Black Friday 2021 smart home tech deals: speakers, cameras, robots, and more

There is never a better time to dive into the smart home than Black Friday and its close cousin Cyber Monday. Traditionally, tech deals on home gadgets are huge this time of year, plus, it’s the only time you’ll find real bargains on gear from some of the smaller companies, such as Eve, Level, and Nanoleaf.

Whether you’re thinking about dipping a toe into this home automation shindig with a smart speaker or maybe a connected door lock, or want to bolster an already impressive smart home setup, it’s worth investing some cash this holiday season.

Also, if you just want to upgrade your home cleaning routine or have a way to check in on Fido now that you’re back at work (the separation anxiety is real), this is a good time to get a great bargain on smart cameras, robot vacuums, and even a smart mop. Here’s our roundup of the best deals on smart home gear you can buy right now.

Looking for more Black Friday deals? Be sure to check out our continuously updated roundup of all the best early Black Friday sales.

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Mesh Wi-Fi router deals

The foundation of any smart home is good Wi-Fi, and if you’re looking to start out or are having trouble with connections in your home, a mesh Wi-Fi router is the way to go.

Google Nest Wifi 3 pack

• $249
• $349
• 29% off

A Google Nest Wifi 3 pack comes with one router and two points and can cover a home of up to 5,400 square feet, and the points double as Nest smart speakers.

• Google has discounted its Nest Wifi mesh networking system this week. Save $100 off a router and two points (now $249, regularly $349), both of which also double as Google Nest smart speakers. You can currently pick up these deals at Walmart, Best Buy and Google’s own store. Read our review of Google Nest Wifi.

Image: Wyze

Smart speakers and thermostat deals

• Amazon’s stalwart Echo Dot smart speaker third-gen can be had at Amazon for just $20 right now, down from $40, a great deal on a still good speaker to control your smart home.
• The spherical Echo fourth-gen with the built-in Zigbee smart home hub (which Amazon has also committed to upgrading to Matter) is now also almost half price at Amazon, $59.99 compared to $99.99. Read our Echo fourth-gen review.

Echo smart speaker (fourth-gen)

• $60
• $100
• 41% off

The newest spherical smart speaker from Amazon packs in powerful sounds with some serious smart home chops.

• For an Alexa-powered smart display, the Show 8 is a Verge favorite and is just $59.99, down from $109.99, at Amazon.
• A smart display that’s a great bedside companion thanks to its sleep-tracking, the Google Nest Hub 2nd Gen is on sale for $49.99, a savings of $50, at Google, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target.
• If you’re thinking you might want to connect a security camera to your smart display, Wyze is offering its Wyze Cam v3 with a Google Nest Hub for $69.99 at Wyze, so you’re getting the $35 camera for just $10.
• The gorgeous Nest Learning Smart Thermostat is $70 off at Best Buy and Amazon in four finishes and is a great option for smart climate control with a side of serious style. It’s also the only Nest thermostat you can buy directly that works with Amazon Alexa’s smart voice assistant.

Photo by Jennifer Tuohy / The Verge

Smart security camera and security system deals

• The cheapest Ring video doorbell, Ring Video Doorbell Wired, gets even cheaper with an $18 price cut to $41.99 at Amazon. Plus, you can get an Echo Dot smart speaker with it for free with this bundle. The Ring Wired uses existing doorbell wiring and works over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
• For a battery-powered option, the new Blink video doorbell is just $34.99 at Amazon, a savings of $10, and it can also be wired if you prefer.
• The tiny Blink Mini camera is selling for an even tinier price. Just $20 at Amazon right now, down from $34.99, this is the cheapest indoor smart security camera you can buy right now.
• For outside surveillance, Google’s very good Nest Cam with floodlight is $50 off ($229.99 instead of $279.99), and this deal can be found at Best Buy. You’ll want to make sure you can mount this on the side of your house first, as it has a rather awkward under-the-eave install. Read our review of this floodlight camera.
• Speaking of Google, the older, hardwired Nest Doorbell is $80 off at Google, Walmart, Best Buy, and Target, dropping the price to $149. This is still one of the best smart doorbells, despite its age. A new model is coming in 2022, but this is a great price on a long-standing product from Google.

Ecobee SmartCamera

• $70
• $100
• 31% off

Small but mighty, this indoor security camera can be a security camera or a baby monitor and thanks to a wide, 180-degree field of view, can pan and tilt to take in your entire room.

• Abode’s great little Abode Cam 2, an indoor / outdoor camera that works with or without an Abode system, is $24.95 at Abode. If you want to add a security system, too, Abode has an excellent bundle exclusively on its website for $299, a savings of $300. It includes the Abode Cam 2, the security gateway, a keypad, two door sensors, a motion sensor, a keyfob, and an Echo Show 5, with the option of professional monitoring.
• Another smart security deal is the Ecobee SmartCamera with voice control for $69.99 (regularly $99.99). This versatile indoor camera works with Alexa, Google, and HomeKit. Pair it with Ecobee’s SmartSensors ($59.99 for two, $20 off) and Ecobee SmartThermostat (now $50 off at $199), and it can be a professionally or self-monitored home security system that automatically turns off when it sees someone it recognizes. Find the deals at Ecobee.com, Amazon, and Best Buy through Wednesday, December 1st.
• Ring is offering a slew of discounts on its excellent second-gen home security system, which is one of the few systems that integrates with a wide array of security cameras — including Ring’s video doorbells, indoor camera, and outdoor cameras (with or without spotlights and floodlights). You can get the basic five-piece kit for $80 off ($119 instead of $199) and the eight-piece for $100 off ($149.99 instead of $249.99) through November 29th at Ring and Amazon. Ring offers professional monitoring as well. The newer version, the Ring Alarm Pro that includes an Eero Wi-Fi router, local storage of video, and 24/7 LTE backup for your internet connection, costs $299.99 for an eight-piece kit and isn’t currently part of Ring’s holiday sale.

Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge

Smart locks and lighting deals

• If you’re looking to upgrade your door lock, the Level Lock is a very good, usually very pricey solution. The Level Lock Touch Edition is currently on sale for $246.80, a savings of $80, which allows touch-to-open, access with a key card, as well as app, voice, and regular key control. If you don’t want the touch option, the regular Level Lock is down to $186.80 (from $249), and if you want to keep your existing lock, the Bolt that just replaces the inner workings of your deadbolt, is $50 off at $149.30. The deals are available at Amazon, Best Buy, and Level. Read our review of the Level Lock and Bolt.
• The rarely discounted Lutron Caséta Wireless Smart Lighting Dimmer Switch Starter Kit is on sale at Best Buy and Amazon for $20 off, down to $79.99 from $99.99 for an in-wall switch and remote control, plus a Lutron hub.

Lutron Aurora

• $30
• $40
• 26% off

This Lutron Aurora dimmer works exclusively with Philips Hue lights and connects wirelessly to a Hue system to dim, turn on and off, and change scenes with a press. It’s installed on top of a regular toggle switch.

• You can pick up the hugely helpful Lutron Aurora Smart Bulb Dimmer Switch for Philips Hue smart bulbs at Amazon and Best Buy for $10 off, now $29.99. This pops on top of a traditional toggle switch to stop people killing the power to your smart bulbs, while providing a physical way to turn the bulbs on and off and dim without having to use an app.
• The excellent Philips Hue smart lighting system is also seeing some good deals, including $50 off a White & Color Ambiance A19 LED Starter Kit at Best Buy, ($139.99 instead of $189.99). If you want to skip the hub you can get a three-pack of Bluetooth color-changing bulbs for $99.99, down from $134.99, also at Best Buy.

Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance A19 LED Starter Kit

• $140
• $190
• 27% off

The original smart lighting company, Philips Hue still offers some of the best features and integrations for anyone looking to add some color to their home. This starter kit includes a Hue Bridge, three A19 bulbs and a wall-mountable dimmer switch for those who prefer physical controls.

• Brilliant is offering a free Brilliant Dimmer Switch worth $69.99 when you buy one of its all-in-one light switch / smart home controllers at Amazon. The Brilliant switches may seem pricey for a light switch but double as whole home controllers, letting you control compatible lighting, music, cameras, locks, and scenes right from the switch. The Brilliant switches come in one, two, three or four gang setups starting at $399 and going up to $549, and the free, compatible Dimmer Switch adds smart lighting control to a circuit of lights.
• For cheaper smart lighting control, smart home company Aqara has a slew of savings going live on Amazon on Black Friday for its line of Zigbee-based smart gear. Its wired smart switches are discounted 20 percent, ranging from $29 to $35 (regularly $35 to $46), which come with or without a neutral wire to fit in with your home’s wiring are a particularly good deal. Paired with a motion sensor ($16.39 down from $20.49) and an Aqara hub you can turn an entire room of lights smart for under $80.

Image: Roborock

Smart robot vacuum deals

• This first-time deal on Roborock’s flagship robot vacuum-and-mop-in-one is running through November 29th. The Roborock S7 is a mopping and vacuum hybrid robot that is smart enough to raise its mop when it meets carpet, so it can clean all your surfaces. The S7 is now $454.99 (regularly $649.99), a discount of $195, at Amazon. The Roborock S7+, the bot plus an auto-empty dock, is also on sale with a 30 percent discount of $229.49 taking it down to $719.99 (regularly $949.48) at Amazon. Be sure to check the coupon code to get the full discount.

Roomba i3+ and Brava Jet m6 bundle

• $585
• $850
• 32% off

This robot combo will vacuum, empty itself and then send its mopping buddy out to make your floors shine. The Roomba line also works with Alexa voice and app control.

• The holiday season is the time to jump on whole-home automated cleaning, and iRobot’s robot vac Roomba i3 Plus with self-emptying base and a Braava Jet m6 mop bundle is a steal at $585 (regularly $850) at Best Buy. You can also pick up the Roomba i3 Plus with Clean Base on its own for $399, regularly $599.
• If you’ve steered clear of robot vacuums because you don’t want to tidy up every time you run one (the cable clutter struggle is real) or empty the tiny bin — ever — Samsung’s Jet Bot AI Plus with Self Empty Clean Station is now $999.99, down from $1,299. Its AI does a good job of avoiding anything you place in its path and you can grab this deal at Samsung.com through December 1st.

Correction, November 23rd 12:16PM: The Samsung Jet Bot AI Plus is selling for $999.99, not $99.99 as an earlier version of this article stated. We regret the error.