Best Smart Home Devices for the Garden and Outdoors

Outdoor smart home devices operate in a more challenging environment than anything inside the house — weather, temperature extremes, direct sunlight and rain. The devices that work well outdoors are more purpose-built, and choosing correctly means they last years rather than months.

Outdoor security cameras

An outdoor camera provides a visual record, a deterrent and real-time alerts when motion is detected. The key decisions are: wired vs battery, local vs cloud storage, and resolution.

Google Nest Cam (2nd gen, battery): fully wireless, weatherproof, integrates with Google Home. Stores 3 hours of event history free, more with a Nest Aware subscription. Reliable motion alerts with person, vehicle and animal detection.

Arlo Pro 5S: one of the best battery-powered outdoor cameras available. Colour night vision, 180-degree field of view, and a local storage option via a SmartHub base station.

Eufy Security SoloCam S340: solar-powered, so no battery charging needed. Local storage via microSD card with no subscription required.

Smart irrigation

A smart irrigation controller schedules watering based on local weather data, skipping or reducing watering when rain is forecast. It is one of the better outdoor smart home investments in terms of actual cost savings.

Rachio 3 is the most established option, with Alexa and Google Home integration, weather intelligence and a reliable app. Available in 8-zone and 16-zone versions.

Orbit B-hyve is a more affordable alternative with similar features. Good choice for smaller gardens with fewer zones.

Outdoor smart plugs and lighting

Outdoor smart plugs (IP44 or higher rated) let you control exterior lights, string lights and water features remotely. Kasa EP40 and Teckin outdoor smart plug are weatherproof options that connect to existing Alexa and Google Home setups.

Smart outdoor lighting improves security and atmosphere. Philips Hue Lily and Hue Impress are high-quality weatherproof options. Path lighting, flood lighting and string lights can all be controlled on a schedule or triggered by motion sensors.

Video doorbells

A video doorbell is one of the most popular smart home purchases. The Ring Video Doorbell 4 and Google Nest Doorbell (wired, 2nd gen) are the two main options. Both provide live video, two-way audio and motion-triggered recording.

Recommended outdoor setup

• Start with: one outdoor camera at the main access point (front door or driveway) and a weatherproof smart plug for outdoor lights.
• Add next: video doorbell if the camera does not cover the front door directly, outdoor motion sensor to trigger lights.
• Later: smart irrigation controller, solar-powered cameras for additional coverage, path lighting on a schedule.

What to avoid

Do not use indoor-rated smart plugs or cameras outdoors. The IP rating matters — IP44 means protected against water splashing from any direction; IP65 and above means protected against direct water jets. Check the rating before purchasing anything intended for outdoor use. Battery-powered outdoor cameras require regular charging — if you are not prepared to maintain that, a wired or solar-powered option is more practical.