Comparisons
Compare before you buy
Specs, running costs and honest trade-offs for the upgrades people ask about most.
LED vs Incandescent
The classic bulb question, answered with watts, lumens and annual running cost.
Metric LED Incandescent Watts for 800 lm 9 W 60 W Annual cost (3 hrs/day) $1.68 $11.17 Rated life 15,000+ hrs 1,000 hrs Verdict: LED for almost every fixture
Read the full comparisonEnergy monitor vs plug meter
Whole-home visibility versus a focused, lower-cost way to measure one appliance.
Metric Home monitor Plug meter Coverage Whole home One outlet Installation Panel setup Plug in Best for Usage patterns Device testing Verdict: Choose based on how much you need to measure
Read the full comparisonSmart thermostat vs manual
Automated setbacks against remembering to adjust the dial yourself.
Metric Smart Manual Automatic setbacks Yes No Usage reporting Monthly detail None Upfront cost $$$ $ Verdict: Smart, if you have central HVAC
Read the full comparison
Browse by product category
Eleven categories of energy-saving hardware, each with what it does, what it saves and who it suits.
Smart LED bulbs
Roughly 80% less lighting energy than incandescent, plus schedules and dimming.
Lowest cost per watt saved
Our pick: A19 LED Bulb Multipack (60W equivalent)
Smart switches & dimmers
Control whole fixtures at the wall — dimming cuts draw and extends lamp life.
Works with existing fixtures
Our pick: Smart Dimmer Switch
Smart thermostats
Automatic setbacks on the biggest line of most US electric bills.
Utility rebates often available
Our pick: Learning Smart Thermostat
Energy-efficient ceiling fans
DC-motor fans let you raise the thermostat a few degrees without feeling it.
Cheap comfort vs running AC
Our pick: DC-Motor Ceiling Fan with LED Light
Smart plugs
Measure and schedule any plug-in device so nothing draws power unwatched.
Finds phantom loads fast
Our pick: Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring
Home energy monitors
Whole-home, circuit-level visibility so you act on data instead of guesses.
Best for serious bill hunting
Our pick: Whole-Home Energy Monitor
Motion & occupancy sensors
Lights that turn themselves off in the rooms everyone forgets.
Ideal for halls, closets, garages
Our pick: Motion / Occupancy Sensor Switch
Smart power strips
Kill standby draw across an entire desk or media centre in one move.
Great for TV and office clusters
Our pick: Smart Power Strip with Per-Outlet Control
Energy-efficient appliances
Fridges, washers and dishwashers where efficiency ratings really move the bill.
Biggest long-term replacements
Our pick: High-Efficiency Kitchen & Laundry Appliances
Outdoor smart lighting
Dusk-to-dawn and motion control so exterior lights never burn all night.
Security without the runtime
Our pick: Outdoor Smart LED Lighting Kit
Solar & backup energy
Panels, portable power stations and batteries for offsetting or riding out outages.
Longest payback, biggest ceiling
Our pick: Portable Power Station with Solar Panel
Smart home hubs
One controller that ties bulbs, plugs, sensors and thermostats into automations that actually run.
Makes automations reliable
Our pick: Smart Home Hub / Controller
LED strip & task lighting
Low-wattage task light so you stop lighting a whole room to do one job.
A few watts instead of hundreds
Our pick: Under-Cabinet LED Strip Lighting Kit
Smart displays & family hubs
Screens and voice hubs that put schedules, routines and device control in one place.
Best paired with off-at-night routines
Our pick: Digital Family Calendar Smart Planner (21.5" touchscreen)
Bulb technology, head to head
| Metric | Incandescent | Halogen | CFL | LED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Typical wattage | 60 W | 43 W | 14 W | 9 W |
| Light output | ~800 lm | ~800 lm | ~800 lm | ~800 lm |
| Efficacy | ~13 lm/W | ~19 lm/W | ~57 lm/W | ~89 lm/W |
| Rated life | 1,000 hrs | 2,000 hrs | 8,000 hrs | 15,000–25,000 hrs |
| Energy cost / yr (3 hrs/day @ $0.17) | $11.17 | $8.00 | $2.61 | $1.68 |
| Warm-up time | Instant | Instant | 30–90 sec | Instant |
| Dimmable | Yes | Yes | Only special models | Model dependent |
| Contains mercury | No | No | Yes — recycle | No |
| Heat output | Very high | High | Low | Low |
Full product spec table
Prefer image-led cards with search and category filters? Browse the full product list.
| Product | Category | Best for | Price | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A19 LED Bulb Multipack (60W equivalent) | Lighting | Whole-home bulb swaps | $ | 4.8 / 5 |
| Smart LED Bulb (dimmable, tunable white) | Lighting | Living rooms, kids' rooms, porches | $$ | 4.3 / 5 |
| Smart Dimmer Switch | Controls | Multi-bulb fixtures and hallways | $$ | 4.4 / 5 |
| Learning Smart Thermostat | Climate | Homes with central HVAC | $$$ | 4.6 / 5 |
| DC-Motor Ceiling Fan with LED Light | Climate | Bedrooms and open-plan living rooms | $$$ | 4.4 / 5 |
| Digital Family Calendar Smart Planner (21.5" touchscreen) | Smart displays | Busy households coordinating schedules | $$$ | 4.0 / 5 |
| Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring | Monitoring | Finding phantom loads | $ | 4.5 / 5 |
| Whole-Home Energy Monitor | Monitoring | Households serious about cutting the bill | $$$ | 4.2 / 5 |
| 65" 4K Interactive Smart Board / Digital Whiteboard | Smart displays | Home offices, study rooms and hybrid meetings | $$$$ | 4.0 / 5 |
| Motion / Occupancy Sensor Switch | Controls | Hallways, closets, laundry, garages | $ | 4.3 / 5 |
| Smart Power Strip with Per-Outlet Control | Monitoring | Media centres and home offices | $$ | 4.1 / 5 |
| High-Efficiency Kitchen & Laundry Appliances | Appliances | Replacing appliances 10+ years old | $$$$ | 4.0 / 5 |
| 62" Indoor/Outdoor DC Ceiling Fan with Light and Remote | Climate | Great rooms, patios and high ceilings | $$$ | 4.1 / 5 |
| Outdoor Smart LED Lighting Kit | Outdoor | Paths, driveways and porches | $$ | 4.2 / 5 |
| Portable Power Station with Solar Panel | Solar & backup | Outage resilience and off-grid loads | $$$$ | 4.0 / 5 |
| Smart Home Hub / Controller | Hubs & control | Homes with devices from several brands | $$ | 4.2 / 5 |
| Under-Cabinet LED Strip Lighting Kit | Lighting | Kitchens, desks, garages, closets | $ | 4.1 / 5 |
| Smart Plug 4-Pack (Wi-Fi, voice control) | Monitoring | Rolling out schedules across several rooms | $ | 4.2 / 5 |
| Smart Alarm Clock Display with Voice Assistant | Smart displays | Nightstands, kitchens and small offices | $$ | 4.0 / 5 |
| Wireless Fan Speed Remote Control | Controls | Rooms where the fan control is out of reach | $ | 4.0 / 5 |