I test gadgets for a living, but my favorite gadget this year has easily been a digital calendar. I’ve tried everything from the popular Skylight Calendar to other brands you might not have heard of if you haven’t hunted the internet like I have. These handy tools take the contents of many popular calendar apps—Google Calendar, iCal, Outlook, etc.—and put them into a physical device, so you can see what’s on your digital calendars without needing to pull out a phone. You can add multiple calendars, too, so I see both my personal and work calendars, my husband’s calendar, my son’s school calendar, and even the calendar I made to track my pregnancy, all in one device.
Digital calendars don’t stop at just showing you your Google Calendar on a bigger screen. Many also double as chore trackers for your family (and one calendar will even give your kids their allowance based on chore completion), digital photo frames, and meal planners. It’s a device that’s felt more useful than the smart displays I’ve used for years.
I’ve tried five digital calendars just this year and have a few easy favorites. While Skylight has been an enduring favorite for the overall experience, you will hit a paywall to use two of my favorite features, the photo screensaver and meal planning. If you’re looking to pick a digital calendar that’s subscription-free, my favorite of these is on sale right now.
The Best Digital Calendar Without a Sub Is On Sale
Everblog’s HomeCal packs an incredibly similar user experience to Skylight, but unlike the latter, it doesn’t require a subscription to access all its features. You’ll get tabs to track chores, to-dos, rewards (for completing those chores and tasks), and meal planning. Use the accompanying app to set up the calendars and organize profiles for your family members, then you’re ready to go. The photo uploader tool in Everblog’s app is slower than Skylight’s since you can upload only one image at a time, but I’d take that over needing to pay a recurring fee. My only wish is that this calendar had a voice assistant, but almost no digital calendars offer that. (The one that does will charge you for it!)
Everblog’s 21.5-inch screen is large, but not so large that I didn’t feel like I couldn’t find a place for it. It comes with wall-mounting hardware, or its flat bottom allows it to stand on a tabletop. However, I recommend the Calendar Stand ($39) for a more stable tabletop setup, since the calendar alone can stand but might wobble. You can also buy wood frames ($99) to help it better blend in with your home’s decor.
Neither of those accessories is on sale right now, but buying the calendar on sale (currently $300 at Amazon—or $100 off—and $50 off directly from Everblog) will give you some room in the budget to consider these handy add-ons. Enjoy your most organized holiday season yet.