Hearth Display Family Calendar Review: Does It Really Simplify Family Life?

Being busy is a hallmark of modern parenting, and it can become dicey if where to be and when isn't clear to the whole family. Every parent has been there: you forget to write something down in your calendar and a ball gets dropped, whether it be forgotten sports practice or no coverage for an important client dinner. Managing calendars for busy parents and multiple children can be overwhelming, especially when they're not all synced.

The Hearth Display is a digital family organizer that helps sync multiple calendars, lists and routines in one place. It has a beautiful and contemporary design that fits seamlessly into any decor. Technology and practicality come together in one easy-to-set-up device that helps reduce the mental load for parents by streamlining communication and scheduling.

It can also help kids build confidence in their routines and understand responsibility, whether it be toddlers learning to dress themselves or teenagers looking to build more consistent studying and homework habits. If you need more organization and centralization in your home, this may just be the solution. Read our in-depth Hearth Display family calendar review.

Key features and functionality

Intelligent scheduling

The Hearth Display digital family calendar connects with Google, iCloud and Outlook calendars and can even bring in URL-based calendars like those that schools typically send out. Every calendar for a single family can be integrated into one display. The views can be customized to daily, weekly and monthly calendars and events can be color-coded for each family member. Additionally, you can use the Hearth Helper to add events via text.

Customizable profiles

The Hearth Display family calendar solution is customizable by each family member. You can colour-code events and see several synced calendars in one place. Reminders and tasks can be tailored to specific people, and lists are shareable. Any support family members, sitters and nannies can also have profiles, which are unlimited with the Hearth Display. You can even make a separate profile for anything pet-related.

Design and aesthetics

The Hearth Display digital family calendar is a sleek and contemporary device that comes in three wood tones: white, black and light wood. When not in use, it displays a high-quality photo wallpaper on its 17-inch by 27-inch display. At only an inch deep, it isn't a chunky piece on your wall.

Real-world testing: How does it perform?

My Hearth Display arrived in a well-packed box. It was heavier than I expected at 16 pounds, but it wasn't so heavy I couldn't lift it on my own. The Hearth Display was incredibly easy to set up. The directions indicated which drill bit to use and a built-in level on the back panel ensured that it was hung properly. The two panels easily slid into each other. From there, the device turned on and the accompanying app was a breeze to set up. The setup process took less than 20 minutes, including drilling holes into the wall.

The interactive touch screen is so user-friendly that even my toddler can operate it. The display is large so that everything can be seen at once. Every morning it is super easy to see the day at a glance and to move things around by simply touching the screen. Everything I put into my Google calendar and my husband puts into his Outlook calendar appears on the screen automatically.

I've found the lists helpful, as well. I've been putting each store on its own list. When I'm in whichever store, pulling the corresponding list up via the app is so much easier than sorting through my haphazard notes app on my phone. Our 70-bullet point packing list for our beach trip (life with an infant!) was also extremely satisfying to check off.

My four-year-old loves being able to check things off her routine list, such as brushing her teeth or eating breakfast. She can't read yet, so the icons help her figure out what the next steps are. I love that it's customizable down to the day; for example, she needs her dance bag on Mondays. On Mondays only, an extra step will appear for her to grab her dance bag.

There's confetti to celebrate completing her routine and my daughter beams with pride every time. I love receiving notifications when she's started or completed the routine. It's especially helpful to keep the household running in the mornings.

There are a few features we haven't used, such as the AI assistant. I find it quicker to open the Hearth Display app and add to my to-do list or add something directly to my Google calendar rather than texting a separate number. But I could see how that would streamline things even further for some families.

Benefits of the Hearth Display

• Reduces mental load for parents by consolidating schedules in one place
• Promotes family accountability with individual profiles
• The Hearth Display app helps users contribute to the device while on the go
• Helps kids develop responsibility and independence by tracking their own tasks
• Easy to set up in less than 10 minutes
• Has a sleek and stylish design with a low profile

Drawbacks to consider

• Costs more than other similar digital family calendars, but is larger and has more functionality
• Requires a subscription for some features
• It does not currently support voice activation

Who is the Hearth Display best suited for?

If you are a family that needs help centralizing calendars, lists and routines, the Hearth Display is a good fit. Busy schedules with lots of activities and places to be can be condensed into one sleek device. It makes things streamlined and simple and can replace the burden of connecting several digital calendars or cross-referencing a physical planner. Anyone who enjoys beautifully designed tech solutions will love the Hearth Display digital family organizer.

Final verdict

So far, our family has loved having the Hearth Display calendar in our kitchen. Our toddler's enthusiasm for her routine checklist has been incredible and I love how the device helps with her independence. Once my children are older, I know this family display calendar will grow with us and make keeping track of everything from morning routines to grocery lists to dance practice easy. Anyone with multiple schedules to juggle would benefit from the Hearth Display.

Hearth Display