How We Test at Home
We are a small independent team who set up smart devices the way you will: in a real rented flat, with ordinary Wi-Fi, flatmates and a landlord to keep happy.
Our method
Every device on this site lives in our test flat for at least four weeks. We pair it with Apple Home, Google Home and Amazon Alexa where supported, and we note how long setup takes, how clear the app is, and whether routines still fire reliably in week four, not just on day one.
- Day 1
Setup time and clarity
Timed from unboxing to first working routine, by someone new to the product.
- Weeks 1–4
Reliability and offline behaviour
We unplug the internet and check what still works locally.
- Always
Privacy defaults
What is on out of the box, what you can switch off, and how long data is kept.
Independence
We buy most devices at retail. When a maker lends a product, we return it after testing and say so on the page. We do not use affiliate links and nobody pays to appear in a list. If we get something wrong, email [email protected] and we will correct it and note the change.