Summer is winding down, and students across the country are heading back to school. If you’re heading to college, that means you’re probably worried about getting your dorm room prepped for the year. That’s often the most stressful part of returning to campus, as not only does your space need to be comfortable enough for all your studying, but it doubles as your home away from home. For those reasons, you’ll want it to be functional, versatile, and capable of keeping you entertained when you’re not hitting the books.
Thankfully, there are a bunch of smart home devices for your dorm that can turn even the tiniest and oldest of spaces into a futuristic oasis. From smart speakers and smart bulbs to smart plugs and more, here are a few smart home products that are perfect for your college dorm.
Smart light bulbs
One of the easiest upgrades for your dorm is a pack of smart light bulbs. These replace traditional bulbs and bring heaps of new functionality to your space. For studying, you can adjust their brightness and warmth to ensure your lighting isn’t producing any glare or causing you any eye strain. They can also be programmed to start dimming at night to help you unwind, or to slowly illuminate in the morning to simulate a sunrise.
Once you’re done studying, some models can sync to music to create an awesome light show. You can also change colors to build a cool ambiance for a movie night. Our roundup of the best smart light bulbs has plenty of options for you to choose from, including picks from brands like GE, Philips, and Sengled.
Smart plugs
Much like smart light bulbs, smart plugs are easy to implement in any room. These tiny devices plug into a standard electrical socket and turn “dumb” devices into “smart” devices. That’s because they can be powered on and off remotely — giving you a nifty way to turn on gadgets from across the room.
Many folks like to use smart plugs for turning on lamps, restarting a router without having to move furniture to reach the outlet, or turning on an appliance like a fan or dehumidifier.
Smart plugs are remarkably cheap, and you can pick up a few plugs for less than $50. The Emporia Smart Plug 4-Pack is just $35, and it’s a great option if you’re also interested in tracking your energy usage. Keep in mind that most smart plugs are only designed for indoor use — so if you have an awesome dorm with a balcony or are living in an apartment, you’ll want to look at outdoor smart plugs like the Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug.
Smart speakers
Smart speakers are a great addition to any home, and that’s especially true for dorms. Since you’ll be limited on space, you probably don’t need a large smart display or booming audio system. That makes the compact size and reasonable audio quality of smart speakers all the more enticing.
College students won’t be looking at premium smart speakers like the Sonos Era 100 or Sonos One (Gen 2). Instead, affordable options like the Amazon Echo Dot or Echo Pop are ideal. Not only are these cheap at $50 or less, but they’re small enough to fit on the most cramped desktop or dresser. Neither will outperform a dedicated sound system — but since you probably don’t want to disturb your neighbors, the audio provided by these smaller speakers is perfect for your dorm.
Beyond playing music, most smart speakers can serve as the brains of your connected smart dorm. For example, the Echo Dot can communicate with other devices that support Alexa, allowing you to dish out voice commands without needing to take out your phone and fumble through different menus. You can also ask it to set timers or alarms to help you study. Check out our list of the best smart speakers for more options.
Smart alarm clock
Worried about missing a lecture? Then investing in a smart alarm clock could be a wise decision. Amazon recently launched its own smart alarm clock, the Echo Spot, but our roundup of the best smart alarm clocks has plenty of other options to choose from.
Features vary from product to product, but they’re essentially fancy versions of traditional alarm clocks. The Echo Spot, in particular, is a nice combination of smart display and alarm clock, as it lets you play music, create alarms, and customize its display to suit your needs. From checking the time and weather forecast to snoozing and controlling other smart devices, it can do a bit of everything.
Smart alarm clocks are all designed to be tiny, so you should have no problem squeezing them onto a nightstand or table near your bed. If your smart alarm clock features a nice set of speakers (like the Echo Spot), it can even replace a smart speaker, making this a well-rounded gadget to bring to your dorm.