Our top picks from the big Berlin tech expo
It’s been a busy week over in Berlin, where the IFA 2024 tech expo has been taking place. It’s essentially a who’s who of the consumer tech world, showing off their latest devices.
The smart home was, once again, a key theme of IFA, with a large number of brands keen to show off the latest gadgets they want you to connect to your smart home.
Here are our Best in Show top picks from IFA 2024….
Ninja Luxe Café
Coming in three models – Essential, Premier and Pro – the Ninja’s new coffee machine offers a range of coffee styles and goes beyond the scope of a regular espresso machine.
In fact, it’s a not-just espresso machine as it also offers drip coffee, cold brew and more.
And not just the style of coffee you can customize, but froth types, cup sizes, temperatures, different types of milk and more – although you will have to opt for the Premier or Pro models to get the full range of options.
It’s landing soon, with prices starting from $499.
Roborock QRevo Curv
Celebrating a decade in the business, Roborock announced five new smart cleaning machines over in Berlin, the highlight of which was the QRevo Curv.
Featuring what Roborock claims to be an “industry-first” AdaptiLift Chassis, for seamless transitioning between different floor types, the QRevo also boasts a whopping 18,500Pa HyperForce Suction, the highest rating we’ve ever seen on a robo cleaner.
The Qrevo Curv will cost €1,499.99 in the EU. US pricing still to be announced.
Shark PowerDetect Robot
Look at this little robo twerking its little heart out. Actually, it’s not twerking – it’s just set in a demo mode to show off the Shark PowerDetect Robot‘s NeverStuck tech, where the machine actively lifts and lowers in order to climb over obstacles; think furniture bases, rugs and the like.
Coming in three flavors, it’s the same robot in all configurations, it’s just the bells and whistles on the docking stations that differ; the top of the line model offers 60 days of dirt collection, mop washing and drying and refilling of the water tank.
Prices are yet to be confirmed.
Dreame ProLeap System
Taking the lifting element a step further, quite literally, is Dreame’s new ProLeap tech – which is actually just a concept at the moment; we were told it will hit Dreame robo cleaners in the near future.
While it obviously won’t be able to climb a set of stairs, it will be super handy in houses where there are small steps between rooms on the same level.
Eufy Outdoor String Lights E10
Eufy has gone all in for smart lights, with a raft of new options getting unveiled at IFA 2024.
The Outdoor String Lights E10 were the pick of the new bunch and, as the name suggests, have your outdoor spaces in mind.
Boasting RGBWW with a tech Eufy is calling WonderShine, the idea is the three LEDs – RGB, Warm and Cool Whites – are blended to provide brighter colors, and a wide color temperature range from 1500K to 9000K.
They’ll launch in the States this month, priced at $129.99.
Meross Presence Sensor MS600
Meross actually took the covers off of its Aqara-rival smart sensor last month but it was on show for the first time at the Berlin tech expo.
Described by its makers as “the first Matter-compatible presence sensor,” the Meross MS600 boasts Millimeter-Wave Radar (mmWave), which allows it to identify even subtle movements, like breathing; so as it knows that a person is present in a room and what they are doing… sitting, standing, walking and so on.
It means that you can create more specific automations such as having the TV power on and the lights dim when you sit down, but only if the light in a room is below a certain level. Or having the radio turn on if you walk into the kitchen in the morning, but only if the sun is shining through the windows.
You can pre-order it now for $29.99.
Fromaggio smart cheese maker
5 years in the works – and not without a bit of controversy and criticism along the way – the Fromaggio smart cheese maker is finally available to buy… albeit for a pretty pricey $785.
Cheese snobs will tell you it can’t just “make artisanal cheeses at home in a few clicks” as Fromaggio’s makers claim, but I will tell you that I tried some feta and mozzarella style cheeses at the show and they were absolutely banging.
Sure, there would be a lot more effort outside of the Fromaggio’s remit to make an aged Cheddar or a Gorgonzola, no doubt – but the app is on hand to guide you through the process and there’s also a nice display up front too.
The company also sells starter kits to help you with more complex recipes.
Reolink Altas PT Ultra
The Reolink Altas PT Ultra packs a 20,000mAh battery; that’s around 4x the size found on the likes of the Reolink Argus Track and the Reolink Argus Pro and the Chinese brand has informed us this equates to a week’s worth of continuous recording from a full charge.
With 4K recording on offer, as well as ColorX Night Vision – which impressed us on the Argus 4 Pro – the Altas PT Ultra also features 360-degree visuals and dual band 2.4 and 5GHz Wi-Fi.
Price and launch date details are still TBC.
Switchbot K10+ Pro Combo
Combining a robo cleaner and an upright handheld isn’t a new idea, we’ve seen the likes of Ecovacs and Eufy do so in the past, but there’s nothing as compact as Switchbot’s offering, which was officially launched at the show.
The K10+ Pro Combo is a 3-in-1 home vacuuming solution, offering the functionality of the SwitchBot K10+ Pro – claimed to be the world’s smallest robot vacuum, along with a cordless vacuum and a self-emptying base in one product.
It would be perfect for a home office as the handheld also includes a very thin brush attachment, perfect for desk and keyboards.
You can pre-order now with $250 off of the $799 regular price.
Aqara Camera Hub G5 Pro
Aqara took covers off an absolute bonanza of new tech over in Berlin at IFA 2024; the most notable of which was the outdoor-focused Camera Hub G5 Pro.
Like Aqara cameras in the past that have the word ‘Hub’ in their names – such as the Aqara Camera Hub G2H Pro and the Aqara Camera Hub G3 – the G5 Pro doubles up as both a smart security camera and a smart home hub.
For Aqara users, that means a new hub to connect their Zigbee Aqara devices to and, because the it is designed to live outdoors, it provides an easier way to get outdoor-based devices synced up and playing nicely within an Aqara smart home system.
Unlike the recently launched Aqara Hub M3 though, there are no Matter controller skills on board, although the G5 Pro can act as a Matter bridge to bring non-Matter smart home devices into the mix.
