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- Connecting & Controlling Smart Home Devices: A Guide - March 18, 2023
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In such a technologically advanced community, it is no wonder that nearly every household object and function now has smart options, with new and updated versions being released regularly, just to top the last one. However, with so many new products constantly entering the market, it can be difficult to keep track of them all and know which ones you would enjoy or use in your own home.
Smart home products include any products that connect to the WiFi and the owner’s phone or a central control panel for wireless control. Items like light bulbs, wall plugs, fridges, door locks, security cameras, thermostats, and even “robot” vacuums are used to make regular homes into smart homes.
These are only a few examples of the smart appliances and products available, but there are plenty for sure. It is quite nearly a full guarantee that everyone will have at least one product that they’d enjoy more when it is a little smarter. Many of the most popular and widely purchased smart home products are listed and described below, to help you identify where you can begin your journey to a smarter home and a more laid-back lifestyle.
Table of Contents
Lighting
Full Guide: How To Choose The Best Smart Home Lighting
Lighting is a very easy upgrade anyone can do to their home. All you need is some products and the ability to connect your phone and turn on and off the lights. The Echo Glow is like a night light that can be used in any room, or in kids’ bedrooms.
The BAZZ Smart Home LED light bulbs and Govee smart light bulbs are light bulbs you can plug into any lamp or other place you can screw in a light bulb. They will connect to your phone, and you can put them on your smart assistant’s app like Amazon Alexa or Google Nest.
If you are updating your lights, you might as well also update your light switches. The Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch and the Kasa Smart Light Switch Pack are marvelous and top-rated for being easy to use and overall great light switches. If you are looking for a way to update your home this will make a big difference. Lighting can change the look of your home, plus it is best to not fight over who turns off the lights at night! You can set up Amazon Alexa to turn off the lights when you tell her, it is great!
Secure Locks and Entry
Full Guide: The 5 Best Smart Locks for Front Doors + Buying Guide
When you have kids constantly on different schedules coming in and out of the house, and it is hard to keep track, having a smart lock for your entry door is perfect. Then, no need to duplicate keys, and no need to worry if your kid will lose the key at school.
There is the Sifely Keyless Entry Door Lock, the Kwikset Halo Touch Smart Lock, and the SCHLAGE Connect Smart Deadbolt that all help you with this. Now smart locks are much pricer than regular locks, but they can give you much more peace of mind.
A product we don’t always think about is how to update the garage and if it can be more secure. Well, you can look at the myQ Chamberlin Smart Garage Control and it will show you all the reasons why you need it for your garage! It will make using your garage, opening, closing, and securing it all the easier.
Security
Full Guide: The Top 5 Best Budget Security Camera Systems + Buying Guide
Today it is essential to have a home security system. Many companies have products for this, so if you want to ask around and get specific quotes for what getting security coverage for your home looks like then you can do that. But, there are more simple security items you can get along with products other companies offer.
The Blink Video Doorbell and Ring Video Doorbell are similar products, they make doorbells that are secure and safe. When they detect motion or when someone dings the bell it starts recording and can give you more security, and evidence if anything happens, and is overall great.
The Blink Mini Camera is great for putting inside and/or outside of your home for security. It will record and you can set up the cameras to cover the entrances of the home, that way you can make sure that if anything happens you are covered. The Google Nest Security Camera will do much of the same for home security and recording. With this, the only preference is if you have all Google products or more Amazon products because it makes sense that Google Nest Security will work with a Google Nest hub.
Wall Plugs and Strips
Full Guide: Best Smart Plugs with Energy Monitoring – List & Guide
This next product is one of the best ways you can update your home and even try to save on energy. You can get the Amazon Smart Plug, Amazon Basics In-Wall Outlet, or the Amazon Basics Smart Plug Power Strip. These will all connect and be labeled on your Amazon Alexa app and can be controlled by your phone. It is super convenient and easy to use, last Christmas my family used a smart plug that we plugged our tree into and it was so easy to turn on and off the Christmas tree.
Amazon has a lot of smart products, but you can also get CYNC Outdoor Smart Plug, Kasa Smart Plug Mini, and Kasa Smart Plug. These are great and also highly rated, so if you want to turn your home into a smart home then you can easily look and compare each product to find the best option for you.
Smart Home Thermostat and Smoke Alarm
Full Guide: Which Nest Thermostat Do I Need? Differences and Compatibility
One of the best updates to regular home products is making a smart thermostat and smart smoke detector, plus companies have since come out with smart products that detect water and freeze, along with carbon monoxide. If you don’t know, carbon monoxide poisoning is known as a silent killer because your only symptom is feeling sleepy because you can’t really smell it in the air. So, getting a detector to let you know through beeping and through your phone notifications that there is a carbon monoxide leak is important to save lives.
Amongst these products, you can buy the Google Nest Learning Thermostat, the Amazon Smart Thermostat, the ecobee Lite Thermostat, and others for updating your thermostat. If you want a smoke or other alarm, you can get the Google Nest Protect – Smoke Alarm, the Govee WiFi Water Sensor, the Ring Alarm Smoke and CO Listener, the Ring Alarm Flood and Freeze Sensor, and lastly the Amazon Smart Air Quality Monitor.
These are great for upgrading the essentials you never think about. Smoke alarms and other similar devices haven’t changed for roughly 30 years or more. There have not been big updates or renovations to the invention basically since it was invented in the 1930s, but for sure not since the 90s, so updating them to smart technology is the innovation they needed all these years!
Outdoor and Pets
There are many products to help upgrade your home to smart technology not only inside the home but outside. And there are super fun products to get for your pets! Firstly, you can get the Furbo Dog Camera that can feed your dog. It will toss a treat out and record the interaction so that while you are out you can check in on your dog. You can also get the Smart Pet Feeder that works on dogs and cats, and it is able to automatically put out food for your pet, which is perfect for those working outside the home who want to treat the pet with the best care and attention possible.
Outside, you can purchase a Netatmo Wireless Anemometer or the Smart Weather Station that can take in what is happening weather-wise by your home, and it will be very accurate. So if you are at the office away from home, if you are on vacation or out of the home for another reason and what to know what it is like around your home and not just in your general city location then this can give you accurate reports and updates. You can also upgrade your yard game by getting a Smart Sprinkler Controller that will make watering your yard so much easier.
Smart Voice Assistants
Samsung SmartThings Is a hub for smart devices and allows them to all work in the same place, so if you like some of Amazon’s products and Google’s products, then you can try and work them all together with this.
There are some popular and highly recommended smart voice assistants you can get. These are the Echo Dot 5th Gen, the Echo Show 8, the Nest Mini, and the Nest Hub Smart Display. The Echo Dot and the Nest Mini are both similar and are like speakers with voice assistants in them. And the Echo Show and the Nest Hub are both similar, they are like speakers and touchscreens combined. They will show you recipes, play music, and so everything the other devices can do but they also have a screen and can show you more information about them. They can even be set to a wallpaper slideshow of whatever photos you like! Google’s Nest Hub Max also comes with a camera and video calling features.
Kitchen
One example of a smart device in the kitchen is the Automatic stirr. This device is extremely helpful when baking or cooking, as it only needs to be placed on the correct setting, and it will be able to rotate itself!
On a Samsung Family Hub French Door Refrigerator, the stainless steel is finger-proof, making it great for children. On the screen of the door, the user is able to listen to music, watch a video, ask it questions, call family and friends, access recipes, and so much more. This is also a wonderful way to increase the number of family photos you have and display them all on the screen itself! Treat your LG InstaView Refrigerator like an iPhone or iPad device and enjoy smart technology controls.
There are also other smart devices that can be used in the kitchen as well. Some examples of these products include the Revolution Touchscreen Toaster, the Nextmug Temperature Controlling Mug, and the GE Profile Series Kitchen Hub & Convertable Range Hood. However, as technology develops, more smart products for the kitchen are released, so a bit of research before buying kitchen or countertop appliances could uncover some cool new products!
Cleaning
To fulfill the dreams of every child, teen, and adult wishing that their chores could be magically finished, smart technology has taken a huge step in the right direction for the satisfaction of your dreams. There are smart vacuums such as the: Shark Robot Vacuum, the EyeVac Touchless Stationary Vacuum, and even the Obode Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo that will clean your floors for you! This means that you really can be doing two things at once, all you need is a little smart technology support. The Electric Spin Scrubber is perfect for cleaning the bathroom floors, the tub, and the shower.
Well, everyone knows that a clean house should also have a clean and fresh scent to greet its inhabitants and their guests. The Smart Wireless Essential Oil Diffuser is the perfect smart device to add this final touch. This product will have your home well-scented in no time at all!
Miscellaneous
One of the most popular smart home devices is the Digital Photo Frame. This is one smart appliance that really personalizes your house and makes it feel like a home. These frames allow you to change the image that appears in the frame with your phone! This means that you can essentially enjoy large display prints of any photo on your camera roll, or even put on a slideshow that switches through an album!
Another exciting smart home device is actually a bit more like another inhabitant. Amazon has recently released a new robot known as the Amazon Astro – Household Robot for Home Monitoring. This is a small robot that can move around the home and acts with their famous Alexa product. So, users of the Amazon Astro have all of the power of Amazon’s Alexas moving around on the floor.
Attention: When installing electronic equipment, please be sure to observe the manufacturer’s safety instructions. You have to take care of your own safety. The information on this site only helps you to learn.
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