Austin Murphy

Hi, I'm Austin, founder and writer at SmartLifeItems.
I started SmartLifeItems because I got tired of product roundups that read like they were written by someone who'd never seen the products they were recommending. Every guide here focuses on the questions that actually matter when you're deciding where to spend: which option performs, which one cuts corners, and which one fits how you'll actually use it.
I write across the kitchen, home, coffee, baking, and smart home categories, with a focus on the under-$200 range where most people actually shop. Some products I've used directly; many I research in depth, comparing specifications, reading owner reviews, and pulling apart the marketing claims. Either way, I aim to be transparent about how I arrived at each recommendation.
SmartLifeItems is part of a small network of focused review sites I run. If a recommendation helps and you buy through an Amazon link on the site, I earn a small commission at no extra cost to you, which keeps the site free of intrusive ads and funds the time to do this research properly.