3 Best Smart Displays (2025): Tested By a Smart Homeโ Addict
The family calendar, once a kitchen staple, โขis undergoing a digital transformation-but are smart displaysโฃ the answer? As of February 29, 2025, a new โwave of connected displays promises to โstreamline household organization, yet many require ongoing subscription fees and rely on consistent family adoption to justify their cost. After extensive testing, three models standโฃ out for their functionality and potential โto genuinely improve family life.
Theseโ aren’t just digital photo frames; they’re attempts to centralize schedules, dialog, and even family routines. The appeal is strong forโ busy households seeking to reduce screen time onโข personal devicesโ and foster โa shared sense โof awareness. However, the success of these displays hinges on overcoming a critical hurdle: โconvincing everyone to โฃactually use them. This guide cuts โthrough the marketing hypeโค to โขdeliver a practical โassessment of the leading contenders, weighingโข their โฃfeatures against their real-world usability โฃand ongoing expenses.
1. โขSkylight Frame (Best Overall)
The Skylight Frame consistentlyโฃ impressed during testing with itsโค simplicity and focus โขon core features. Pricedโฃ around $160 (as โคof February 2025), the 10-inch display excels asโค a shared โphoto album, automatically updating with images sent via email or the Skylight app.โฃ Beyond photos, the Skylight offers a meal planning tool and a shared โคcalendar-both unlocked with the monthly Plus Plan subscription. While the โsubscriptionโ adds to the overall โcost, it provides tangible benefits for โfamilies seeking to coordinate meals and appointments. The Skylight’s strength lies in its ease of use, making it accessible forโ all ages.
2. Hearth Display (Best for Familyโ routines)
the Hearth Display, โavailable exclusively in โa 27-inch size and โขretailing for $699, positions itself as aโค central hub for family routines. It โฃencourages the creation of shared schedules and tasks,particularly geared towards older children. Theโ display utilizesโข a visually-driven interface with icons for pre-readers, aimingโ to engage younger familyโ members.โฃ However, โคunlocking the full potential of the Hearth requires a Family membership โคsubscription.While the โขlarge screen is visually โคappealing, the high price point and reliance onโ a subscription may be prohibitive for some families.
3. Cozylaโค Calendar+ (Most Customizable)
Cozyla offers a range โof calendar displays, โฃfrom a 15-inch model to a substantial 36-inch screen, with pricesโข varying accordingly. The Cozyla Calendar+ differentiates itself with its customization options, allowing users โtoโ tailor the โคdisplay to their specific needs. Like its competitors, โขCozylaโ employs aโค membership โขmodelโข to access advancedโข features. This flexibility is a plus, but also adds to the complexity of choosing the right โคplan.
The Bottom Line:
While these smart displaysโ offer compelling features, their success depends on consistent family engagementโ and a โwillingness to subscribe to ongoing services. For โmany,โ the simplicity and cost-effectiveness of a shared digital calendar-like Google Calendar-mayโ prove to be a more practical solution. Before investing โin a dedicated smart display, consider whether your family is โlikely to adopt it asโฃ a central communication hub, or if existing tools already suffice.
