When it comes to progressing our daily lives, we look towards technology to lead the way. As more and more people work from home, we are adapting to bring technology into our homes to automate our schedules and make life easier. But, with so many different smart home products on the market, you might not know where to start!
Luckily, we started this list of the top smart home products you can include in your home to advance your day-to-day and impress your guests. Every person and household has different needs and wants. So whether you’re looking to add smart home products for every need in your home or just addressing one problem, we are here to help you make the right decision.
The Easiest Place to Start: Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri.
Some people prefer Apple, and other people work better with PCs. The same logic applies when we look at the smart home product known as a digital assistant. The reasons to love these products are the same, so we outlined some of the top reasons to own them. That way, you can make the right decision for your home.
There are a few different things to consider when looking at a smart speaker, such as:
- Price
- Size
- Audio quality
- Integrations
Once you’ve figured out whether you want to go with Alexa, Google, or Siri, you can pick out the smart speaker that’s right for you.
Alexa: Amazon Echo
If you decide to go with an Alexa product, look to pair that with the Amazon Echo. Their newest generation offers built-in Zigbee radio. This helps you connect to your other smart home products such as Zigbee lights, sensors, or locks. Not only will this give you the ability to control normal Alexa functions, but you can incorporate other products.
On the security side of things, the Amazon Echo can send alerts to your phone if the microphones detect the noise of breaking glass or a smoke alarm. This device keeps you plugged into your home, whether you’re at a neighbor's house or across the country.
The Amazon Echo is also hooked up to Amazon music or can play music from subscriptions such as Pandora or Spotify. You can also set routines with your Alexa. Such as, programming your lights by the hour, and following morning or evening routines.
Google: Look Towards the Google Nest Mini
When it comes to Google, look no further than the Nest Mini. Not only is it listed as one of the lowest-priced smart speakers at $50. It also has almost as many capabilities as Alexa. Google products are meant to be compatible with other Google products! So, you can adjust your thermostat or secure your home with your Nest Mini. There are plenty of integrations you can follow, such as locking your doors or even getting real-time footage from your doorbell camera.
Google Nest Mini has streaming service options for your music. It provides you with YouTube Music Premium for free. Normally, this subscription would cost $10/month! Enjoy your smart speaker for great music, and for catching up on your daily news.
There are also tests out there that prove Google Assistant is *slightly* smarter than Alexa. So if you’re looking for a budget-friendly and smart option, look no further than the Google Nest Mini.
All About Apple? Buy the Best Smart Speaker for the HomeKit
The Apple Home Pod Mini is your solution if you’re looking to have the Apple HomeKit. This Siri-powered, small smart speaker costs $100 and comes with plenty of great features for users to enjoy. It has an intercom, stereo speaker pairing, and audio handoff capabilities.
While there aren’t as many devices that can work hand-in-hand with the Apple Home Pod Mini, it’s the perfect smart speaker for Apple users. With Siri as your smart assistant, you’ll love all the features that this smart speaker has to offer!
Indoor and Outdoor Security Cameras
We can’t always see everything that happens, that’s why we look towards home cameras to catch the things we don’t. You can place cameras indoors and outdoors, giving you real-time footage of what is happening in and around your home. Whether you want to make sure your kids got off the bus, or see what your dog is doing during the day, a camera provides it all.
Here are some key features to enjoy with this smart home product:
- Night vision. Security cameras have great nighttime vision capabilities, helping you get a clear and crisp view of your surroundings.
- Real-time notifications. These cameras will send you alerts straight to your phone to let you know when motion is detected. You also can pick what areas you’d like to be notified for. Therefore, if you live on a busy street you don’t need to worry about frequent motion notifications from cars driving by.
- Wide range of view. Keep in mind that these cameras can see more than just one section of your household!
- Access to past recordings. Most security cameras are connected to the cloud, allowing you to access previous recordings at any moment. Remember, that access will likely cost you money in a monthly subscription.
Video Doorbell Camera
Tired of having packages delivered when you’re not at home? There’s nothing like driving up to your house at the end of the day and checking out your front porch just to make sure your package wasn’t stolen. Instead of tempting fate (and pesky thefts), look towards securing your front door with a video doorbell camera.
This smart home product allows you to have two-way audio communication with whoever is at your door! That way, you can ask the delivery driver to put your package at the back of the house. Or, you can have real-time footage of everything going on outside your door. You’ll know exactly when someone comes up to your door with real-time motion detection notifications sent straight to your phone.
Some common video doorbell cameras are:
- Ring
- Google Nest
- Wyze
- Eufy
- ADT
Smart Locks
How many times have you left your house, and got to your destination, only to wonder “Did I lock the doors behind me?”
It happens to the best of us! That’s why smart locks are a fantastic smart home product. With options such as the Yale Smart Lock, users can ditch the keys and access their home with their personal and unique code.
Key features of smart locks include the following:
- Set multiple codes to allow users into your home. Then, remove those numbers when you no longer want them to have access to your household.
- Lock your home from your phone app
- Automatically lock or unlock the door
- Voice commands and integration with your smart speakers (such as Alexa, Google, or Apple).
- Notifications via phone app and email
- Customize your schedule for automatic lock/unlock
- Activity logs. See when someone enters your home!
- Bluetooth and geofence compatibility.
Upgrade Your Home With Smart Home Products
Now that you’ve read about our favorite smart home products, you’re ready to move forward with finding the best selection for your household! Once you start integrating these products into your household, you’ll realize just how easy it is to automate your home and enjoy these great pieces of technology.