A Beginner’s Guide To Smart Home Gadgets
The Internet of Things is making it easier than ever to set up a smart home in which you can remotely control your door locks, lights, thermostats, vacuums, lawn mowers, and even pet feeders, using your smartphone and an app. It’s also making it possible to monitor your energy use more efficiently. The best part is that you don’t need a degree in computer science to set up these devices and manage them remotely.
Some devices are specific to certain purposes; for example, the Wemo Switch allows you to control lights and small appliances while the Nest Learning Thermostat learns your habits and helps regulate your home’s temperature based on whether or not you’re at home. Others are universal devices that work with any kind of appliance, such as the iDevices Switch (non-dimmable) or the iDevices Socket (dimmable). The iDevices brand of switch works with Amazon’s Alexa, which means that you can tell Alexa to turn off the lights or dim them down without having to get up from the couch or stop cooking dinner.
But how do these devices work? And which ones should you buy? Here’s a guide to
Smart home gadgets are the future of the home, making our lives easier and more convenient. From connected thermostats to smart lighting and security, these devices can be found in every room of the house and make a huge difference in your day-to-day.
Getting started in this space can seem daunting at first, but there are plenty of easy ways to get started. If you’re ready to jump in, we’ve rounded up some of our favorite smart home gadgets that you can buy today.
Smart thermostat
A smart thermostat is one of the most useful smart home gadgets out there because it gives you remote control over the temperature in your house from anywhere. The Nest Learning Thermostat is one of our favorites thanks to its ease of use, sleek design and compatibility with a wide range of other products.
Smart lights
Whether you’re looking for better security around your home or just want to jazz up your living room, smart lighting is a great way to go. Philips Hue bulbs and LIFX bulbs are both good choices here as they offer tons of different colors, brightness levels and have voice control built in. Plus they work with Google Assistant and Alexa so they’re easy to set up with other smart home devices too.
Smart home gadgets are now more affordable than ever, and easier to use, so there’s no excuse not to have some kind of smart home system in place.
Our guide will explain the most popular smart home products available, and help you choose the ones that are right for your home.
We’ve also got a guide to all the best Black Friday deals on smart home kit, from Amazon Alexa devices to Philips Hue lighting.
What is a smart home?
“Smart” is a catch-all term for internet-connected devices that can be controlled remotely via smartphone app or voice command using something like an Amazon Echo – or even with your voice.
A “smart heating system”, for example, could be as simple as a smart thermostat like a Nest Thermostat E, which allows you to control your heating remotely and set schedules. But it might also come with a host of other features, such as the ability to turn on if it detects that you’re coming home early.
I love home automation. I love the idea of being able to control my home from my phone, being able to automate things around the house, and just being a geek in general. But I’m not going to spend hundreds or thousands of dollars on a smart home system. What I want is something cheap, easy to setup, and easy to use.
If that sounds like you too, then this guide is for you!
I’ll run through all the products I’ve bought and used recently, and show you how you can get started with smart home technology for less than $200.
The first thing you’ll need is a hub – the device which will act as the brain of your smart home network. It will connect to all your devices wirelessly, and let you control them from either your smartphone or computer.
Welcome to the world of smart home devices, where your house can be programmed to turn on the lights, lock the door and brew you a cup of coffee without you lifting a finger.
This new era of smart homes is becoming increasingly popular as consumers realize its potential for everyday life. From controlling locks to monitoring energy output, there are tons of ways that smart home devices can make your life easier. While many smart home products are still in their infancy, it’s clear that they’re here to stay.
Here’s a guide to some of the hottest trends in smart home technology this year:
You’re sitting on your couch, you’re ready to watch TV, but the remote is all the way over there. You don’t want to get up from your nice comfy spot and walk all the way across the room just for a remote. Sure, you could use a universal remote that controls everything in your home, or you could get a smart home hub that connects to your TV and/or entertainment center via Bluetooth or Wi-Fi, and then you can use an app on your phone to control everything. There are lots of options out there.
Choosing the right one can be confusing. No matter what type of smart home hub you choose, they all let you control things like your TV and entertainment system, but they don’t all work with the same devices. Some will work with products from multiple brands, while others only work with products from a single brand.**
Making a home “smart” is one of the hottest trends in technology. Partly that’s because, at least in the near term, it’s relatively easy to do. You can buy a whole host of smart home products, or you can simply start with one device and build out your system as you see fit.
Many of these devices cater to people concerned about security, but others simply make everyday tasks easier. Whether you’re looking to monitor your home from afar or just want to be able to control your lights with a voice command, there’s bound to be a device for you.
The first step in getting started is deciding which area of your home you want to outfit with smart technology. We’ve broken down the different types of devices below, so take a look and see what might work best for you.