CES 2026 showed off the smart home. Before you buy one, ask these five questions.

CES ran January 6–9, 2026, in Las Vegas. Much of the home coverage came back to the same idea: AI that’s built in and mostly invisible. A few products that real estate trade coverage picked out:

• LG CLOiD: a household robot meant to handle chores like folding laundry and loading the dishwasher. It learns a home’s routines through sensors and cameras.
• Samsung’s AI home monitoring: listens for 12 kinds of sounds, from breaking glass to prolonged coughing. NAR’s coverage says the data stays local rather than going to the cloud.
• Ultraloq Bolt Sense: a smart lock with facial recognition and palm-vein scanning.
• SwitchBot AI MindClip: a wearable that records and transcribes conversations.
• Mammotion LUBA 3 AWD: a robot lawn mower rated for up to 1.75 acres.

A note on my sources: this is based on published coverage of the show. I haven’t tested these products.

Five questions for any home with “smart” gear

1. 1Does it work without the cloud? Samsung’s local processing is a selling point for a reason. If the company’s servers go dark, does the lock still open?
2. 2Whose account is it on? Ask the seller to factory-reset devices and move accounts to you at closing. A lock still tied to the previous owner’s phone is a real problem.
3. 3Where are the cameras and microphones? Know what records, where the footage goes, and who can see it. California generally requires everyone’s consent to record a private conversation. Wearable recorders and home cameras both raise that question. This is general information, not legal advice.
4. 4What happens when the company stops updating it? Gadgets age in years. Houses last decades.
5. 5Is it included, in writing? Put the exact devices that stay with the home in the purchase contract.

My read: the best smart-home feature is the one you can remove without a contractor. Wiring, insulation and a good roof still do more for a home than a gadget.