So, you've heard about the smart home revolution, but you're not sure where to start. It's understandable:there are hundreds of devices and apps competing for your business.
Starting your smart home setup on the right foot is important as it can save you a lot of heartache down the line. Perhaps most importantly, it will prevent you from wasting money on unnecessary and overpriced devices.
If you want to start equipping your home with smart home technology, read on. Let's see the first things you should install or buy. All of these devices are readily available and easy to install. You can worry about the more complicated things later.
I have been a vocal critic of some smart lighting systems in the past. In particular, I find the Philips Hue system useless and too expensive.
But that doesn't mean I'm not an advocate for smart lighting in general. If used correctly, it can save you money on your electricity bill and improve the security of your home. You just don't need the Hue system to get started.
Instead, consider some of the cheaper alternatives. Here Are The Best Multi Color Smart Light Bulbs Of 2017 Here Are The Best Multi Color Smart Light Bulbs Of 2017 There are so many options for smart home lighting it can be overwhelming! These colored bulbs offer you the best features available today. Read more . There are many to choose from. My personal preference is the TP-Link range. The lights are great for beginners because they don't need a hub to work with. They simply connect to your Wi-Fi network. You can control them using the accompanying smartphone app.
The lights are also compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. More on that later.
TP-Link offers four models to choose from. The cheapest white lights are only $19.99 per bulb.
Kasa Smart Wi-Fi LED Light Bulb by TP-Link - Soft White, Dimmable, A19, No Hub Required, Works with Alexa and Google Assistant (LB100) Kasa Smart Wi-Fi LED Light Bulb by TP-Link - Soft White, Dimmable, A19, No hub required, works with Alexa and Google Assistant (LB100) Buy Now On Amazon $19.80
On the topic of saving money, installing a smart thermostat is another way to save a significant amount of money on your annual electricity bill.
Again, you have many different systems to choose from. They all have different degrees of complexity, so it's important to make the right choice.
For example, systems like Nest and Netatmo are ideal for smaller homes. They can work with different zones, but they are primarily designed to replace your central thermostat and adjust the temperature of the whole house.
If you live in a larger home, consider something like the Honeywell Evohome or Heat Genius. Their systems replace the valves on your radiators, allowing you to control each heating unit individually.
If you're just starting out, the Nest range is probably the best option. It's easy to use and costs less than $250. Like TP-Link lights, it also works with Amazon Alexa.
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Congratulations, you have now installed two of the most common smart home devices. Next, a smart security system How smart home security systems save you money and keep you safe How smart home security systems save money and keep you safe Smart home security systems can protect you you and your family and allow you to control exactly how you want to Secure your home, for a fraction of the price of traditional security systems. Read more.
Smart home security can be divided into three parts:network security, alarms, and smart locks.
I won't dwell on network security - just keep in mind that with more devices on your network, you are more at risk from being hackers and cyber criminals. Buying a High-Quality VPN Best VPN Services Best VPN Services We've compiled a list of what we consider to be the best virtual private network (VPN) service providers, grouped by premium, free, and torrenting. More information and a new smart router 5 things that make smart Wi-Fi routers worth buying 5 things that make smart Wi-Fi routers worth buying today, you can buy a new class of "smart routers Smart Homes" specifically designed to deal with the demands of running a smart home. Here are five things that make smart Wi-Fi routers worth buying. Reading further will allay most of these concerns.
Smart alarms are an emerging category of smart home devices. At a minimum, you need a system that can monitor your entry points and detect movement. If the sensors are triggered, your alarm will sound and you will get a smartphone alert.
Actually, you should consider spending a bit more and buying a system that also has Wi-Fi connected cameras. That way you can monitor your home remotely, no matter where you are in the world.
At the higher end of the scale, you'll find systems that include carbon dioxide detectors, smoke alarms, and water leak sensors. Some of these are provided by third parties. You will need a hub. Which Smart Hub for Home Automation is Best for You? Which Smart Hub for Home Automation is Best for You? For a while, people thought the idea was nothing more than a gimmick, but recent product launches have shown that smart home automation is starting to deliver on its promises. Read More
For a happy medium, check out iSmartAlarm. The company's $100 Preferred Bundle includes two contact sensors, two remote tags, a motion sensor, and window stickers. At a later date, you can purchase some of their plugins. They include cameras, smart switches and keyboards.
If you want a complete smart security system, you should also think about buying smart locks. Everything you need to know before installing a smart lock. Everything you need to know before installing a smart lock. Smart locks are increasing in popularity, but there are still plenty of them. valid concerns about your safety. These are the facts you should know before making a purchase! Read more . They may not be absolutely essential for entry-level smart homes, but if security is a priority for you, they are an important component in your system.
Two of the leading brands are August and Kwikset Kevo. Both offer similar functionality:your Bluetooth device will unlock the deadbolt when you get close, you'll receive alerts if someone gains unauthorized entry, and you can view the lock's access history via a smartphone app.
August locks also work with Amazon Alexa. Notice a pattern?
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Smart homes don't just have to be about boring stuff that none of your guests will notice. They can also be fun..
The area of entertainment that is leading this charge is music. You can find a plethora of smart speaker systems, ranging from $30 entry-level Chromecast Audio to high-end speakers like Sonos and Bose SoundTouch.
Again, many of these systems work in a very similar way. You can control your music from anywhere in the house using a smartphone app, and they can play content from premium music streaming services How to choose the best music streaming service for you How to choose the best music streaming service music for you Do you use a music? streaming service? If so, how do you know you're using the best one for you personally? Read More
And if you enjoy a bit of tech-based DIY, you can even hack them to play voice notifications when certain events occur. We've covered how to send voice notifications to Sonos speakers in detail How to send voice notifications to Sonos speakers today. I'll show you how to set up voice notifications on your Sonos system, using IFTTT recipes, OpenHAB integrations, and more. Read more elsewhere on the site.
If you have a large garden, you need to think about it when setting up your smart home. There's no point in having the inside of your home running like clockwork, only the outside looking like something out of a horror movie.
If you have green fingers, you have many devices you can implement to help keep your bushes in check.
For example, Edyn makes a smart water valve and a smart garden sensor. Water Value performs as you would expect, watering plants on a user-defined schedule. The sensor device can monitor soil, light, and moisture conditions, and then send information to your smartphone. It will even recommend what types of plants to grow based on the results.
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You knew he was coming, right? Amazon Echo devices are like a lazy chair for the 21st century.
Obviously, you get all the Amazon-based benefits that they present. That includes reading the news every morning, listening to music, ordering groceries, and accessing the endless list of skills. 18 Awesome New Amazon Amazon Skills You Need To Try 18 Awesome New Amazon Amazon Skills You Need To Try Amazon Echo's list of skills is growing all the time. Let's take a look at the most useful and silliest abilities of the last few months. Read More
More importantly, at least from a smart home perspective, you can use the speaker to control a host of smart home devices with your voice. As mentioned, many locks, lighting systems, and thermostats are compatible with Alexa, but so are ceiling fans, smart TVs, smart switches, and garage door locks. garage doors will simplify your life 4 ways a smart garage door opener will simplify your life Garages are great, garage doors are frustrating. Smart garage door openers can help. Read more.
Amazon Echo - Black (1st Generation) Amazon Echo - Black (1st Generation) Buy now on Amazon
If you follow all of these tips, you'll have a great smart home foundation in place. But why stop there?
You can try to focus on a particular room. Hay una gran cantidad de tecnología que puede ayudarlo en la cocina Crear una cocina futurista con estos 7 dispositivos inteligentes Crear una cocina futurista con estos 7 dispositivos inteligentes Es difícil saber dónde trazar la línea entre lo útil y el truco cuando se habla de dispositivos inteligentes para el hogar para la cocina , pero estos dispositivos son seguros para impresionar! Lea más o haga que su rutina diaria de baño sea más fluida ¿Dispositivos inteligentes en el baño? ¿No es tan loco como piensas los dispositivos inteligentes en el baño? No es tan loco como crees que la tecnología puede parecer fuera de lugar en el baño, pero estos dispositivos inteligentes podrían cambiar tu mente, ¡y tu rutina matutina! Read more . O puede seguir agregando dispositivos individuales, ¿por qué no recoger un Roomba para realizar su aspirado??
¿Qué gadgets recomendarías? “must-have” ¿para principiantes? Como siempre, puede dejar todas sus opiniones y sugerencias en los comentarios a continuación. Y recuerda compartir este artículo con tus amigos para ver lo que piensan..
