From the Jetsons house to Tony Stark’s mansion, living in a smart home is something that many of us have dreamed about for years! More recently, this technology has finally been catching up and making this type of lifestyle a reality. If you’re still a bit unclear on how you can transform your ordinary home into a smart one, keep reading.
The Best Smart Devices on the Market
Smart Speakers
Smart speakers are one of the most obvious ways to upgrade your home from ordinary to intelligent. These are devices that you can communicate with by speaking, and they’ll communicate right back if needed. You’ll set up your smart device using an app. It’s quick and easy! Once your smart speaker is set up, it will make life more convenient and save you time on everyday tasks.
You can use your device to play music, create shopping lists, turn off the lights, check the weather, and so much more. Your smart speaker can connect to many other devices in your house, including everything from your TV to your coffee pot. You can also schedule tasks to happen at a later time.
Some of the most popular smart speakers on the market include the Amazon Echo series and the numerous Google Home devices. Apple has been perfecting their HomePod, and more great options will no doubt hit the market as they become increasingly popular.
Smart Lighting
Smart lighting is an easy and relatively inexpensive way to upgrade your home to the coolest 21st-century technology. You can control smart lightbulbs from a mobile app. This means if you left a light on before you left the house, you could shut it off using your phone. You can also put your lights on a schedule to avoid using too much bright light during the day. This helps maximize your home’s energy efficiency.
When you have a smart speaker, you can use voice commands, so there’s no need to even be near your phone. This is especially helpful when you’re shutting off the lights right before bed. You can find your way into your bed and under the covers with the lights still on and once you’re comfortable, just tell your smart speaker to turn off the lights for you.
Smart Thermostats
While many smart devices are great because of their convenience and their ability to save you time, a smart thermostat can actually save you money and make your home more energy-efficient. Rather than simply setting your home to one temperature, a smart thermostat gives you the ability to set your home to a certain temperature based on the time of day. This is useful because it can keep your home cooler when no one’s at home for a long period. A smart thermostat learns and adapts to your daily patterns. It can also adapt to the weather conditions to keep everyone in your home as comfortable as possible and keep your energy bills low.
Some of the best smart thermostats on the market include the Nest Thermostat and the smart thermostat from Wyze Labs. If you already have an Amazon Echo, you can easily integrate with the SmartThermostat from Ecobee.
Home Security System
Upgrading your security system to a smart home security system is well worth it. Depending on what system you get, you can constantly monitor and receive mobile notifications of suspicious activity like opened doors or windows and broken glass. Some smart security systems will do even more than watch for intruders. Some alert you to fire and water damage and have panic buttons for all kinds of emergencies.
The ring is one of the biggest names in smart security, but some of the other systems on the market include those from SimpliSafe and Abode. With the right home security system with smart capabilities, your home will be a safer place, and you’ll have greater peace of mind.
Smart Grill
If you love to grill, you can upgrade your culinary chops big time with a smart grill. A smart grill can detect your meat’s temperature without having to use a meat thermometer, so you get a perfectly cooked steak (and other foods) every single time! You can look at the temperature of your food through the app so you can be confident that your chicken is fully cooked and no one will be getting salmonella. Some models will even give you a countdown clock, so you know exactly how much longer until supper. Since a smart grill puts your grilling experience on autopilot means you can spend less time babysitting your food and more time enjoying your family and friends.
Smart Vacuum
Who wouldn’t want to have their own personal cleaning staff? While a smart vacuum isn’t as comprehensive as a dedicated cleaning service, it’s the next best thing! Smart vacuums like the Roomba will clean your home for you automatically, so you don’t have to take the time to sweep and vacuum. If you have guests coming over last minute, you can let this device work its magic in a jiffy!
Smart vacuums have sensors and lasers, so they know how to intelligently navigate your home. You’ll usually have some kind of app control where you can create a custom floor plan for the best cleaning results. They can even empty themselves!
Upgrade Your Internet
You can’t have a smart home without internet; that’s up for the challenge. Because you’ll have more devices in your home using the internet each day, you’ll need faster, stronger internet to avoid frustrations with your smart devices. When you have Nomad Internet, you can have confidence that all your devices will work together in harmony!
We have an entire blog about figuring out what speed you need if you have many smart devices in your home. With a little math, you can determine roughly how many megabits per second (Mbps) by adding up your use based on the number of people you have in your home using the internet, how they’re using the internet, and the number of smart devices you have in your home.
Enjoy Your Smart Home
When you use these devices and have the best internet to power them, your home will be a smart 21st-century escape. You can gradually integrate these smart features into your home or go all out all at once. Each day, you’ll feel like you’re in a sci-fi movie – in a good way!