The best smart home devices can enhance any living space Yes, even a closet-sized college dorm Gadgets like the best smart lights and smart plugs can make life easier and rooms more comfortable

From changing the look of your pad on the fly with colored mood lighting to controlling devices with just your voice, here are some of the best smart home devices for dorms All of these devices are as easy to set up as they are to take down at the end of the year and require no permanent installation

The Echo Dot and Nest Mini are powerful, compact speakers under $50 that can fill a room with rich sound The built-in voice assistant provides hands-free control of alarms, music, and calendar With its rich knowledge base, you can get instant instructions on how to fix something or get answers to homework assignments The smart speaker also integrates with other smart home devices below, so you can control your dorm with simple voice commands

Smart plugs are an affordable and versatile way to add existing devices to your smart home Smart plugs allow control and scheduling of outlet-type gadgets that can be remotely controlled via the Internet via a smartphone app Whether it's turning off a stick lamp you forgot to turn off during a lecture or setting your coffee to start brewing at 8 am on a weekday morning, smart plugs open the door to a variety of possibilities

My window air conditioner is connected to the smart plug and routinely tied to the Echo Dot's temperature sensor If the temperature gets too high (I set this trigger to 71 degrees), the smart speaker tells the plug to turn on the air conditioner and cool the room automatically This would be especially useful in dorms that cannot install the best smart thermostats

Smart light bulbs like the Philips Hue and Kasa Bulb can change the ambiance of a dorm room These bulbs can be controlled via an app or voice commands and offer features such as color change, dimming, and scheduling They turn on gradually, so you can wake up to simulate the morning sun or turn the room orange for Halloween

Also consider light strips that can be wrapped around the top of a bed or wall These strips can be used for aesthetic purposes only, or they can create useful timer routines For example, if the color is set to transition from green to red at regular intervals, it can be used to show how much time is left for studying or morning routines, and to make sure students are on time for class

With a compact smart security camera, you can rest assured that no one is rummaging through your belongings while you are away Not only can you see live video at all times, but the built-in motion sensor will notify you if someone enters your space Just be sure to respect your roommate's privacy by disclosing your installation location and creating privacy zones

Smart locks, especially conversion models for renters like August Smart Lock, are a complete time saver They provide keyless entry and can be controlled via a smartphone app, allowing you to secure your room while allowing easy access for yourself and trusted friends The conversion model replaces only the inner part of the lock, allowing RAs to enter with the original key While they are away, they can remotely open the lock and check on their activities

Streaming sticks and smart speakers can be used to create a smart entertainment center To get started, simply connect the streaming device to the TV, which acts as the brain This adds a computer-like operating system to the largest screen in the room, from which you can watch programs, play video games via the cloud, and manage smart home devices This menu can be controlled with the included controller or by voice; pairing two smart speakers together provides a surround sound experience

Automatic robotic vacuum cleaners keep floors sparkling clean The bot dock can be placed under your bed or by your desk out of the way If you schedule it to go out between classes, you can forget about it until you get a notice that your trash can needs to be cleaned