The demand for home appliances and devices that make life easier has tremendously risen. And so, many smart home devices have popped up. They allow you to do many things with so much convenience.
There is a smart home device fit for the job for almost anything you need. For example, if you want to save energy and lower your bills, you can look at smart thermostats, sprinklers, and plugs. If you want convenience, smart displays, speakers, lights, and robot vacuums are for you. And for security purposes, there are video doorbells, smart locks, and smart security cameras.
But now that you have so many options, it becomes more difficult to choose which smart home device to buy. Let this be your guide. These are the best and newest smart home devices you should consider adding to your automated home.
Philips Hue
The best smart light bulb is the Philips Hue – it is versatile, meaning it can fit in many situations.
Admittedly, these new light bulbs are more expensive than the past Hue bulbs. But they have a lot of great things going for them. For instance, you no longer need a special hub to make these lights functional; they work independently. You can still install a hub if you want to. That will allow you to link 50 light bulbs instead of just 10.
Furthermore, the hub allows you to group lights by room or zones. You can even sync the lights when playing music, movies, or games. Additionally, the hub gives you a security feature that randomly turns the lights on or off to make it seem you are home even when you are not. That will make thieves not want to break into your house.
Philip Hue bulbs’ Bluetooth accessibility allows you to control them using the Philips Hue app. They are also compatible with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. Meaning you can use voice commands to control them. Last, these bulbs pair with Nest and Samsung SmartThings.
Google Nest Hub (2nd Gen)
The second-generation Google Nest Hub is an affordable smart display with voice control. The screen of this display is larger than the original. On top of that, it has an improved sound quality, thanks to the enhanced speakers built into it. Unfortunately, you can’t use it to video call others as it does not have a camera.
Still, it is worth buying this smart display. It has an interesting feature called Soli, which allows you to control it using hand gestures. Combined with its ability to take voice commands, it enables this device to offer so much convenience.
You can install this to control your compatible smart devices like other hubs.
Sonos One
Sonos One is expensive, but you will get a lot for your money. First of all, it is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. So, it can easily fit in many setups. You can use voice commands or the buttons on the speakers to play, pause, or skip tracks.
This speaker offers a crisp sound quality. The package also includes two Class-D amplifiers, a tweeter, and a mid-woofer. Using those with the speaker will allow you to fill any room with immersive sound.
You can improve this speaker’s performance to better match your preferences. The Sonos app will let you make those adjustments. Additionally, the software Trueplay will let you fine-tune your Sonos One.
Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit
Smart switches give you better control of your appliances. The best one available in the market is the Lutron Caseta Smart Start Kit. It includes a smart switch, a smart bridge, and a wallplate.
This kit has seamless integration with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit, Ring, Serena Shades, and Sonos. And it allows you to control your home devices using voice commands with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri. But please note that for it to work with Siri, you need to set up the included smart bridge.
You can also control your devices using Android phones, iPhones, or Pico remotes. And, of course, you can also turn devices on or off by using the physical switches.
ecobee Smart Thermostat
Suppose you are looking for ways to save on energy bills. Here is your solution. The ecobee Smart Thermostat has Alexa built into it. And it is also compatible with Google Assistant, SmartThings, and Apple HomeKit. Additionally, you can also use Siri if you own an Apple HomePad mini. These compatibility make this smart thermostat integrate easily into your smart home. So, adjusting the temperature in your house will be easier than ever.
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
You need to protect yourself and your possessions from shady people. And so, it is best to make your house as secure as possible. You can use smart locks to improve the security of your home.
You don’t need to replace your deadbolt to install this smart lock. It goes on top of that. Also, you can still use your key to unlock the door in case of a power outage.
August’s DoorSense technology allows you to know whether or not your door is locked or closed. It will inform you if your door is not properly closed, so you can fix that.
You can control this smart lock using voice commands. Likewise, you can control it using the August app on your iPhone or Android devices. Moreover, you can control the lock from anywhere as long as the device and your phone is connected to Wi-Fi.
Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera
Nothing will improve your home’s security system better than a good security camera.
The Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera is your best option. It is affordable and works with all major smart home ecosystems. One of its best features is, like high-end cameras, it offers 2K HDR quality. Also, it has night vision with color. And it has a spotlight that shines when the camera detects motion, allowing you to see more clearly.
This wireless smart camera is weather-resistant, so it will not break easily.
The Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight security camera has so many more useful features. And that’s why you should buy one for yourself.