Moving house

Set the router up where the broadband line comes in, then check the signal in each room with a phone. If a far bedroom or the attic drops out, the Deco M4 2-pack is made for a house where the router alone leaves a dead spot, and a 3-pack spreads further. On the Deco X1500, a phone moves from the kitchen to the attic without dropping a call or changing network. Each Deco M4 and X1500 unit also has two gigabit ports, so a TV or desktop near any unit can be wired in.

Routers and range extenders

Our doorbell buying guide puts it plainly: free local storage on a microSD card, or a cloud subscription with an ongoing cost. The Tapo TD20 records clips to a microSD card. The eufy C31 takes microSD cards up to 128 GB and comes with the Chime 2. The eufy E340 keeps footage in local storage with no monthly subscription, and can use an existing mechanical chime, a HomeBase or an Echo as its chime.

Security devices

A fridge, freezer or tumble dryer left behind by the last owner is hard to judge by eye. Put a Tapo P110 between it and the socket and the Tapo app reports what it draws, so you can watch it for a week before deciding whether to keep it. Each P110 takes up to 13A and 2990 W, and has a physical button on the front for when the phone is in another room. The 2-pack and 4-pack cover several appliances at once.

Smart plugs · Smart home starter guide

Until the furniture settles, a dock screwed to a wall may end up in the wrong place. The Shark Freestyle Max charges on a freestanding dock, so there is no drilling and it moves rooms with the vacuum. The Shark PowerDetect Pet Pro empties itself into a Clean & Empty base that holds up to 30 days of dirt, and needs floor space for it. The Bosch Unlimited 6 hangs on a wall-mounted dock, and its interchangeable Power for ALL battery swaps out to extend the run.

Cordless vacuums · Cordless vs corded vacuum