Smart home products don’t just work in your kitchen and the living room or this guarding your front door. They also pair well with the home desk, whether you have a dedicated office or free space where you keep the family computer.
Here are the devices that are making a big difference on and around my desk, including smart lights, an all-purpose smart speaker and versatile smart displays. Read on to find out how you can give your desk a new high-tech life.
A smart surge protector to protect all your other devices
Meross has extra cable lengths if you need to make more room for your power line.
A strong surge protector is the glue that holds all other desk devices together — and protects them from dangerous electrical surges. I have it full list of recommendationsbut think a smart surgical protector like this Tapo model ($42) making a big difference.
These smart power strips allow you to name each installed plug and port based on what you connect it to, and control it remotely, including with common apps like Google Home or Apple Home. You can also turn them on or off with voice commands if they’re properly labeled in the app, which is neat if you’ve connected lights (more on that later) or fans.
The Tapo version allows you to track energy costs, which is a big advantage if you’re worried that your desktop equipment is draining too much energy.
Read more: The Best Smart Plugs of 2026
Smart speaker for music and voice commands
Google’s new speaker does very well, especially when it comes to sound.
Yes, I like to use my smart speaker with basic things like asking it about the weather and traffic, or setting a timer to remind you to wake up and stretch. But smart speakers can really put the “assistant” in the voice assistant if you’re using them at a desk.
I cover this in detail in a guide like tricks for using Google Home and Nest, but you can use smart speakers to set reminders, add events to your calendar while answering email or create a to-do list. Many have other skills that make them ready to help. And they can connect to your streaming services to play music whenever you want.
These desk-friendly speakers are small but have great sound for their size. Versions like the Echo Dot 5 they’re small and around $50, but for a big sound upgrade, consider something like the Echo Dot Max, Apple HomePod Mini or Google’s new Home Speaker.
That’s without going into all the AI features of advanced voice assistants like Gemini Home or Alexa Plus. Alexa Plus is especially noteworthy here because it’s free with an Amazon Prime subscription, and you can connect it to third-party services like Uber/Uber Eats, Ticketmaster, TaskRabbit and more to quickly order while making plans.
Smart display for multitasking and dual screen use
Google’s control hub is great, especially if you’re getting creative.
Think of a smart display as a smart speaker with a touchscreen. That can be surprisingly useful, especially as a desktop companion. You get all the benefits of a smart speaker, plus the ability to check its activity when creating events or to-do lists — plus the option to watch videos, do a quick internet search or peek through your video doorbell.
This secondary screen on the side of your computer can serve many deeper purposes, too. You can get caught up in the demo, watch how-to videos or interact with the gameplay while you play. I’ve found that smart displays are a little more responsive than tablets, but the sound is much better, so these displays are very easy to use as a source for music or video chat.
Look for options like Echo Show 11 ($220) and Nest Hub Max see what I’m talking about.
A smart heater for adjustable, cost-saving heat
Radiant speakers are especially useful near desks in homes and offices.
Conventional heaters are nice to have around your desk, but they can be fire hazards, energy hogs and aren’t always easy to operate. I suggest a smart upgrade. This Radiant heater from Boldr ($400) it’s a high-end example, but you can see how it uses less electricity, poses fewer fire hazards and can be wall-mounted to fit right next to a desk without taking up too much space.
Also, don’t discount the ability to control the space heater through an app. That allows you to set schedules to make sure your desk area is warm before you get there, or make sure the heater is off no matter where you are.
Smart light for setting mood and sending reminders
The Ikea lamp is smart, stylish and feels at home.
Lamps go well with a computer desk, especially if you don’t have any nearby lights or windows and need extra light. But version of a smart light bulblike those in my guide, they offer great flexibility and usability.
You can set smart light to whatever light and color you want, allowing you to adjust the color temperature and make the light as easy on your eyes as you want. You can even connect these lights to other smart devices around the house to act as visual notifications.
For example, you schedule the light to be blue smart lock on, green when the door sensor is activated or red when the TV is turned on in another room.
You have several options for using these smart lights. Depending on the size of the bulb, you may be able to upgrade an existing desk lamp with a smart bulb without changing anything else. Or you can replace the light with something like Ikea’s Varmblixt smart lamp if you have the room.
Simple strips for fun and entertainment
For more contrast, today’s lighting strips and panels offer many creative options.
If you use your desk a lot for games, watching movies or other entertainment, consider a different type of upgrade. Light strips placed around the edge of your desk or monitor (or floor, etc.) can change colors, light up with music and match the theme of whatever you’re playing or watching. They usually only need one available space to run and others can be cut to size.
One of my favorite options for this is Govee Gaming Light Ropewhich allows you to set scenes, sync music and arrange it the way you want with the highly capable Govee app (now including an AI assistant that can give you commands). In fact, you might want to check out Govee’s entire games and desk section, because there’s so much to play with.
A smart fan nearby to help with cooling
SwitchBot’s fan is a smart evolution of the bedroom or office fan, but not everyone needs so many features.
A large computer setup can get hot, and there’s nothing like a fan to help cool things down, especially in summer heat waves. However, placing the fan directly on the desk takes up a lot of space and annoys many people. I suggest putting the fans away in one room instead. Our list of the best smart tower fans is a good place to start. It’s surprisingly fun to be able to control your fan speed and orientation remotely from your phone (or smart display), but we have other, less complicated options.
If you have a shelf close by or you like your fan up close and personal, you can do it and consider the SwitchBot smart desktop fanwhich is the most advanced model I have ever tested.
For more information, see my guide to my favorite smart home devices in general, too the best technology for my home, even after my review.