One way to create a smart home is to purchase many affordable smart home tech —sensors, smart bulbs, surveillance cameras, microphones, and so on—and link them all to a hub that allows them to communicate with one another and with you through your smartphone.
And if you make sure all of your smart home devices are compliant, you’ll have a solid basis on which to build over time. A decent wireless router is a must-have—ideally one that can cover all corners of your house.
Here are a few different ways to create a smart home with affordable smart home tech. So, read the article before you look for “smart home technology blog”.
Smart Lighting
Light is the entry point for most people interested in living in a smart house. Many smart lighting systems can function without a central hub and yet communicate with other smart home components.
Some bulbs, such as those from Cree, LIFX, and TP-Link, communicate via Wi-Fi, while others, such as the newest Philips Hue bulbs, communicate via your smartphone’s Bluetooth antenna.
Speakers with Built-In Intellect
What could be more useful than using your mobile to dim the lights when watching a movie? Dim the lights by saying “dim the lights” to a smart speaker connected to your smart lighting.
Amazon’s Echo and Google’s Home are the industry leaders in this category. Though Amazon has kept the lead for the past few years—it has a much larger installed base, much wider support, and for a while has the only smart speakers with displays—Google is catching up quickly.
Intelligent Thermostats
Few smart home devices can equal a smart thermostat’s ability to provide warmth while still saving money and electricity.
These systems do a lot more than just set up a heating and cooling plan depending on when you plan to be home to reap the benefits. They can tell when you’re at home and when you’re not, so your HVAC system just runs when it’s needed.
Safety Cameras for the Home
A good home surveillance camera would allow you to keep an eye on your home, particularly when you’re not there. Indoor models can help you keep an eye on your kids and dogs, while outdoor models can spot prowlers in the act—and potentially deter them from bothering you in the first place.
Some versions, such as Ring, Arlo, Netatmo, and Maximus, have lights to help you navigate. Doorbell cameras will watch your front porch and enable you to engage with guests without having to approach the door or even be present.
Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Detectors
Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are inherently deafeningly unreliable. Their alarms can be noisy, but what good do they do if no one is home to hear them?
A smart smoke detector can sound a local warning as well. Still, if danger is detected, it will also send a warning to your smartphone and everyone else you appoint as a contact.
We’ve arranged smart home modules in the order in which we believe most people can deploy them, but there’s no hard guideline. If you believe that installing a smart smoke alarm is more important than installing smart lighting, go for it!
