The future is here, and even if it isn't quite like the Jetsons, there lots of ways technology can make our lives better. One of those ways is turning your home into a smart home. A smart home is simply a way of automating several of the things in your home to make your life better. This can be as simple as having a digital assistant to play music, restock on household supplies, or help you keep track of your calendar. Or as complicated as fully automating lights, thermostats, and even your kitchen appliances.
Maybe you've been thinking about going down the smart home path, but are a little overwhelmed at starting. Below are a few quick tips to help make that journey a little bit easier.
Smart Speaker or Smart Hub
You'll want to have some type of central hub to control everything. This is a crucial step in the beginning because all of the other purchases you make for your smart home need to integrate with the hub you use. Having a hub makes it easier as opposed to using several apps to control various things in your home.
The popular place to start is the smart speaker. The major products in this category are Amazon Echo, Google home, and Apple HomePod.
Once you decide on a hub, the sky is the limit when it comes to automating your home. However, here are a few options to get started that will get you well on your way. Just make sure they work with your particular hub.
Smart bulbs: Smart lights are probably one of the simplest ways to make your home smart. After all, it’s as easy as screwing in a light bulb. They are also extremely renter friendly, unlike installing a smart thermostat or putting in a brand new smart stove.
Smart outlets: Smart plugs are extremely versatile, allowing you to control almost any device with your phone or smart speaker. This includes stuff like Christmas Trees, a wall AC, or really anything you can think of. They are also pretty affordable.
Smart thermostats: There are a growing number of smart thermostat options on the market, though the best known options are made by Nest. A smart thermostat not only can make your house more comfortable, it can save you money through long-term savings in energy costs.
Smart locks: Smart locks can let you issue one time access codes to friends and families, automatically open for you if they detect your paired smart phone, and more. Be sure to check out our guide to the best smart locks.
Smart security cameras: Modern smart security cameras allow you to check on your house, pet, or family members anywhere you have access to the web. There are a bunch of different options at a variety of price points. In addition, check out smart doorbells, such as Ring, that have security cameras also.
As you can see, there is a lot of different options. It really depends on you and your budget. Here's to 2019 being a smart year!