Christmas Shopping for Apple Fans

Christmas shopping is in full swing and you only have a few days left to get your online orders in or you'll be rushing to the shops for your last-minute items. HomeKit accessories are among the best items you can give to an Apple fan, because people always need more of them! For this week's HomeKit Weekly, here's a HomeKit gift guide for 2023. HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything related to Apple's smart home framework.

Top HomeKit Door Locks

It's hard to overstate how effective and useful a HomeKit door lock is. From being able to unlock and lock remotely to automatically unlocking as you walk upstairs, it's a great gift idea for anyone looking to upgrade their smart home. My top door lock at the time of the Level Lock+. With Home Key support, a look to match any decor and the ability to continue using a traditional key, it's hard to beat. I also love the NFC keys. They are perfect to give to family members who are less technical. If you want something with a PIN code for access, take a look at the Aqara U100. It also includes a fingerprint option. Both are fantastic options. I also love the 4th generation August Smart Lock. Although there is no Home Key support, you can keep the outside of your door lock the same as it is now and easily replace the inside. For many people, replacing the outer part of the lock is a no-start, so you can add HomeKit support to your existing one by replacing just the inner part.

Top HomeKit Cameras

HomeKit cameras make a great gift because you always need “just one more.” However, just because a camera supports HomeKit does not mean it supports HomeKit Secure Video (HKSV). Any camera that supports HKSV supports HomeKit for automation. For indoor cameras, I love Eve's option. Eve's HomeKit indoor camera. It supports (and only supports) HomeKit Secure Video, so there's no 'evening cloud' that also contains your footage. You'll need a Home hub like an Apple TV 4K or HomePod mini to process the footage, but most Apple fans already have those. One of the things I like about this camera is the magnetic base, because it's flexible installation options. For outdoor HomeKit cameras, there are also some great options. For a spotlight replacement, check out Eve's outdoor camera. Because it replaces a spotlight, it has permanent power while using Wi-Fi for transmission. Just like the indoor camera, it works great with HomeKit Secure Video. For a wired HomeKit outdoor camera, check out Logitech Circle View. If you're looking for a battery-powered outdoor option with local recording, check out the Eufy 2C cameras. The battery life is great (180 days), all recordings go to an SD record on the base station and you can add it to HomeKit for automatic access and playback on Apple TV, etc. One of the things I didn't mention is the benefits of HomeKit cameras in your automations. Because the cameras act as motion sensors, they can be used within your automations to turn on other accessories (lights, etc.) when they detect motion.

HomeKit Gift Guide: The Best HomeKit Lights

HomeKit lighting is one of the best ways to upgrade your home, so it makes for great gift ideas. HomeKit lights typically offer dimming and color options. Some of my favorite options include:

The Best Smart HomeKit Plugs

HomeKit outlet adapters are a great way to automate your “dumb” appliances like light bulbs, coffee makers, air filters, etc., making them a perfect addition to my HomeKit gift guide. They plug directly into the wall and then another device plugs into them. You can easily control the device from your iPhone, Apple Watch, Siri or create a schedule. These are great devices to use when traveling, to simulate lights turning on and off on a schedule, etc. Some of my favorite HomeKit outlet adapters are:

Wrap up – other miscellaneous items

If nothing is in my HomeKit gift guide the right one is spot, here are a few other items I recommend as best HomeKit accessories that didn't fit into any other category. Did I miss something? Leave a comment below with your top recommendation for a HomeKit gift guide for 2023. FTC: We use monetized auto affiliate links. More.