Getting Started: The Ultimate $100 Smart Home Setup
📢 Editor’s Update (May 2026): This guide was written back in 2021, and while the strategy behind building a $100 smart home still holds up, specific products and prices have shifted quite a bit. Some of the devices mentioned may be discontinued or have newer versions available. We recommend using this post as a framework for getting started, then cross-referencing with our more recent smart home guides for the best current picks at your budget. The smart home game has only gotten better — and more affordable — since we wrote this!
Creating your own smart home is an enjoyable hobby, but it can get pretty expensive. This can make it difficult for students, young adults, or anyone on a budget to make their smart home dreams a reality. That’s why we’ve taken the time to create the Ultimate $100 Smart Home Setup.
Smart Speaker: The Hub of Every Smart Home
Smart speakers like Amazon’s Echo Dot and Google’s Nest Mini serve as the central hub of every smart home. When you really think about it, it’s incredible how much technology and intelligence they’ve managed to pack into such a tiny device.
If you want to splurge, you can get a current-generation smart speaker for around $50. However, the best budget option is to buy an older model, which can be had for about $20 on eBay.
Smart Plugs: They Make Anything Smart!
The secret to great budget-friendly smart home setups is flexibility. Smart plugs are the definition of flexible, as they transform any appliance into a WiFi connected device. There are a ton of different smart plugs on Amazon, many of which are less than $10. This means you can connect multiple devices without blowing your budget.
Smart Light Bulbs: Tons of Budget-Friendly Options
To round out our $100 smart home setup, we have smart light bulbs. At around $10 per bulb, these are more expensive than traditional light bulbs, but the extra cost is worth it. One again, Amazon has plenty of affordable options to be had.
When creating your own budget smart home, feel to pick and choose from these suggestions. Most importantly, make sure to do your research. There’s lots of affordable smart home tech out there, but as always, some options are better than others!
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