5 ON YOUR SIDE: Household technology

From refrigerators powered by artificial intelligence to automated mops and mowers, household robots are on the rise! But are they truly helpful, or just another tech trend? Consumer Reports breaks down the pros and cons, revealing which ones deliver real value.

Consumer Reports’ Dan Wroclawski tracks the latest in home and garden tech and says that while these products are helpful, they tend to be pricier than their traditional counterparts, and they often have complicated setup processes and require extra tinkering to keep them working.

Take Samsung’s new $5,000 Bespoke refrigerator, which comes with an“AI vision camera” that’s supposed to recognize the groceries you add to your fridge. When CR tested the feature, it worked about half the time and struggled with packaged foods, like milk and soda.

CR’s evaluations of robotic lawn mowers found you’ll need to pre-mow your grass to a specific height before you can set these robots loose on your lawn. And all that “convenience” will cost you hundreds to thousands of dollars.

But it’s not all bad news. Some smart products — like robotic vacuums — have come a long way. They’re now better at dodging obstacles, navigating tight spaces, and picking up dirt along edges and in corners.

And while not exactly a robot, CR says a smart thermostat is a great investment that will cut down on your heating and cooling bills, using AI to automatically adjust the temperature, especially when you’re not home. It can also connect to a demand-response program from your local utility company, which can give you discounts on your bill. The new Google Nest 4th Generation Learning Thermostat does all of that and earned top marks in CR’s tests.

Consumer Reports also says to be mindful of the security and privacy settings with these smart home products. While each setup is different, be sure to turn off data sharing, if possible.
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