Smart home technology is quickly taking over homes everywhere, and once you see what they can do, it’s easy to see why. According to IHS Markit, approximately 161 million smart home systems were sold between 2010 and 2016. Those sales are predicted to hit as much as 475 million by 2020. You’ve got a vast range of choices when choosing which devices to install almost anything can be automated, such as lighting, heating, security, television, and even appliances. But no one likes to waste their money, so here’s what we think are the smart home devices that are worth it.
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Amazon Echo
Since it was first launched in 2015, the Amazon Echo has quickly captured the public imagination. The small cylindrical device is designed to serve as voice control, smart home control, and personal assistant. AI intelligence is known as “Alexa,” can provide information on a wealth of different things all through voice control. Just ask her what you want, and she’s relay weather information, traffic reports, add events to your calendar, play music, and so much else. As more smart home technology comes out, they can be increasingly paired with Alexia to increase your range of control. It’s probably the coolest smart home device and the one that will make you feel like you’ve moved into the future.
Nest Learning Thermostat
Nest thermostats were some of the first smart-home technologies to come out when it was first released in 2011. It’s now in the third-generation model and is more reliable and faster than ever before. Using your smartphone, you can easily adjust the temperature at any time. But what makes it great is that over time it learns what your preferred temperature is at different times of the day and automatically adjusts without you having to update it. There’s also a lot of savings to be made from it, as much as 11% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills. Check out the company’s white paper to learn more about its financial benefits.
Philips Hue Smart Lighting
Just like a smart thermostat, smart light bulbs allow you to control the lighting throughout your home remotely. This way, you can set them to turn on only when you get home, so you don’t have to walk through a dark house. You’ll also never have to worry again about going out and leaving the lights on. But this can also be useful as a way to make any burglars think there’s someone home. They can even be set to dim to any level needed depending on your mood. Let’s not forget either the cost benefits from a reduced electrical bill.
Vivint Doorbell Camera
It’s having total control of your home security that gets a lot of people interested in smart devices. But why go for any smart camera when you can have one that functions as a doorbell also. This way, you can quickly bring up a video feed of your main point of entry whenever you hear a strange noise or knock late at night. It also comes with audio, so you can even speak directly to anyone who’s there through your smartphone.
