All the coolest (and craziest) smart home debuts at CES

2025.01.22

LG unveiled its new indoor gardening lamp at CES 2025 

It wasn’t that long ago that the Consumer Electronics Show was all about flat-screen TVs. Now, if a gadget doesn’t promise to do your taxes while it vacuums your floor, it barely registers. As the giant trade show wrapped up in Las Vegas last week, it was clear that AI-powered products—especially for the home—had taken center stage.

From enhanced cleaning robots to more kitchen appliance technology than even the most anal-retentive homeowner could imagine, CES upped its game in 2025. Many of the introductions—and it should be noted that based on past history, a fair number of them will never enter production, much less homes—used artificial intelligence whether it was needed or not.

If this reminds you of the early days at the show, when all new products had internet connections that served little or no useful purpose, that’s probably not a coincidence. AI is still in its early days as companies figure out what it brings to their products—and American consumers decide if the price is worth it.

Time will tell. For now, here are some of the highlights of the show.

NEXT-GEN VACUUMS

Robot vacs were among the first generation of techy home products, and the advancements continue. One came from Eufy, which displayed its Combo E-20 model with multiple attachments, automatic dustbin disposal and 180 minutes of run time. In the fully automated vacuum realm, the Roborock Saros Z70 features a five-axis mechanical arm that can grab objects off the floor—we’re thinking dirty socks—and deposit them in a designated container. One new vac, Dreame’s X50 Ultra, may be taking the high-price record at $1,700. The device goes up and down small steps, can be run by voice control, and seems to have the suction power of a jet engine.

SMARTER KITCHENS

Kitchen appliance makers are doing their damnedest to speed, ease and enhance the food prep process. Samsung, which has been showing video-adorned refrigerators for years, debuted a new model called Bespoke, which has a 32-inch “Family Hub” with a video screen that automatically syncs with Instacart grocery lists. Home chefs—and those watching their sodium intake—should take note of Japanese beer company Kirin’s Electric Salt Spoon, which reportedly uses electric currents to “amplify” the salt already in food to make it taste more savory. The device, retailing for around $125, is already for sale in Japan. And finally, Copper, a company that uses advanced battery technology, showed battery-equipped appliances, including an induction range that it said works in blackouts.

BIOTECH INNOVATIONS

Health and fitness products were widespread, ranging from single-use items like smart rings that measure body functions (heart rate, blood oxygen, movement, sleep) to entire portable clinics for use in rural areas that might not have access to more traditional health facilities. Myant, a Canadian company, showed a line of “smart textiles” that track all kinds of health metrics using tiny sensors built into the fibers. And for the skin-care aware, Samsung showed an AI-powered beauty mirror that scans facial features and provides personalized treatment recommendations.

AI AT YOUR LEISURE

Not to be forgotten were features geared toward pet owners, gamers, gardeners and more. Petkit showed the Purobot Ultra kitty litter box, which claims to use animal facial recognition to keep track of who is doing what and when. It retails for—get ready—$899, and you can even pay a monthly subscription service of $12 for videos of what goes on. Gamers may be intrigued by Razer’s new gaming chair, Project Arielle, which can shoot out blasts of hot or cold air so you’re always temperature-right while playing Fortnite. And for the green thumbs among us, LG showed a prototype of a new LED lamp that includes a garden level with plant tray and built-in watering system.

No doubt each of the 140,000-plus people who attended CES this year found their favorite new product among the exhibitions. How many American consumers will find those same products in stores in the future is another matter entirely.