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The best home gadgets we saw at CES this year

CES 2021 took place virtually this year amid the continued pandemic. While it was a unique way to experience all the Consumer Technology Association had to offer, the central theme coming out of the week was innovation — and there was innovation in spades. Pulling off an event of this magnitude virtually was a nod to that concept at scale and they did a good job of making participants feel as involved as possible.

While CES 2021 also featured the best tech for home offices, we reviewed the best home gadgets featured during the show. We selected a handful of items that would make us all feel more connected to our home space, give us time back in our busy lives, and dazzle us with a bit of the unnecessary. Hey, if we’re making the investment, it has to feel worth it, right?

Here are our top picks:

robot vacuum cleaning
Ukraine/Shutterstock

Samsung Jetbot 90 AI+

If you want to leave the cleaning to someone other than yourself, you must have this new robot vacuum by Samsung — the world’s first smart robotic vacuum. The Jetbot 90 AI+ whizzes around piles to get every nook and cranny of a room clean. It also has an automatic disposal system that empties the dustbin into its Clean Station base, which means less mess for you.

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It connects to your smartphone via the Samsung SmartThings app so you can order it to clean whenever you want from wherever you are. You can also connect to its camera from your phone so it acts a security system of sorts while you’re away.

LG Transparent Smart Bed TV

If you love watching TV at night cozied in bed but don’t love the clunkiness of a TV in your serene space, LG is your new best friend. The Smart Bed TV as it’s tentatively named comes via a small frame you ideally place at the foot of your bed. Inside the frame is a 55-inch transparent OLED screen that can be voice-activated to rise up and become a fully functional TV. Once you’re done binging your favorite Netflix series, you can command it back into its frame so it’s out of sight. It’s the perfect marriage of aesthetic and convenience.

woman in bathtub
Ariwasabi/Shutterstock

Kohler Stillness Bath

If you are a sucker for a nice, relaxing bath this next one may have you calling Kohler daily asking when its Stillness Bath will be available for shipping. Of course, opulence comes at a price and this bath will retail anywhere from $6,200 to $16,000, depending on the different size you order. It’s not your ordinary bath experience. The Stillness Bath comes with colored lights, aromatherapy, fog, and an infinity edge that trickles water into a drainage underneath as if you’re at a fancy hotel in a far away country.

Nobi Smart Lamp

The Nobi Smart Lamp is the latest technology that enables elderly people to live independently for as long as possible. The lamp uses artificial intelligence to monitor those living alone and automatically detects when someone falls. It can also be enabled to contact family or emergency services quickly so they receive the help they need immediately. It can also detect fire, monitor air quality, and detect a break in, giving loved ones peace of mind that their family member is safe.

ColdSnap Rapid Freezing Appliance

ColdSnap entered into the CES 2021 arena with a bang this year, answering the prayers of sweet-toothers everywhere. Their “rapid-freezing” appliance creates single serving ice cream, frozen yogurt, smoothies, and frozen cocktails in under two minutes. Yes, you heard that right — ice cream in under two minutes. The ColdSnap uses pods to create made-to-order treats with little-to-no clean up or mess in the process. This would be perfect for a kid’s birthday party, families looking to whip up frozen smoothies for breakfast on their way out the door, and anyone who generally enjoys the happiness ice cream brings.

Of course, you don’t need any of the items above to go about your day but they all would make life a little bit easier (and sweeter). Advances in technology are happening at such a rapid pace in all industries and our homes are no exception. Investments in innovation will make cleaning, sleeping, relaxing, and entertainment a breeze.

Though none of these products have release dates yet, they will be coming sometime in 2021. Perhaps its time to get your priorities and wallet in order and treat yourself. This past year has been a rough one and people continue to spend more and more time at home. Investing in that experience may just be what the doctor ordered.

Julie Scagell
Former Digital Trends Contributor
I am a freelance writer based in Minneapolis, MN. My passions include my dogs, talking about my dogs, and taking pictures of…
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