The Verge's smart home specialist has rounded up the year's best Black Friday deals on premium connected devices. From rare discounts on the Nuki Smart Lock to savings on Google's latest Nest thermostat, these deals target gear that rarely sees price cuts. The timing couldn't be better for anyone looking to upgrade their home automation setup.
Black Friday just delivered the smart home deals that matter. While other retailers flood the market with discounted gadgets of questionable quality, The Verge's Jennifer Pattison Tuohy has identified genuine savings on the premium devices she actually recommends. The standout deal? The Nuki Smart Lock dropping to $127.90 with an on-page coupon - a rare 20% discount on what she calls her "favorite retrofit door lock." The Nuki's Matter-over-Thread compatibility makes it work with every major smart home platform without replacing your entire lock mechanism, solving the biggest pain point in smart security upgrades. Google's latest Nest Learning Thermostat is also seeing its first significant discount since launching earlier this year. Down to $229.99 from $279.99, the 4th-generation model includes a room sensor and features the biggest screen yet on a Nest device. According to Tuohy's recent review, it's designed to deliver measurable energy savings through improved automation and more precise temperature control. The lighting category shows particularly strong savings, with Philips Hue discounting its Zigbee bulbs following this year's Thread rollout. A three-pack of 60W full-color bulbs hits $69.99, down from $110 - essentially $23 per bulb for premium smart lighting. The move reflects Philips' strategy to clear Zigbee inventory as the company transitions to Thread-based products. Smart switches and sensors round out the premium deals, with Aqara's Hub M3 dropping 33% to $99.99. The device combines Matter controller, Thread border router, and Zigbee hub functions in one unit, making it an ideal foundation for new smart home setups. Aqara's new Presence Sensor FP300 is also discounted to $49.99, incorporating both PIR and mmWave radar for more accurate occupancy detection. The timing reflects broader market dynamics. Premium smart home brands typically avoid deep discounts, but increased competition from Matter-compatible devices and inventory transitions are creating genuine savings opportunities. Amazon is driving much of the pricing with aggressive matching across categories. Security remains a focus throughout the deals. The Yale Matter Smart Lock designed for Google Home drops to $137 from $190, while the Level Lock Plus Matter hits $249 from $329. Both locks use Matter-over-Thread for broad platform compatibility while maintaining security standards. Even Pan Tilt Cam Indoor sees a 33% cut to $39.99, though it requires a subscription for AI-powered features. The deals extend beyond individual products to ecosystem plays. Nest Wired Doorbell drops $40 to $139.99, positioning it as a companion to the discounted thermostat. The doorbell integrates with Google's new Gemini for Home AI features and adds 2K video resolution to the product line for the first time.
