Kickstarter's Best: 6 Crowd-Sourcing Home Projects You'll Want to Invest In

—Kristina Grosspietsch

So, it’s the 21st century and we’re not living like the Jetsons. Fine. But we can get as close as possible to total home automation with these incredible new inventions debuted on the number one crowd-sourcing site, Kickstarter.

Emberlight: Remote Light Control

Install Emberlight technology around the home and you’ll gain the power to control every light in your house from your phone. You can even automate bulbs to flip on or off when you (and your phone) are in proximity. When they light automatically as you move about your space, you’ll finally feel like you’re living in the future. (Status: Successfully funded on the Emberlight Kickstarter page, with $300,000 raised.)

Related: Which Lighting Where? 9 Pro Tips for Improved Illumination

Homey: Talk to Your Home!

Now, for a homespace that answers your beck and call: Homey connects to all your favorite home appliances, from your TV to your oven, so you can control everything with a simple voice command! You’ll never need to leave the couch again. (Status: Successfully funded on the Homey Kickstarter page, with 200,000 euros raised.) 

Related: 12 Gadgets to Lead Your Home into the Future

Blink: Elegant, Wireless Home Security

The Blink home security system is beautiful in its simplicity. Place a wireless home monitor wherever you want—above the door, on the stairs, hidden inside of a teddy bear, even. Motion sensors will send you a video when activated, so you can finally solve the mystery of who stole the cookies from the cookie jar. (Status: Successfully funded on the Blink Kickstarter page, with $1 million raised.)

Related: 10 Low-Cost Ways to Improve Your Home Security

Bookniture: Collapsible, Portable Furniture

This gem redefines the term “coffee table book.” With Bookniture, you unfold a side table, night stand, foot stool, or chair in seconds—and then make it disappear again, hidden on a shelf of hardcovers. Bring an extra chair to a picnic! Make your desk a standing desk and then change your mind the next day! You are master and commander of your space. (Status: Successfully funded on the Bookniture Kickstarter page, with $449,000 raised.)

Related: 8 Nightstands You Don’t Need to Buy

Coolest Cooler: A Picnic Cooler for the Modern Age

This Kickstarter begs the question, “Why hasn’t cooler technology changed in 50 years?” Well, we don’t know the answer. But we do know that now that we’ve seen a cooler with built-in blender, Bluetooth speaker, USB charger, storage for plates, and more—we don’t want to go back. (Status: Successfully funded on the Coolest Cooler Kickstarter page, with $13 million raised.)

Related: Keep Your Cool with 10 DIY Ice Chests

Kepler: Home Gas Detector

Sure, home gas detection might not be as flashy as being able to preheat your oven from your office, but it’s a life-saving precaution that should also be brought into the 21st century. You can rest easy with Kepler: This sleek, simple detector not only beeps, but also digitally displays gas levels and sends alerts to your phone. (Status: Successfully funded on the Kepler Kickstarter page, with $61,000 raised.)

Related: Protect Yourself and Your Family with a CO Detector