Name a home appliance or product, and there’s probably a smart version of it today. But for the renters among us, it can be tricky to navigate the aisles of smart light bulbs, thermostats, air conditioners, and vacuums to pick out devices that won’t jeopardize your security deposit. When you don’t own your home, there’s different set of rules dictating modifications, and some smart home products don’t take that into account.

Luckily, these days an increasing number of smart home devices can cater to apartment dwellers that want to avoid ripping open walls and trussing up wires. And as an NYC-based Ars staffer, I had a particularly perfect rental laboratory to recently test and explore what kinds of smart home devices fit renters’ needs.