It seems more advanced and more efficient household appliances and gadgets appear on the scene every single day. For better or worse, we live in a culture that desires, and often relies on, handy gadgets to make our lives easier and more fun. Our unquenchable thirst for innovative technology, including smartphones, home improvement devices, and activity trackers, allows us to make better decisions and predictions. To illustrate this point, here are some of 2014’s hottest high-tech home gadgets:

Robot Vacuum Cleaners

Just like in the Jetson family home, all sweeping and vacuuming can now be outsourced to a ‘smart’ robot. Innovative Ecovacs are sweeping the headlines with their various cleaning robots. Their latest model employs sensors in order to get around obstacles, and has the ability to recharge itself when its power is running low. It even automatically empties its own dust bin! It can follow its own cleaning schedule and has four different cleaning modes, suitable for a variety of surfaces. You can even operate some models from your smartphone. Other popular models include iRobot and Roomba.

Nest Thermostat

The Nest programmable thermostat is one of the hottest home automation gadgets available today. The unit itself is sensor- and Wi-Fi-enabled, and is compatible with the vast majority of HVAC systems. It’s so smart it can actually learn your lifestyle habits and adjust the temperature accordingly, which makes it very efficient and great for saving money. It processes the data it gathers, proceeds to program itself, and then automatically adjusts the temperature while you’re out for the day or away on vacation. It can be remotely controlled via your smartphone, tablet or PC.

Air Globe

Air Globe is a room purifier that’s able to replicate the atmosphere of a specific geographical location. It can accurately collect the temperature, humidity, sounds and smell of an area of your choosing, and then recreate these conditions prior to discharging the purified air.

Wi-Fi Speakers

Who currently reigns supreme when it comes to Wi-Fi standalone speakers? Sonos are the clear leader, and using their app on your smartphone can fill your home with your favorite music. The app provides you with streaming services like Spotify and Pandora, and access to your personal iTunes library.

Egg Minder

Not sure how long those eggs have been sitting in your fridge? It’s best to find out safely with the Egg Minder rather than discovering whether they’re bad the hard way. This handy little device can tell you how old the eggs in your fridge actually are, in addition to tracking how many you have left. With a corresponding mobile app, the device will give you an alert if it’s time to restock your supply.

Home gadgets are fast becoming naturally integrated into our daily routines and, just as with our smartphones, they’re becoming an essential part of our lives.

Need more home automation ideas? Check out Modernize.