Home is the place where a person stays and lives in peace, away from all outside noise. However, maintaining the home can eventually take some of your time and energy, and that’s why many people are converting their homes into smart homes. There is no proper way of defining what a smart home actually is. It is just a regular home that has been equipped with lots of high-technology devices to make your life easy and more comfortable while providing you with more safety, control, and security over the house.
These devices are often called smart devices, and they are incredibly easy to set up and use. Each one of them comes with simple instructions and has smart features built inside them that you can use throughout your mobile applications and voice commands. A person should really consider switching their home to a smart home, as it comes with lots of benefits. However, there are four major benefits that can help you save money and time. They offer to give you security, entertainment, energy efficiency, and convenience.
There are plenty of smart devices, and choosing the right device will make your home cosy, secure, and easier to control. There are a large number of brands, and they are rapidly growing, which makes it even harder to decide which one to choose. But there is nothing to worry about because we have collected all the vital information and made a list of some of the most useful gadgets that you must own. Explore the world of technology and learn all the information about the best smart home devices that can create a more relaxing and safe environment and boost your home living experience.
1. Smart Light Bulbs
Smart light bulbs are the easiest and cheapest way to start transforming your home into a smart home. While an ordinary light bulb only has one colour and has to be used with the switch to switch it on and off. Smart bulbs offer multi colours with over 16 million colours to match your mood and the state of your attitude. They are extremely easy to control, as you can use the mobile application to change the colour and even switch it on and off by simply giving voice commands.
These features give you complete control over your bulb, allowing you to adjust shades, brightness, and plans according to your preferences. These bulbs come with a device called a hub, which allows you to connect your mobile device to that device with the help of either WiFi or Bluetooth. However, mobiles are not the only thing that can be used for connecting. Some bulbs also have the features to get connected to other AI devices, such as Google Home and Alexa.
2. Smart Plugs
Smart plugs are another of the best smart home devices. They are increasingly gaining popularity among people because of their budget-friendly and easy-to-use nature. These plugs are far better options than normal kinds of plugs, as they have some incredible features built into them. They have voice command characteristics that allow you to turn the device on and off by giving orders while sitting far away from the switchboard. If you are close to the plug, you can also use the physical switch to turn it on or off.
Some smart plugs also have a feature called ‘Away Mode.” This feature can switch on the lamp when the night begins and it starts to get dark in the house. So you won’t have to stumble across the room in the darkness to find the switch. However, lamps are not the only thing these devices can control; they can also get connected easily with toasters, coffee makers, fans, and many others.
3. Smart Switches
Smart switches are well-known for controlling various appliances like fans, air conditioners, and curtains. You can easily handle these electronic items on your mobile device. You can also give voice instructions to this device. However, the best part of these devices is that most of the time you do not need to do anything as they have smart inbuilt motion sensors that can sense that you have entered the room and can turn on the lights and switch them off as soon as you leave.
These smart switches are getting high demand, and the reason is not because of their amazing features but because of their beautiful and elegant appearance. They come in various designs and colours, which makes them so visually appealing. Some of these smart switches can be easily connected to other AI devices like Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings. However, there is only one drawback: it cannot function on the three-way switch, so you have to set up a single switch for this.
4. Smart Lock
A smart lock is an excellent choice to add to your home, as this smart device will provide you with extra high-tech security that you never had before. They have lots of wonderful features, like keeping track of when someone has entered and exited. You can unlock the door remotely when your hands are full carrying anything, like groceries. It is the most amazing, creative, and stylish lock that is highly strong and durable, with a keypad built inside it that allows you to give out guest codes.
Other than that, it also has other methods to get in, like biometric sensors like fingerprints and RFID cards. It can also work with a simple regular key. Some of the smart locks have really outdone themselves by adding futuristic features. You can remotely unlock the door lock by simply ringing the door lock, and it will use your video to open the door. So, if you are looking to add a smart home device to your home, then make sure you install this.
5. Smart Thermostat
A smart thermostat is the perfect smart device for you if you want to make your living space more cosy and comfortable. This device is built specifically to control the temperature inside your home. It comes with a zinc body case and a large touchscreen. As time passed, they upgraded their technology to a new level; they called it ‘Smart Thermostat Premium’ and this version is far better than previous versions. A lot of thermostats have remote sensors built inside them, and some of them even have Alexa built into them.
Adding this smart device to your smart home will surely be a wise and worthwhile choice of investment, as it helps in maintaining the heat, air conditioning, and ventilation. You can set a customised timetable in it, so you do not have to worry about changing the temperature for the whole day. You can insert the instructions for what temperature you need and at what time, and the thermostat will do the rest.
6. Smart Cameras
Smart cameras are another great way to increase the security of your smart home. Nowadays, the camera comes in very simple shapes and is extremely easy to install due to its magnetic base. They have amazing picture quality, from 1080p to 4K, and they do not miss capturing anything with the sharp images throughout the day. These cameras have other special features as well, like night vision, so that the camera keeps on recording everything even when it is dark in the night. This gives special protection from burglars and thieves, as they always target homes at night.
They also have in-built speakers that have outstanding audio quality. Its microphone and speaker can record even the slightest sound. Since they have two-way talk qualities, you can also talk to the other person outside your house without even bothering to open the door. When you buy smart cameras, make sure that they have excellent battery life so that they can record for a longer time. Nothing can escape from the eyes of these cameras. It captures every person, vehicle, and even an animal.
7. Smart Smoke Alarms
The last item on our list is an extremely useful device that can help save your and your loved ones’s lives. Smart smoke alarms, or smoke detectors, are built specially for the purpose of detecting both fast and slow fires. They can also detect harmful gases like carbon monoxide, which is a poisonous gas and highly flammable. Carbon monoxide, or ‘CO’, is a really hard-to-detect gas as it is completely odourless, colourless, and tasteless. There are a variety of smoke alarms on the market; some of them come with a battery version and don’t need any electricity to work.
However, it is highly important for you to check the life of its battery. There are also wired versions available that can be directly connected to the electrical chain of the house. Some alarms are used to alert people by making the sound of three loud beeps. However, as time has changed, the smoke alarms now come with human voices. Whenever there is something wrong, she will particularly inform you by saying, “Heads up! There is smoke in the (name of the particular room),” and when there is something serious, it will say, “Emergency! There’s smoke.” This alert gives you enough time to evacuate the area.
Final Thoughts
In today’s world, having a smart home device has become less of an option and more of a necessary thing to have for the comfort and security of your house. Here, you learned about a few smart items that are highly useful and not that expensive. So you don’t have to worry about whether you have enough money to make the purchase. There are a few of the cheapest options, like smart light bulbs, smart plugs, and smart switches, that make your home look more elegant, and the smart features make your life much easier and more comfortable.
Other than these smart locks, cameras and smoke alarms provide incredible security and safety. So make sure to make the smart decision by checking out these amazing and smart products to make your life and home smarter.