Smart Home Basics Under $35: Security Camera, Bulb Camera, Smart Plug and Wireless Mouse

Smart home gear has a reputation for costing a lot and doing little. The cheap end of it is more useful than that if you pick for one job at a time: watch a door, watch a room, schedule a lamp or cut a cable off your desk. Nu'Jants lists four items for those jobs, from $16.00, and the pages are specific about what each one does.

Smart HD Wireless Home Security Camera

The Smart HD Wireless Home Security Camera is $29.95. The page lists 1080p full HD video, real-time motion alerts, two-way audio, night vision, remote access by smartphone, a 360 degree pan and tilt view, and cloud and SD card storage. It suggests uses such as a front door, a nursery, pets, an elderly relative or a rental property. It is described as easy to set up yourself.

360 Degree Panoramic Light Bulb Camera

The 360 Panoramic Hidden Light Bulb Wifi Camera shows prices starting from $22.99. The page lists a 360 degree panoramic 1080p view, two white LEDs and two infrared LEDs with night vision of 5 to 10 meters, a built-in microphone and speaker for two-way talk, motion alerts pushed to your phone, a card slot for storage, and an E27 base. It says the unit is for indoor use, installs on the ceiling and works with the V380 app on Android and iOS.

A camera in a bulb is a camera that other people may not notice, so use it responsibly. Put cameras in your own home or in spaces where you have the right to record, tell guests and household members where cameras are, and never place one where people expect privacy, such as a bathroom or a bedroom that is not yours. Rules about audio recording vary by state, so check yours.

Smart Plug

The Smart Plug is $16.00. The page describes an app-controlled plug with a timer that turns devices on and off from your phone or on a schedule, and lists compatibility with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The product text is written around pet products, but the same idea works for a lamp, a fan or a coffee maker. The page does not give a maximum wattage, so ask through the contact page post before you plug in a heavy appliance.

2.4G Bluetooth Wireless Rechargeable Mouse

The 2.4G Bluetooth Wireless Rechargeable Mouse shows prices starting from $24.40. The listing title says mouse, but the description on the page is written about a keyboard: Bluetooth 3.0 built in, shortcut keys, an anti-slip rubber base, a full-size slim layout with number keys, compatibility with iPad, iPhone, laptops, PCs, tablets and smartphones, and a rechargeable battery with about one month of standby and an auto sleep mode. Because the two do not match, ask through the contact page post exactly what ships before you order.

Which one solves which problem

• Watch an entryway or a nursery: the Smart HD camera, for its pan and tilt view and alerts.

• Cover a whole room from the ceiling: the bulb camera, indoors only.

• Run a lamp on a schedule: the smart plug.

• Clear off the desk: the wireless unit, once you confirm what it is.

Setting expectations

The pages do not list a Wi-Fi band for each device. A typical rule is that cheap smart devices need a 2.4 GHz network, so check your router settings before you order. Keep your Wi-Fi password strong and change any default camera password at setup.

Paying for it

Shipping at Nu'Jants is a flat $5.99 on every order, and Afterpay, Klarna and Affirm are available at checkout if you would rather pay in 4. A share of every Nu'Jants sale also goes to the American Red Cross.

Browse the Household collection, or read 10 unique gifts from an online store that ship fast and 5 Nu'Jants finds under $10 you'll actually use.

One more thing before you check out: new subscribers can claim a free pillow. The details are in this post about the free Roses Are Red pillow.