July 30, 2018
Everyone is looking for ways to simplify their lives and smart home technology is helping do just that. With an abundance of smart home products at our fingertips, customizing our homes to our needs has never been easier. The increasing consumer need for simplicity and personalized experience has made way for the growing adoption of cloud-based technologies. In fact, analysts expect the smart home devices industry to reach $107.4 billion by 2023.
From home safety and security to entertainment and lighting, smart home tech and home automation gadgets are changing how we live. Although smart home automation may sound daunting at first, smart home tech can simplify your life, decrease your carbon footprint, and save you money. But the question is, where do you begin?
Here, we’ll explain 10 smart home products you can easily integrate into your home or condo.
One of the most popular smart home automation products is a voice assistant. Voice assistants like Amazon Alexa (Amazon Echo), Google Assistant (Google Home) and Apple’s Siri (Apple HomePod) allow you to control your smart devices with just your voice. Any one of these devices can play music, call people, place orders, lock doors, turn on lights, and more – all with a simple voice command. Voice assistants help streamline smart home automation with ease.
If you want your home to truly be a smart home, making sure you have a strong WiFi connection is imperative. With multiple users and smart devices, your WiFi router might not be able to properly handle all your needs. Google WiFi is one of the best and most affordable WiFi systems on the market. If a whole home WiFi system isn’t necessary for your home but you still need a stronger connection, plug in a WiFi range extender that boosts signal around your home for a stress-free smart home experience!
Investing in a smart home camera allows you to see who’s at the door without getting up from the couch. Most models allow you to watch what is happening around your house from anywhere, all through the convenience of an app on your phone. Many smart home cameras provide two-way audio and motion alerts. One of the leading brands, Nest, offers cameras for both indoor and outdoor use.
The Nest Cam Indoor comes with a magnetic stand and speaker so you can communicate to a person or pet when you are somewhere else. Netgear’s Arlo Pro also works indoors and outdoors. It’s one of the best outdoor surveillance cameras on the market, has a three-second look-back feature that shows what triggered an event, and Its rechargeable battery lasts for up to six months.
You likely already use energy-efficient light bulbs, but smart bulbs take lighting to the next level. Smart bulbs help you save money, create customized lighting settings, and turn your lights on and off from wherever you are in the world using an app, such as the one for Philips Hue bulbs. Additionally, you can set up motion sensors that automatically turn the lights on when they sense movement or create a custom schedule, such as turning the lights off every night at 10pm.
Almost half the energy used in your home goes to heating and cooling. Smart thermostats can learn when you’re home and help you cut back on energy and save you money. For example, the Nest Learning Thermostat picks up on your habits, meaning you don’t even have to program it. You can also create an automated schedule through the Nest app on your phone.
Smart locks offer both convenience and peace of mind. No need to fumble to find your keys or worry if you left a door unlocked. The August Smart Lock can track where you are and automatically lock or unlock your door based on your location, automatically lock after a predetermined time, and be locked or unlocked with the voice assistants mentioned above.
Smart outlets are one of the most practical and versatile smart home products. Considering electronic use makes up 14% of your household electricity bill, the ability to shut off the power to your electronics can cut down on this cost immensely. Plug a smart outlet into your socket, download the product’s app, and instantly turn off the power from your outlet with the simple tap of a button. Belkin Wemo makes excellent smart plugs for smart home automation.
Nest’s Hello video doorbell looks great and works consistently well. Its optional facial recognition feature and advanced integrations with the Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Google Home speakers set this smart buzzer above the rest.
Health starts in the kitchen, so why not include smart technology there? Samsung’s new and innovative Family Hub refrigerator features a touchscreen display that allows you to create shopping lists, plan meals, set food expiration notifications, coordinate your family schedules, and even entertain — all right from your fridge.
What good is a beautiful, smart home if it’s not clean? The Neato Botvac Connected vacuum can be controlled through your smartphone or via controls located on the robot itself. Its Wi-Fi connectivity and app allow you to start, stop, and pause your robot, even when you’re not at home. You can also create a custom cleaning schedule and receive a summary to show where the vacuum has been.
Life can be complicated but thanks to smart home automation, it can be simplified. Pick and choose the products you need to save time, energy, and money and integrate smart technology in your home.
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