Inside The Verge Senior Reviewer’s Smart Backyard Tour
Key Points
- The Verge senior reviewer Jennifer Pattison Tuohy toured her smart backyard.
- Smart sprinklers adjust watering based on real‑time weather data.
- An AI‑driven grill handles cooking without manual input.
- Odorless mosquito repellers protect the space silently.
- A sensor‑enabled chicken coop monitors hens and alerts to predators.
- Creating a smart backyard requires trial, error, and clear personal goals.
- The setup reflects environmental awareness, culinary interest, and animal care.
The Verge’s senior smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, opened her yard to a detailed walkthrough of a fully connected outdoor space. She highlighted devices such as weather‑aware smart sprinklers, an AI‑driven grill, mosquito‑repelling units that operate without scent, and a sensor‑equipped chicken coop. The experience underscored the complexity of bringing smart‑home concepts outdoors, noting the need for trial‑and‑error, environmental awareness, and a personal passion for nature. Tuohy’s insights paint a vivid picture of what a modern, tech‑enhanced backyard looks like today.
Setting the Scene
The Verge’s senior smart home reviewer, Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, invited readers into her own backyard to showcase how smart‑home technology can extend beyond indoor walls. Known for reviewing cutting‑edge devices, Tuohy’s outdoor setup offered a practical look at the challenges and rewards of creating a connected outdoor environment.
Key Smart Devices Featured
Several products stood out during the tour:
- Smart Sprinklers: These sprinklers check local weather conditions before activating, ensuring water is used efficiently and only when needed.
- AI‑Powered Smart Grill: The grill can autonomously manage cooking cycles, adjusting heat and timing without user input.
- Odorless Automatic Mosquito Repeller: Designed to keep insects at bay without emitting strong scents, this device operates silently in the background.
- Smart Chicken Coop: Equipped with sensors, the coop monitors the health and safety of the hens, alerting the owner to potential predators.
Lessons Learned
Tuohy emphasized that building a smart backyard “is not for the faint of heart.” The process requires considerable trial and error to determine which devices truly fit the specific outdoor conditions. She noted that success depends on a clear understanding of one’s own lifestyle goals—whether that means maximizing environmental sustainability, enhancing culinary convenience, or protecting animal companions.
Personal Touches
Beyond the technology, Tuohy’s choices reflect personal values: an environmentally conscious approach to watering, a love for cooking that inspired the AI grill, and a deep affection for animals evident in the smart chicken coop. The combination of these elements creates a backyard that feels both high‑tech and profoundly personal.
Overall Impact
The tour demonstrates that the smart‑home ecosystem is expanding outward, offering practical solutions for outdoor spaces. While the integration is complex, the payoff includes efficient resource use, hands‑free cooking, pest control, and animal welfare monitoring—all unified under a single smart framework.