Planning to upgrade your home with smart home appliances? There is a variety of smart home gadgets available today. Our guide will assist you in making an appropriate selection of smart home gadgets that would best suit your requirements and lifestyle.
Most smart home appliances work with several voice assistants at a minimum, but it is advisable to stick to one for maximum convenience. To make life easier, we will cover devices that will work with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple’s HomePod to give you the best possible choice.
Smart Light Switches
As much as no smart home device will ever be able to solve all problems at once, a good starting point is smart light switches. These in-wall devices replace your existing switches with ones that allow you to app or voice assistant control, turn the lighting on, or off and use some effects.
Which switch is ideal for you depends on the lights and other smart appliances you wish to connect, and the assistant software you use; Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, or Samsung Bixby. Some brands provide more than one product with each assistant system like Meross Philips Lifx Govee Nanoleaf lights and switches.
Should you be a newcomer to smart devices, it is best to consider features of a single product first, such as with a speaker or display. Once you become more familiar and comfortable, you can incorporate these other devices that align with your goals and fit within your lifestyle. Furthermore, it might be helpful to check “Works With” compatibility information online so as to ensure that each device will operate cohesively within your smart home ecosystem; whenever possible, select devices that have incorporated a unified standard like Matter.
Motorized Shades
Smart home appliances contribute towards a more developed living space aimed at enhanced environmental comfort and security. As a first step, you now need to make a decision on which virtual assistant, either Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit or Samsung Bixby, you would want to use and pair that with a set of compatible devices for the respective platform.
Automating windows and improving energy efficiency in homes is made easy and affordable with motorized shades. You can simply program the shades to rise or fall at specific times of the day, or you can set more complex automations that incorporate other smart devices such as lights, thermostats, and security systems – many are also compatible with voice control devices like Alexa and Google Assistant.
In case you prefer more traditional and sophisticated controls for your motorized shades, you might open a switch with a 1.32’’ touchscreen and haptic feedback. It contains a lot of features and can work with lots of third-party domestic automation systems through Zigbee, Matter and Z-Wave. It also works with Chamberlain MyQ garage door opener system so you can control and monitor home automation from wherever you are.
Universal Hubs
Smart home devices work best when used with other devices and their voice assistant. This simplifies the process of setting routines and automations such as switching on lights at night, lowering shades at sunset, locking the doors when leaving the house, etc. Such tasks may require a hub that can work with all these devices and your voice assistant.
One option would be getting a smartphone style smart speaker with camera that works with Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa or Apple HomeKit so that video calls can be done conveniently while still keeping tabs on important information like alerts from calendars, smart locks, or notifications from smart thermostats.
Consider purchasing a universal hub of voice assistants, smart bulbs, and smart plugs from Aeotec, Samsung SmartThings, or Lutron. These devices could come with built-in voice control.
Smart Door Locks
When considering smart locks, it is best to choose one that works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, or SmartThings hub. This will allow you to set routines and manage the lock using voice commands. Some smart door locks, such as Abode and Yale Approach, integrate with video doorbells and indoor security cameras so you can be notified when someone approaches.
Most smart locks come with either Wi-Fi or Bluetooth connectivity, but the most advanced can connect directly to the home’s wireless network. These locks can be controlled through smartphone apps, which enables automations such as easily locking the doors when coming home or shutting off lights before sleeping.
For improved accuracy and reduced delay on the Internet, some smart locks like the Kwikset and August Locks utilize Zigbee instead of Bluetooth to connect to home Wi-Fi. MyChamberlain MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener is compatible with smart lighting control systems, which makes it even more versatile!
Intelligent Security Cameras
A smart security camera has the ability to monitor outside packages and any unusual movements in your neighborhood, making you feel more relaxed about your home’s safety. Make sure to examine encryption specifics or any past breaches provided by the vendor in the case history to better protect yourself.
Think about whether the camera allows integration with other smart devices and hubs like voice-controlled speakers or displays with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit support. Besides that, if a subscription service is required for cloud video recording, check what the fees for storage are.
Integrate even more intelligence into your home with sensors that monitor conditions such as the Ring flood and freeze sensors, or Samsung’s SmartThings Energy which uses devices to estimate the amount of energy consumed. Other alternatives exist that allow voice control of electric sockets and turn ordinary light bulbs into smart bulbs; smart plugs enable the switching off and on of lights and appliances without their replacement, while smart light switches offer further flexibility when used with, for example, thermostats or locks.
