage your home. But the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium can be set to adapt to your home automatically, after learning your habits, and then turn on and off only as needed—that way empty rooms aren’t being heated and cooled. Having a voice assistant like Alexa built in means you can control this thermostat and other Alexa-compatible devices by voice, even when you don’t have a smartphone handy (it also works fine without the speaker and microphone turned on).
Why it’s a pick: The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is the only model we’ve tested that considers humidity levels when tweaking the temperature to maximize comfort. It also comes with a remote sensor (and supports up to 32), so you can balance temperatures between rooms that typically get too hot or cold and the rest of the house. It can also be set up with Alexa or Siri so that you can use voice commands to adjust your temperatures.
Smart window shades
Smart window shades and blinds are a godsend for anyone who has mobility or physical limitations. These shades are especially helpful if a dwelling has multiple windows, multiple floors, or windows in hard-to-reach places. Most models can be manually controlled through an app or voice control; they can also be put on a daily schedule, so shades automatically open every morning and close at dusk (or any other time you prefer).
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: For power, Serena shades use disposable batteries (which last three to five years). And they connect to Lutron’s app, so you can manually control them, using a smartphone and voice control (via Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Home), and put them on a schedule. There are no controls on the actual shade, so consider adding a Caséta Pico remote control, which provides phone-free remote control, even during a power outage.
Why it’s a pick: Lutron’s Serena Shades are the most universal, since they work with every major smart-home platform and pretty much every type of window. Each one is measured to fit and then custom-made, so you can choose the size, color, and fabric. To add smart features, you’ll need to pair shades with the Caséta Wireless Smart Bridge, a small device that connects to your router.
Budget pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home
How it helps: With its blackout fabric, IKEA’s Fyrtur shades can darken a room but also help modulate temperature. Instead of having to open and close individual blinds or shades two or more times per day, you can relax since these are automated or scheduled to open or close based on your needs. They can be controlled using an included remote, with the IKEA app, or with any major voice-control platform like Alexa, Google, or Siri.
Why it’s a pick: IKEA’s Fyrtur shades make outfitting multiple windows slightly more affordable, for as little as $130 per window—$300-plus cheaper than the Lutron shades. They provide remote control and scheduling via wireless Zigbee technology (you need to pair them with IKEA’s $70 Dirigera hub) and have a rechargeable battery that should last about four months. However, they come in a limited number of sizes, with gray blackout fabric.
Smart garage-door openers
A smart garage-door controller can be set to open and close your garage automatically whenever you need it to—and it lets you confirm it’s closed when it should be.
Smart garage-door controllers work with most any modern garage-door opener, providing remote control and status checks via a smartphone app or voice control. Using a smartphone platform, such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Home, you can also link a smart garage-door opener with other smart devices. That way you can have repeating automated actions, such as having the garage door open, having the smart thermostat adjust your home’s temperature, and having smart lights turn on inside whenever you arrive home.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Control4, Crestron, Google Home, Home Assistant, Hubitat, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: An auto-close feature can automatically shut your garage door if it’s left open for too long (which you can adjust). You can bypass that option if you’re hanging outside for a short period of time, or just opt for Night Mode, which automatically closes the door at a set time every evening if it has been left open.
Why it’s a pick: The Tailwind iQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Controller combines a hardwired door sensor and geolocation technology to reliably open and close the door automatically whenever you approach or leave your home. It also works with many smart-home platforms, as well as all sorts of existing garage-door openers.
Another option to consider: We’re still looking for an off-the-shelf solution that can remotely open and close the door to your house, as well as doors in and around your home. A few people we spoke with recommended Open Sesame, which is a professionally installed system that we have not tested. “Just opening my damn door is probably one of the most important things in the world for me,” said Mackay, who is an avid outdoorsman. “Just being able to come and go [easily], that is the biggest thing for me.”
Smart sensors
Smart sensors are little gadgets that detect activity or conditions around your home, including movement, temperature, air quality, and the like, and then alert you (or tell other devices to trigger). A contact sensor on your window can notify you if it is opened or closed—and it could also tell a siren to sound. Motion sensors keep tabs on movement in and around your house and could be used to turn lights on or off, or they might trigger a camera or an alarm.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, IFTTT
How it helps: Smart sensors can easily be placed just about anywhere in your home, and depending on their function, they can be an assistant or a sentry. A motion sensor will send an alert whenever it detects movement, whatever direction you point it at, and you can link it with other security-related devices, like an alarm system. But it can also be configured to trigger other non-security devices, making it singularly useful: Set one in the living room, and have the lights come on at night whenever someone enters (and then automatically shut off later). Or have the TV come on when you enter the den.
Why it’s a pick: If you’re planning to get a home security system, such as Ring, SimpliSafe, or Abode, buy the sensors that work with that specific system. Otherwise, the Aqara Motion Sensor P1 is a great all-around option because it works quickly and reliably, and its companion app makes it simple to set up and use. It’s also cheap enough that you can add more than one around the house.
Aqara’s sensors are especially reliable because they rely on Zigbee wireless, which adds range and reliability—so you never have to worry about Wi-Fi dead spots. (This also means you’ll need a hub like the Aqara Smart Hub M2.) Once you have the hub, you can connect additional sensors, including the Aqara Temperature and Humidity Sensor and the Aqara Door and Window Sensor.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT
How it helps: The Aqara Door and Window Sensor sends word whenever something is opened or closed, be it a medicine cabinet, a front door, a basement window, or an attach hatch. When something is opened, it will trigger a smartphone alert, and it can also set off a siren in the Aqara Hub (not included). Because this works with all of the major voice platforms, you can check on status via voice commands, or tie it into other smart-home devices to get visual and audio alerts from smart speakers and smart lights.
Why it’s a pick: The Aqara Door and Window Sensor is one of the smallest and cheapest contact sensors we’ve tested, so it is easier to mount on doors, windows, and drawers. It’s also very reliable, thanks to wireless Zigbee technology (this also requires installing an Aqara Hub, which can support up to 128 sensors).
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Flipping on lights, adjusting a thermostat, and even unlocking a door may be challenging or simply tedious for anyone who has disabilities. Smart-home technology allows some of those everyday tasks to become, well, everyday for everyone. “Technology done right is a real source of righteous dignity and [provides] some really amazing independence,” C4 Database Management’s Todd Stabelfeldt said.
Smart plugs
Smart plugs bless traditional electrical devices with smart controls, yet they are the most straightforward assistive devices around: Plug one into an electrical outlet, pair it with a smartphone, and then connect a table lamp, a fan, or another on/off device to the smart plug. You can now remotely turn your device on or off, or put it on a repeating schedule.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: Smart plugs alleviate the need to physically manipulate switches for devices like table lamps, heaters, and fans, as well as for Christmas lights and other items that may be inconvenient to access. Smart plugs are also less complicated to set up than a traditional timer, which can often have pins and complicated programming.
Why it’s a pick: The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim EP25 has everything you’d want in a single-outlet smart plug: remote control, easy-to-set timers, and scheduling. It’s also compatible with all of the major smart-home platforms for voice control. An extra feature for anyone who’s conservation-minded is that it monitors the energy usage of whatever device is plugged into it.
Smart lighting
Smart LED light bulbs and smart in-wall switches/dimmers make it easy to set up your household lights to run on a Schedule, have them trigger by movement (or even other smart devices), or simply turn lights on and off as needed using a smartphone or voice command.
“The ability to say ‘turn on the light’ or ask ‘what is the state of the lights’ is really an accessibility thing,” said Lucy Greco, accessibility evangelist at UC Berkeley and a smart-home tester who has been blind since birth. “[As a blind person] I don’t know if my lights are on or not. And in the middle of the day, who cares. But at nighttime, my guide dog might care, or the robber coming past the house might think it’s okay to break in because I’m in total darkness.”
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Siri Shortcuts, Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: One of the reasons we love smart light bulbs is that they dramatically transform and improve any lamp or light fixture with little more effort than it takes to screw in a light bulb. Using app features like Alexa Routines, you can quickly and easily automate your bulbs to enhance convenience as well as to boost home security and peace of mind. For instance, you might use the app to make it so that when someone walks past the camera in your backyard after a certain hour of the day, a bulb inside turns red to alert you.
Why it’s a pick: The WiZ 60W A19 Color LED Smart Bulb is bright enough for reading and other everyday activities, but it also delivers beautiful colors—and it’s cheap enough that you can add smart bulbs all over the house. It also has special effects and includes a Vacation Mode, which will turn the bulb on and off to make it look as if you’re home when you’re not.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: Smart in-wall light switches are a great way to incorporate smart lighting. These devices (which replace existing light switches) allow you to use lighting the old-fashioned way—by touching a wall switch—while still offering all of the remote-control and automation features of smart lighting.
Why it’s a pick: The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch Dimmer KS220 has three buttons for power and dimming. And it can be programmed to react based on how you touch it—so a long press or a double-tap, for example, can set the connected light to a preferred preset dimming level. It also works with all of the major smart-home platforms. And if you don’t need dimming capabilities, we also recommend the slightly less expensive TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Light Switch KS200.
Smart thermostats
A smart thermostat can reduce energy consumption while making your home consistently comfortable. These devices are especially ideal for those with mobility, dexterity, and vision issues, who may have difficulty manipulating a thermostat (or simply don’t want to). Some models can be put on a schedule or actually learn your habits and automatically turn on and off, to make everything optimally comfortable yet efficient.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: A smart thermostat boosts the comfort level of your home while also making it more energy-efficient. These devices can be set on automated schedules, if you prefer to micromanage your home. But the Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium can be set to adapt to your home automatically, after learning your habits, and then turn on and off only as needed—that way empty rooms aren’t being heated and cooled. Having a voice assistant like Alexa built in means you can control this thermostat and other Alexa-compatible devices by voice, even when you don’t have a smartphone handy (it also works fine without the speaker and microphone turned on).
Why it’s a pick: The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is the only model we’ve tested that considers humidity levels when tweaking the temperature to maximize comfort. It also comes with a remote sensor (and supports up to 32), so you can balance temperatures between rooms that typically get too hot or cold and the rest of the house. It can also be set up with Alexa or Siri so that you can use voice commands to adjust your temperatures.
Smart window shades
Smart window shades and blinds are a godsend for anyone who has mobility or physical limitations. These shades are especially helpful if a dwelling has multiple windows, multiple floors, or windows in hard-to-reach places. Most models can be manually controlled through an app or voice control; they can also be put on a daily schedule, so shades automatically open every morning and close at dusk (or any other time you prefer).
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: For power, Serena shades use disposable batteries (which last three to five years). And they connect to Lutron’s app, so you can manually control them, using a smartphone and voice control (via Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Home), and put them on a schedule. There are no controls on the actual shade, so consider adding a Caséta Pico remote control, which provides phone-free remote control, even during a power outage.
Why it’s a pick: Lutron’s Serena Shades are the most universal, since they work with every major smart-home platform and pretty much every type of window. Each one is measured to fit and then custom-made, so you can choose the size, color, and fabric. To add smart features, you’ll need to pair shades with the Caséta Wireless Smart Bridge, a small device that connects to your router.
Budget pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home
How it helps: With its blackout fabric, IKEA’s Fyrtur shades can darken a room but also help modulate temperature. Instead of having to open and close individual blinds or shades two or more times per day, you can relax since these are automated or scheduled to open or close based on your needs. They can be controlled using an included remote, with the IKEA app, or with any major voice-control platform like Alexa, Google, or Siri.
Why it’s a pick: IKEA’s Fyrtur shades make outfitting multiple windows slightly more affordable, for as little as $130 per window—$300-plus cheaper than the Lutron shades. They provide remote control and scheduling via wireless Zigbee technology (you need to pair them with IKEA’s $70 Dirigera hub) and have a rechargeable battery that should last about four months. However, they come in a limited number of sizes, with gray blackout fabric.
Smart garage-door openers
A smart garage-door controller can be set to open and close your garage automatically whenever you need it to—and it lets you confirm it’s closed when it should be.
Smart garage-door controllers work with most any modern garage-door opener, providing remote control and status checks via a smartphone app or voice control. Using a smartphone platform, such as Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Home, you can also link a smart garage-door opener with other smart devices. That way you can have repeating automated actions, such as having the garage door open, having the smart thermostat adjust your home’s temperature, and having smart lights turn on inside whenever you arrive home.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Control4, Crestron, Google Home, Home Assistant, Hubitat, IFTTT, Samsung SmartThings
How it helps: An auto-close feature can automatically shut your garage door if it’s left open for too long (which you can adjust). You can bypass that option if you’re hanging outside for a short period of time, or just opt for Night Mode, which automatically closes the door at a set time every evening if it has been left open.
Why it’s a pick: The Tailwind iQ3 Smart Automatic Garage Controller combines a hardwired door sensor and geolocation technology to reliably open and close the door automatically whenever you approach or leave your home. It also works with many smart-home platforms, as well as all sorts of existing garage-door openers.
Another option to consider: We’re still looking for an off-the-shelf solution that can remotely open and close the door to your house, as well as doors in and around your home. A few people we spoke with recommended Open Sesame, which is a professionally installed system that we have not tested. “Just opening my damn door is probably one of the most important things in the world for me,” said Mackay, who is an avid outdoorsman. “Just being able to come and go [easily], that is the biggest thing for me.”
Smart sensors
Smart sensors are little gadgets that detect activity or conditions around your home, including movement, temperature, air quality, and the like, and then alert you (or tell other devices to trigger). A contact sensor on your window can notify you if it is opened or closed—and it could also tell a siren to sound. Motion sensors keep tabs on movement in and around your house and could be used to turn lights on or off, or they might trigger a camera or an alarm.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, IFTTT
How it helps: Smart sensors can easily be placed just about anywhere in your home, and depending on their function, they can be an assistant or a sentry. A motion sensor will send an alert whenever it detects movement, whatever direction you point it at, and you can link it with other security-related devices, like an alarm system. But it can also be configured to trigger other non-security devices, making it singularly useful: Set one in the living room, and have the lights come on at night whenever someone enters (and then automatically shut off later). Or have the TV come on when you enter the den.
Why it’s a pick: If you’re planning to get a home security system, such as Ring, SimpliSafe, or Abode, buy the sensors that work with that specific system. Otherwise, the Aqara Motion Sensor P1 is a great all-around option because it works quickly and reliably, and its companion app makes it simple to set up and use. It’s also cheap enough that you can add more than one around the house.
Aqara’s sensors are especially reliable because they rely on Zigbee wireless, which adds range and reliability—so you never have to worry about Wi-Fi dead spots. (This also means you’ll need a hub like the Aqara Smart Hub M2.) Once you have the hub, you can connect additional sensors, including the Aqara Temperature and Humidity Sensor and the Aqara Door and Window Sensor.
Top pick
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, IFTTT
How it helps: The Aqara Door and Window Sensor sends word whenever something is opened or closed, be it a medicine cabinet, a front door, a basement window, or an attach hatch. When something is opened, it will trigger a smartphone alert, and it can also set off a siren in the Aqara Hub (not included). Because this works with all of the major voice platforms, you can check on status via voice commands, or tie it into other smart-home devices to get visual and audio alerts from smart speakers and smart lights.
Why it’s a pick: The Aqara Door and Window Sensor is one of the smallest and cheapest contact sensors we’ve tested, so it is easier to mount on doors, windows, and drawers. It’s also very reliable, thanks to wireless Zigbee technology (this also requires installing an Aqara Hub, which can support up to 128 sensors).
The Best Smart Assistive Devices for People With Disabilities
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