The smart home is getting smarter, but two areas that are often overlooked are the humble power outlet and light switch.
There are plenty of energy savings to be had by investing in a smart plug and/or smart switch. By controlling your lights and other appliances with one of these babies, you’ll reap the savings of more efficient energy consumption.
But what are the plugs and switches that are worth flipping out over? We’ve gathered up a guide to show you the light to the best smart plugs and switches on the market.
All of the smart plugs and switches in this list have been tested by TechRadar, so you can rest assured that all have passed muster.
Belkin WeMo Insight Smart Plug
Monitor your energy consumption with a switch
Dimensions: 2.9″ x 2.9″ x 2.3″ | Weight: 2.84 ounces | Electrical ration: 120V/15A/60Hz/1800W
Features energy monitoring
Good smart home integration
App is poorly designed
The Belkin WeMo Insight is a neat little device. Well, it’s not exactly “little” considering it’s bigger than it looks in the pictures, so be prepared for a bulkier plug that covers the top outlet if you place it on the bottom one (the same isn’t true if you reverse the order).
That said, we consider the Belkin WeMo Insight Smart Plug to be the best light switch on the market. We like that it gives insights into your energy usage, and it gives you estimates on how much you’re spending on energy, too. This is great if you’re looking to cut down on your monthly power bill and be a little greener at the same time.
The one big drawback is that you do most of your work with the WeMo Insight in the app, and the app leaves a lot to be desired. Yes, you can turn off and on devices from the app home screen, but once you start going deeper, you run into trouble. It’s difficult to remove devices from the app, which is annoying.
One redeeming quality of the app is that you can use it to integrate your plug with other services, such as IFTTT, Alexa, Google Assistant, Works with Nest and (unofficially) Samsung SmartThings.
The only one missing from this smart plug house party is Apple’s HomeKit, though you can connect using a HomeKit Bridge, which Belkin sells.
An inexpensive switch ideal for your HomeKit-connected abode
Dimensions: 1.65″ x 2.71″ x 1.57″ (42 x 69 x 40mm) | Weight: 3.3 ounces | Power input: 120 VAC, 60Hz
Works well with HomeKit
Has a night light
Needs more integration
There’s a reason this smart plug leads with an “i”; it’s built to work predominately with devices in the Apple ecosystem and with HomeKit. You can still use it with Android via an app, just know that HomeKit is clearly the favorite here.
The iDevices Switch Wi-Fi Smart Plug does converse with Alexa, so your Amazon Echo devices are compatible with this plug, too.
All-in-all, this smart plug is well designed, easy to use (especially within Apple’s walls, naturally) and generally works like a charm. It’s super easy to set up with your iPhone, and the app is great; you can use it to monitor your energy usage, broken down by day, week, month and year. You’ll get an estimate of your energy costs as well.
Oh, and did we mention this plug has as nightlight? The colored strip around the front serves as one, perfect if you don’t want to blind yourself when you get up to use the loo in the middle of the night.
Dimensions: 5″ x 3.3″ x 1.5″ ( 128 x 85 x 38mm ) | Weight: 133g | Maximum Power: 3.68KW
Easy to install
Very nice design
Sure, you’ve decked out your home in smart led bulbs, like the Philips Hue, but if these aren’t connected to a smart switch, you lose connectivity if the lights aren’t controlled with a smartphone.
That’s where smart switches like the TP-Link HS200 come in. This well-designed switch may be connected, but it also gives a satisfying click, just like old-fashioned models.
But the similarities with old-school switches end there. This switch taps into an app called Kasa, which is equally well-designed. From the app, you can create different scenes that turn on or off certain lights, or set lights to turn on when your home’s motions sensors detect movement, for example.
The switch does work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can ask both to flight the TP-Link switches in your home on or off.
It may not be quite as good as the Belkin WeMo Smart Plug, but the TP-Link will make your home a more connected creature, which is great if you’re looking to take your home into the 21st century.
Make your ‘dumb’ appliances smart with this switch
Dimensions: 2.6″ x 2.6″ x 1.9″ (US) / 72 x 72 x 71mm (UK) | Wireless connection: Bluetooth Low Energy
Excellent energy monitoring
Apple HomeKit compatible
It’s all about ease with the Elagto Eve Energy Smart Switch. Installing and updating the switch is a snap; all you have to do is plug it into an existing outlet, then plug your appliance in.
The switch is compatible with Apple HomeKit, and, uniquely, it connects over Bluetooth, not your home’s Wi-Fi. Despite this unconventional (in the smart plug/switch space) connection method, Bluetooth works perfectly well here.
Like most smart plugs and switches, Elgato’s design is on the bigger side, though you can still access the top switch if you plug it into the bottom one. The app is easy to use as well and keeps tabs on your energy consumption, plus estimated cost of the energy your appliance is sucking up.
This isn’t the most enthralling – or least expensive – smart switch on the market. However, it hits a number of the right boxes, and looks good in the home.
Apple’s iPhone 8 has reclaimed the top of the sales chart, narrowly edging out the newer Galaxy S9 Plus, which fell to No. 2 and hasn’t exactly helped Samsung’s profits.
It also did better than the iPhone X by reaching a 2.4% market share and bouncing back from lower sales back in April, according to a data from Counterpoint Research. This boost in sales is attributed to smart advertising in Europe, namely Apple’s recent “How to shoot on iPhone” ads, which led up to the start of the World Cup last month.
In fact, all three current iPhones are sitting in the top five, according to the numbers from May, the latest sales data available. The iPhone X is in third place, with 2.3% of the market share, and the iPhone 8 Plus is in fifth place at 2.1%.
Reading the numbers
The Samsung Galaxy S9 and Galaxy S9 sales figures have been seen as disappointing, even though both phones are still showing overall strong numbers. The S9 Plus only slipped to second place, essentially tied with the iPhone 8 at a 2.4% market share. The problem is the S9 phones are much newer, so it’s odd that they’re not performing better.
Samsung warned investors about slowing sales of flagship phones in April after its Q1 earnings call, so these results only reflect that truth.
However, we are expecting the Samsung Galaxy Note 9 later this year, and that should inject some sales into Samsung’s lineup – but thats when there will be a new line of iPhones on the market.
One of the biggest takeaways from this report might be a bit subtle – Chinese manufacturers like Huawei, Xiaomi and Oppo are taking more of the market share than ever before, and that’s surely part of the reason behind the Galaxy S9’s slowed sales. The Xiaomi Redmi 5A sat right behind the iPhone X in May, enjoying 2.2% of the market share.
Both the iPhone 8 and the Galaxy S9 are enjoying great sales in the West, but it’s becoming clear that phones from Chinese companies, ones with innovative designs that rival Apple and Samsung in many ways, are making a huge impact worldwide.
Best Over-Ear Headphones Buying Guide: Welcome to TechRadar’s round-up of the best Hi-Fi over-ear headphones you can buy in 2018.
When it comes to raw sound quality, nothing beats the sense of scale a pair of decent over-ear headphones can provide. If pristine audio performance is what you’re after, you can simply do no better than the headphones you’ll find here.
Now, that does mean making a few trade-offs. That might mean buying a pair of wired headphones instead of wireless ones, or losing out on features like active noise cancellation so audio can sound as neutral as possible.
If you’re looking for the best wireless headphones and best noise-cancelling headphones guides specifically, we can help you out, but don’t feel bad if you’re specifically looking for Hi-Fi headphones and don’t mind shaving off some of the non-essential features to get it.
With that said, this guide will focus on sound quality above all else. There are a couple of wireless and noise-cancelling equipped choices in our list, but that’s only because they sound great in addition to packing these features.
Has something changed since the last time you visited this page? That’s completely normal. We’re always updating this guide with the best headphones – which, as you can expect, changes frequently. That said, you can expect this guide to be as up-to-date as we can get it on any given day, ensuring that you’re getting out top picks all year round. Without further ado, here’s our guide to getting the most for your money, whatever your budget.
1. Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro
BEST SOUND: Professional headphones that know how to have fun
Acoustic design: Open | Weight: 370 g | Cable length: 9.8 ft or 3.9 ft | Frequency response: 5-40,000Hz | Drivers: N/A | Driver type: N/A | Sensitivity: 102dB | Impedance: 250 ohms | Battery life: N/A | Wireless range: N/A | NFC: N/A
Built like a tank
Excellent comfort
Breathtaking resolution
Slightly recessed mids
Highs can be fatiguing
While Beyerdynamic may not be as well known as its German brother, Sennheiser, the audio company has a history of creating some of the best sounding audio gear on the market – the company’s DT770, DT880 and DT990 were renown for their excellent build and sound quality.
Above them all, however, stands the Beyerdynamic DT 1990 Pro, an open-back version of the Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pro, a headphone which won our Editor’s Choice for its imaging, design and value for the money. Both headphones are priced the same ($599, £589, AU$1,159), so you won’t find a deal picking up one over the other. The difference here comes down to sound.
As they’re open-back, the DT 1990 Pro are meant to be used at home or in the studio for serious analytical listening. Sound is able to get in and out but the good news is that the open-back design gives you the DT 1990 Pro a great sense of space. Soundstage is quite wide, too, allowing even the most lackadaisical listener to pinpoint the exact location of where each instrument is playing.
If you’ve been searching for a pair of Hi-Fi headphones that are used by some of the world’s leading audio engineers, these are them.
The Philips Fidelio X2’s are a superb pair of headphones offering premium comfort and build quality with a sound that rivals even the most vaunted audiophile cans. Perhaps on sheer sound quality they’re a notch off the likes of the top Oppo or Sennheiser offerings – but the fact that you’d be saving vast amounts of cash by opting for the Philips is just a no brainer.
The Beyerdynamic DT 1770 Pros are a stunning pair of headphones. Are they expensive? To some no, to most yes; but for the sheer listening experience they deliver you’d be hard pressed to take them off after putting them on, even using them with portable HRA players and mobile phones.
That said, they really do push the boundaries of what you can do with a dynamic driver. All praise to Beyerdynamic for putting together such a wonderful product.
The fourth entry on our list easily could’ve been the first if it didn’t cost well over $1,000/£1,000. The Sennheiser HD 800 are, hands down, one of the best-sounding pairs of over-ear headphones on the planet, affectionately praised by inner circles of audiophiles the world over. When paired with the proper hardware, they sound absolutely excellent – balanced in every way.
Unfortunately, they’re supremely expensive and require more audio equipment than the average consumer is ready to buy. Should you find yourself in need – or, let’s be honest, in want – of amazing over-ear headphones, these are them.
If you’re looking for a pair of audiophile headphones that won’t break the bank, the 1MORE Triple Driver over-ear is a great place to start. Its build quality and detailed sound really impress and we think bass-lovers will like the slight mid-bass emphasis and control in the lower registers while not sacrificing the mids or highs. The headphone reveals a good level of detail throughout the frequency range and never get harsh in the upper registers.
To that end, it’s hard to fault the $250 (about £190, AU$338) 1MORE Triple Driver Over-Ear, making them an easy recommendation for the price.
The B&W P9 Signatures are simply some of the best-sounding headphones we’ve ever used. They have a tight, refined sound that offers an almost unmatched level of detail.
That said, the fact remains that they’re a comparatively feature-light pair of cans. If you want to spend less then you can get a much more portable pair that’ll be better suited to the morning commute or a plane ride thanks to additional features like noise-cancellation and Bluetooth connectivity.
But, if you’re looking to invest in a seriously high-quality pair of headphones to listen to a high-quality music collection, then there are few that can match the P9s at this price point.
An improvement on Sony’s existing flagship, the Sony WH-1000XM2 sound great, pack excellent noise-cancellation, and manage to do this all wirelessly.
Other headphones offer better sound quality, longer-range wireless connectivity, or better battery life, but the Sony WH-1000XM2 manage to offer the best balance of features and performance.
It’s also got a couple of interesting tricks up its sleeve like a selective noise-cancellation mode that lets in certain useful sounds, and a shortcut that allows you to quickly hear what’s going on around you.
Offering all of this without a serious price-premium over the competition means the Sony WH-1000XM2 are a great choice for on-the-go music listeners.
Audiophiles typically shun wireless headphones because of poor sound quality. However, Bluetooth audio has improved tremendously over the years. There are now plenty of wireless headphones that can please the music enthusiast, with Hi-Res Audio support being more and more prevalent.
That said, the Audio-Technica ATH-SR5BT feature some of the best wired and wireless sound quality for a headphone under $200 (£150). They play well with all music genres and offer a near-flat response curve. They’re extremely comfortable for long listening sessions and are well built. Battery life is equally impressive with nearly 40 hours of playback from a charge. And while they lack some features of more expensive wireless headphones like active noise cancelling and multi-device pairing, these are tradeoffs worth making for phenomenal sound.
These no-holds-barred wireless headphones are oozing with positive qualities, but for many, they’re almost prohibitively expensive. However, if you’re an audio lover that can spare the expense, do not hesitate on this comfortable, hard-working set of headphones that will likely last for years.
After cutting the wires off its flagship cans with the Bose QC35 headphones, Bose’s QC35 II are a slightly more minor upgrade. This time the big addition is Google Assistant, which can be summoned with the press of a button.
Otherwise these are more or less the same headphones that we enjoyed the first time around. The QC35s aren’t the best sounding out there, but their noise-cancellation is class-leading and if that’s your priority then they’re a great choice.
