Ever heard of a smart mailbox? How about a smart vacuum cleaner ? A smart umbrella? So many traditionally analogue devices have had major upgrades over the past few years. From some of our favourite devices turning into high-tech, it can make knowing how to use them properly and what to buy to actually make home living more convenient a little confusing.
So, what are those must-have upgrades that’ll make your home most comfortable? Some of them you’ve likely never heard of before– like a smart plug, which lets you turn on almost anything remotely– while others are the first things that’ll come up when hearing about a smart home– like smart lighting. Below, we’ll explore which smart home appliances are worth the penny.
1. Smart Lighting
Smart lighting means a lot of different things. From a single remote-controlled bulb in the lamp on your bedside table to a system that lights up the house on command. On paper, they’re a power saver and a time saver – since they’re only on as needed and are easily dimmed – but let’s not forget the convenience factor. After all, a good smart home is a pleasure to have. You can control the light in your house through your mobile phone, without having to move from room to room. You can also buy smart lighting that lights up with you as you enter from room to room, making home living better, more functional and less wasteful than ever.
2. Smart Speakers
Smart speakers either come with or are paired with voice assistants like Siri or Alexa. Things like the Amazon Echo, the Google Nest, and Apple Home. You ask them to play your cooking playlist or to play heavy metal after a tough day, and they comply. You pair them with in-built speakers, a sound bar or a subwoofer, then you’ve got your own rock concert going on – or a candlelit orchestra – whichever you prefer. Setting up a smart sound system starts small with a voice assistant hub; then, you can add more speakers and integrations as you go.
3. Smart Vacuum Cleaners
Everyone knows about Roombas, those little discs that zigzag along your floor to pick up dust and hair. But they only really pick up dust and hair, and not much else, so most people need a vacuum, too. What makes a smart vacuum cleaner useful is how it adapts to different floor types. It’ll work harder on carpet than on tiles, and it’ll slow down if it starts choking on a rug or curtain– so that you don’t have to stop and wrestle the thing from its mouth. Of course, there are also fun upgrades in vacuuming, like dirt-detecting lasers to help you see exactly how clean everything is during your weekly clean.
4. Smart Plugs
With a smart plug, you can turn on your air-con, your pool pump or a lamp with your phone. They plug in over the top of your appliance, then connect to your Wi-Fi so that you can switch the power on and off anytime, any place, with an app. It’s the easiest way to make half the technology in your house smart. Of course, not every appliance starts working the second you connect it to power, so something like a kettle or a coffee maker would need to be used by hand.
5. Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats turn down the temperature before you get hot. They warm up a cold house before you get home and turn it off when you leave. For extreme climates, they’re a real treat, but any house that uses cooling/heating technology can also benefit from the energy savings they provide.
6. Smart Security Cameras
A set of smart security cameras is the modern guard dog (with less barking). They tell you if someone’s at the door, ward off intruders, and keep an eye on the house while you’re away. Ideally, your cameras have total coverage of the outside of your house and alert you to movement while you’re away. That way, you know exactly what’s happening around your house when you need to. Of course, like any smart system, they can be designed to suit your needs, and sometimes, all you need is a smart doorbell to show you who’s at the door.
7. Smart Locks
If you have a ring of keys like a cartoon jailer or you have a whole bunch of people coming in and out of your door, a smart lock solves keys for you. You can set a thumbprint or a key code and make a 30-second interruption into a 3-second one. You’ll never have to worry about forgetting or losing your keys again. Smart locks are also harder to crack than key systems, if that’s a concern, so it’s a useful piece of kit that most people adopt early into their smart home adventure.
8. Smart Blinds and Shades
Smart blinds can definitely be a security upgrade, allowing you to keep the blinds closed whenever you’re away. But customers mostly rave about the comfort and convenience upgrade they offer. It takes away the physical elements of opening and closing blinds throughout the day by swapping the task with a simple press of a button on a remote. What’s more, you can schedule them to open and close so they can open at sunrise and close at sunset automatically.
9. Smart Kitchen Appliances
Coffee hot and ready the moment you get out of bed is just another benefit of a smart product. There are coffee makers, ovens, air fryers, fridges and even smart egg cookers available on the market today. The functionality of each smart kitchen appliance differs, but you can expect coffee at the push of a button, oven settings on your phone through Wi-Fi, cooking programmes that manage the cooking process for you, and much more. Next time you visit your kitchen, see what you use most, then check out the smart upgrades on offer.
10. Smart Water Leak Detectors
If you’re building your smart home from the ground up, you’ve got even more technology to play with. Smart leak detectors keep an eye on those places you can’t see that relate to the important utilities in your home. These detectors alert you of leaks before they melt through your drywall or roof. Of course, if you have a plumber around often enough, you like to use that opportunity to implement some leak detectors, too and prevent larger issues.
Integrating Smart Home Appliances As You Need Them
A smart house grows as you do, so don’t be intimidated by the many high-tech additions you can make. You can start small, integrating elements you think will bring you more comfort and convenience, like smart lighting and vacuums. As you get used to their upgraded functionality, you can integrate more smart appliances as you need them, and soon your house will be powered by high-tech to deliver a better living experience.
