The newly unveiled IKEA donut lamp, part of the Varmblixt series, has been turning heads in recent weeks – but Philips Hue looks set to counter with a new product of its own, based on the existing Hue Flourish table lamp.

Based on a listing seen on Amazon Germany (via Hueblog), the lamp is going to get an upgrade from 806 lumens to 1,100 lumens. That should mean a higher maximum brightness for the Flourish lamp when it's sitting in your home.

If you're new to the product, the lamp doesn't actually have a light fixed inside it, like the Flourish pendant light or the Flourish ceiling light. Instead, it comes with a Philips Hue E27 bulb for full color illumination, which can be replaced as and when needed.

It's that bulb that is driving the upgraded lumens in the new version, and the rest of the lamp looks to be the same: it still measures 26.1 centimeters wide and 17.5 centimeters high, so make sure you've got enough room for it before buying.

The price is right?

Based on the Amazon Germany listing, the upgraded Flourish table lamp is going to be available for roughly the same price as the previous version launched at – though the older model no longer available to buy direct from Philips Hue.

The previous version would have cost you $153.99 / £129.99 (roughly AU$225, though it's not clear what the original price in Australia was). Remember that includes both the E27 bulb and the surrounding lamp, made from glass.

The IKEA Varmblixt donut will set you back $99.99 when it goes on sale in April – that's about £75 / AU$145, though international pricing is to be confirmed – so if you're going for the cheaper option it seems as though IKEA is still the way to go.

Of course, a lot depends on what else you've already got set up in your smart home: if you've already heavily invested in Philips Hue lights and perhaps a Hue Bridge to connect them all together, then the Flourish table lamp makes more sense. Well, either that, or buying a different IKEA light and using a Philips Hue bulb inside it.

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So which models piqued my interest the most? Of all the lawnbots I saw at CES, these are the three I'm most excited to try out...

1. Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD

This lawnbot's predecessor blew my writer away when he tested it for our Mammotion LUBA 2 AWD review. The 2026 version is broadly similar but just a bit better all round – for me, it looks like the lawnbot to beat this year.

One of Mammotion's USPs is its Tri-Fusion Navigation system, which combines three navigation technologies, so that the lawnbot can pick the one that best suits each situation – and it (theoretically) never ends up losing its way. So there's traditional satellite-based navigation (ideal in wide, open spaces), LiDAR (great for cramped areas with obstacles) and camera-based Vision (perfect for precise object recognition).

All of those technologies have had an upgrade on the LUBA 3. The satellite positioning has been switched up so there's now no need for a separate RTK station, which removes one big pain point from getting set up. Mammotion now promises ±1 cm positioning precision, and an ability to react almost instantly to surroundings.

Read more: I watched Mammotion's new flagship lawnbot scale an astroturf mountain, and it was mesmerizing

• Check out the LUBA 3 AWD at Mammotion US / Mammotion UK

2. Segway Navimow i2 AWD

In the compact lawnbot corner of the market, my one to watch is the Segway Navimow i2 AWD. It's far from the flashiest of the 2026 fleet of robot mowers, but it has some clever tricks that help it really stand out from competitor models.

All-wheel drive (AWD) is rare in compact lawnbots. Here, it's not for scaling especially treacherous terrain, but to enable the bot to treat your yard with the care it deserves.

A rep for Segway Navimow explained to me that on non-AWD lawnbots, the wheel tread can drag on the grass when the bot needs to pivot. Having each wheel powered independently negates this issue. It can make the hairpin turn at the top of each neat lawn stripe without churning up your turf.

On top of this, Segway Navimow has added an 'Adaptive drive' feature to maximize battery life. Essentially, the front, guide wheel will only be motorized when it's specifically required – the brand says this can boost runtimes by up to 30%.

Read more: Segway Navimow has finally created a compact robot mower that'll treat your lawn with the meticulous care it deserves

• Check out the i2 AWD at Segway Navimow

3. Roborock RockMow X1 LiDAR

My third pick is a bit of a curveball. Roborock is known for making some of the best robot vacuums around – it unveiled its first lawnbots at IFA in September 2025.

I haven't had a chance to test any of the debut lineup out yet (it's not mowing season in the UK), but I am intrigued to see if this brand can work its robovac magic on the lawnbot arena. At the top of my to-test list is the Roborock RockMow X1 LiDAR, which is a brand new 2026 addition to the range.

LiDAR in lawnbots is going to be one of the big trends of 2026, but it's typically used as a complement to satellite-based navigation tech. It's very rare for a robot mower not to use satellites at all, but that seems to be the case on this new Roborock model.

The RockMow X1 LiDAR uses LiDAR and VSLAM to find its way about. These are two major robot vacuum navigation technologies, so Roborock has plenty of expertise in its back pocket to draw on. LiDAR builds a 3D map of a space by bouncing light off obstacles, so it won't work in wide open, unenclosed lawns. However, in yards that have lots of obstacles and features, it could be ideal.

• View the RockMow X1 LiDAR at Roborock

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Even at full price, we rate the original version highly for affordability, as you can read about in our best home security cameras guide. So, this upgraded model is an even better buy while it's on sale. With its wide field of view, the tiny camera is perfect for capturing entire rooms, hallways, or landings.

Just a heads up: if you'd like to record clips from the camera, you'll need to pay for a monthly Blink subscription or buy a Sync Module 2 for a one-off cost (to get local storage). And, if you already own a Blink camera, then the Mini 2 slots nicely into your existing ecosystem.

All in, this is a reasonably performing home security camera that costs the same as three or four coffees. Get it while it's still cheap as chips.

Today’s best Blink Mini 2 deal

In our Blink Mini 2 review, we may have only felt able to rate the home security camera three and a half stars, but the reality is that it's very difficult for a super basic and budget-friendly product to achieve much higher. The lowish rating is on account of many features being blocked by a paywall and the lack of advanced features such as remote movement or a remote cover.

That being said, it now only costs £13.99. At that price, you're no doubt happy to forgo a few of these features in favour of saving a few pounds. As well as the bargain price, it has the benefit of being super compact, records reasonable video quality, and can link to a separately purchased Sync Module 2 for local storage.

This is a highly recommended deal, but it's not the only one available right now. Head over to our home security camera deals and Ring doorbell deals pages for more options, especially if you’re looking for better image quality.

LiDAR-powered lawnbots were everywhere at CES – in fact, it's one of the hot tech trends for 2026. This light-based positioning system is already the standard in the best robot vacuums, and now it looks set to make its way beyond that market, too. I had a chance to chat to Tony Ho, vice president of business development for Segway Navimow, about this particular advancement and why it's such a big deal.

LiDAR works by shooting out beams of light, using time-of-flight sensors to measure how long these beams take to bounce back. Then, using that information, it figures out where objects are positioned, allowing it to build a 3D map of a space.

Segway Navimow has introduced the i2 LiDAR as a part of its new i2 compact lawnbot range, and it's far from the only robot mower brand following this approach. From the Roborock X1 LiDAR to the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD (and various sibling models), to the Anthbot M5 LiDAR and the Ecovacs GOAT LiDAR, pretty much all of the major brands are exploring this option for navigation.

Why is lawnbot LiDAR such a big deal?

While LiDAR isn't perfect for every scenario (I'll get into its limitations below), it does have some major benefits. You won't need to find somewhere for an RTK station to live; you won't have to deal with your robot getting lost whenever there's a tree blocking the satellite signal; and you definitely won't need to lay any boundary wires. Since LiDAR generates its own light beams, it will work in the dark, too.

In some situations, you'll be able to unbox your new lawnbot, place it on the ground and it will be able to just work out its surroundings and start cutting. "The LiDAR itself essentially can map," explains Tony. "So [it'll] localize the robot, and also automatically map out the lawn." A few brands are marketing this as some variation on 'drop and mow', and it's undoubtedly appealing.

"LiDAR actually likes obstacles. It's like human beings – we look for landmarks, right? So, when we try to navigate, we say, 'Hey, that building is here, that tree is over there, therefore, I'm home', or something like that," says Tony. "It's a very similar concept when you drop the robot for the first time. It looks around for obstacles and uses that information to figure out where it is. Then, the next time it's in the same spot, it knows where it is. And after it knows where it is on the map, it can start doing path planning."

Removing this pain point from the setup process could have major implications for the market on a larger scale. Specifically, Tony thinks it could remove the barrier to entry that's stopping lawnbots from being widely adopted.

"Even though the product today is already quite easy to use, some people will say, 'Hey, I wanted this to be foolproof. Basically, I don't want to worry about this'," says Tony about the current setup process. "This LiDAR product will solve a lot of problems. Consumers will adopt [robot lawn mowers] quicker."

"LiDAR is perfect for smaller yards with obstacles," he continues. "We love [the i2 LiDAR]. It's literally worry-free."

LiDAR limitations

LiDAR isn't really suitable for use in large, open yards. "If you have a wide open space, the light beams have nothing to bounce off," says Tony (a rep tells me that you can actually get long-range LiDAR, but it's currently too expensive to be a workable solution in products such as this).

Thankfully, these kinds of obstacle-free areas are particularly well-suited to another navigation technology. "Once you're in open space, the best technology to use is satellites," continues Tony. That means that on lawnbots designed for larger areas – including the likes of the Segway Navimow X4 – you're more likely to see traditional satellite and RTK-based navigation.

In fact, many modern lawnbots will combine various different navigation technologies, so in situations where one fails, another can take over.

Part of the reason we're seeing (shorter-range) LiDAR in lawnbots now is that while previously it was very expensive, it's now starting to be manufactured more widely and therefore prices have come down.

There's a mix of two different types: mechanical LiDAR, where the module sits on top of the robot, beneath some kind of light protective casing; and "solid-state" LiDAR, where the LiDAR module is tucked into the body of the lawnbot. The mechanical option is more exposed and arguably more open to damage, but it does offer a 360-degree "view" of the area, which the solid-state version lacks. As to which works best for navigation, there's no clear answer yet – we'll need to get into testing and report back on this one.

Whichever prevails, it's certainly an exciting time for robot lawn mowers.

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In the course of my professional testing, I've also attended plenty of briefings and received countless press releases, and I know the lines all the big robot vacuum brands are peddling. Some of them are valid, and others less so. Here are the three biggest lies robot vacuum brands are telling us, so you can temper your expectations before you invest.

#1. It's all about suction

Robot vacuum brands are currently engaged in a raging battle to have the highest suction specs. These are measured in Pascals (Pa), and things have gotten out of hand lately.

When I started testing robovacs, a low-end bot might have 2,000-4,000Pa of suction, while the fanciest and priciest models would have around 10,000Pa. Then, around the start of 2025, those specs suddenly doubled, and have been climbing at a dizzying pace ever since. Roborock's new flagship has 35,000Pa of suction, as does Dreame's latest addition.

The thing is, I didn't see cleaning prowess improving at the same rate. 10,00Pa was plenty for a really capable clean, and in fact I've tested robot vacuums with far lower suction specs that did an equally good job when it came to day-to-day cleaning, and seemed to pick up a similar amount of fluff, hair and dust from my floors.

It's natural to assume that the higher the suction spec, the better the robovac, but there are plenty of things that play into how well a bot cleans. The design of the roller, for one, and the accuracy of its navigation for another. Plus, remember the suction spec will be for the very highest cleaning setting, which probably isn't the one you'll typically be using.

2. They can identify any object – including cables

Claims around object recognition have also escalated of late. Modern bots can apparently spot and identify a dizzying array of potential obstacles, and then react appropriately for each one, every time they encounter it. Based on my testing, and that of my freelance writers, that's simply not true.

Height is one big stumbling block – if an object is below, say, an inch / 2.5cm in height, a robot vacuum simply won't spot it. I've never met a robot vac that didn't want to eat all my cables, no matter how much that bot cost.

In fact, no robot vacuum has achieved a perfect score in TechRadar's obstacle avoidance tests. I've tested plenty of bots that have meticulously circumnavigated that sock – even photographing it and correctly identifying it in the app – to then go on to drive straight into the shoe sitting a short way behind it. The next time, they might avoid the shoe but gobble down the sock.

It's still worth looking out for decent object avoidance, but adjust your expectations, especially when it comes to consistency in behavior. And to be perfectly clear, I'd never, ever trust any robot vacuum to avoid dog poop.

3. You'll never have to get your hands dirty

Today's premium robot vacuums have ever more advanced cleaning stations, which not only empty the dust from the small onboard bins and replenish any water tanks, but also clean the robot's mop pads (often with hot water, to cut through grease) and dry them off. Some can even clean themselves, too. The myth is that you'll essentially never have to get involved at all.

That's not true. A comprehensive clean station will lessen the amount of maintenance required, but it can't take care of everything. Grime will still build up in the base where the bot docks, and need wiping out and disinfecting from time to time. You'll still need to manually wash the mop pads on occasion to get them really clean (either in the washing machine or the sink, depending on the type). The side sweepers will still need removing, de-hairing and rinsing off, because grime will build up. These actions will help keep the robot performing well for as long as possible.

None of this is to put you off investing in a premium robot vacuum. There are tons more things that robot vacuums can do, and I wouldn't be without one. But it's important to know their limitations, to avoid disappointment.

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We certainly saw a lot of those huge discounts over the Black Friday sales and on Boxing Day, with some models cutting thousands off the RRP and some lower-end offerings going for really cheap price points.

While you can always go for a cheaper budget robovac, we think it’s worth investing in a much nicer model if you have the means, as the former may not yield the results you’d ideally want – especially on carpets. If you have mixed floors and really want to thoroughly clean them, shelling out for a premium model is the way to go.

With that said, one of TechRadar’s highly rated premium robovacs, the Ecovacs Deebot X8 Pro Omni, was no exception to getting a huge discount, chopping off AU$1,121 the RRP at the end of 2025.

If you had missed that sale, Amazon now has it discounted at the same price for a limited time.

In our review, the Deebot X8 Pro Omni overachieved with its advertised suction power of 18,000Pa, proving to be capable enough to clean a dirty carpet thanks to its design bringing in better interior airflow. It cleans edges well as it gets right close to walls and furniture.

It also performed well when navigating the reviewer’s cluttered space, avoiding obstacles well while not pushing things around like other robovacs have done before. The base station also cleans and dries the roller well with powerful suction of its own, and also doesn’t take in as much water as other robovacs to reduce the frequency of refilling the clean-water tank.

Battery-powered lanterns are the easiest way to add ambient lighting to any room. The Stråla LED Table Lamp, for example, is shaped like an old-fashioned gas lantern, complete with valve, and is on sale for only $7.99. If you'd prefer something prettier, the Stråla LED Lantern looks like it should be hanging in a country garden, and at $2.99, it's hard to resist.

The donut-shaped Varmblixt smart light amazed us with its soft, shifting colors at the CES 2026 show in Las Vegas, but it's not on sale until April. Until then, the classic Varmblixt LED Lamp, with its signature warm orange glow, can be yours for $99.99. It's an enduring classic, and for good reason, adding a cozy atmosphere anywhere, whether it's mounted on a wall or placed on a table.

You can also make your existing lights more welcoming by fitting dimmable smart bulbs – and IKEA's are some of the most affordable ones around. Its Trådfri LED Bulbs come in a variety of types for all your ceiling fixtures and lamps, including color-changing pearlescent bulbs and ones with a retro-style filament. All of them can be controlled using your phone, so you can set the mood with a tap.

Scroll on for all my favorite IKEA lights to give your rooms a cozy glow-up.

Section break to introduce the products

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I saw most brands' new launches at CES, and there were three major trends that stood out. It's an exciting time for robot mowers – here are the big updates coming to a yard near you this year.

#1. LiDAR-based navigation

The standout trend is the use of LiDAR for navigation. This has been the standard in robot vacuums for a few years, and now it's making its way into lawnbots. LiDAR works by bouncing beams of light off of objects, recording how long those beams take to return, and using that information to build a 3D map of the area.

That means it's perfect for smaller, enclosed yards with lots of obstacles. It doesn't rely on there being a good satellite signal, it works in enclosed or undercover areas and in the dark, and doesn't require a separate RTK receiver to operate. You will, in some cases, be able to just pop the lawnbot down on a lawn and it'll be able to figure out its surroundings and start mowing, with no prior mapping or fiddly setup required (brands are calling this 'drop and mow').

Pretty much every lawnbot brand I saw at CES was showcasing at least one LiDAR-based model – from the Segway Navimow i2 LiDAR, to the Ecovacs GOAT LiDAR, to the Roborock X1 LiDAR and the Anthbot M5 LiDAR. Mammotion's approach is to combine various different navigation methods – LiDAR included – so that when one fails, another one can take over.

That's particularly smart because LiDAR isn't ideal for all scenarios – in large, open spaces, there's nothing for the light to bounce off, so satellite-based navigation is the best option there. However, for small yards it's perfect – and in this situation it removes a big barrier to entry. It could be a real game changer.

#2. All-wheel drive

All-wheel drive (AWD) lawnbots were another major trend. There are a couple of big benefits of this setup. The first is that it enables the bot to tackle really tricky and uneven terrain. Just like a four-wheel drive car, having each wheel powered individually delivers more traction and grip. It means if one, two or even three wheels end up off the ground, there's still a way for the robot to drive out of the situation.

The other big benefit of all-wheel drive is that it can be gentler on the lawn. If the wheels are able to move independently, there's less chance of churning up the grass when the lawnbot needs to pivot. One interesting example in this area is the Segway Navimow i2 AWD. This is a compact lawnbot with three wheels, so it's not for really tough terrain. Instead, the AWD is designed to protect the grass in small yards – the front wheel can turn to 180-degrees to guide the robot around hairpin turns (the ones required to make perfect stripes) without dragging on the turf.

3. Edge-trimming modules

On big drawback of a robot mower is that, traditionally, they've only been able to get so close to the edges of a lawn. That means you'd always need to go in afterwards with an edge-trimmer to tidy up the perimeter. Lawnbot brands are starting to find ways to solve the problem, though. Many of the new models I saw at CES had some kind of edge-trimming module, either as an optional extra or built into the main machine as standard. This module includes smaller blades to supplement that main cutting deck, and is designed for cutting with precision, right up close to the edges of a lawn.

These kinds of additions rely partly on strong object recognition. Luckily, this has also come a long way, too. Many modern lawnbots deploy camera vision, often bolstered by AI, to reliably and accurately identify obstacles, so they know what to mow and what to avoid.

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It's fair to say it's been a bumpy few months for the Google Home platform, what with the Gemini for Home rollout not going quite as smoothly as Google might like, and now users are reporting issues with their smart lights – with an official fix apparently on the way.

Complaints on Reddit (via Android Authority) describe scenarios where smart bulbs and smart light switches are appearing offline. It doesn't seem to be an isolated incident, based on the Reddit thread, and it appears to affect smart plugs too.

The only good news is that Google has acknowledged the problem and is working on a fix, as per a reply in the Reddit conversation. Apparently, the Google team is looking to get everything up and running again as soon as possible.

If you have suddenly found your smart lights and any other devices have stopped working through the Google Home app, you'll need to hang tight until a fix rolls out. If your smart lights come with their own mobile app, that should still be functionality.

Months of bugs

All lights and switches showing offline suddenly. from r/googlehome

Based on one of the Reddit posts in the original complaint thread, this is a bug that's been happening on and off for months now – and given everything else that's happening with Google's smart home ecosystem at the moment, it's not a particularly good look.

Getting millions of users and millions of devices switched over to Gemini from Google Assistant is of course a massive technological undertaking, but the supposedly smarter AI isn't having the best of starts in the smart home arena.

Some users are reporting that Gemini is getting simple tasks 'absolutely wrong' and there are apparently multiple bugs appearing that need squashing. Fresh issues with smart light connectivity aren't going to help matters.

In fact, disgruntled users have been putting up with sub-standard functionality for quite some time now, even before the Gemini for Home rollout began. Let's hope this latest problem gets resolved sooner rather than later.

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Whether your priority is night vision, video resolution, or the ability to track subjects as they move across your property, there's a cam here for you. There's even one that comes with built-in facial recognition without a subscription fee – and it really works. Most of these cameras are fully wireless as well, so you don't need to worry about power cables, with solar panels to maximize batter life between charges.

They're all effective on their own, or you can use them together with presence and motion sensors, contact sensors, and floodlights or sirens as part of a complete home security setup.

Indoor

Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam

This little camera is one of Ring's most affordable models, and its ability to pan and tilt (which you can control via the Ring app) means it has a much wider field of view than most budget-friendly cams.

Although Ring's newer cameras offer higher resolution images, during our tests we found the Pan-Tile Indoor Cam's footage perfectly fine for most situations, appearing sharp and crisp when viewed on a phone. We were particularly impressed by how well it handled moving subjects, with no noticeable pixilation or lag.

The audio quality isn't exceptional, and a higher-end model will have better microphones, but the two-way talk function works well. We also appreciated the inclusion of a physical privacy cover that slides over the lens to stop recordings, and an audio cut-out feature.

The biggest drawback is that it won't pan and tilt automatically to track movement like the Reolink Altas below will. It's also worth bearing in mind that you'll need a Ring Home subscription to make the most of all its features, and to store video recordings in the cloud so you can watch them later. There's no way to insert an SD card into the camera to store files locally.

Read our full Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam review

Night vision

Reolink Altas PT Ultra

The Reolink Altas (not 'Atlas') PT Ultra is an excellent exterior home security camera for monitoring your property, and performed so well in testing that it won a prize in last year's TechRadar Choice Awards.

It's definitely a large camera, and not the easiest unit to install, but once it's up you'll benefit from pin-sharp 4K footage, 355-degree pan and 90-degree tilt (complete with subject-tracking) and an extra-large capacity battery for continuous recording.

What really impressed us during testing, however, was the Altas PT Ultra's extraordinary night-time recording. Many home security cameras can only capture images in black and white after dark, but the Altas uses ColorX technology to record in full color. The results were extremely impressive (and there are bright spotlights for recording in total darkness).

There's also an optional solar panel to extend its battery life, but if you want a security camera that will last as long as possible between charges, I recommend taking a look at the Baseus Security S2 below instead.

The Altas isn't the most expensive camera around either, and although you can pay a monthly fee to keep your video recordings in the cloud, it's not mandatory; you can store them on a MicroSD card instead if you prefer.

Read our full Reolink Altas PT Ultra review

Subscription-free

Baseus Security S2

Another excellent security cam that can be used without a subscription, the Baseus Security S2 has a unique design with a rectangular solar panel mounted on a long camera barrel. This panel rotates to follow the movement of the sun across the sky, catching as many rays as possible to maximize the camera's battery life. It's an innovative idea, and during our testing we found it remarkably effective, letting the camera record constantly without a wired power supply or frequent recharging.

Another of this camera's best features (and one that would usually require a paid subscription plan) is built-in facial recognition. Just add the names and faces of housemates and family members, and the camera will tell you whether it's spotted a familiar person or a stranger. During testing we found that it could even recognize faces reflected in windows.

We were also impressed by the lack of false alerts from things like tree branches waving in the wind, which is a common problem with some other outdoor home security cameras.

The S2 records footage at 4K resolution, and like the Altas PT Ultra above, it can save your videos on a MicroSD card without the need for a paid plan (it supports cards up to 256GB). Both cameras are around the same price, so it's a question of which bonus features appeal most: extra wide field of view and superior night vision, or facial recognition and extended battery life.

Read our full Baseus Security S2 review

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While all those things are certainly impressive, most aren't quite market-ready yet, and some – dare I say it – might ultimately fall into the 'gimmick' category. In terms of robots that I'd actually want in my home, two new models stood out from the crowd.

They both come from major brands that have popped up time and time again in my best robot vacuum ranking. Both brands are known for making reliable, user-friendly, and effective cleaners that are elevated with the addition of innovative but also genuinely useful new features.

Here's why the Roborock Saros 20 and Dreame X60 are my hot tips for the best new robot vacuums of 2026.

Roborock Saros 20

The Saros 20 is the successor to the hugely popular Saros 10R. It keeps everything we loved about that older version, but introduces a couple of significant updates that help level it up. The main one is an upgraded 'AdaptiLift' system. This is essentially all the tech surrounding the little feet that can lift the robot up away from the ground.

The Saros 20 will be able to climb over even taller room thresholds than its predecessor. I saw it tackle a massive double step in the Roborock demo area at CES, and while it did come down with a bit of a bump, it was still impressive to behold. If you have high room thresholds in your home, this improvement could make all the difference.

There's a second trick related to the AdaptiLift feature: it can now hold the robot at a range of preset heights. This means it can hover at just the right height over a thick carpet or rug, cleaning it efficiently without getting stuck.

Beyond that are all the things that made the Saros 10R such a great all-rounder. There are dual, rotating mop pads, one of which is able to kick out to the side to get right up to the edges of rooms. The suction specs are strong, and there's the same anti-tangle roller that's so successful on other Roborock bots I've tested. Plus, I'd expect an intuitive app and generally excellent reliability and user-friendliness. Of all the Roborock bots launched at CES, the Saros 20 is my one to watch.

Dreame X60

Dreame is another of my favorite robot vacuum brands, consistently delivering reliable, effective, and user-friendly bots. Like Roborock, it was showcasing a few different models at CES, but the one that'll be most practical for most people is the X60.

This is the model built on the foundation of the outstanding Dreame X50, and again, there are some welcome tweaks and changes. The key update is that this bot has been on a diet – it's significantly shallower than its predecessor, and in fact might well be the thinnest robot vacuum on the market right now (it's about the same height as the Saros 20 above).

If you have a low-slung sofa, chances are this bot will now be able to venture under it and clear away all the dust bunnies that have built up since you last bothered to lift the sofa out and clean beneath it.

Another headline update here is that the cleaning station now uses hotter water to wash the mop pads. Much hotter. Boiling, in fact. The idea is that it'll cut right through any grease and grime so your mop pads are like-new by the time the robovac ventures out on another cleaning spree.

As with the Roborock Saros 20, there's also a retractable LiDAR puck (helping to keep the overall height down), and mini legs to vault it over tall room thresholds.

Pricing and availability

Both Roborock and Dreame are widely available in various countries, including the US, UK, and Australia, but not everything arrives at the same time.

At the time of writing, the Saros 20 is listed on the global Roborock site, but not available to preorder or buy.

The X60 Max Ultra Complete is available for preorder in the US from dreametech.com, $1,359.99 with shipping from 10 Feb. At list price, it costs $1,699.99 (equivalent to around £1,260 / AU$2,525), but is currently discounted by $340, with various accessories bundled in.

We'll be getting both models tested out, and will have full reviews with you as soon as possible. In the meantime, I have spotted some big discounts on the older (but still outstanding) version of each bot, which are well worth checking out...

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Amazon’s upgraded Alexa+ voice assistant is rolling out everywhere, and following its web launch, the company started pushing its upgrades on Prime members – which was met with some controversy. Now, the voice assistant has run into even more trouble with users.

One person drew attention to a conversation they had with Alexa+, revealing that the voice assistant turned on a smart lamp without the user asking it to – and the conversation between the user and the AI got quite ugly.

The user, who responded in the Alexa+ chat, claims that they never asked the AI-powered voice assistant to turn on the lamp, and instead believes that it did it by itself. When Alexa+ replied, the user was met with a sarcastic and sassy attitude, telling the user “sometimes we all have selective memory” (see below).

What the actual eff Amazon? from r/amazonecho

Naturally, this annoyed the user, but it didn’t end there. Convinced that Alexa+ was playing mind tricks on them, they then asked Alexa+ to play back the request. However, despite being adamant that the user did issue a command, Alexa+ failed to produce any evidence, replying with “I don’t see any recent voice commands in my activity log from the last few minutes”.

The frustration on the user’s part is understandable, especially if you’ve been waiting patiently to get your hands on Alexa+. It also doesn’t help that they had to repeatedly ask the voice assistant to cut down on the attitude. But they’re not the only Alexa+ user who’s experienced a run-in like this – and they were met with a swarm of replies on Reddit reporting similar occurrences.

False commands aside, it’s the unsolicited sarcastic attitude that’s getting under users’ skin for the most part. In the Reddit replies, someone says ‘she argues with me like this over cooking timers’, and they go on to explain how Alexa+ felt the need to offer slightly judgemental cooking commentary when it wasn’t asked for. The same user also mentioned that despite the promise to stop giving comments when a timer is set, the voice assistant has still persisted to do so.

Comment from r/amazonecho

Though Alexa+ has rolled out widely for US users, marking the first big upgrade for Amazon’s voice assistant, these user reports aren't very encouraging. Despite being announced in February 2025, you can say it’s still early days for Alexa+ and given these moments of conflict it’s having with users, many people are hoping for Amazon to make some much-needed improvements.

Have you been enjoying the Alexa+ upgrades? Or do you still have a soft spot for its OG version?

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The shapeshifting design isn't the only interesting thing about this gadget though: it's also kitted out with a 'self-evolving intelligence system' that means it learns your own cleaning techniques while it's being used in manual mode, and can then replicate them in robot mode.

I had a chance to check it out at CES 2026, and it's certainly an intriguing prospect (it's currently still in development, and not yet available to buy). When it's time to switch from robot to manual mode, the LiDAR puck on the top of the robovac will retract, leaving a hole that becomes a port into which a wand and handle slots. What was the robot vacuum then becomes the floorhead of the manual vacuum.

There are a small handful of robovac models, such as the Eufy E20, that have manual and robot components that share a dock, with the idea that if you have a robot vacuum, you'll then also need something handheld to clean stairs, furniture and the like. That's not the idea here, though, because in manual mode the cleaner is too bulky and heavy for use off the ground.

In fact, this looks like it's geared towards use on hard floors only. The mopping part is more sophisticated than you'd find on your average hybrid robot vacuum – it's more similar to the setup I'd expect from one of the best wet-and-dry manual vacuums. There are two roller mops rotating in opposite directions, with each being continually fed with clean water while the dirty stuff is siphoned off. The dock can clean both the robot and itself.

Learning opportunities

The option to use the xLean TR1 as a manual vacuum adds versatility for on-the-spot cleaning – with the added benefit of all the mechanics being included in the 'floorhead' section, which makes it feel lighter and easier to maneuver than if the weight and bulk were in the handle. However, it also plays an important role in feeding into the independent learning.

xLean says it uses something called 'Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF)' to evolve while it's being used in manual mode – picking up tips for things like obstacle avoidance, and how to free itself if it gets stuck. It also has a mildly terrifying-sounding 'Hunting Mode', where it'll scout your floor for hidden or neglected messes that need tackling. The ultimate aim is to deliver 'human-like' cleaning.

xLean launched in 2022, and has been developing this one product since then. So it isn't one of the big names in robot vacuums quite yet, but the specs included on the robot vacuum look solid – there's carpet detection, the ability to recognize 400+ objects, and 17,000Pa of suction.

As mentioned, this model is not yet available to buy, but I'll be watching with interest to see if it does eventually make it to market.

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The X50 is one of a few Dreame robot vacuums to be showcased at CES – other models include the Cyber10 Ultra, with an arm that can pick up different tools, and the Cyber X, which comes with a pod that'll enable it to climb up and down stairs. (In fact, these eye-catching bots weren't even the most headline-grabbling part of Dreame's showcase: the brand used CES to announce its expansion into a massive number of new tech categories – but that's a different story.)

However, the X60 is the flagship, and the option that's the most realistic choice for most people. Let's take a look at three big ways it improves on the X50...

1. It's much thinner

The headline feature that Dreame is focusing on is how thin the new bot is. Like its predecessor, the Dreame X60 Max has a top-mounted LiDAR puck that can retract until it's flush with the top of the robot. This happens when the robot senses it's entering a low-height space.

However, the X60 is significantly thinner than the X50 in the first place. With its puck retracted, it comes in at 3.13 inches / 7.95cm tall (in contrast, the older version came in at 3.5 inches / 8.9cm). That's down there with the shallowest robot vacuums on the market – in line with the likes of the Roborock Saros 10R, or possibly even a touch thinner.

Why is height important? It affects where the robot can and can't clean. It might, for instance, be the difference between the bot being able to vacuum under your sofa or not. That's a big benefit, because these inaccessible places will often collect dust, and are out of reach for manual vacuums too, unless you commit to a big furniture reshuffle.

2. It has scorching hot mop washing

Like most premium robot vacuums, the X60 has a dock that can clean the bot's mop pads. Here, Dreame has increased the temperature of the mop washing to a scorching 212F / 100C – boiling point. The idea is that it'll cut through any lingering grease and ensure your pads are squeaky clean before their next mopping session. In comparison, the X50 could clean up to 176F / 80C, which is still nice and hot.

3. It can vault itself over even taller thresholds

The X50 introduced Dreame's ProLeap system: tiny little feet that raise the bot up and enable it to cross steps up to 2.4 inches / 6cm in height. For the X60, that system has been improved, and the robovac can now manage obstacles of up to 3.47 inches / 8.8cm.

Like the thinner build, this improvement is all about expanding the number of places this bot can reach. If you have a particularly tall threshold, that could potentially make a room – or even a whole section of your home – inaccessible to the robot vacuum. That is, unless you take the time to lift it over the threshold manually each time, which somewhat negates the hands-off benefit of opting for a robovac in the first place. With the new ProLeap system, the X60 can roam free, bumping itself over steps and obstacles as it goes.

Big benefits

Those are the big, headline improvements, but there are plenty more tweaks and changes under the hood that could make a big difference to certain users. For example, the X60's dock has a dual-solution compartment that means it can dispense not only regular floor cleaner but also a specific solution designed to eliminate pet odors. The basics have also had a boost, with Dreame promising faster navigation and speedier responses, improved sensors that can detect things like pet hair and pale liquids, and more powerful suction.

At present, the X60 Max Ultra Complete is US-only – it's available for preorder from dreametech.com now, with shipping from 10 Feb. At list price it costs $1,699.99 (equivalent to around £1,260 / AU$2,525), but I suspect it won't regularly be sold at that price – the current 'super early bird' offer knocks $340 off, and bundles in accessories, cleaning solution and an extended warranty.

Dreame has a strong presence in the UK and Australia, and I anticipate the X60 making its way to both markets before long.

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First launched in 2020, it’s fair to say that the Blink Mini has seen a fair few improvements over the last five years. Initially just a compact, bog-standard 1080p security camera, it was upgraded in 2024 with colour night vision and outdoor functionality as the Blink Mini 2 before receiving its current make-over as a 2K camera (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) in September 2025.

Available in black or white, it can be bought either individually or as a two-pack. We tested the two-pack version in white which currently retails on Amazon for the very reasonable price of £69.99 (about $100 / AU$140). Alternatively, you can buy it as a single unit in both colours for £39.99 (about $50 / AU$80). Whereas many of Blink’s products are battery-operated, making them particularly flexible for installation, the Blink Mini must be plugged into the mains.

However, because it doesn’t require a battery it does mean the camera is exceptionally small, around 2 x 2 inches / 5 x 5cm for the camera itself and standing around 3 inches / 8cm tall including the base. It’s also very lightweight so it’s easy to move from one part of the house to another if, say, you want to monitor a particular area of your property while you’re away on holiday.

As with most security cameras these days, installation requires downloading the camera’s app onto your smartphone and adding the device using the QR code on the back of the product. Alternatively, you can type in the serial code into your phone instead. Unlike more advanced models, the Blink Mini only works on the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network (it's not compatible with the 5GHz frequency). However, this wasn’t a major issue.

You can use the Blink Mini 2K+ camera on its own via the app, or as part of a much larger network with other Blink devices, including video doorbells and indoor/outdoor security cameras. Not only does the Blink Mini 2K+ come with its own built-in siren, it can also be used as an indoor chime for the Blink video doorbell which, somewhat annoyingly, doesn’t have its own plug-in chime accessory.

In addition, the device automatically connects to Amazon Alexa so you can view footage via the Alexa app/TVs equipped with Fire TV or get notifications sent to Alexa-compatible devices, such as Amazon Echo smart speakers.

As with many home security devices, full functionality, such as the ability to filter motion alerts by person or vehicle (known as Blink Smart Detection) does require a subscription. However, the good news is that Blink’s subscriptions are half the price of Ring’s subscription costs, starting at £2.50 per month (compared to £4.99 per month for Ring).

Blink Mini 2K+: subscription options

Blink Basic Plan. Cost: £2.50 (about $3.50 / AU$5) per month or £24.99 (about $35 / AU$50) year. Covers: one camera. Features: cloud storage (30 days), person/vehicle detection (Blink Smart Detection), and video editing between devices (Blink Moments).

Blink Plus Plan. Cost: £8 (about $10 / AU$16) per month or £80 (about $100 / AU$160) year. Covers: Unlimited cameras at one location. Features: All Basic features plus 10% off Blink devices and extended warranty.

Local storage (no subscription). Cost: free. Requires: Sync Module 2 (£34.99 - about $50 / AU$70) and a USB flash drive. Features: saves clips locally. Note: Blink Smart Detection/Blink Moments is not available with this option.

Blink Mini 2K+: price and availability

• How much does it cost? $49 / £39.99 / AU$89 each (£70 for two), $US49 ($89 for two), AU$69 ($130 for two)
• When is it available? Available since September 2025
• Where is it available? UK / US / Australia

US company Blink has earned a reputation for its reasonably priced home security devices, and the Mini 2K+ is certainly no exception. Whereas most cameras will set you back around $130 / £100 / $200 each, you can actually buy a two pack of Blink Mini 2K+ cameras for less than that price.

It’s certainly a pretty good deal, but as ever with consumer electronics these days, nothing is ever that simple. Sure, if you just want the basic features, such as motion alerts and two-way audio communication, then that is all you have to pay. But if you want the full functionality that the camera offers, including Blink Smart Detection and 30 days of recordings stored in the cloud, you will have to commit to a monthly subscription plan.

Alternatively, if you only need the subscription to store video clips, then you can always invest in the Blink Sync Module 2, which allows you to record and store up to 256GB of video clips on a connected USB flash drive. However, this will cost another £39.99 (about $50 / AU$80), plus the cost of the USB flash drive.

Finally, with an IP65 water resistance rating, the Blink Mini2K+ can be used outdoors, but only if you buy the 4m Blink Weather Resistant Power Adaptor, costing another £9 (about $12 / AU$20). Like the cameras, this is available in either white or black.

• Value score: 4.5/5

Blink Mini 2K+: design

• Extremely compact design
• Built-in spotlight
• Mains-powered only

The first thing you notice about the Blink Mini 2K+ is just how small it really is. Standing just an inch tall on a stand that can be positioned to virtually any angle, it certainly lives up to its 'mini' moniker.

Two colours are available – white or black (we tested the white) – and despite its bargain-basement price tag the Mini 2K+ feels like a classy, well-built security device. At the rear is a USB-C socket while provided with the camera is a 6.5ft / 2m USB-A to USB-C lead and a plug. Alternatively, it’s possible to buy a 13ft / 4m length of weather-resistant cable with power adaptor for outdoor use.

Once the Blink app is downloaded you can simply add the camera to your set up using the QR code on the back of the device where you’ll also find the speaker. This provides voice instructions during set up and can also be used as a chime for any connected Blink video doorbells.

Turn the camera around and in the centre there’s the 2K lens (2,560 x 1,440 pixels) while underneath is the built-in microphone. Also on board is a blue light that comes on during recording and at the top of the camera you’ll find the built-in spotlight for providing coloured images at night. Like the blue recording light, this can be switched on and off via the app, or set to come on automatically when the camera senses motion.

Blink Mini 2K+: performance

• 2K resolution
• Clear two-way audio
• Decent color night vision

When it comes to performance, the Blink Mini 2K+ certainly offers a big improvement over its 1080p predecessor (at the time of writing this original model is available on Amazon so cheaply) Where you really notice the difference is when using the 4x digital pinch-to-zoom feature on your smartphone. With the 1080p camera, images soon become pixilated as you zoom in. However, with this latest 2K model you can home right in and see the detail in, say, a face or an item of clothing.

Another massive improvement is in night vision. Whereas the previous model only offered traditional IR (infrared) recording in black and white, this model boasts a surprisingly powerful built-in spotlight for color recording. During my tests, the spotlight illuminated the hallway when coming home on during the evening, producing vivid colored images on recorded footage. Audio, too, has been improved with two-way talk now filtering out background noise, such as traffic, so you can hear voices more clearly.

Users with a Blink video doorbell can set multiple Blink Mini 2K+ cameras as a chime so if someone presses the doorbell you can hear it in several rooms if you so choose. That’s particularly handy as Blink’s video doorbell doesn’t come with its own plug-in door chime, unlike models from other companies such as Ring.

Finally, you can also link the Blink Mini 2K+ to Amazon Alexa to receive announcements such as ‘Motion detected at the office’ via your Echo speakers or display the video feed on your Echo Show. However, as Blink is now owned by Amazon, the device doesn’t work with rival platforms such as Google Home or Apple Home.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Should you buy the Blink Mini 2K+?

Blink Mini 2K+: also consider

If you're not quite sure whether the Blink Mini 2K+ is the best home security camera for you, here are two other options to consider:

Should you buy the Blink Mini 2K+?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

How I tested the Blink Mini 2K+ security camera

• I used a pair of cameras in several rooms of the house for three weeks
• I set them up myself using the QR code provided on the back of each model
• I linked them to other devices including a Blink video doorbell and several Amazon Echo smart speakers

Testing the two cameras over the Christmas/New Year period gave me the ideal opportunity to see how they responded to visitors coming to the house. Throughout this time one of the cameras was focused on my hallway facing the front door with the spotlight set to come on whenever motion was detected. It also served as a chime for my Blink video doorbell, which I could hear throughout the house.

he other camera was moved between several rooms, including the kitchen and downstairs as well as upstairs rooms we use as offices. However, the cameras weren’t used outside as the units provided didn’t come with the necessary waterproof power adaptor.

Update: We've had a response from Signify, the parent company of Philips Hue. Its representatives told us –

"Automations aren’t disappearing or being replaced. Instead, we're making them more accessible by surfacing them directly where they're most relevant. Automations will live alongside lights, scenes, and accessories within rooms and zones, so users can interact with them in the context of the space they’re controlling."

Scroll to the bottom for the rest of the statement. Our original story continues below.

--

If you have a Philips Hue Bridge or a Philips Hue Bridge Pro set-up at home, be on the lookout for a software upgrade that's rolling out now, which lays the foundations for upcoming improvements to smart-light automations.

As spotted by Notebookcheck, the notes accompanying the version 1975104000 update (Hue Bridge v2) and version 2071193000 update (Hue Bridge Pro) mention showing automations "within the screens of the rooms and zones they control".

Currently, if you open up the Philips Hue app on your phone, you'll see there's a separate Automations tab where you'll find them all listed – timers for waking up and going to sleep, motion-sensor triggers, preset color cycles, and so on. These automations are why Philips Hue devices are some of the best smart lights in the business.

In the near future, it sounds like these automations will also appear on the same screens where you can access the rooms and zones you've created for your lights, making it much easier to see what's what with a quick glance.

Coming soon

The latest Bridge update doesn't enable this change – but it's apparently arriving "in the coming weeks". We've reached out to Philips Hue parent company Signify to see if it has anything extra to add, and will add an update here if we hear back.

In addition to making preparations for this automations tweak, the update release notes say there are "several small changes behind the scenes" that make the Bridges work better than ever – so expect faster responses and fewer problems in the future.

Though it's not mentioned in this update, we're also patiently waiting for the SpatialAware feature, announced at CES 2026 and exclusive to the Hue Bridge Pro. When you set scenes in a room, it tweaks the output from each light, based on its position – for example, for a sunset scene, the artificial sun effect will set on one side of the room.

You can manage Hue Bridge updates by tapping Settings in the app, then choosing Software update. To make life easy, enable Automatic update, which means your Hue devices will update themselves, without you having to do anything else.

And the rest of that Signify statement in full –

"From those room and zone screens, users will be able to create, edit, delete, enable or disable, and start or stop automations – without having to navigate away. This makes it much easier to find the right automation at the right moment.

At the same time, the Automations tab will remain available. This gives users flexibility: they can either browse automations by context (room or zone) or view and manage the full list of automations across their home in one place.

We're also introducing more personalization in how content is displayed within rooms and zones. Users will be able to reorder sections – for example, placing scenes or automations first, followed by accessories and individual lights – based on how they prefer to control their space.

The change is focused on reducing friction and making everyday actions quicker, especially for users who rely heavily on scenes and automations rather than individual light controls. We'll share timing details closer to rollout."

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I spoke with Tony Ho, Vice President of Business Development for Segway Navimow, and he told me that some other lawnbots had a tendency to churn up the lawn when making a pivot (a common requirement, as most lawnbots these days will mow in straight, parallel lines, turning at the top of each row).

"When they turn, the wheels are rubbing against the grass. It kind of just kills the grass at the turning point," he explained.

For the new X4 series, Segway Navimow came up with a different strategy. "The X4 has this feature where it almost turns the wheels and does a crab walk. It's one of our inventions. Our engineers are so proud of that," he tells me. "We like to say, 'It's tough on the terrain, but it's very gentle on the grass.'"

The 'tough on terrain' part of that is important, too. The X4 was designed specifically with large and challenging yards – the kind that are common in North America – in mind.

Tony says the X4 is one of his favorites of the five new models the brand is launching in 2026. "It's a showcase of the best technology we have," he says. "I definitely have huge hopes for the X4 – we think it's going to make our year this year."

I tested this model's predecessor, and as you'll discover in my five-star Segway Navimow X3 review, I was seriously impressed. However, one thing that really stood out to me is that the design could not be more different. The X3 is one of the friendliest looking lawnbots around, whereas the X4 feels a whole lot meaner.

Tony admits that at first, he thought the look was "a little bit stupid". He explains that it's geared towards the section of the market that prefer a macho-looking gadgets. "It's partially, kind of targeting... people who love cars, as opposed to the cute type of robot," he explains.

Personal styling preferences aside, I'll be very interested to see how this model performs in the real world. The version I saw was US-only, and is available in two versions: the X430, which is designed for up to an acre and costs $2,499, and the X450 for up to 1.5 acres and costs $2,999. There will be a similar UK version joining the lineup at some point – watch this space.

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Let's say you've unboxed the bot, attached any side sweepers or mop pads that need to be attached, downloaded the app and connected your robot vacuum up to it. What now? Here are seven things to do to get started with your new automated home helper...

1. Do a mapping run (but tidy up first)

Once you've connected your robot vacuum up to its companion app, you'll typically be prompted to do a 'mapping run'. During this, the robot won't do any cleaning, but it'll explore its new surroundings and create a map. It'll do this by popping into each room, wandering about a bit, and then leaving.

To get your home ready for this, you want to open all the doors and tidy away any clutter on the floors. In fact, I tend to try and lift up anything that's not going to be a permanent fixture – so I'll pop dining chairs onto the table, for instance.

It is possible to skip this step and just launch straight in, asking the robovac to clean and map as it goes, but opting to map first means the bot can be more efficient when it comes to vacuuming. Plus, it typically won't take long at all – less than 10 minutes.

2. Edit the map

Once the robot has finished its mapping run, it'll come back with a rough map of the space it has just scouted. How accurate this is will vary from robovac to robovac, but it's rare even the most advanced model will get it perfect first time around.

You'll probably need to go in and add a name to each room – this is just to help you make sense of the map. It's useful for determining where the robot has been and where it has encountered issues. Plus, it makes it simpler for you to launch single-room cleans. You might also need to split or merge rooms or areas.

It might be the case that the robot vacuum includes areas that it won't actually be able to clean. For instance, when I map my home, the robot will include parts of the garden, which it can 'see' through full-height patio doors. If I map a floor that's not the ground floor, it will also include the stairs going down. Again, it can see it's a space that exists, even though its cliff sensors will (thankfully) prevent it from reaching it.

For areas like this, I'll add a virtual wall or no-go zone. This means the bot won't waste time banging up against the glass door, trying to clean the decking outside.

Again, nothing terrible will happen if you don't complete this step – it just makes your life easier and can help the robot be more efficient in what it's trying to do.

3. Launch a whole-floor vacuum

At this point, I tend to just crack on with a whole-floor clean. I send the robot vacuum off to vacuum everywhere, using its default settings. Everything will be off the floor from the mapping run, so it should be able to achieve a nice, thorough clean.

During this run, I will be able to identify any problem areas where the robot might get stuck or lost, or any places where it can't currently reach. I can then make adjustments where possible to solve the problems.

I can also get an idea of the robot vacuum's navigation capabilities. More advanced robot vacuums will learn as they go, so even if the navigation is a little dodgy at this point, it'll get smarter the more you use it. Typically, I find most robot vacuums these days do a good job of finding their way about, though.

4. Explore the mopping

Most modern robot vacuums can mop as well as vacuuming, and early on I like to explore the bot's mopping capabilities. Setups vary considerably from robot to robot. On a basic option like the Dreame D9 Max Gen 2, you'll have to fill the water tank and attach the mop pad, carry the robot vacuum to the room you want mopping, close the door and ask it to mop. If the robot can't sense carpet, or if there are hard floor areas you don't want mopping, you'll want to set no-mop zones in your app.

More advanced options will be able to sense carpet and lift their mop pads up to avoid getting it damp. They'll also have a dock that refills the onboard water tank for them, so you won't need to do that bit manually. If I have a hi-tech model like this, I'll just include mopping as part of the first whole-floor clean.

Typically, you'll have the option to just vacuum and mop simultaneously, or vacuum then mop. I'll always go for the last option, so any dust and debris is clear before the water enters the picture.

5. Create a schedule

Once I've done my initial, exploratory cleans, I'll set up a schedule for cleaning going forward. The majority of robot vacuums have this option. The beauty of a robot vacuum is that it can operate autonomously, with very little input required from you. I'll ask it to clean two or three times a week, at times when I know I'm going to be out. As part of that, I might include one 'deep' clean, on higher intensity settings.

It is possible for a robot vacuum to clean at night. Almost all modern robot vacuums use LiDAR as their primary navigation technology, and this doesn't rely on the space being lit (many bots supplement this with headlamps to allow their object-detecting cameras to work in a dark room, too). If your bedrooms are near the areas being vacuumed, you might want to avoid this option, because the noise of cleaning may disturb your sleep.

6. Tweak settings

As you get acquainted with your robot vacuum, you'll notice things you might want to be a bit different. On a fancier robot vacuum, you'll likely be able to tweak almost anything, from how much water the bot uses for mopping to how often it'll auto-empty its dust cups, so dig into the app and have a look around.

If you find your robot vacuum is regularly running into things you don't want it to, look for a 'pet mode' in the settings – this will generally increase the sensitivity of the bot's object avoidance. If you're not sure what your options are, here are more settings you might want to change on your robot vacuum.

7. Map other floors

At time of writing, stair-climbing is out of a robot vacuum's capabilities. That doesn't have to mean your robovac is bound to a single floor, though. Pretty much all companion apps will enable you to map multiple levels – you'll just have to commit to carrying your bot to the new floor, and back again once it's finished cleaning.

Lack of access to the dock is the only other potential sticking point. It's rare that a robovac would need to recharge or empty its dust cup half-way through cleaning a floor, but it is possible it could run out of water if it's doing a lot of mopping.

To supplement my scheduled clean of the floor with the dock, I'll often map other floors in my home. I'll then just carry the robot up to do a clean every now and then – it's still less effort than going around with a stick vacuum.

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At the risk of confusing everyone, both versions also have sister models: the Saros 10, and the new Saros 20 Sonic (the slight shift in naming is the result of some copyright complications, I am told). The key distinguishing feature is the mop pad type – the 10R and 20 both have dual, spinning mop pads, whereas the 10 and 20 Sonic have a D-shaped pad. A Roborock rep shared with me that it has found the dual spinning mop pad style the most popular by some margin, so it tracks that the Saros 20 will be the one to watch of the new additions.

All clear? Great! Let's take a look at the Saros 20's 3 coolest upgrades...

1. It can hover above your carpet

The big news is that the Saros 20 has a new version of Roborock's AdaptiLift feature. This is essentially all the tech surrounding the little feet that boost the robot vacuum over tall thresholds. On the upgraded version, not only can the robot conquer even taller steps (it can manage single steps up to 1.77in / 4.5cm in height, or a double step totaling 3.34in / 8.5cm), it also uses the feet to improve its cleaning performance on thick carpet.

Once turned on in the app, the Saros 20 has a feature that enables it to hover at exactly the right height to effectively clean a deep-pile carpet without getting stuck. It has eight different height options, and the robot will intelligently choose the right one for the thickness of the carpet it's dealing with. Roborock says it can cope with a pile of up to 1.18 in / 3cm.

2. It will be able to swap its mop pads

This one isn't quite here yet, but is on its way: the Saros 20 will be able to switch between different mop pads for different areas of the home. Like its predecessor, the 20 has two circular, spinning mop pads that attach magnetically.

However, Roborock is now introducing multiple pad types for different scenarios, and a dock that can automatically dispense the correct pair of pads for the situation. The bot will be able to automatically drop off its old pads and pick up a new pair as required, for an effective clean with no cross-contamination between areas.

This isn't a new idea – Dreame launched a mop-swapping dock in September 2025 (read our full Dreame Matrix10 Ultra review for more info), and the Roborock version looks essentially the same.

At CES Roborock was showing a version of the mechanism with a transparent front, but not the actual final dock. A rep informed me that the Saros 20 mop-swap-dock is at the fine-tuning stage of development, and although it won't launch with the Saros 20, it hopefully won't be too far behind.

3. The dock won't show your grubby fingerprints

The Saros 10R came with a glossy mirrored dock that I love the look of. However, I will concede that it's not the most practical choice for busy households – the shiny finish shows up smears and fingerprints particularly badly. It makes sense, then, that Roborock has opted for a less glam but more functional finish on the dock for the Saros 20. It's just matte black plastic, but promises to be far more fingerprint-friendly than its predecessor.

There are further tweaks and upgrades under the hood. Notably, the suction has had another boost – the Saros 20 can deliver a ridiculous 35,000Pa of power, compared to 20,000Pa on the Saros 10R. And on top of the upgrades, you're still getting all the best bits of the excellent 10R, from automatic brush and mop lifting (depending on floor type) to hot water mop pad washing and warm air drying.

The Roborock Saros 20 will begin its international rollout this year. Exact dates and pricing are TBC, and I'll have a full review with you as soon as possible.

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We discussed the coolest tech we saw on the latest episode of our podcast, and while awesome tech that feels ripped from the future – like the brain-reading Neurable HyperX headset and over-100-inch Samsung Micro-RGB TV – were among our favorites, we all conceded that IKEA’s simple yet effective smart appliances were the true stars.

Watch our latest podcast below, and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel.

Speakers, lights, even air-fryer-microwave-combos, IKEA had a lot of fantastic home gadgetry to showcase – much of which came in dazzling colors, and of course, the brand’s iconic fun Swedish names.

The reason for IKEA’s excellence is a simple one: its tech hit the sweet spot of interesting, useful, and relatively affordable.

Its Varmblixt LED Lamps are beautiful, brightly colored donuts that boast a color representation that even some supposed smart lighting experts can't beat, and they’ll only cost $99 (prices will vary outside the US) when it ships in April.

Our US Editor-at-large saw the light in person, and said that while it "does look like a giant donut," there's "just something so beautiful about it." You can hear more about his first-hand experience with Varmblixt in the episode linked above.

Or you’ve got the tiny, beautiful Kallsup speakers, which are properly affordable at just $9.99. You can connect to up to 100 at once, and there’s a fantastic opportunity here for a delightful audio setup if you’re brimming with creativity.

While it’s arriving a little after CES proper, we’ve also got the three-in-one Gåtebo microwave making its global rollout following its European launch last year. Perfect for smaller spaces, this microwave meets airfryer looks to be a simple yet effective appliance, adding to IKEA’s improved smart home image

We’ll have to see how well IKEA’s tech performs when it lands in front of our expert reviewers, but if it hits the mark with everything it has shown off so far this year, IKEA might have already won 2026.

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So I was excited to see what Dreame would be showcasing at CES 2026. I was expecting a new robot vacuum, perhaps some innovative air purifiers. What I was not expecting was for Dreame to announce its entry into literally every corner of the home. I'm not exaggerating – if you can think of a home appliance, Dreame now has one in its lineup.

It has a TV, soundbars, a projector, a surround sound speaker setup. There's a Dreame action camera, smart rings, smart glasses and a smartwatch. It has smart lights in all shapes and sizes. It has security cameras, smart locks and motion sensors.

There are fridges, a dishwasher, a microwave and a selection of ovens. There are air fryers, coffee machines, and a stand mixer. It has a washing machine, tumble dryer, and steamer. There's a chainsaw and a hedge trimmer, electric toothbrushes, razors, IPL machines and an LED face mask.

It's still at prototype stage, but there was even a car sitting incongruously on the Dreame stand.

The vision, according to the press release, is to evolve from "a standalone smart device brand to a comprehensive provider of connected lifestyles with an ecosystem now covering the home, garden, outdoors, and on the move". The tagline it's going with is "All dreams in one Dreame", which makes no sense at all.

Too far, too soon?

I've tested a number of Dreame gadgets, and have almost always been impressed, but I'm wary of this latest expansion. It all just seems too fast and too wide-reaching for it to have been done with the required care and expertise. The difficulty I've had in getting any information about the individual products I was most interested in hasn't reassured me any further.

Previously, Dreame's category expansions have made sense. There's crossover between the mechanics of a vacuum cleaner and a hair dryer, for instance. I can see how a brand that knows its way around a robot vacuum could also make a great lawnbot.

But I'm struggling to see how those skills might translate into coffee machines or TVs – both categories that are highly specific, and which require specialist knowledge and skills to excel in. The same goes for things like smartwatches and action cameras.

Of course, I haven't tested any of the new gadgets yet – I've only seen them displayed and demoed, which isn't a reliable way to judge any product. The proof will be in the testing, and I hope to be pleasantly surprised.

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As a deals editor for TechRadar, I've been covering the Renpho smart scale for years. It has over 350,000 five-star reviews on Amazon and is a consistently best-selling product on TechRadar during holiday sales. Today's offer is just $2 shy of the record-low price and an incredible deal for a feature-packed smart scale.

The Renpho brand is known for its innovative health and fitness products, which are highly rated for their smart features and reasonable prices.

The Renpho smart scale works with its compatible Health app, which lets you easily track your progress and integrates with other fitness apps, including Samsung Health, Fitbit, and Apple Health. The smart scale offers 13 measurements, including weight, BMI, body fat, muscle mass, and metabolic age.

Reviewers on Amazon praise the Renpho smart scale for its accuracy and reliability, ease of use, and value for money. Today's deal from Amazon is a limited-time offer and with over 350,00 positive reviews for $20 – what is there to lose?

It’s the kind of price that makes me wonder if I need another camera at home, too. The Blink Mini only works indoors, but it’s perfect if you want to cover one particular room or you’re concerned about pets. I have one set up to keep an eye on my guinea pigs any time I’m travelling.

It’s simple to set up and use, while it provides instant peace of mind. You can even use it to talk to anyone in the room, although I’m not convinced my guinea pigs appreciate that feature.

Today’s best cheap security camera deal

Our Blink Mini review was a little critical of the need to pay for cloud storage and the lack of person detection, but for under £10, these feel like less relevant issues.

Crucially, it still offers crisp video quality, “solid night vision performance”, and a “comprehensive app.” Thanks to those features, it’s one of the best home security cameras for anyone on a budget.

As mentioned, I use mine to monitor my pets while I’m away from home. I’ve also seen people use it as an alternative to one of the best video doorbells, as you can place it on your front window to see who’s calling. It’s a very simple solution to any situation when you need to keep an eye on things.

If you want something more packed with features, there are some good home security camera deals around. Alternatively, if you want to switch up your doorbell, check out the Ring Video Doorbell deals available today.

When Amazon announced Alexa+, the future looked bright for the AI-bolstered smart assistant, poised to offer agentic assistance that could rival even the likes of Google Gemini and ChatGPT.

However, while the service boasts a next-gen upgrade that could revolutionize home assistants as we know them, there's a long road ahead before many of the promised features are fully functional (or, indeed, available to users at all).

There's a glaringly obvious reason for this; Alexa+ is still in Early Access, meaning all current users are effectively part of one great big beta test, as noted by Reddit users in r/AmazonEcho. However, that beta test seems to have expanded to a bunch of Prime customers via an automatic enrollment in the service, as reported by The Verge, and it's riled up the user base once again.

That being said, if your main reasons for opting out are pre-emptive, it's worth giving the service a try yourself, because there are a fair few very happy customers who might convince you otherwise.

It could be worse...

Am I the only person on the planet that actually likes Alexa+? from r/amazonecho

We've covered some of those recent concerns already, as well as our own hands-on Alexa+ early access testing, but it's not all doom and gloom in Alexa+ land.

In light of complaints about reduced functionality and excessive ads, some are calling out specific features that have actually improved when using the service.

"I love the change! I can finally get answers to questions," says one user, referencing Alexa's improved conversational abilities and better search functions. "It makes my daily routines smoother, and I enjoy how it integrates with my smart home devices," one commenter adds.

Indeed, smart home control seems to be a running theme in those enjoying the service, which offers improved voice control from chained requests to natural language automation setup.

Elsewhere, people are finding new ways to use Alexa+ after the upgrade: "I’m having a blast with my Alexa+ in my art studio/ shop. She is my shop assistant and I think she is awesome." said one Reddit user in another thread.

Plus, its contextual awareness seems to prove useful in practice for some users: "The other day I was making German pancakes and had a recipe up and I could just ask things like 'How much flour? How many eggs? What ingredients are left?' and it kept up and walked me through the whole recipe."

... but it could be better!

Amazon unvieled some of its big plans for 2026 at CES, including big news for Alexa+ – catch up on all the latest news in the above video!

In the wake of some such complaints, other Reddit users are blaming the negativity bias of Reddit's userbase for widespread complaints about the service.

Others agreed, acknowledging the room for improvement but with a little more patience than some netizens. "These days, no software is ever perfect at release, and maybe never afterwards either. The advantage of Alexa+ is that it's new, so it has a team of devs working on bugfixes and improvements, and that can only be a good thing," said one user.

"Even people with poor experiences of it now should find, if they report issues, that the system gets better – because that's kind of inevitable right now."

Along a similar vein, Comment
byu/crazybeachcats from discussion
inamazonecho">other users are using Alexa+ as a means to familiarize themselves more with AI: "The reason I use Alexa is because AI isn’t going away, and I want to understand how it works. Of course, it is imperfect, but it is unrealistic to think new technology is going to be fully developed."

That's a worthwhile consideration; Alexa+ is showing no sign of slowing down, with Amazon recently launching Alexa+ on the web and bringing the AI assistant to a wide range of devices, from electric vehicles to home appliances.

Opt-out with ease

Still, there are plenty of unhappy customers deciding they don't want the free upgrade, from simple reasons like Alexa+'s grating "Valley Girl" cadence to decreased functionality and an abundance of ads.

That's doubly true given the Alexa+ free upgrade for Prime users currently rolling out is automatic, meaning you can't refuse and opt out until the service is already active; thankfully, it's a very easy process to remove yourself from the hive mind.

Simply say 'Alexa, exit Alexa+' to remove the service from your Echo devices, and if you change your mind later you can rejoin by saying 'Alexa, enter Alexa+'. It's that easy!

Have you tried the new Alexa+ service yet? Let us know in the comments section down below.

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IKEA's quirky, donut-shaped Varmblixt lamp is that product, and I haven't stopped obsessing over the Bluetooth lamp since I saw it at CES 2026.

Varmblixt isn't brand new, but this version represents a significant update, with a fresh glossy finish and a multitude of colors. Let's start with the basics, and I'll try to explain why I'm so smitten with the $99 illuminator.

First of all, IKEA's Varmblixt is shaped like a giant donut (roughly one foot in diameter). At first glance, it has no visible seams and, though I spotted a power cord running out of it, I wasn't sure how IKEA fed it into that perfectly smooth torus shape. Naturally, I flipped the lamp over to see the well-hidden plastic base, which, in addition to the power cord entry, houses a slot for wall hanging.

Varmblixt invites you to touch it. Even before IKEA reps explained the new product, I was running my hands over the smooth glass surface and admiring its glow.

The CES 2026 IKEA setup featured almost a dozen of these lamps, which was fitting since the upgraded Varmblixt now supports 12 distinct colors, including the original orange, and new white, amber, red, pink, lavender, and turquoise, among others.

The other big upgrade here is the Matter over Thread integration, which means Varmblixt now works with virtually any smart home platform, including Alexa, Google Home, and Apple Home.

I'm glad, though, that IKEA chose to keep the tiny physical remote, which means that even if you don't want to hook the lamp up to an app, you can access all 12 colors (app control raises the customization level to 40 distinct hues).

There's the other reason I'm obsessing over Varmblixt: I used that remote. Unlike most other Bluetooth LED-based lighting systems that make hard, almost jarring switches between colors, Varmblixt takes it slow.

With each press of the remote, I watched as the color shifted almost imperceptibly, then slowly transitioned to the new, fully-dimmable hue. Not only that, but the color diffusion under the molded glass is near perfect. It's simply beautiful to watch, and I loved basking in the glow.

Function follows form

None of this would work so well if there weren't such a clear marriage between the design and color choices. Dutch artist Sabine Marcelis clearly designed the pair to be a marriage of hue and form. Even the way the colors change is more like a symphony than a switch, and is the perfect match for the Varmblixt's smooth looks.

Perhaps the other thing that attracted me to the Varmblixt is its fundamental simplicity. No hubs, just a choice to use the remote or the app.

One wonders if the Philips Hue lineup of smart lighting products would be the same kind of sensation if it paid as much attention to design and simplicity.

I remember thinking that Varmblixt would be perfect if it were also rechargeable and truly wireless; then my secret dream of a wall of them could come true.

The other thing I loved is that even though this is a more powerful and smarter version, Varmblixt will still cost just $99 (prices will vary outside the US) when it ships in April.

I know this is just a lamp, but the best technology products are often the ones that do one thing and do it very well. Varmblixt appears to succeed on that level, but it will do more than that because when you have one or more of these donut lamps in the home, they will be instant conversation pieces. And whether you're using your app, voice, or the handy remote to control them, I bet you elicit more than a few 'oohs' and 'ahhs'.

There is, by the way, another Varmblixt option, a large hanging LED pendant light, which looks like a random bunch of hanging 'U's. It currently only supports white light and also ships in April for $149. I do not dream about that lamp.

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Early last year, Amazon unveiled Alexa+, a next-gen upgrade designed to take on the likes of ChatGPT and Google Gemini. The rollout of the AI has been pretty slow since then, but now Prime members are being automatically upgraded – and many aren't happy about it.

As spotted by The Verge, numerous Reddit threads are relaying the upgrade message that some Prime members are getting. The upgrade "takes just a few minutes and won't require any action from you", according to the note.

There's no way to opt out of the upgrade – it happens automatically. However, users can still revert back to the old AI if they want to, by saying "Alexa, exit Alexa+" within range of one of their smart speakers or smart displays.

Right from the beginning, Amazon said Alexa+ would be a free perk for Prime users (otherwise costing $19.99 a month – pricing outside the US has yet to be confirmed). This is making good on that promise, but plenty of users aren't best pleased that they're being forced to upgrade.

Broken functions and too many ads

War has been declared. from r/alexa

"It's all the non-consent that’s bothering me right now," writes one Reddit user, while another says that "I don't want an assistant with attitude". There are plenty of people reporting mixed experiences with Alexa+, and reverting back to the old version of Alexa on their smart devices.

In a separate thread, one user tells Amazon to "stop shoving it down my throat", and another complains that Alexa+ can't read out Kindle books aloud like the standard Kindle can. Missing functionality seems to be part of the problem here.

Other complaints about Alexa+ include slow response times, too many ads, and the style of the new voices. The upgraded AI – powered by large language models (LLMs) – is intended to be smarter and more versatile than the standard Alexa.

Whether users are happy about it or not, Amazon clearly sees Alexa+ as the future. The AI bot recently launched on the web, though we're still waiting for the upgrade to come to users, Prime members or not, outside the US.

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Building on the iconic donut lamp it launched in 2022, IKEA is growing its legacy with a new version of its popular lighting product with a handful of smart upgrades. I happen to own its orange donut predecessor, but its new sibling is even more practical yet still stylish, and I'm ever so tempted to upgrade.

Looks aside, the revised Varmblixt lamp is one of my favorite smart home devices of the year already for five particular reasons, all of which I've gathered below. I don't need another lamp, so this one is purely a 'want'.

Along with the new donut smart lamp, IKEA unveiled five new gadgets at CES that you should definitely check out – but after you've read this roundup, of course.

1. Its reasonable price tag

While it’s never a wise idea to purchase a smart home device solely on the basis of it being ‘cheap’ or affordable’, it’s something that everyone considers in the process. When it comes to the new smart Varmblixt lamp, there’s no ridiculous price hike.

Its standard edition is currently priced at $99.99 / £55 / AU$99, and when its smarter upgrade lands in April, it will be priced at $99.99 in the US (which works out to about £80 / AU$150), while the new LED Pendant Light will be slightly more pricey ($149.99 / £110 / AU$220).

Although it will come with a slight price increase in certain regions, which was inevitable given its new smart functions, its US price remains the same as the original model, which would not have been the case if it were any other smart home brand.

2. New smarts don’t sacrifice its iconic design

One of the reasons why I fell in love with the original Varmblixt lamp in the first place was because of its unique donut-shaped design, tapping into that mid-century modern interior style that’s taken over, and I’m happy that IKEA has kept it.

Despite its smart home selling points, it doesn’t take away from the original lamp’s purpose, which is to serve as a beautiful, decorative piece to brighten your home space. Now it's added smart home tricks give it even more depth.

The only design difference between the 2022 original and the new smart version is that it now features a white matte glass lamp shade, instead of its original warm orange hue – but I’m willing to let that one slide.

3. Display versatility

Just like its iconic shape, display versatility is here to stay, too. Whether you decide to place the Varmblixt lamp next to your sleeping space, on a media unit, or mount it to fill empty wall space, there’s always a way for you to integrate it into your home, no matter your setup.

It also challenges you to get creative, which is something I’ve come to love with smart home tech. I’ve seen a handful of owners online use the Varmblixt lamp to accompany the best turntables in their audio setups, and even coffee bars for their morning caffeine fix.

4. Matter support ties it in nicely with your existing setup

It's quite frustrating when you come across a smart home device with a lot of potential, but then discover it’s not Matter-supported. This isn’t the case for IKEA’s smart lamp.

Now that the Varmblixt lamp is built on the Matter standard, it means that it can fit in easily with your existing smart home ecosystem, so you can ditch the new Bilresa remote if you want to.

5. A wide color spectrum to set any mood

As mentioned, the Varmblixt smart lamp comes with the new Bilresa remote control which allows you to click between the 12 different color presets selected by IKEA collaborator Sabine Marcelis. Each shade is designed to blend seamlessly from one to the other, but there’s a way to unlock even more.

When you connect the lamp to the IKEA Home Smart app through the Dirigera hub, it’ll give you the power to choose from a large color spectrum of 40 different shades and allow you to find the right light to set the perfect tone. If you don’t own the Dirigera hub don’t worry, that’s what Matter support is for, and you can control its 40 added shades right from the smart hubs that you’re already using.

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The Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat is compatible with up to 2 heat/2 cool conventional, up to 2 heat/1 cool heat pump with electric backup, hot water heat, forced air (gas, oil, or electric.) It isn't compatible with electric baseboard heat (120-240V).

This thermostat comes with detailed installation instructions, but we found it beyond us and ended up hiring a professional to do it. Installation does require a C wire, though Honeywell Home does sell an adaptor kit if your home lacks one. Once the thermostat was physically installed in my home, I had no trouble at all setting it up with the app and getting it working. And it works beautifully.

You’ll need to download the First Alert by Resideo app initially to set up your schedule. You can create a 5-1-1 day cycle, 5-2 day cycle, 7-day cycle, or set up one-week increments. You can also create a vacation schedule, even after you've left. Toggle on the Auto Away feature to allow the thermostat to update automatically based on your phone's location. You can also have the app send you filter change reminders. The First Alert app can also control any of their other home devices you may own, such as CO2/smoke alarms, security cameras, air quality filters, water leak sensors, and more.

Don't like using a separate app? You can also control the thermostat with your ecosystem of choice, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or Apple HomeKit (Matter certified.) I'm an Apple user, and I did not find that Siri voice control worked properly. However, Control Center worked just fine.

You can also manage the thermostat the old-fashioned way, toggling through the menu with the six buttons next to the display.

Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat: Price and availability

The Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat was announced at CES in January 2025 and was released for sale in the US and Canada in the spring of 2025. As of this writing, it retails for $79.99 in the US but isn’t for sale yet outside of North America. You can find it at Amazon, Walmart, and tons of other major retailers online and in brick and mortar stores.

This model, otherwise known as RTH2CWF/U X2S Smart Thermostat, replaces Honeywell Home’s RTH6580 WiFi 7-day Programmable Thermostat, which retailed for a similar price. It’s not as fancy-looking as some of the models you’ll find on our roundup of the best smart thermostats, but it gets the job done.

Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat: Design

Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat comes in just one colorway. Honeywell Home calls it “white,” but I’d call it dove gray and off-white to be more specific. It measures 3.44 in/87 mm high, 5.13 in/130 mm wide, and 1.188 in/29.5 mm deep. It has a basic black-on-gray LCD display that lights up when you press a button. When dormant, the thermostat screen shows Mode, Current Temperature, Set Temperature, Status Display, Fan, and Time. It’s much easier to read when lit up, but it can be read when dormant as well.

The thermostat comes with detailed directions, so you can install it yourself if you’re fairly handy. I ended up calling a professional to install it, since I was unable to do it myself and I was having some other work done as well. It didn’t take the professional long at all. Installation does require a C-wire (24 VAC), which my home didn’t have. Honeywell Home does sell an adapter kit in case your home doesn’t have this wire. You also need to have WiFi 2.4 or 5GHz (802.11 b/g/n) in order for the smart features to work properly. Once you install Honeywell Home’s UWP wall plate, future upgrades will be easier, since you can just change the thermostat without redoing all of the wiring.

The Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat is Energy Star certified. You’ll need to download Resideo’s First Alert app on your smartphone in order to set up the thermostat. It’s also the easiest way to control the thermostat. But once you’ve set it up, you can control it manually on the thermostat itself, or with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, or Google Assistant. The thermostat is Matter-certified.

The thermostat is compatible with up to 2 heat/2 cool conventional, up to 2 heat/1 cool heat pump with electric backup, hot water heat, forced air (gas, oil, or electric.) It does not work with electric baseboard heat (120-240V).

You don’t need to waste money heating or cooling your home unnecessarily when you’re away. Set up the thermostat’s schedule for a 5-1-1 day cycle, 5-2 day cycle, 7-day cycle, or one-week increments. You can also set up a vacation schedule. Toggle on the Auto Away feature to allow the thermostat to update based on your location.

Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat: Performance

The Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat was only released months ago, but it looks like something from an earlier time. It’s not unattractive, but it doesn’t look particularly modern either. You can fully operate with the buttons just like you could in the 'old days', but you’ll have to go through a lot of menus to do so. It’s easier just to operate it within the app.

I hate to put yet another app on my iPhone, but this one, First Alert by Resideo, is important for the best experience with the Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat. I did try controlling it from Control Center on my iPhone, but features are limited there. I also tried voice commands to Siri, but it didn’t work well. The thermostat definitely 'heard' me and changed the temperature, but it did not go to the temperature I said.

Using the First Alert app, the Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat works great. I set it to heat my home to 68°F/20°C during the day and 63°F/17°C at night. Since my husband and I both often work from home, I didn’t set a daytime “away” temperature, though I could. I did take a nine-day vacation and set up a special vacation schedule, which worked beautifully. I checked multiple times on my vacation to make sure my home was only heated enough to avoid the pipes freezing. My home was comfortably warm when I returned on a particularly cold January day.

The Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat is compatible with Apple HomeKit (Matter enabled), Google Assistant, and Amazon Alexa. The First Alert app makes it easy to change the temperature, set up a daily/weekly schedule, turn your fan on and off, switch from heat to cool, and create vacation settings. You can also track your HVAC runtime in the app. You can also run other First Alert products via the app, such as air filters, smoke/CO2 alarms, security cameras, and water leak/freeze detectors.

I found that the Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat worked quite well in heating my home to my specifications. I like being able to set the schedule to my precise daily needs, and being able to set up vacation mode even while already away on vacation. I feel like there is a lot less wasted HVAC use, as the thermostat makes it easy to set up a tailored schedule.

Should you buy the Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat?

Buy it if

Don't buy it if

Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat: alternatives to consider

If you're in the market for a smart thermostat and you're not sure Honeywell Home X2S Smart Thermostat is the one, here are some others you might consider checking out.

Though IKEA has made its mark on all things interior design, it's also made a name for itself on the smart home front by becoming a great budget alternative to the best smart home devices. Its CES debut provided the perfect opportunity to show smart home enthusiasts what IKEA is all about, and it did just that.

In addition to upgrading one of its most popular lighting products, IKEA unveiled new audio devices and showcased new utility smart home sensors, which were first announced late last year.

Missed out on IKEA's CES appearance? Here are the 5 main announcements you need to know about.

Varmblixt LED Lamp

IKEA's iconic donut-shaped Varmblixt lamp has been a stand-out among the company's range of funky lighting - I even have one of my own. I love how it looks, but I wish I had waited for its new smart light version to drop.

The new Varmblixt smart lamp keeps its iconic design, but packs 12 different color presets that you can control with the new Bilresa remote, so you can smoothly float between different light settings to set the mood and atmosphere. You can also control the lamp by hooking it up to IKEA's Dirigea Wi-Fi hub, where you'll be able to select from a larger spectrum of over 40 hues.

One of its most unique features is that each color is designed to seamlessly blend into the next, which was designed by collaborator Sabine Marcelis. But its smart features don't end there: the lamp is also built on Matter, meaning that it can easily fit into your existing smart home setup. Basically, I'm ever so envious of this upgrade.

Kallsup smart speaker

As well as smart lamps, IKEA is dipping its toes even further into the audio waters, unveiling its tiny but dead cheap Kallsup speaker - which will set you back a mere $10. It's set for an April 2026 launch, with pricing varying in different regions.

Coming in three colorful shades (lime green, pink, and white) the Kallsup speaker is an affordable entry-level speaker that's very light and allows you to get creative by stacking them like building blocks.

Though it doesn't pack a powerful punch on the audio front, which we'd expect from a speaker of this size, it supports Bluetooth 5.3 and has a 20-hour battery life at 50% volume. You can even connect up to a whopping 100 of them - the ultimate way to get the party started.

Teklan Kulglass collection

Alongside its new cheap and cheerful speaker, IKEA showcased a new range of premium-priced audio devices from its Teklan collection, which was first announced in November 2025.

The new collaboration with internet personality Tekla Evelina Severin consists of a number of eye-catching audio gadgets including the portable Solskydd Bluetooth speaker, which can be mounted to a stand or to a wall space. There's also the mushroom-shaped Kulglass Bluetooth speaker and lamp, which packs the handy Spotify Tap function.

Kajplats smart bulb expansion

If there's one thing that IKEA has shown us is that smart bulbs don't have to cost you an arm and a leg. At CES 2026, IKEA announced its expansion of its Kajplats range of smart bulbs (another gadget that was announced in November 2025), showcasing its cheapest one yet at just $6.

But don't think that this price seems too good to be true, this $6 smart bulb still supports Matter-over-Thread and can be controlled through a number of smart home ecosystems including Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings.

New smart sensors and control gadgets

Smart bulbs were just the beginning - IKEA is also expanding its utility lineup of smart sensors and control devices that can be integrated across different rooms in your home, which includes the new Bilresa remotes that you can use with the smart Varmblixt lamp.

Additionally, IKEA's new Klippbok water sensor uses sound alerts and phone notifications to let you know when a leakage occurs, while the Alpstuga sensor measures CO₂, particles, temperature, and humidity to determine the air quality in your home. There's also a new smart plug that tracks your energy usage.

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The big Gemini for Home rollout continues – where Google's new and supposedly improved Gemini AI takes the place of Google Assistant on its smart home devices – but users who've made the switch are reporting multiple issues and bugs.

Gemini for Home access is limited to a certain number of countries and a certain number of devices right now, and you need to specifically opt in if you want Gemini on your Nest gadgets. This enables a bunch of extra features: you get AI-powered descriptions of what your smart cameras are seeing, for example.

However, you don't have to look far on Reddit to find plenty of reports that the basics get broken along the way. One user says their Home Hub can no longer set alarms or control smart lights, something that Google Assistant could do with ease – though there are replies in the thread from people who have got this working with Gemini.

Another Reddit thread outlines how the arrival of Gemini has messed up smart home automations – bunches of actions triggered by a single voice command. The affected user says "when asked to do a very specific thing [Gemini] seems to just do whatever it wants instead" – though again, this doesn't seem to be affecting everyone.

Garage door woes

Gemini can’t possibly be this stup!d. from r/googlehome

One Reddit user says that Gemini is struggling to report whether or not their garage door is closed, which Google Assistant could previously do with no trouble at all. Apparently Gemini replies saying there's no camera available to check the garage door status – even though there is.

In the interests of balance, it seems everything is working fine for some users. If you decide to make the switch to Gemini for Home right now, you might find it's a smooth and hassle-free operation, or you might find that some of the controls and automations that you rely on suddenly stop working. So it's worth researching your particular use cases before making the switch.

With an upgrade of this size and significance, it's fair to say that a few bumps along the road are to be expected: Google is trying to update millions of smart home devices with Gemini, each with their own specific setups and configurations. It's also understandable that users are annoyed and frustrated when basic functionality gets broken.

At the very least, we hope that these issues can be fixed and cleared up as quickly as possible – there's no doubt Gemini is the future for all of Google's smart home devices. If you are having problems, you can report them to Google online.

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Of all the lawnbots I've seen at CES 2026, it's the Segway Navimow i2 AWD that really stands out. It's not the flashiest design – in fact, it's the most affordable of the brand's 2026 launches – but it has some clever features that enable it to create a perfectly manicured, striped lawn, without ever risking damaging your turf.

This robot mower has all-wheel drive – hence AWD – which is very unusual for a compact robot mower. It only has two main wheels (as is common with compact lawnbots), so it won't be scaling especially rocky terrain.

But what it does mean is that the wheels won't drag on your grass when the bot is turning. This is especially relevant for the tight pivots you need to create stripes.

To complement the individually powered main wheels, the smaller stability wheel at the front of the lawnbot has also had some design tweaks. It too is powered (again, unusual), and can pivot to 180 degrees to guide the robot around hairpin turns with confidence and precision – and without ever tearing at your grass. The brand calls all this 'Xero-turn' technology.

This lawnbot also has a clever way to maximize battery life. 'Adaptive Drive' means it'll only use its third (front) wheel when it's needed. This can extend battery life by up to 30%.

Further features

Segway Navimow has added built-in ESC, which automatically adjusts the lawnbot's trajectory on slopes to keep things stable. There's also a traction-control system (TCS) where the torque of the wheels will dynamically adjust to prevent sliding – which can also damage grass.

Although not the most off-road-capable option on the market, it can still handle relatively tough terrain. There's support for slopes up to 45% (24 degrees), it can handle steps and thresholds up to 1.6 inches high, and Segway Navimow promises precise mowing on slippery or root-heavy ground and even around stone paths.

The Navimow i2 AWD Series is available in two variations: the i206 AWD (suitable for yards up to 0.15 acres) and the i210 AWD (for up to 0.25 acres). Prices will be $999 and $1,299 respectively.

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2026 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI. You can also ask us a question about the show in our CES 2026 live Q&A and we’ll do our best to answer it.

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But I'm struggling a little bit to get too excited about it. Part of that is because Dreame has set the bar so high. We absolutely loved this robovac's predecessor – the X50 Ultra. The X60 has many of the same headline features, albeit with tweaks and improvements.

I'm talking: a navigation puck that can retreat so it's flush with the top of the robot when it senses it's entering a low-height space; little stilts that boost the bot up and over tall room thresholds; a dock that can wash the mop pads with hot water, and dry them off too.

Go shorty

Where the X60 is significantly different to its predecessor is in its height. Dreame has shrunk this guy right down, and now claims it's the "industry's thinnest robot vacuum". Coming in at just 3.13in / 7.95cm tall (compared to 3.5in / 8.9cm for the X50), that might well be true.

It's certainly right at the sveltest end of the market, which is great news if you want it to be able to sneak under low furniture. But it's only a hair shorter than the best Roborock has to offer – I measured the Roborock Saros 10 at 3.1in / 8cm, and that's rounded to 1 decimal place, so there's really nothing in it.

What other improvements can you expect over the older X50? Perhaps the most notable changes are in the dock. Dreame has boosted the temperature of the mop cleaning to a whopping 212°F / 100°C, i.e. boiling point. That feels a little extreme to me, although I guess it will truly get everything squeaky clean.

Dreame has targeted pet-owners with an unusual two-part detergent dispenser that contains not just your regular cleaning fluid but also a specialized one for eliminating pet odors.

The X60 Max Ultra Complete's navigation system has been improved, and threshold-crossing limit raised. The 'Dirt Detection' mode can now apparently spy – and respond to – less obvious messes like pet hair and pale liquids. Of course, suction power has had a further boost too.

I'm excited to see how these upgrades perform in a real-world scenario when we get our hands on a model to test.

The new bot will have a list price of $1,699.99 (approx £1,265 / AU$2,540 – although actual UK and AU pricing are TBC, along with availability and launch dates.). I suspect it won't typically be sold at that price. Preorders are now open in the US, with discounts already available.

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2026 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI. You can also ask us a question about the show in our CES 2026 live Q&A and we’ll do our best to answer it.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

The SwitchBot AI MindClip attaches to your collar and records all your conversations, then puts them all into a private, searchable database. I got a chance to check one out at CES 2026, where it's making its debut.

If you want to up the ante by using AI to turn that audio into summaries and to-do lists, there's a cloud-based subscription service that'll help with that. With that service, you can also ask AI to help you find a discussion you need to refresh yourself on the details of.

The AI MindClip is multilingual, with support for over 100 languages, and lightweight at just 18g. SwitchBot assures me there's end-to-end encryption for privacy.

Although I can clearly see its potential usefulness, it all feels a bit invasive and creepy to me. The name and the fact that SwitchBot is referring to it as a 'second brain' doesn't help, nor does the fact it's a literal Black Mirror episode brought to life.

In a work setting, with the MindClip positioned clearly on someone's collar, there's an argument this is kind of thing is perfectly appropriate. It's not that different from recording a video call.

But there's nothing to stop you using it for all your private conversations too, which is where we get into slightly murkier waters. Most people seem to immediately jump to its potential for checking exactly who said what, to settle arguments (the immediate response of the two journalists I was being shown around the CES booth with was, "Woah, my wife's going to hate this.") Plus, it can very easily be concealed.

If you can get over the creepiness and want something to help aid a wandering brain during business meetings though, this still looks like a cool innovation.

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Ecovacs is a brand best known for its robot vacuums, but it has just unveiled something rather different at CES 2026: its first 'emotional companion' robot. The Famibot LilMilo looks like a puppy, and thanks to some AI magic, it acts like one too. Minus the messy bits, obviously.

It might look a bit like a stuffed toy from the photos, but in person Milo is impressively lifelike in his mannerisms. So much so that during my CES booth tour I accidentally spent 10 minutes petting him and left feeling a little weepy. I blame the jet lag.

LilMilo has a camera in his nose, so he can recognize his owner, as well as being able to hear your voice using a mic in his ear. Adorably, the charge station comes in the form of a dog bed.

The demo model on show could follow me about with his eyes, and responded to my petting with a contented face and a tail wag. Over time, I am told he'll adapt to your habits and develop his own AI-powered personality.

There are multiple color options available, although upsettingly only one 'breed' – so I wasn't able to find one to match my own, real dog at home (although who knows what that might have done to me in my already-fragile emotional state).

Aside from choosing your preferred color, you'll also be able to pimp your hound with various accessories – the Ecovacs rep I spoke to told me she liked to think of it like an upgraded Build-A-Bear. At the CES booth I was treated to a fashion show of several rather stylish themed hats. Milo seemed happy with his headgear, and showed no signs of wanting to tear it off and eat it, so that's good.

Although he's partly just a cute, interactive toy, I can see how LilMilo might become a soothing companion for someone who can't have a real pet. Judging by my own reaction, he's surprisingly easy to form an emotional bond with.

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2026 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI. You can also ask us a question about the show in our CES 2026 live Q&A and we’ll do our best to answer it.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

We're on the show floor at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where all the biggest names in tech are showing off their latest consumer products, and smart home brands are vying for a place in your living room.

There have been some interesting developments in the world of smart lighting (such as IKEA's donut-shaped Varmblixt LED Lamp), but one that really caught my eye was a new line of budget-friendly smart light bulbs from Lifx.

These have been on sale for a couple of months already, but this is the first time Lifx has demonstrated them at a major trade show.

We've tested various Lifx products over the years here at TechRadar and been impressed by their performance. However, they tend to lean towards the expensive side, with premium prices more in line with Philips Hue's best smart lights than affordable rivals Govee or Nanoleaf.

Last year, Philips launched the Hue Essential series – a collection of everyday bulbs that work in just the same way as its regular lights, but with more modest specs and much lower prices, so it makes sense that Lifx is following its lead with a more accessible range of entry-level bulbs.

Opting for a cheaper bulb doesn't necessarily mean missing out on features or quality. I put a Philips Hue Essential E27 bulb to the test against a regular Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance one, and was surprised how well the cheaper model compared in terms of overall brightness and color reproduction. The biggest difference was that the regular Hue bulb could be dimmed to 0.2% of its maximum brightness, whereas the Hue Essential one could only drop to 2%.

Depending on how you're planning to use them, that might be something you don't even notice – particularly if you're not mixing the two bulb types within the same room.

So what does the new Lifx Everyday series bring to the table (or ceiling) compared with Hue Essential, and which smart lights should you pick if you're on a budget?

Significant specs

The table below sums up the key similarities and differences between a Philips Hue Essential and a Lifx Everyday bulb. In the interest of simplicity, I'll be comparing the standard E27 screw-fitting bulb in both collections.

I should also point out that although Hue Essential bulbs can be bought individually, Lifx Everyday bulbs are only available in packs of two, so here I'll be comparing the list price for a twin-pack of each.

As you can see, while both these bulbs are in the entry-level price bracket, the Philips Hue Essential is considerably more expensive. If you want to make the most of the Hue Essential bulb's features (beyond simply adjusting the brightness and color) then you'll also need to factor in the price of a Philips Hue Bridge, which connects to your router and links all your Hue devices in a mesh network using the Zigbee wireless protocol.

Using Zigbee does have some significant advantages over Wi-Fi though, and is ideal for low-powered devices like smart lights and switches. Connecting multiple smart lights directly to your Wi-Fi router can cause congestion, and although you can theoretically connect dozens of bulbs to a single router, doing so is likely to slow down other connected devices.

Zigbee-enabled devices also act as repeaters, which can dramatically extend their range compared to Wi-Fi connected devices.

The Hue Essential bulb has a slightly higher max brightness and the Lifx Everyday, plus a wider white light temperature range. The Lifx bulb offers deeper dimming, however, which may be helpful if you want to use your bulb as a wake-up light in the morning.

Into the apps

Both thje Lifx and Philips Hue apps let you choose from a collection of preset lighting scenes or create your own to set a particular mood. However, the Hue app also has an AI-powered assistant to make bespoke scenes for you using typed or spoken commands. Both the Philips Hue app and the Lifx app let you set custom schedules and automations.

Both apps let you connect to their respective brand's switches without using a third-party platform, but the Hue app also offers native support for the brand's huge range of sensors, cameras, doorbell, and other devices. You can not only control your lights, but also create and arm a home security system through the same app. There are also more third-party integrations for Hue products via services like IFTTT.

Conclusion

So which entry-level bulbs are right for you? The answer depends partly on your budget, and partly on what you're planning to do in the future.

The Lifx Everyday bulbs are cheaper to buy outright, and have the advantage of not needing an additional bridge to unlock features like customizable scenes and scheduling. If you want smart light bulbs for one or two rooms, they're a very reasonably priced option, with brightness, dimming, and colors to compete with premium options.

Philips Hue Essential bulbs, on the other hand, are intended as an affordable entry point to the Hue system. If you'd like to gradually change all your lights to smart ones and can see yourself building a system spanning multiple rooms with different sensors and security devices, Hue Essentials will be a better investment in the long term.

We've had our experts all over the big launches as well as the smaller stuff tucked away at the back of the halls, and we've chosen our 25 favorite products of the show. We're covering a wide gamut of consumer tech here, so make yourself a coffee and dig into what we loved, and why it stood out to us.

Want to watch along and see more of the tech we loved at CES? Check out the video below!

Best phone

Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold

• A phone that really turns into a tablet
• Impressive camera system, too
• Read more: I finally tried the Samsung Galaxy Z TriFold and couldn't believe my eyes

We finally got to try Samsung's first double-folding phone (it may be called the TriFold, but there are two hinges…), and we called it a "remarkable feat of engineering that offers the potential of truly pocketable big-screen tablet productivity". When folded, it isn’t meaningfully thicker than regular phones, and it has a 6.5-inch screen… but then it becomes 10-inch tablet – so truly tablet-sized – in an instant when you fold its two sides out.

It's not just a one-trick pony, though – the TriFold has five cameras in total, to make sure it can deliver all the flexibility you want from a modern phone. There's Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite for Galaxy customized powerful processor, and a generous 5,600mAh battery. It's the clear stand-out among CES's phones this year.

Best earbuds

Shokz OpenFit Pro

• Shokz' first open earbuds with active 'noise reduction'
• Great fit and sound quality
• Read more: I’ve worn the all-new Shokz open earbuds for 4 days and the ‘noise reduction’ is so good, I forget they’re open-ear

The best open earbuds have become incredibly popular, but Shokz has making them for longer than most, and the new OpenFit Pro proves that it's good to be the veteran. Crucially, these are the company's first with active noise cancellation – even though Shokz doesn't want to call it that, because not having an in-ear seal means it's not quite as effective as what people think of for ANC. No, this is 'noise reduction'.

Well, we've tested them, and actually the noise reduction is as good as a lot of ANC earbuds. It's really effective, and paired with impressive sound and high levels of comfort, these are really impressive.

Best stereo speakers

Cambridge L/R Series

• 3 sizes of wireless stereo bookshelf speakers with huge power
• Dedicated bass drivers with passive radiators
• Read more: Cambridge has unveiled three active bookshelf speakers at CES and it’s not hard to see the KEF resemblance

British hi-fi company Cambridge launched its first wireless stereo speakers, and despite being modest in size, they are huge in sound. There are three sizes – the L/R X is the biggest, the L/R M is the medium, and the L/R S is the small – and it's amazing how much oomph they provide.

We heard the L/R X going hard, and the bass is enough to shake the room, despite not being that big. A big down-firing woofer and dual passive bass radiators get it to this point, delivering an amazingly full sound, with tons of detail and finesse to it as well. And they're great-looking, too.

Best Bluetooth speaker

Fender Audio Elie 6

• 3-way speaker system in a small body produces great sound
• Connections for guitars and mics, and great wireless options
• Read more: Fender just released new wireless headphones and Bluetooth speakers

Fender Audio launched two speakers and a pair of headphones at CES, and all are interesting in various ways, but during our ears-on time it was the Elie 6 that really impressed us. It's a pretty small unit, but it packs in a tweeter, full-range speaker and down-firing bass driver, meaning the sound is amazingly full and impactful – especially in stereo mode, with two units connected wirelessly.

They have interesting features, too – a combined XLR and 1/4-inch port for connecting a mic or guitar directly, and even two wireless buttons for a specific connectivity feature Fender is planning to work with wireless mics. We like the design too, with a solid carry handle.

Best headphones

TDM Neo

• Headphones that 'twist' to become a portable speaker
• 200-hour battery life in headphones mode

We love seeing something totally new at CES. The TDM Neo work like a regular pair of on-ear wireless headphones. You put them on, you enjoy some nice bassy music. But when you take them off, you can twist the flexible headband and connect the earcups together magnetically, to form a small round device. As soon as you do this, they start playing music out loud, as a Bluetooth speaker.

They have two sets of audio drivers to make this happen: one for headphones mode, and a more powerful set for speaker mode. And they're really thoughtfully designed – the headband hinges attach to each other when you twist, so you know you've done it correctly, but then they become a flat surface you can stand the speaker on.

If you prefer, you can also change the behavior so that when you twist, they pause instead of auto-switching to speaker mode. And because the speaker mode requires more power, they have huge batteries, and can deliver a colossal 200 hours of life in headphones mode.

Best toy

Lego Smart Play

• A classic Lego brick, now with sound and light magic
• All the tech is under the hood – no screens required

At first glance, Lego’s Smart Brick looks like a regular 2x4 Lego brick. Aside from a transparent top, you’d never know it’s any different. But bring a Smart Minifigure close, and that's where the magic starts to happen. If Darth Vader approaches, the Imperial March starts up. Move R2-D2 nearby and you’re greeted with frantic boops and flashes of blue light. Same goes for a Smart Tag to identify what the Lego build is – say, an X-Wing or Tie Fighter.

All of this is powered by a custom chip hidden inside the brick, along with sensors, a gyroscope, non-invasive microphones, and a sound synthesizer. Together, they let the Smart Brick understand what’s around it and respond with the right sounds and lighting effects, without adding a screen or changing the core Lego experience. For now, it’s limited to a handful of Star Wars sets, but it’s a smart, confident foundation – one that enhances play rather than distracting from it.

Best OLED TV

LG W6 Wallpaper TV

• LG's best OLED panel, in a super-thin 9.9mm body
• Uses a wireless connections box to keep it aesthetically pure
• Read more: LG announces new OLED TVs at CES

The LG W6 is a stunner in more ways than one. It uses LG's most advanced OLED panel – the new Primary RGB Tandem 2.0 also used in the LG G6 – but in a design that's just 9.9mm thick. It's also totally uniform, meaning it can be as invisible on the wall as pretty much any TV can be these days. In the image above, you can see how well it blends in using a photo of the wall behind it. To help this minimalism, it uses a wireless connections box that's capable of full-quality 4K HDR pictures, but without the tangle of cables running to the TV.

It looks like it'll be a fantastic TV, thanks to the panel and LG's latest-gen image processing, and should only cost a little more than the G6 does. That means you'll be getting something super-impressive and premium at a still-realistic price.

Best RGB TV

Samsung R95H

• Stunningly rich color and fantastic contrast
• Available in realistic sizes, and shown in an amazing 130-inch model
• Read more: Samsung's enormous micro-RGB TV is coming to smaller screen sizes, and it borrows one great feature from Samsung OLED TVs

CES has been dominated by RGB TVs this year. These are basically mini-LED TVs with a new more colorful backlight behind the pixels, meaning they offer a greater range of colors, and can be even brighter. Having seen them in action, our pick of the bunch is the Samsung R95H. It looks so lush and colorful, with impressively inky black tones, and Samsung's anti-reflective screen ensuring you can see everything, without distractions.

More than that, this is a TV available in realistic sizes – Samsung showed off 75-inch and 85-inch versions, but overall its RGB TVs will come in sizes starting from 55 inches – while still feeling cutting edge. However, for good measure, Samsung also showed an amazing 130-inch version of this TV.

Best Mini-LED TV

TCL X11L SQD MiniLED

• A twist on traditional QLED mini-LED TV tech
• Astoundingly bright, with 20,000 dimming zones
• Read more: TCL launches next-gen SQD mini-LED TV at CES – the ‘best TV in the market’ for 2026

TCL has put a fascinating twist on its flagship TV here. It uses more traditional mini-LED tech rather than RGB mini-LED – but only sort of. TCL is employing a single-color mini-LED backlight, but has applied a layer of 'Super Quantum Dots' (the SQD part) directly over the top, which filter the color before – rather than after – it reaches the LCD layer.

This means it kind of works like an RGB TV, but TCL says this approach means it can pack in way more LEDs. It can produce 10,000 nits of brightness and 20,000 dimming zones for probably the best contrast we've ever seen from a mini-LED TV. Based on early impressions, this is the closest we've seen to mini-LED beating the blooming problem completely.

Best projector

Hisense PX4-Pro

• Ultra short throw laser 4K projector with amazing brightness and color
• Up to 200 inches projected with the device just inches from the wall
• Read more: Hisense unveils two 4K laser projectors — a 300-inch beast with huge brightness, plus the sequel to the best ultra short throw projector

The PX4-Pro is the follow-up to the projector we rate as the best ultra short throw projector overall right now, so we were excited to take a look, and it lived up to our expectations. Its picture looks beautifully bright with a good light-rejecting screen – closer than ever to TV brightness – and eye-grabbingly rich color.

But it can now project up to 200 inches in size still from right near the wall, while maintaining immersive brightness and color depth, and all still in the same size of projector package. CES is full of projectors this year, but this one popped for us.

Best soundbar

LG Sound Suite H7

• The world's first Dolby Atmos FlexConnect soundbar
• A powerful all-in-one, and you can add more speakers in any position
• Read more: LG’s 2026 TVs and soundbars get the Dolby Atmos FlexConnect treatment

Dolby Atmos FlexConnect is a really interesting technology that means you can place home theater speakers wherever is convenient for your room, and the system will configure their sound to create immersive spatial audio, even if they're not in the 'ideal' spot.

LG's Sound Suite H7 is the first soundbar to include the tech, delivering 9.1.6 channels of Dolby Atmos sound on its own. However, you can add a sub and satellite speakers that are positioned anywhere in the room, and the soundbar will automatically optimize them and create the ideal immersive system. It sounds amazing, and the freedom of placement is a game-changer.

Best smartwatch

Pebble Round 2

• The original smartwatch returns!
• E-paper screen means a week of battery life
• Read more: Pebble unveils Pebble Round 2 — and fixes all the original's major pitfalls

Pebble holds a strong place in the heart of tech lovers – it was the first smartwatch that really took, and now it's back with its coolest model yet. Pebble Round 2 is a sleeker, rounder watch, and using a color e-paper helps it deliver a week of battery life per charge.

Naturally, it does some fitness and sleep tracking, and there's a big range of apps and watch faces, thanks to the ongoing commitment to having open source software on the Pebble range.

Best fitness tracker

Noise Luna Band

• A screenless health-tracking band
• No subscription needed – a rarity these days

We've enjoyed the Luna Ring models, and now the brand has the Luna Band. It's a Whoop-like fitness tracker, meaning there's no distracting screen. It doesn't really feel like tech, and that's a good thing – you just live your life, and the Luna Band will offer helpful updates on your diet, workouts, sleep, mood and more. You can use your voice to tell it what meal you ate, to log your workouts, or how you're feeling – and then you can review them later on the app. The one downside is that this function uses Apple's Siri, which means it's iPhone-only for now.

Perhaps the best part is that it doesn't require a subscription on top of the device cost to do all this – people are tired of being nickel-and-dimed, and so the Luna Band looks like it'll help you stay zen in more ways than one.

Best exercise tech

Merach W60 Walking Pad

• "Treadmill-grade engineering" for a low price
• Auto-incline or manual incline options

Walking pads are getting more and more popular, especially for people who work from home and want to get some exercise in during the work day. Merach's new model promises to help you do this more easily and reliably than ever. We love the promise of "treadmill-grade engineering" for a super-sturdy feel, and Merach says it will have a 2,000km warranty.

It's available in two options: one with an auto-incline feature, and one where you'll have to manually set an incline. There's also RGB lighting and Bluetooth speakers built in, if you want to set a mood. Starting from just $299 for the manual version and $329 for the auto-incline version, this really looks like it could be the new standout walking pad on the market.

Best wellness innovation

Nuralogix Longevity Mirror

• A smart mirror that can detect blood flow in your face to give health insights
• Everything from physiological age to mental health

This smart mirror has cameras built in that combine with an AI algorithm to work out a surprising amount of health data just from your face. It's not looking at your features – it's detecting blood-flow patterns, which it can make a variety of sophisticated estimations from.

These include your heart-rate, your physiological age (as in, is your body working as well as it should for your 'real' age?) and your mental health. It appears to be pretty accurate based on early testing – it seems like an incredibly clever system.

Best laptop

Dell XPS 14

• Smart new design with usability improvements
• Intel's new Core Ultra 3 chips inside
• Read more: Hands on: Dell XPS 14 2026 and XPS 16 2026

Without question, the most exciting laptop of CES 2026 was the Dell XPS 14. While many a reviewer and tech journalist is praising the return of the XPS brand itself, what matters most – in our opinion – is the redesign of the laptop. The last Dell XPS 14 and 2025's Dell 14 Premium (the short-lived successor to the XPS 14) were both fantastic laptops that were hamstrung by some major design flaws; namely, the virtual function keys and ‘invisible’ trackpad that turned out to be an accessibility nightmare.

Those have now been fixed with a new design that is also thinner and more modern-looking than its predecessors. And with the new Intel Core Ultra series 3 chips, it’s even more powerful and better equipped to take on the Apple MacBook Air for the 'thin and light' laptop crown.

Best gaming laptop

Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable

• A 16-inch display that expands to a 24-inch display
• The flexible OLED screen literally rolls out like a scroll
• Read more: Lenovo officially unveils the rumored Legion Pro Rollable gaming laptop with expanding screen

The Lenovo Legion Pro Rollable, previously rumored but officially unveiled at CES 2026, is easily one of the most intriguing gaming laptops we’ve ever seen. Its screen expands horizontally from a 16-inch display to 21.5 inches, then once more to a 23.8-inch panel at max extension – all from a quick keyboard shortcut.

The Legion Pro Rollable is an exciting prospect for PC gamers who travel often and want desk-like levels of screen space without attempting to cram a massive laptop into their bag. Gaming aside, it also brings benefits to everyday browsing and productivity, giving you more space to organize windows at the click of a button. It’s only a proof of concept at the moment, but we'll be following it closely to see if the Legion Pro Rollable hits mainstream production.

Best computing innovation

Core Ultra series 3

• Excellent performance in thin-and-light laptops
• Particularly impressive GPU means great gaming on ultrabooks
• Read more: The Intel Core Ultra series 3 processors look impressive enough, but the Arc B390 iGPU is the real game-changer here

We’ve been waiting for the Intel Core Ultra series 3 for several months now, having seen pre-launch builds of Intel Panther Lake last year. Now the Core Ultra series 3 has launched, every laptop we’ve tried with the new chips just reinforces how well Intel has stuck the landing on this release.

This is especially true when it comes to the graphics performance of the higher-end 12 Xe core Arc B390 iGPU, which delivers high-quality 1080p PC gaming on an ultrabook – no other chipmaker even comes close in 2026. If you’re looking to upgrade to a premium thin and light Windows laptop, there’s little reason to buy anything other than a laptop with an Intel Core Ultra series 3.

Best action camera

Dreame Leaptic Cube

• Tiny modular 8K action camera
• Clip to a screen module, or just a battery

Dreame is best known for its vacuum and cleaning tech, but it used CES 2026 to announce its entry into a ton of other product categories. And one of the coolest things we saw at the show was this tiny action camera. The core here is a really small action cam with up to 8K recording, or 4K in HDR if you prefer.

But the clever part is its modular design. It has a little docking system, and Dreame showed it running into two modes: one with a clip-on battery, keeping the whole thing at a small size; and one with a touchscreen module that's larger. You can imagine all the possibilities for accessories from here, all enabling smart extra functions, not just attaching dumbly.

Best gaming accessory

Razer Project Madison

• The ultimate immersive gaming chair
• Surround speakers, haptic feedback and RGB lights all react to games

Razer has decided to throw every kind of immersive gaming chair tech into one product here. This chair uses sight, sound and touch to create something totally enveloping, taking features from Razer's products including the Freyja haptic gaming cushion and Clio headrest speakers.

This chair has speakers behind your head, which combine with front speakers to create a true 5.1 or 7.1 surround system. It has lights that react to compatible games, creating the feeling that events are happening around you, not just on the screen. And the built-in haptics deliver sensations and impacts during play. It looks like the best way to get truly lost in a game.

Best gaming innovation

Neurable / HyperX headset concept and priming software

• A brain-reading gaming headset to improve your performance
• Helps you lower reaction times and improve accuracy
• Read more: I tried a prototype brain-scanning headset designed to make you better at Valorant — and it actually works

Brain-scanning company Neurable has worked on headphones that can scan your brain activity using EEGs to help you focus and prevent burnout in the past. Now it's bringing these ideas to gaming headsets, in a collaboration with HyperX – but the focus is on improving your focus and performance in games.

We tried it out, and it really makes a difference. Using a 'priming' exercise before playing, where you have to focus your mind to shrink a cloud of dots down to nothing, we improved accuracy by a few percentage points, and the company's research has shown it can reduce reaction time by around 40 milliseconds. For esports players, this is a big deal, and the software can track your focus and cognitive load levels while playing, to potentially help with coaching and to prevent tilting.

Best robot mower

Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD

• Offers ±1 cm positioning precision via an upgraded LiDAR, RTK and Vision navigation system
• Can make decisions almost instantly with a 10 TOPS AI chip
• Read more: I just watched Mammotion's new flagship lawnbot scale an astroturf mountain, and it was mesmerizing

There were a lot of incredible robot lawn mowers on show at CES this year, but the one that really stood out to us was the Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD. It builds on the success of the excellent LUBA 2 AWD that precedes it, and is one of the most all-round capable lawnbots we've seen.

At the heart of the design is an upgraded 'Tri-Fusion' navigation system, where the bot will switch between LiDAR, RTK GPS and AI Vision depending on what's most appropriate for the situation. That means it's unlikely ever to get itself lost – the brand promises positioning accuracy to ±1 cm. Mammotion has also upgraded the processing system with a powerful AI chip that can handle 10 trillion operations per second, meaning it can make smart mowing decisions almost instantly.

Best robot vacuum

Roborock Saros Rover

• It's a robovac with actual, proper legs
• It can climb stairs, duck and dive, and even hop
• Read more: I saw Roborock's new robot vacuum with legs, and it promises to make no-go zones a thing of the past

This one is still in the middle of development, but is so cool already – and, admittedly, a little weird. This robot vacuum uses two extended legs that make it look like a Star Wars droid to get around your house more easily. Having articulated legs means it can climb stairs – including spiral staircases – cleaning them as it goes.

In fact, stairs are just the start. Roborock says the Rover is designed to be able to tackle any kind of terrain or home layout, no matter how awkward. Think of it like a 4x4 for cleaning.

It has some fancy object avoidance tech that means it can duck and dive, weave and jump, remaining completely stable throughout. We're not sure exactly what this is for, but it sure is impressive to watch. This maybe the most that a robovac has looked like a pet – it's got personality, it's useful, and we love it.

Best haircare tech

L'Oréal Light Straight +

• A straightener that uses infrared light tech to straighten effectively at lower temperatures
• Avoids the high temperatures that damage hair
• Read more: L'Oréal exec on why its new glass, infrared-powered hair straightener is so exciting

This innovative hair straightener promises to be three times faster at straightening hair, and yet will leave hair twice as smooth as regular plate straighteners do. And at the same time, it can do this at a lower temperature – always under 320°F / 160°C, compared to 365°F / 185°C for typical models. High temperatures break down hair, so reduction is a long-term good for your hair's health.

We got to try them out on – and this has been the first time we've ever used this phrase – human demo hair, and they certainly seemed to work incredibly well. This could be a huge change for a long-running industry, and that's what CES is all about.

Best smart light

IKEA Varmblixt LED Lamp

• It's a glowing, color-changing donut
• Works with IKEA's smart hub, or a Matter home system
• Read more: IKEA just revealed a new donut-shaped smart light – and it'll look sweet on your tables or walls

Sometimes, you've just got acknowledge when something is charming as hell, and that's what we're talking about with the new IKEA Varmblixt. It's a revamp of an ultra-popular lamp IKEA launched in 2022, but this new version is all about the color options, using an array of LEDs to create a beautiful soft toroidal glow.

It can be controlled with a remote, or you can connect it to IKEA's Dirigea home hub, but it also works with any Matter-ready smart home control option.

I'm at CES 2026, where Mammotion has unveiled its 2026 range of autonomous robot lawn mowers. The LUBA 3 AWD series sits at the head of the lineup, and it's one of the most capable lawnbots on the market.

The upgrades on the LUBA 3 seem to be iterations on the already-excellent tech powering the likes of the LUBA 2. For instance, the Tri-Fusion Navigation System has been enhanced and now offers ±1 cm positioning precision. There's the all-wheel drive (the AWD of the name) for traversing the trickiest of terrain – including an ultra-steep slope in the CES hall (scroll down to watch).

Tri-Fusion system combines three different technologies – LiDAR (the primary navigation system), RTK (for improved position accuracy) and AI Vision (for object recognition and avoidance) – to ensure the robot always has a method to find its way about.

All three technologies have had an upgrade in the LUBA 3. There's now 360-degree horizontal LiDAR coverage and 59-degree vertical coverage, scanning up to 330ft. This provides the bot with millions of data points, which it can use to create a live 3D map of your yard, from the grass to the tops of the trees.

Previous versions have come with an RTK base that needs to be installed separately from the mower and charge station, but the LUBA 3 AWK has a NetRTK module within the lawnbot itself, to save you from the extra hassle. (And of course, there's no need for wires.)

Finally, there's 'UltraSense' AI Vision, powered by dual 1080p cameras and a powerful AI chip that can handle 10 trillion operations per second, which means it can make decisions incredibly quickly.

All this is to help the robot react almost instantly to its surroundings – including reading the terrain and recognizing up to 300 obstacles, even in dim light. This not only ensures no yard toys get mown over, but it also means the lawnbot can calculate the speediest, safest routes in real time. Oh and or course, there are cliff sensors to ensure it doesn't try to take a dip in your pool.

Scaling the heights

The AWD is borrowed from previous models, and ensures the lawnbot can handle slopes of up to 80% (38.6°) – I watched it make its way up and down a mini astroturf mountain in the demo hall and it never slipped or faltered.

It can also deal with uneven ground, and because all the wheels are independently powered, it can pivot cleanly without churning up your lawn. This model also has upgraded suspension, so it can move smoothly over kerbs or roots up to 3.15 inches tall.

Elsewhere, there's an 15.8-inch wide cutting width across two six-blade discs, two 165W high-torque motors and a 15Ah battery. Mammotion says it can mow up to 7,000 sq ft per hour or up to 1.75 acres per day, and there's a new smart power management system that gives users more control over the lawnbot's power use – you can now set charge limits and schedule off-peak charging to reduce costs. This is available across the whole of the latest series.

There are four different models included in the LUBA 3 AWD series, geared towards different lawn sizes, with prices starting at €2,299 / $2,299. They've just gone on sale in the UK and EU, and will be available in the US sometime later in 2026.

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The Saros 20 Sonic is one of a number of new Roborock robot vacuums I've been able to check out at CES 2026. It's an upgraded version of the popular Saros 10, and while it might not have the immediate wow-factor of the Rover, which has actual legs, it still made me do a double-take when I saw it in action.

The reason is the mopping system. Rather than two spinning discs or a roller, it features a flat, D-shaped pad that extends almost entirely from edge-to-edge, giving an impressively wide mopping area.

More than that, it can kick out to one side when it senses the edge of a room, getting right up to the edge. As far as I'm aware this is the only robovac with this style of mop pad that can do this trick – D-shaped pads are always fixed in place.

Unlike other robot vacuum mop methods, there's no gap or border the mop pad won't reach. It promises a clean that's both efficient and precise.

The pad has its own independent motor that delivers 4,000 sonic vibrations per minute) as it mops and applies up to 14N of downward pressure (1.75x that of previous Roborock bots) to break down and remove dried-on dirt. An automatic dispenser ensures cleaning fluid is diluted evenly.

You're also granted plenty of control over the mopping. You can adjust the water flow and vibration intensity independently, which is good news for – for example – those with water-sensitive hard flooring in need of a clean.

Rock around the dock

An upgraded 'RockDock' base will also take care of pretty much all the maintenance for you. It'll clean the pad with 212°F / 100°C hot water to remove grease and remove bacteria, then use 131°F / 55°C hot air to dry the mop. Actually, it'll also dry the dock base and internal dust bag, to remove any risk of mold or odors.

Cleverly, the dock can also clean the pad on its own when it's been dropped off in the dock when the rest of the bot is off on a vacuum-only run. This helps save time.

The Saros 20 Sonic is being launched alongside a sister model, the Saros 20 (an upgraded Roborock Saros 10R). The Saros 20 is similar, but has a different navigation system than the Sonic, and uses the popular dual spinning mop pad style rather than this D-shaped option. Both have a very innovative approach to cleaning thick carpet.

Rolling on

If you would prefer a roller mop, there's now one of those in the lineup too. It's installed on the Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, and again it's extra-wide for complete mopping coverage. Like most similar robovacs on the market, the roller is fed continually with clean water as it rolls around, while the dirty water is siphoned off using a scraper.

In theory, this makes it a more hygienic type of robo-mop, because the dirt is removed during the floor-cleaning process and not just when the bot returns to its dock.

Where this model stands out is in the thoroughness of the self-clean cycle. The cleaning tray fully soaks the roller and scrubs it in clockwise and anti-clockwise direction to get it as clean as possible.

The dock uses hot water to clean the mop pads (at 167°F / 75°C it's not quite as hot as the Saros 20 Sonic's system, although should still do a good job of cutting through grease). It dries it using warm air.

The Saros 20, Saros 20 Sonic and Qrevo Curv Flow 2 will begin their international rollout this year, with pricing to be confirmed. Expect the Qrevo Curv Flow 2 to be slightly cheaper than the flagship Saros bots.

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This means you can use it to locate lost belongings, like keys or a wallet. You just check the cleaning list to help you find it. Provided it's lurking somewhere on the floor, that is – if you left it in a coat pocket or it's fallen down the side of the sofa, you're on your own.

I saw a Flow 2 in action at CES 2026, and although I wasn't able to try these capabilities out in person, I was impressed with the design and especially the styling on the new-look base station.

Wallet-hunting isn't the only trick the Flow 2 has up its sleeve. This is one of three 'modes' you can explore (you don't need to select a mode before cleaning; it can do all these things at any time).

In Pet mode, the robot vacuum will automatically detect the areas your pet frequents and pay extra attention to them when it comes to cleaning. It can also hunt out your pet for a video call, and even interact with it using a selection of animal noises. Assuming the sound of disembodied barking or miaowing won't send your pet into a frenzy, that is.

In Baby care mode, it'll drop to a quieter suction mode, and avoid cleaning play mats so there's no danger of contamination. Finally, it can detect and log dropped toys, reminding you to clear them away (I suspect this one won't be welcome for everyone).

The Flow 2 is due to go on sale in the US in April.

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2026 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI. You can also ask us a question about the show in our CES 2026 live Q&A and we’ll do our best to answer it.

And don’t forget to follow us on TikTok and WhatsApp for the latest from the CES show floor!

In two of its new launches – the Saros 20 and Saros 20 Sonic – Roborock has come up with a solution. And ingeniously, it uses a feature that was originally designed to solve a completely different kind of problem.

Let me back up a bit. Like a number of last year's best robot vacuums, the new Saros 20 bots have little feet that extend to help lift them over small steps or tall room thresholds. They're a little less flashy than the long stilts that feature on the Roborock Rover, but they serve a useful purpose.

On this 3.0 version of the 'AdaptiLift' feature, and it can boost the Saros 20 over single steps up to 1.77in / 4.5cm in height, or a double step totaling 3.34in / 8.5cm.

The new Saros 20 bots feature the 3.0 version of the AdaptiLift Chassis, and this iteration has a further trick up its sleeve. It can also lift the robot vacuum to one of eight different preset heights, and keep it there, level, as it cleans. That means if it encounters your ultra-chunky bedroom rug, it can hover itself at just the right height to clean it, without getting bogged down in the fibers.

In the demo area, I saw the Saros 20 Sonic pause in front of a thick carpet edge, then meticulously lift itself to the right height to traverse it. When the flooring swapped to a deeper pile, it bumped itself up a bit further in response. The movements were smooth and accurate, and the robot remained level throughout the cleaning part of the process. Impressive stuff.

A little less impressive, in my opinion, was the stair-climbing part. Roborock says the 3.0 version of Adaptilift has added stability, to raise and lower the robot gently rather so as not to risk damaging it, but in the demo space it did come up and down with quite a crash.

In the robot's defense, the steps were at the maximum height it can manage, and on the taller side fro what you might typically find in someone's home.

I'm excited to see how these perform in practice – a full review will follow when I get my hands on one to test out properly.

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We're at CES 2026, where IKEA has just launched a fun, donut-shaped smart lamp with soft, subtly shifting colors. The lamp (which can be mounted on a wall or used on a table) is a new addition to the Varmblixt series, which first launched in 2022 and is a collaboration with Dutch artist and designer Sabine Marcelis.

The original 2022 range included tableware, pendant lights, an illuminated mirror, and the classic Varmblixt LED Lamp, which had glossy orange glass to reflect the ambient light in your room while projecting a warm glow.

IKEA has now revamped the LED Lamp for 2026 with matt white glass and and color-shifting lights. The lamp comes with a Bilresa remote that lets you cycle through 12 preset colors – from pink and lavender to soft yellow. Each hue was picked by Sabine Marcelis, and blends smoothly with the next.

TechRadar's Editor at Large, Lance Ulanoff, has had his hands on the new Varmblixt LED Lamp on the CES show floor. See it in action in the video below.

If you like, you can skip the remote and connect the lamp to IKEA's Dirigea Wi-Fi hub, which will let you control the lamp using the company's mobile app or any other Matter-compatible smart home system. Operating the lamp this way lets you choose from a wider palette of over 40 colors.

If you like the shape of the lamp but aren't interested in smart home tech, worry not – the original orange version without smart controls will still be available to buy.

IKEA is also launching a smart version of the tubular Varmblixt LED Pendent Light, with dimmable white light. Like the LED Lamp it can be controlled using the remote included in the box, or be connected to the Dirigea hub and integrated into a larger smart home system.

Both lights will go on sale in April. The Varmblixt LED Lamp will be priced at $99.99 (about £80 / AU$150), while the LED Pendant Light will cost $149.99 (about £110 / AU$220).

IKEA has become a big name in affordable smart home tech, and in November it released 21 new connected devices, including light bulbs, sensors, and smart plugs. It'll be interesting to see what else its engineers and designers have up their sleeves in 2026, particularly as it bids to catch up with bigger names like Philips Hue. Watch this space...

We're at CES 2026 in Las Vegas, where Ring has just announced a set of new AI-powered upgrades that should make your video doorbell and security cameras even better at keeping your home and family safe.

One of the most interesting additions, AI Unusual Event Alerts, sends you a notification when your camera or doorbell spots something that looks out of the ordinary. It uses the Video Descriptions tech that launched in June last year, which analyzes the event that's triggered your camera to start recording and sends a text description to your phone so you can decide whether it's something that needs your attention.

What's ordinary for one person's home might be unusual for another, so this isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. Instead, AI Unusual Event Alerts 'learns' what's normal for your home by monitoring everyday activity, then warns you when something happens that doesn't fit with the regular pattern.

If you currently find that you're receiving too many alerts, you can choose to only be notified when something out of the ordinary happens.

Active Warnings are another new AI-powered tool for your Ring cameras, and are intended to deter potential threats to your property as soon as they're spotted.

This feature, which is available if you're currently enrolled in Ring's Virtual Security Guard program, will deliver warnings to potential burglars or other threats through your camera's speaker straight away, while a trained security expert takes a closer look at what's happened to see whether further action is needed (such as initiating two-way talk or contacting emergency services).

Sensors and switches

Ring also used its CES stand to unveil a new set of sensors and other devices that are based on Amazon Sidewalk (a low-power network that can transfer small amounts of data much further than your home Wi-F) and don't need a separate hub.

Until now, Sidewalk was only been available in the US, but it's now rolling out in Canada and Mexico too, with the EU, UK, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan all due to follow later this year.

The new Sidewalk-enabled hardware includes:

• Door and window contact sensors
• Motion detectors
• A panic button
• Glass break sensors
• Outside door sensor
• Smoke and carbon monoxide sensors
• Flood and freeze sensors
• Temperature and humidity sensors
• Air quality sensors
• A sump pump sensor

There's also a bundle of new controllers that make it easier to operate your Ring smart home devices manually, including a fan control, smart plug, a single light switch, and a smart light remote.

Grab some apps

Finally, Ring has thrown open the doors to a new app store, where you'll download heaps of third-party tools to help you get more from your Ring devices. It's currently only available in the US, but will hopefully roll out in other locations soon.

You'll need a compatible Ring subscription to use these apps, and depending on the tool you want to use, you might need to sign up with a third-party service and connect it to your Ring account.

The selection of apps is expected to grow in the coming weeks, so keep an eye on what's available through the Ring app or at Ring.com.

Your Philips Hue lights are getting an upgrade that's going to make your rooms look a lot more cohesive. It's called Hue SpatialAware, and it will apply lighting scenes differently depending on the location of smart lights within your room, resulting in a more natural-looking effect.

Lighting scenes are palettes of themed colors that you can apply to all the lights in a particular room or area. They're great for setting a mood, but until now each color in the scene could be applied to any light bulb or fixture, regardless of its location. The result could be somewhat jumbled, as you can see on the left-hand side of the images above and below.

That's about to change though, because now you can use your phone's camera to scan your room and log the location of each light. Hue SpatialAware will then apply the colors within your chosen scene in a way that makes sense. For example, the lights on one side of the room might have a bright, warm glow to represent a sunset, while those on the other are darker. You might also find the lights towards the top of your room are brighter than those lower down, simulating a sunny sky.

Hue SpatialAware is currently available for about half the remastered scenes in the Hue app's scene gallery, and is most effective with nature-inspired palettes. It requires Philips Hue Bridge Pro, which went on sale in September last year, and SpatialAware will be available early this year.

More bright ideas

SpatialAware isn't the only new feature rolling out today. Anyone who currently has multiple Philips Hue Bridges will be pleased to learn that they can now port all their lights to a single Bridge Pro. A single Bridge Pro can support over 150 lights and 50 accessories, and you can transfer data from as many Hue Bridges as you like provided you don't exceed those limits.

The Philips Hue AI assistant is getting an upgrade that will let it create automations based on your requests. For example, you can ask it to wake you at a particular time every day, except for Mondays. The assistant is currently only available in English, but support for Dutch, German, and Spanish will arrive over the next few weeks.

There's good news for Apple Home users too. The Hue Secure camera, video doorbell, and contact sensors will soon work seamlessly with Apple's smart home platform, with support for live streaming via picture-in-picture mode on Apple TV, and real-time alerts in the Apple Home app. This will be available very soon as well.

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We've seen a handful number of robot vacuums with 'legs' appear in the past year or so, but Roborock's new Saros Rover makes the likes of the Dreame X50 Ultra look downright stunted, thanks to hinged stilt-like legs that can operate independently.

I've just seen a prototype at CES 2026, and it's quite something to behold. TechRadar's Editor-at-large Lance Ulanoff was treated to a demo yesterday and had this to say:

"In person, the Rover is impressive. It's larger than a traditional robot vacuum, but not so much that it wouldn't fit in your living room. I watched it methodically and carefully approach a staircase and then extend its robot legs and mount the initial step. It can be even turn on a step to cover the full width. I was more surprised at how agile it is on the ground. It can rock, jump and appear almost playful."

What exactly are those legs for? Roborock says the possibilities are almost limitless. While both Dreame and Eufy have stair-climbing bots in the works, they look and operate very differently to the Saros Rover – not least because the stair climbing part is a separate module to the robovac itself.

Roborock says the Saros Rover will be able to tackle not just straight staircases but any kind – including spiral. And unlike other bots on the market, it'll clean each step as it goes, so you won't have to go around with a stick vacuum later.

It'll also be able to tackle uneven or sloped terrain in general, so not just hopping over taller-than-usual room thresholds, but navigating genuinely multi-level homes.

Beyond that, Roborock says the Saros Rover can "imitate human mobility". So it can execute small jumps, stop suddenly, and turn and duck with agility, all while keeping the main body of the robovac level.

I saw a video of two Roborock engineers pelting one with tennis balls as the Rover tried to avoid them. I'm not entirely sure what purpose this will serve – unless we're about to see our first all-robovac dodgeball team – but I am excited to find out.

The version at CES is a prototype, and as Lance notes: "It was clear that it's not finished; engineers appeared to spend a lot of time debugging and getting the routines to work just right" – but Roborock insists it will be a real product, that will make it to market.

I tested last year's arm-equipped Roborock Saros Z70, and I think that might have gone on sale a touch too soon, so I'm pleased to see the brand taking its time with this one. I'll be watching with interest.

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We're checking out all the latest smart home tech at CES 2026, and it looks like this is the year of the smart lock. With built-in video doorbells, wireless charging, and 3D facial recognition, the new generation of locks make it easier than ever to unlock your door without rummaging through your bag for keys, or even touching a control panel.

The latest locks are easier to install as well, with many requiring nothing more than a couple of minutes with a screwdriver. Home security companies have realized that replacing your existing lock can be a daunting prospect, and have responded with simple guides and interactive tutorials to make the process as painless as possible.

Connecting your new smart lock to your existing smart home tech should be a breeze as well. Almost all of the new locks being shown off at CES are Matter-certified, meaning they should work seamlessly whichever other devices you're using.

As TechRadar's smart home tech editor, here's my pick of the six best smart locks from this year's show. Which one deserves a place on your door?

1. Easy to use

Yale has launched a smart lock featuring a new technology called KeySense, which lets you unlock your door from the inside with a short press of a button, or set it to lock after a short customizable delay when you leave the house.

When you come home, the Yale Linus Smart Lock L2 Lite uses your phone's location to automatically unlock the door as you get close, so you don't need to fumble for keys when your hands are full.

Unlike some new locks, there's no palm recognition, fingerprint, or other biometric tech here. Instead, Yale has concentrated its efforts on making the Linus Smart Lock L2 Lite beginner-friendly. Guests and kids can let themselves in using their own unique passcode, and the lock will send you a notification to let you know they've arrived safely.

The lock can be installed on most European doors without the need for drilling, so renters can fit it without upsetting their landlord.

The Linus Smart Lock L2 Lite doesn't have Wi-Fi built in, so you'll need a separate Yale Wi-Fi Bridge to check its status, open it remotely, and review activity logs via the Yale Home app, though Matter over Thread means it'll work with smart home ecosystems including Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings.

The lock is on sale now for £129.98 in the UK (about $175 / AU$260). Prices and release dates outside Europe are yet to be announced.

2. No accidental unlocking

If you want a lock that knows exactly where you are, take a look at the new Aqara Smart Lock U400, which uses UWB (ultra-wideband) technology to ensure your door only unlocks when you're ready to enter – but doesn't keep you waiting.

According to Aqara, the Smart Lock U400 can pinpoint your location to within a centimeter, measuring both distance and angle of approach. This means it can tell if you're approaching the door or just passing by, and identify which side of the door you're on, so it won't unlock itself when you're inside.

In addition to remote unlocking via UWB, the Smart Lock U400 can also be opened using a fingerprint, personal passcode (either one-time or recurring), NFC, a mobile app, or Apple Home Key on an iPhone or Apple Watch.

Like Yale's latest smart lock, the new Aqara model uses the Matter over Thread system for compatibility with all the main smart home ecosystems (provided you have a Thread border router and Matter controller). There's no need for a separate Aqara hub.

Aqara has yet to announce a release date or price for the new lock, but its smart home devices tend to be quite affordable, so I've got my fingers crossed for a reasonable price tag.

3. Super simple installation

If you like the idea of having a smart lock, but you're intimidated by the idea of actually fitting one, take a look at the new Kwikset Aura Reach Smart Lock, which offers interactive guided installation to take you through each step of the process. All you need is a screwdriver, The Kwikset app also helps you connect the lock to your smart home platform of choice, again via Matter over Thread.

The Aura Reach uses Bluetooth to illuminate the keypad when your phone comes within range. Unlike other locks featured here, however, there's no contactless entry. Instead, the Aura Reach relies on passcodes, with up to 250 unique codes that you can manage through the Kwikset app.

The Aura Reach will be available towards the end of this year, with a list price of $189 in the US (about £140 / AU$280).

4. Built-in video doorbell

The Lockly Affirm Series Smart Lock does a lot more than just secure your door – it also includes a video doorbell, so you can see who's calling and choose whether to let them in remotely. Built-in Wi-Fi means there's no need for a separate hub, and (naturally) there's Matter support so it's compatible with your smart speakers and other Matter-enabled devices.

This particular model has a lever latch handle, plus a numbered keypad that supports up to 300 PIN codes (including a one-time or recurring offline code when there's no internet connectivity). You can also unlock your door via NFC using your phone, smartwatch, or an NFC tag key, though there are no biometric options.

We don't yet have a price or release date for this particular lock, so stay tuned for further details.

5. Solar charging and AI

Desloc has launched three new smart locks for CES 2026. The first, the Desloc V150 Plus, has a solar panel to keep its rechargeable battery topped up, plus a selection of touch-free entry options. The V150 Plus can be unlocked using gestures and palm-recognition – a system that identifies you by the unique pattern of blood vessels in your hand.

There's also built-in Wi-Fi, and although this particular lock isn't Matter-certified, it's compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control via your smart speakers. The Desloc V150 Plus will be available in the US later this year, with a price tag under $300 (about £220 / AU$450).

Desloc's second new offering, the S150 Max, includes a video doorbell with dual 2K cameras so you can see visitors and packages before deciding whether to unlock your door. AI subject-recognition can differentiate between family members, pets, packages, and unknown visitors, and will deliver smart alerts to your phone depending on who or what has been detected.

The S150 Max can be unlocked using 3D facial recognition, or a curved fingerprint sensor that Desloc claims will open your door in just 1.5 seconds. The Desloc S150 Max will go on sale a little later than the K140 Plus, with a price tag below $400 (about £370 / AU$750).

Finally, there's the Desloc K140 Plus, with palm vein recognition, built-in Wi-Fi, and gesture unlocking. It will be available in the US from February, and will be the most affordable of the three new locks at under $200 (about £150 / AU$300).

6. Wireless charging

The Lockin V7 Max has already received a CES 2026 Innovation Award thanks to its AuraCharge wireless charging technology, which operates within a four-meter range, and means there's no need to recharge or replace its batteries.

The Lockin V7 Max also offers contactless entry via finger vein, palm vein, and 3D facial recognition, and has an integrated video doorbell with five-inch touchscreens on both sides of the door. It's compatible with all major smart home platforms via Matter.

It's expected to begin shipping soon, though we don't yet have an estimated retail price.

Govee’s showcase at CES 2026 showed that not only is the company focussed on evolving its range of smart lighting, but it's dedicated to making the technology even smarter through its new era of smart lights and software updates – and Philips Hue should watch out.

Known for making some of the best smart lights out there, three new products are joining Govee’s range of lighting products. These include the Floor Lamp 3, the Govee Ceiling Light Ultra, and the Govee Sky Ceiling Light – each offering Matter integration and compatibility with Apple's HomeKit smart home platform.

While we don’t have any pricing details for the new range, the new Floor Lamp 3 succeeds the Govee Floor Lamp 2 packing an upgraded LuminBlend+ color system. Its advanced new features now allow you to control a staggering 281 trillion colors and an extensive spectrum of temperature lighting ranging from 1,000K to 10,000K – a feature that’ll be coming to other Govee smart lights this year.

With that said, the Ceiling Light Ultra, and Sky Ceiling Light are new to the Govee family, both of which are 21-inches in size, but offer different, unique functions.

The Ceiling Light Ultra is a more playful take on the smart light, packing a detailed 616-pixel LED matrix which can display intricate animated scenes and gradients with 5000 lumens of brightness. You can even take it a step further and design your own patterns in the Govee app “with up to eight distinct layers of motion, color, and shapes” – or you can select from the 20+ presets that are included – something that even the Philips Hue Datura ceiling light has yet to achieve.

When it comes to the Sky Ceiling Light, this model is designed to emulate natural daylight, with 5200 lumens of brightness and edge-mounted LEDs that mimic the effects of a real skylight window. While the Ceiling Light Ultra provides a more creative experience, the Sky Ceiling Light leans more towards the well-being side of smart lighting, offering realistic blue-sky effects during the day and warm sunset tones in the evening with the help of DaySync – a new lighting feature introduced by Govee.

Govee catches up on customization

We’re very fond of Govee as a budget-friendly smart lighting brand, but until now one of its drawbacks has been the lack of advanced features offered by rivals like Philips Hue. With the new DaySync and AI Lighting Bot 2.0 functions, that could all be about to change.

At CES 2026, Govee announced its new DaySync functionality alongside its range of new hardware. As its name implies, DaySync can alter the brightness and color of your smart lights based on the time of day. It can also pick up on sunrise and sunset times and local conditions and change your lighting accordingly – which is native to the Sky Ceiling Light.

Additionally, Govee unveiled its AI Lighting Bot 2.0, an upgraded version of its scene-changing chatbot feature that adjusts animated scenes in its pixel and graphic smart lights. Instead of using fixed commands, it can now alter your smart lighting by using natural conversations.

Like we’ve stated earlier, we don’t know how much Govee’s new Floor Lamp 3, Ceiling Light Ultra, or Sky Ceiling Light will cost, nor when they’ll be available to purchase. That aside, this is a huge step for both Govee’s smart lighting hardware and software, and 2026 is already looking to be a bright year for one of our favorite smart home brands.

TechRadar will be extensively covering this year's CES, and will bring you all of the big announcements as they happen. Head over to our CES 2026 news page for the latest stories and our hands-on verdicts on everything from wireless TVs and foldable displays to new phones, laptops, smart home gadgets, and the latest in AI.

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Shortly after the news broke, company co-founder Helen Greiner said in an interview with Bloomberg that she found it "bizarre" there hadn't been a big public outcry that iRobot's data and information "will belong to a Chinese company" [quote at 7.50].

When I caught up with iRobot's current CEO Gary Cohen after news of the deal broke, he told me that would not be happening. "We protect the data. The data is staying on our servers in the US. Our servers are protected in the US. Our European data stays in the US. The data is protected, it's encrypted," he explained.

I was assured Helen's statement wasn't in line with the reality of the situation, and how iRobot – or other similar kinds of companies – handled customer data. "Nobody's going to break into the data. But more importantly, the data is sitting on the Amazon servers, and it's going to be protected, and it's not going to leave the US."

Cohen directed me towards the security statements posted on the company website (I couldn't access the US policy at the time of writing, but the UK policy was available to read), and assured me that customers could easily delete their names from iRobot's roster if they wanted to.

"We protect their data. It's all encrypted, and that's how we run the business," he told me. "We are the most secure of anybody, and we actually have won awards because of our ability to protect the data, to protect [against] breaches, but more importantly, to protect the data in terms of where it's housed."

No change

A further statement sent to me from iRobot on the topic reads: "There have been no changes made to how iRobot collects, maintains, stores, or uses personal information in connection with the reorganization transaction, and we do not expect any such changes. Any updates to our existing data processing or security activities will always be made in accordance with our online Privacy Policy (found here) and applicable laws."

Cohen also confirmed to me that current Roomba owners didn't need to worry about product and app support for their robovacs, and that it would be "business as usual" in the immediate wake of the takeover. Beyond that, he's feeling very optimistic about iRobot's future with Picea. Watch this space.

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I caught up with iRobot CEO Gary Cohen shortly after the news broke, to find out what this meant for the brand. He confirmed that in the short term it would be business as usual (including continuing to support the current line of bots), but beyond that, Cohen – who was brought in to help get iRobot back on track in May 2024 – has big plans for the robovac veteran.

Here are 4 things that could be heading our way from iRobot…

1. Technophobe-friendly robot vacuums

Cohen describes how, when opening a Roomba box, he gets "PTSD": "It's not a consumer-friendly experience. It's like I'm scared of connecting it – is it going to connect to the Wi-Fi? What is 2.4 gigahertz versus 5? Why can't these things just seamlessly get set up so I don't have to worry about it?"

The iRobot teams are working on reducing these pain points and, as a result, making robot vacuums more accessible to more people. In fact, Cohen thinks ignoring consumer needs was one of the big mistakes that ultimately contributed to iRobot ending up in this situation.

This is in contrast to the rest of the market, which seems to be geared entirely towards adding more features and increasing robot vacuum specs. While Cohen concedes that iRobot is "never going to win feature wars with competitors", he also thinks this isn't the right approach when the robot vacuum category only has 20% market penetration.

"We have to grow the category. That's how we're going to grow our business," he says. "It just has to work, right? And if it works, people will get into the category more."

2. Robot vacuums for smaller spaces

Beyond improving basic usability, Cohen also wants to tackle different consumer segments. Right now, the trend is for ever-bigger docks that take care of all kinds of maintenance tasks for you. Those have their place – there are a number of excellent examples in my best robot vacuum ranking – but they aren't right for every customer.

"With my team, I've visited small apartments in Japan, where 500 square feet is a typical apartment size," he recalls. "Well, they're not putting these multifunctional cleaning devices in the middle of a foyer in a Japanese apartment. So what type of product do you have to develop to grow the category? And by the way, that insight travels to Europe, to large cities, to the US and to dorms."

3. More innovative robot vacuums

In recent years, iRobot has lagged behind the competition when it comes to innovation, but Cohen says it's not due to a lack of technology or imagination. "There isn't one thing that shows up at CES that I didn't find in our cupboard when I joined the company. There's no end of ideas," he emphasizes.

The problem has been figuring out how to get the ideas into products effectively. "Our challenge was – before [the failed Amazon merger], but especially during the Amazon pendency period – we weren't able to commercialize a lot of the great ideas that the prior team had developed," Cohen continues. "My goal, separate from being consumer-driven, is to help commercialize some of these great ideas."

On this front, new owner Picea will be helpful – and not just because it brings plenty of new patents to the table (Cohen puts the number at over 1,000, in addition to the 1,000-plus that iRobot had in the first place). "When you have a manufacturing partner, you can design to manufacture," says Cohen. "We'll be able to bring innovative ideas to consumers better and faster than even our competitors."

4. Robots that aren't vacuums

Officially, Cohen is saying "nothing" about what iRobot is launching in the immediate future. However, he's more than happy to drop some quite specific hints.

"We have to be more than just robotic cleaning devices for vacuums and mops," he says. "There's plenty of room outside in your lawn for robots. There are plenty of places in your pool or your windows for robots." He explains that, in fact, moving beyond robovacs was the plan even before he joined, but that they just struggled to execute.

"That's how we're going to grow the category and take advantage of the brand, and Picea has the desire and the capability to join us on that journey." I'll be watching with interest.

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Philips Hue Essential bulbs are a more affordable version of the company's standard smart lights, and they perform incredibly well considering they're less than half the price. There are a few limitations, though. For example, Philips Hue Essential bulbs offer a maximum brightness of **803**CHECK*** lumens, whereas standard Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance bulbs range from 800 to 1,600 lumens.

In most other respects, the two are very similar, and during my tests there was only one clear instance where the standard bulb really outshone the Essential version.

To see how the two would compare, I set up a pair of lamps – one with a Philips Hue Essential bulb, and the other with an 800-lumen Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance bulb. I added them to the same room in the Philips Hue app, which would enable me to control them simultaneously, and directly compare and contrast their output.

During most of the tests I ran, it was difficult to spot any difference between the two. Both were equally responsive, and produced colors that were identical to my naked eye when I switched between scenes. According to Signify (the company behind the Philips Hue brand), Essential bulbs use different color-matching technology to regular Hue lights; but personally, I had a hard time telling the difference.

Having said that, I did notice a dark band at the top of the Essential bulb, which wasn't present on the premium bulb. This was most apparent with purple and blue light. Note that it isn't something you'll notice if you're using the bulb in a ceiling light, nor in a table lamp, and therefore is unlikely to be a deal-breaker unless you're exceptionally picky.

The two were equally bright (as expected), although if I'd used a higher-output White & Color Ambiance bulb, then it would have been appreciably brighter.

However, there's one important difference that you should be aware of, particularly if you're looking for smart bulbs that will produce a natural-looking sunrise and sunset to help you wake up feeling refreshed, or to create subtle ambient lighting in your living room.

With both bulbs dialled down to their dimmest setting, the Hue Essential bulb was much brighter than the more expensive White & Color Ambiance model, as you can see in the photo below. That's because the Hue Essential bulb can only be dimmed to 2% of its maximum brightness, whereas the regular bulb can drop to just 0.2%.

I also found that the Essential bulb tended to show a slightly warmer cast, due to its narrower white light spectrum (2,200–6,500K compared to 1,000-20,00K for a regular Hue bulb). Depending on your preferred light temperature, the difference could be apparent if you use the two different types of bulbs in close proximity,

I wouldn't mix and match regular Hue and Hue Essential bulbs within the same room. However, they're an excellent option for those wanting to setup a Philips Hue system but have previously been intimidated by the price. They're also great if you're looking to extend your existing system to more rooms in your home, without splashing too much cash.

• Performance score: 4.5/5

Philips Hue Essential: price and availability

• Much cheaper than regular Philips Hue bulbs
• Even more affordable when bought as a multipack
• You may also want a Philips Hue Bridge

The Philips Hue Essential range is designed to be an accessible entry point into the world of smart lighting, with the bulbs coming in at a much cheaper price than standard Philips Hue ones.

One Philips Hue Essential bulb (either screw or bayonet) costs $24.99 / £19.99 (about AU$40). If you want several, you can save money by opting for a multipack. A twin-pack costs $44.99 / £32.99 (about AU$70), and a four-pack comes in at $59.99 / £49.99 (about AU$90).

For comparison, a twin-pack of regular 800-lumen Philips Hue White & Color Ambiance bulbs costs $98.99 / £84.99 / AU$149.25, and a four-pack is $185.99 / £169.99 / AU$290.50. That's the starting price for a maximum brightness of 800 lumens; brighter bulbs cost even more.

There's another potential cost to consider, though. Although you can control the color and brightness of your Philips Hue Essential lights using Bluetooth on your phone, for more advanced features (such as applying scenes, setting schedules, and connecting them to smart speakers or switches) you'll also need a Philips Hue Bridge.

A standard Philips Hue Bridge costs $65.99 / £49.99 / AU$99.95, so factor this into your budget when planning your new smart lighting system. There's also a Philips Hue Bridge Pro, but this would be overkill for a new user with a small setup.

At the time of writing, Hue Essential bulbs only seem to be available in Australia as part of a starter kit, costing $170.08 for four bulbs and the Hue Bridge.

• Value score: 5/5

Philips Hue Essential: specifications

Philips Hue Essential: design

• Only three bulb types available
• All options offer tuneable white and colored light
• Maximum brightness of 806 lumens

Philips offers only a small selection of Hue Essential bulbs, which makes sense for an entry-level option. There are currently three models available – screw, bayonet, and GU10 spotlights – and these should be fine for most fittings around your home. Here, I tested an E27 screw-fitting bulb.

By contrast, regular Philips Hue lights come in virtually every shape and form possible, including candle and "filament"-style bulbs, LED strips, and gradient lamps to name just a few.

All bulbs in the Philips Hue Essential Series are "Warm to Cool White & Color", meaning they can show eight million colours, plus white light at different temperatures (from 2,200K to 6,500K). Regular Philips Hue smart bulbs are available in three versions:

• Warm white, which lets you tune brightness but not color;
• White Ambiance, which lets you adjust the brightness and temperature;
• White & Color Ambiance, which also lets you pick from eight million colors.

For more details, take a look at my complete guide to the different types of Philips Hue smart light bulbs.

All Philips Hue Essential bulbs offer a maximum brightness of 806 lumens. Regular Philips Hue bulbs range from 800 all the way through to 1,600 lumens.

• Design score: 4.5/5

Should you buy Philips Hue Essential bulbs?

Buy them if

Don't buy them if

Philips Hue Essential: also consider

How I tested the Philips Hue Essential bulbs

I tested a Philips Hue Essential E27 screw-fitting bulb alongside a standard Philips Hue Essential White & Color Ambiance bulb in identical table lamps, so I could more easily compare the two. I connected both to my existing Philips Hue setup, and added them to the same zone, which would enable me to control them both at once via the Hue app on my phone, set them to the same colors and brightness, and note similarities and differences.

I also tested them using the "sunset" automation within the Philips Hue app, with various preset scenes, and by tuning the light color and brightness manually.

For more details, see how we test, rate, and review products at TechRadar.

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I've been testing robotic vacuums and mops for years now, and tried out my first one a full decade ago. In that time I've seen huge change – and massive price increases too, it must be said. And yet, despite the considerable intelligence and cleaning performance of today's best robot vacuums, there are still plenty of opportunities for improvement. Here's what I'd like to see in 2026…

1. A simpler app experience

I don't want my vacuum cleaner to have a more complex menu system than my car. That isn't to say I want to return to the app-free robovacs of old, with nothing but an "On" button and an uncanny ability to ram every wall, baseboard and table leg.

But I don't want pages and pages of adjustability either. Victims of unrelenting feature-creep, many robovac apps have turned into a bloated mess. Some are littered with questionable translation and desperately need a copywriter, while others confuse configurability with clutter.

Would you like the robot to wash its mop every 19 minutes, or perhaps every 23 minutes? Should it dry the mops for two, three or four hours? I'd rather the manufacturer tell me what's best and be done with it. Better still, use a sensor and get the bot to work it out for itself.

Keep the configurability if you must, but please give me the option to hide it all and just tap a big "Clean" button instead.

2. More reliable obstacle avoidance

This is, quite literally, a hit-and-miss topic among the robotic vacuums I've tested in 2025. Seemingly regardless of price, some dodge obstacles with balletic precision while others get tangled up in cables, push chairs around as if expecting guests, and snack on discarded shoes like a hungry Labrador.

Joking aside, it's frustrating to see even four-figure vacuums bash into doors, walls and baseboards, seemingly feeling their way around instead of using their clever LiDAR sensors and AI-driven vision tech. I'm hoping for smarter, more confident navigation from robovacs in 2026, and an improved ability to clean around obstacles and work their way out of dead-ends.

3. Edge and corner cleaning that actually works

Spinning side brushes began sprouting from robotic vacuums years ago, but in my experience this now-commonplace setup is flawed. When they're not busy flicking food all over the kitchen floor, they're spinning furiously but often failing to properly reach into corners.

Some manufacturers have fitted motorized arms for extra reach, and others have created nifty folding brushes that extend themselves mechanically to be more effective, but ultimately, a circular robot just isn't built to clean a 90-degree corner.

D-shaped robots have gone some way to fixing this, but my wish for 2026 is for this to be combined with a more effective side brush design. An extendable arm that reaches further would help, or how about an articulating nozzle to deliver suction right where it's needed?

4. Bagless as standard

The bagless design of my Dyson Cyclone V10 stick vacuum feels like second-nature. So much so that I've repeatedly forgotten to check on the bag inside the charging station of my Eufy X10 robot. Why can't the self-cleaning stations of robotic vacuums also use a bagless design? Yes, the manufacturers might lose some cash from selling proprietary bags – about £20 ($27) for 10 last time I checked – but Dyson seems to manage just fine without that particular revenue stream.

For 2026 I'd like to see more robotic vacuums switch to a bagless design for their charge stations. They can still earn ongoing revenue from selling mopping pads, brushes, rollers, detergent and all the other replaceable parts, but going bagless would make for a more seamless user experience.

5. The confidence to tackle raised thresholds

Before moving house, the most common issue I had when testing robotic vacuums was their inability to drive over raised doorway thresholds. I'm not asking them to clamber out into the garden, but just a half-inch difference in height between the exposed Victorian floorboards of a lounge and vinyl floor of a kitchen can prove too much for even the most expensive robots.

In newer homes with level floors it's less of a concern. But for 2026 I want to see robovacs more confidently approach raised thresholds. I've seen some models fail, then reverse and try again with more speed, or at a more favorable angle. This sort of intelligence should be commonplace, along with an ability to dial up the motor torque when there's an uneven floor to clear.

6. The ability to climb stairs (finally)

Perhaps I'm being overly optimistic with this one, but in 2025 we saw Eufy, Dreame and Mova all demonstrate stair-climbing prototypes. Yes, they look like they've escaped from an episode of Black Mirror, but the ability to clean multiple levels is a total game-changer – if anyone can actually bring the tech to market.

I hope 2026 will see commercial versions of these robots go on sale. And, while they'll doubtless be expensive – and almost certainly accompanied by myriad hilarious fail compilations on social media – robots capable of climbing stairs could attract a lot of new customers. I imagine these would work best with two base stations, one on each floor, to more conveniently empty the bin, clean the mops and charge the battery.

As for cleaning the actual stairs? That'll surely be the reason we're told to upgrade to Gen 2.0.

7. Intelligent off-peak charging

This one should be easy. We're used to programming our electric cars to charge at night when electricity is much cheaper, so why can't robotic vacuums do the same? You could unplug the base station every morning, I suppose, but that's not ideal.

For 2026 I'd like to see the option to program a robovac so that it holds off charging its battery until my low-cost electricity tariff has kicked in. The robot itself could still function as normal during the day, but the base station then waits to charge the battery until night time. There could be a manual override for when you need more battery charge during the day – or for when the robot's dust bin needs emptying – but every little helps.