8 Genius Green Smart Gadgets

• Rain Bird ST8i-WiFi Sprinkler Timer, from $139

As a longtime fan of Rain Bird's irrigation systems, our garden editor was thrilled to discover the company has built even more smarts into its new WiFi-connected timer. The watering schedule will automatically adjust based on the local weather to keep your water usage down, but can also be modified via a mobile app. What's more, it offers up to eight customizable watering zones, allowing you to really target your water usage where it’s needed and cut down where it isn't.

• WeMo Insight Smart Plug, $39.99

This device lets you catch “energy vampires”—appliances that suck power even when they’re not in use—in the act. The WiFi-enabled plug reports on your energy usage via app and lets you turn appliances off or on accordingly.

• PUR Bluetooth Ultimate Faucet Filtration System, $44.99

This new filtration system functions like your mom reminding you to not leave the tap running. In addition to filtering out more than 70 contaminants, the Bluetooth-enabled faucet-mounted filter will keep you up to date, via app, on your water usage.

• Ring Solar Panel, $49, and Stick-up Cam, $179

Ring’s new solar panel connects to its smart stick-up security camera, making installation a cinch—and allowing you to keep an eye on your place without using energy.

• Nebia, $399

There are many low-flow showerheads on the market to limit your water usage, but the Nebia is the rare one that makes for a truly spa-like experience. The nozzle atomizes water to maximize the surface area the droplets hit while minimizing water usage. And it fits with most existing fixtures—no plumber required.

• Edyn Garden Sensor ($75) 

Growing your own vegetables is one of the most satisfying ways to help the earth, but not everyone has a green thumb. Stick the Edyn sensor in your garden bed and it may finally reveal why your tomatoes struggle every year, as it assesses soil health, along with the weather and light. Based on those insights, it works with a separate valve (which attaches to most existing irrigation systems) to customize your water usage. It will also recommend specific crops that will thrive in your garden’s conditions.

• Caia, $229 (available fall 2019)

We’ve got our eye on Caia, a robot that promises to brighten up a room by harnessing the power of the sun. The gadget gets placed in a window and redirects natural light to where you need it most—all without using electricity (it’s solar-powered).

• Zera Food Recycler, $1,199

Composting goes a long way toward eliminating food waste, but many people are too wary of the mess and maintenance to do it in their kitchen. Whirlpool’s at-home composter is sleek and smart, utilizing a proprietary technology to break down food scraps in 24 hours; it operates automatically or via an app.