From beginners to pros, these staple smart home products are popular, easy to install, easy to use, and offer great customer support.
Smart Lights: Philips Hue
If you want a home that is smart and bright, check out the Philips Hue family of smart lights. Though not for those on a budget, these smart lights offer a lot of value; they look great and they cut down on your energy costs. You can have a variety of different lighting options, from soft to vibrant colors, and the app you use to control your system is modern and updated.
Home Alarms: SkylinkNet
There are lots of smart options out there for your home security system, from motion sensors to video cameras that work indoors and outdoors. SkylinkNet is one of those systems, and I choose it because of how comprehensive it is. You can add motion sensors to your home’s entry points, and get alerts on your smartphone or tablet. You can also ‘link’ it to your security cameras. I’m ignoring how similar the name is to Skynet. Just going to keep ignoring that.
Fake Smart: WeMo Switches
If you don’t have smart products, just fake it with smart switches. These gadgets plug directly into your existing outlets, as an add on. Then you just plug in your lights, coffee maker, hair straightener, fan, TV or whatever you need to control. Download the WeMo app, connect to your WiFi, and you can have remote, instant control over any home item that you can plug in.
Temperature Control: Nest
The Nest Thermostat is one of the most popular smart home products. It definitely can offer some comfort to home owners, in their everyday life and in their wallets. The thermostat can help homes reduce their energy use so much that those using the smart system can see a reduction of around 20% on their monthly bill.
Locked Up: Kevo Kwikset
Nothing helps comfort you like knowing your home is locked down, and the Kevo Kwikset is here for those that have anxiety about the state of their locks. Did you remember to lock the door when you left? Did you even remember to bring your keys? Where do you even live?!?! If this sounds like a string of thoughts you have weekly, they a smart lock is for you. The Kevo Kwikset works with your smartphone so even if you don’t have your keys, you can lock and unlock your doors with a press from your finger.
Ding Dong: Smart Doorbell
Ring is a video doorbell that allows you to see who is at your door, and let’s you communicate with them through a two-way speaker. Never miss an important package or the even more important Girl Scout cookies, but feel free to shoo away annoying solicitors.
Bring all your smart home products to the next level by pairing them with an Amazon Echo or Google Home device; going hands free – it’s a smart move!
