Our homes are now smarter than they've ever been, helping owners and renters alike keep their properties cleaner and more efficient with less effort. Now we're putting a spotlight on the most helpful products in a variety of categories. That could be robot vacuums that keep your carpet tidy or solar lights to make your yard glow.
The Tom's Guide Smart Home Awards 2026 are officially open for nominations. If your product is helping people organise their homes or get the most out of their yards, we want to hear about it.
Award categories
There's no single product that'll ever be the perfect one for every individual. So we're going to give out awards across a variety of categories within the home. Everything from robot vacuums and smart lights to cutting-edge grills and household accessories and gadgets that make your life easier. Below are the different categories for which you can enter; we reserve the right to modify these categories based on the submissions.
Garden and Outdoor
All the gear for keeping on top of yard care all year round, from lawnmowers and pressure washers to power tools that keep your hedges and trees trimmed perfectly. And we’re also celebrating the best of outdoor entertaining, from firepits to solar lights to grills and pizza ovens.
Home Office
For many of us, working from home has become a central part of life and so we want to put the spotlight on products prioritizing both comfort and productivity. Having an efficient and healthy workspace is what we all aspire to, so we’ll be highlighting both regular and standing desks, office chairs and space-saving organizational must-haves.
Sleep
Considering how crucial good sleep is to our lives, it’s vitally important that our homes support the best rest possible. Our awards will spotlight mattresses, pillows, bed frames and even the top gadgets to include on your nightstand to guarantee you a good night’s sleep.
Smart Home
The best smart devices are those that let you get on with your life without being noticed. From security cameras and Wi-Fi locks to smart light bulbs, we’re celebrating the best gadgets on the market.
Home Appliances
We’re celebrating home appliances that work hard to keep your life running smoothly. From vacuums and air purifiers that keep your home clean and fresh to stand mixers and blenders that are kitchen essentials.
How to enter
Brands can submit products via our online entry form by selecting the appropriate category and following the “Enter Now” buttons on the awards site.
Entry fee: $250 per product, per category
No limit on submissions and products can be entered into multiple categories (additional $250 per category).
Deadline: May 22, 2026
Category winners will be announced at the end of the month.
