Rachel Cericola is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter who has been covering smart-home technology since the days of X10. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, Men’s Health, USA Today, and others. She hopes her neighbors read this bio because it would explain why she always has four video doorbells running simultaneously outside her home.

Latest articles

  • Our four picks for the best Alexa speakers situated in a group next to a flower in a glass vase.

    The Best Alexa Smart Speakers

    by Rachel Cericola and Grant Clauser

    Amazon’s line of Echo smart speakers are the best option for bringing Alexa into your home. We’ve got picks for nearly any setup and situation.

  • Several smart speakers gathered together.

    The Best Smart Speakers for Your Home

    by Rachel Cericola

    Voice-controlled smart speakers make it easy to summon music news, trivia, timers, and more, and to control smart devices, too.

  • A white Google Nest Doorbell, our pick for best smart doorbell camera, shown mounted on a white wall.

    The Best Smart Doorbell Camera

    by Rachel Cericola

    A smart doorbell camera allows you to see who’s on the other side of your front door so you can screen visitors and package deliveries—even if you aren’t home.

  • Four of our picks for best smart plugs, including both indoor and outdoor power strips, on a beige background

    The Best Smart Plugs

    by Rachel Cericola and Kathryn Rath

    A smart plug boosts the IQ of un-brainy devices such as lamps, fans, or string lights, letting you easily set them to turn on or off on a schedule or on command.