The annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) is always a glimpse into the near future. CES 2026 delivered a handful of smart, practical upgrades that feel genuinely relevant to real estate and everyday living. Here are five home-tech accessories I'm watching—and in a few cases, installing.
1. AI Household Robots. LG's CLOiD can fold laundry, load dishwashers, and assist in the kitchen—automation aimed squarely at daily life rather than novelty. This isn’t a party trick robot; it’s labor reduction! And anything that gives people time back at home—I’m in!
2. AI-Driven Lawn Robots. Speaking of robots doing chores we hate: lawn care. These next-gen autonomous lawn robots can navigate varied terrain without perimeter wires, meaning truly hands-off yard maintenance. Imagine maintenance-free curb appeal—especially appealing for busy households, aging-in-place buyers, or anyone who just doesn’t romanticize mowing (yep, that’s me). One model, Navia’s NexLawn, even features a small robotic arm to politely relocate your dog's doo-doo before mowing over It. Clever girl.
3. The AI Mirror. Eoneom's HEYMIRROR is a smart dressing mirror that offers outfit suggestions based on weather, calendar events, and occasion. It’s part styling assistant, part smart home accessory. Equal parts practical and indulgent—and yes, the metro-sexual inside me absolutely approves.
4. Lutron Smart Shades (Now With Wood Options). Lutron remains one of my favorite smart-home brands. I have their smart switches throughout my house and recommend them constantly. Until now, one gap existed: wood window coverings. That gap is closed. Lutron expanded its smart shade lineup to include new wood options—finally pairing classic material with automation. These shades adjust based on sunlight throughout the day, and new humidity sensors can automatically trigger bathroom fans to reduce moisture buildup.
5. Biometric Smart Locks. Smart locks aren’t new—but smart locks that rely on more than a shared code are. New biometric systems using facial recognition and palm-vein scanning take residential security to another level.
Oh—and bonus points to Ring (now owned by Amazon), which rolled out several new products, Including 360-degree cameras that mount to the side of your home. For construction sites, they even debuted a portable, solar-powered model with an extended arm—perfect for catching people who think dumpsters are a free-for-all.
📸 From top left, photos courtesy of: NexLawn's Master X, Ultraloq Bolt Sense Smart Lock, Eoneom's HEYMIRROR, LG's CLOiD, Ring's Mobile Security Trailer and Lutron's new wood smart shades.
