9 Smart Gadgets for Airbnb Hosts

Renting out your home or vacation home on Airbnb can be more than a side hustle: arranging everything for your guests can practically feel like a full-time job. That’s where high-tech devices come in, so you can work smarter, not harder. Here are nine purchases that can help Airbnb hosts do everything from keep nosy guests out of their liquor cabinet, figure out if there’s a raging party happening in the living room, and see who is coming in the door at any given moment.

Yale Smart Cabinet Lock

Don’t want Airbnb guests helping themselves to your pricey bottles of wine or whiskey? Lock manufacturer Yale just rolled out an ingenious Bluetooth-enabled or Wifi-enabled lock designed to secure alcohol cabinets, medicine cabinets, or any drawers containing valuables or documents that you want to hide from prying eyes. The Yale Access app allows you to lock and unlock this little gadget remotely. You can share access if need be, and you’ll be notified through the app if anyone opens the cabinet secured by the Yale lock.

Minut

If your neighbors are really sensitive about noise, this gadget could come in handy. Minut was invented to head Airbnb guests’ obnoxious late night parties off at the pass. Just set Minut to notify you if it detects a certain threshold of noise for a specific duration, and wherever you are, you’ll know if guests are being too loud. The noise-detecting sensor only monitors the noise level, rather than recording any private conversations. Minut will even text those staying at your home to remind (politely) them to quiet down a bit.

Flo by Moen

Water damage is every homeowner’s nightmare, and guests might not be as vigilant as you are about a running toilet or an overflowing sink. Detect leaks from afar with Flo by Moen: just place these small, battery-operated sensors in a bathroom, basement, or near a fridge, water heater or washing machine. The detector will alert you if it senses a water leak or even a change in humidity. This device is part of Moen’s smart water system, which can automatically shut off your home’s water if a leak or other problem is detected.

Wyze Cam

Airbnb has strict rules about disclosing any recording devices or security cameras to guests, but many hosts like the peace of mind of being able to see in real time what’s going on outside their properties. One popular option involves Wyze’s affordable outdoor cameras, which can be mounted in backyards and entryways. The wire-free, battery-operated cameras are equipped with features like night vision, motion detection, two-way audio, and more.

Eufy Video Doorbell

There are no monthly fees for a video doorbell from the brand Eufy, which records in high-definition and stores its footage locally (a bonus for those worried about privacy). You’ll get a notification on your phone when someone is at the door, and a photo snapshot of the scene too.

Ecobee Smart Thermostat

You might want to know if guests are cranking the AC with all the windows open in your house. Get clued in with a smart thermostat, like the Ecobee3 lite. It will alert you when you’re away and there’s a swing in temperature back at home. Plus, you can control your “comfort settings” from anywhere, thanks to remote access.

Level Lock

There are so many smart locks on the market right now that promise to make Airbnb guest check-ins a snap. If you are a design purist, and that’s your main consideration, check out the brand Level. Instead of bulky additions, Level’s smart locks are designed to be invisible — and yet you can unlock them with a key, key card, phone, and even your fingerprint. Level’s hardware has a traditional look while also enabling cool features like notifications, remote access, auto unlock, an activity history log, and the ability to allow guests to open the door based on specific times and dates.

Porch Pod

If your Airbnb property is your main residence, you might not want your online shopping goodies piling up on the porch while you’re not home and guests are around. Porch Pod’s package safe looks kind of like a fancy cooler and allows delivery people to scan your packages’ barcode to gain entry and stash away boxes. Later, you can unlock the Porch Pad easily with your smartphone. The safe can be powered via solar panel or power cord, and you can weigh it down with sand or anchor it to your porch to prevent any thieves from taking the Porch Pod itself.

Tapplock

Don’t worry about fiddling with keys or trying to remember a combo with this fancy lock: the biometric Tapplock opens either with your fingerprint, an app, or Morse code. According to the company, the rechargeable, battery-operated lock works in .8 seconds, and you can store multiple different fingerprints to allow different friends or family members to access the lock. It’s waterproof and can withstand extreme temperatures, in case you want to use it as a shed lock outdoors.

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