Awesome Home

The Mycroft Mark II is a voice-operated A.I. assistant. Unlike Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, it’s open source, which means any programmer can inspect and improve its software. It also won’t sell your data to advertisers, and by default it does not store your voice prompts.

SnapPower’s GuideLight is a power outlet cover with a built-in LED nightlight that draws power directly from the outlet. The latest version has a diffuser cover, an on/off switch and brightness settings. It also has a GFCI-compatible variant.

Designed by Michael Hilgers, Twofold is a brilliantly simple space-saving piece of furniture. When folded, it looks and works like a normal wall-mounted shelf. But you can bring its top half down and outward to create a desk.

Heatworks’ Tetra is a dishwasher that sits right on your kitchen counter. You simply place half a gallon of water in it and it does the rest. Its racks can be replaced to hold different types of tableware. It can even clean other objects and steam food. Drops 12/2018 for $299.

Hive’s View is a beautifully-designed rechargeable security camera. It can be mounted on its charging base, on its wall mount or used on its own. It shoots 1080p video and has a 130º lens, night vision, privacy mode, and motion, sound and person detection.

Go green and save money with the Unilid, a stretchy lid made of food grade silicone. It fits on almost anything from bowls to fruit. It provides an airtight seal and is safe to put in the microwave and dishwasher. It also has a day tracker built in.

I Like to Make Stuff points out different ways to make a pair of simple speaker stands that raise your monitors to ear level. He used a handful of power tools, but you can still make the stands with a hand saw and some sandpaper. Get the template here.

Halley Accessories’ helmet rack is a safe and minimalist way to show off your collection of motorcycle helmets. Its main contact point is a stainless steel sphere that won’t pierce or scratch the inside of your helmet. You can use it with open and full face helmets.

The Roto-Caddy Swivel Organizer is a small and stackable lazy susan style gadget. It makes it easier to organize and maximize storage of cans, bottles and other small items in your pantry, shelf, fridge and more.

WaterBrick’s signature product is a stackable and durable BPA-free plastic container that totes up to 3.5 gal of water or 27 lb of dry food. There’s also a 1.6 gal variant, one that has a wide opening, and one that’s filled with vehicle emergency supplies.

This fun placemat makes it look like your cutlery and plate are warping the space around them. A great gift for illusion, science or science fiction buffs. Available exclusively through Museum of Modern Art’s store. It comes in blue or white.

Clutch Bottle Caps are resealable caps that keep beer, sodas and other carbonated drinks fresh. It has two caps that form a tight seal while still allowing for easy removal. Available in six different colors.

Samsung’s new FlexWash washing machines and FlexDry dryers are two machines in one: one small and one large washer in the former, and one small and one large dryer in the latter. Each section can be used separately and have different control settings.

The QuickShelf Safe looks like an ordinary shelf, but it actually has a hidden compartment. You unlock its secret stash by placing one of the RFID keys on top of the shelf. You get four keys – two cards, one key fob, one token – and each shelf can work with up to 12 keys.

Living Big in a Tiny House visited another great school bus conversion. Tamra and JT Lane furnished and decorated their “School of Life” bus almost entirely with upcycled materials. The patchwork of wood and the wood stove gives the bus a lived-in vibe.

The Circa alarm clock has an optional sleep sensor that will tell it to wake you up only when you’re in light sleep. It also comes with several soothing ambient noise tracks and a gentle pulsing light mode. You can also use it as a Bluetooth speaker and Internet radio.

Etsy store NancysJars makes LED night lights out of old VHS tapes. You can customize the LEDs and the picture. The latter doesn’t have to be from a movie, but if it is the shop will do its best to use a tape of that movie to make the night light. It’s powered by AAA batteries.

The BoxLock Home is a smart padlock that unlocks only for the right product. When delivery personnel get to your home, they’ll scan your package on the padlock to unlock it. You can also make virtual bar codes to allow other people to unlock the padlock.

New York-based Boie makes toothbrushes that help reduce waste. Each brush’s head is replaceable and fully recyclable. The toothbrush bristles are also softer and more durable than nylon bristles, and are coated with silver to reduce bacterial build up.

EZ Ice’s outdoor rink kit has panels that snap together and buckled straps that use the weight of the ice to strengthen its walls. You don’t need to drive stakes into the ground, and you can buy extra parts to increase your rink’s area down the line.

Plug and spray. The Aquor House Hydrant is an outdoor faucet with a unique design that eliminates leaks, self-drains to prevent freeze damage and uses a hose adapter that connects with just one twist. It’s also easy to install and comes in different lengths.

Amazon gets into the smart home security market with the Cloud Cam. It streams 1080p video with night vision to a mobile app, and can be activated with Alexa via the Echo Show, Echo Spot, Fire TV and Fire Tablet.

The Nucleus is a premium wooden coffee table. But slide out its control panel and it shows its playful side. It comes with a two-player arcade setup and a wireless keyboard. You can order it with or without a PC, as well as a Sonos Connect receiver and LED underglow.