The Essential Guide to Smart Home Gadgets

With readily available items at very reasonable prices, Smart Homes are becoming increasingly popular. Whether you are looking to save money and time, looking for convenience or simply something a bit ‘cool’, then these Smart Home gadgets are for you. Take a look at our essential guide to get you up and running.

Voice activated smart speaker

Whether you opt for an Amazon Alexa or Google Home, a smart speaker is going to give you so much more than just a speaker. Using only your voice, you can not only play music, but search the internet, create shopping lists and to-do lists, purchase things online and find out the answer to those important questions, or the not so important ones!

Available in different sizes and models, there is a smart speaker to fit all needs and budgets.

Smart Bulbs

You’ve got your smart speaker set up, it’s time to connect your smart bulbs. These allow you to turn your lights on and off with just you voice. These are a great option for all home owners, whether it be a rented flat or mansion house – they can be quickly and easily installed without requiring any major installations. Left the house but forgot to turn the lights off before leaving? Not to worry, a smart bulb means you can do it remotely from your mobile phone. With the ability to change the colour of the light to reflect your mood, or pair it up with a movie to create stunning visual effects in your very own lounge, they are a simple but effective way to make your house a Smart Home.

Electric Blinds and Tracks

A fully customisable electric blind at the touch of a button can allow you to block out the light, let it filter in or somewhere in between to suit your varying needs at different times of the day. With a track like the Silent Gliss 5100T Autoglide, you have the ability to automatically open when the sun rises or at a specific time, allowing you to wake up to natural sunlight. The timer feature also adds a sense of security, as it gives the illusion that someone is in the house even if you’re away on holiday. Each system has a power failure override function, so you are still able to easily operate the tracks even without power.

An electric curtain rail or blind will also make life much easier if you have mobility problems. A remote control or button means you don’t have to struggle to pull a curtain across or reach a chord.

As well as looking rather impressive when all your blinds close automatically, it saves you having to do it yourself!

Robot Vacuum Cleaners

These have been around for a few years now and for good reason. Why spend precious time hoovering your house when a robot can do it for you?! They make vacuuming your home much less of a chore and can also get those hard-to-reach places that you can’t, like under the dresser or bed.

Smart Coffee Makers

One of our most luxurious smart home gadgets, but one that will certainly make your mornings much more pleasant. Waking up to the smell of freshly ground coffee is the perfect way to start the day! A smart coffee maker can get you your caffeine fix the moment you wake up. With some models offering self-grinding coffee beans and other customisations setting specific temperatures, they will ensure you get your day off to a flying start.

Doorbell

Online shopping is so easy these days, particularly when you have a smart speaker. But getting home to realise you’ve missed your delivery is never a nice feeling! A video doorbell has to be an essential smart home gadget if you’ve ever experienced that feeling! With a live feed that gets sent to your smartphone when someone rings the doorbell, not only can you see who it is, but you can also communicate with the person through an intercom. This means you can easily instruct the delivery person to leave your package in a safe place, saving you from having to pick it up from the local depot or post office the next day.

Video doorbells are also beneficial to those who can’t get to the door quickly, or simply for security reasons if you what to see who is at your front door before answering.

Thermostat  

There’s nothing like stepping into a nice warm house after a long day out. A smart thermostat, like the Nest or Hive, allows you to control the temperature of your house from your mobile. Some even offer the ability to gradually learn about your activities and favoured heating schedule, which will save you money on your energy bills without compromising on warmth.

So, there you have it – our essential guide to smart home gadgets. With an ever-evolving market, who knows what we will add next!