Believe it or not, today’s standard of high-tech “smart” living makes even the Jetsons look a little antiquated. If you want to implement some helpful tech in your own home, here’s a list of smart devices that are simple to use and likely to save you time, hassle, and much more.
1. Robotic floor cleaner
Go beyond the robo vacuum with a device that mops your floors, too! Popular brands of autonomous floor cleaners are iRobot and Neato.
2. Video doorbell
Doorbells with a Wi-Fi-enabled built-in camera, like those by Ring or Nest, increase the security of your home through a front-door camera linked to a smartphone app. You can even talk through the doorbell speaker with someone at your door.
3. Smart speaker
From playing music to searching the internet and even reading you books or helping you shop and cook, devices like Alexa and Google Home are real game changers.
4. Smart thermostat
Powered by Wi-Fi, a smart thermostat like Nest works with an app to control heating and cooling more efficiently, going beyond scheduling to actually controlling your system from anywhere and learning patterns and behaviors (while adjusting to match).
5. Smart locks
With a smart lock like August or Nest x Yale, receive notifications when people enter or leave your home or share limited-access digital “keys” to trusted friends, family members, dog walkers, or baby sitters while also enjoying keyless entry via smartphone.
6. Rain sensors
If you have a sprinkler system for your lawn, a rain sensor is an easy way to stop your irrigation system when it’s raining so that you don’t waste water.
7. Wireless garage door opener
Today’s garage openers can be connected to apps that make your life simpler and your home safer by sending notifications if the garage door is left open, granting others access to your garage, and scheduling automatic opening and closing.
8. Bluetooth smoker
If you like to smoke meat but don’t have the time or patience to tend to your food all day, a Bluetooth smoker can help you control the entire process from a smartphone or tablet.
9. Smart light bulbs
Powered by the Internet, smart bulbs allow you to control your home lighting from anywhere and even allow for dimming, color changing, and energy efficiency.
10. Robotic lawn mower
These machines operate similarly to robotic vacuums, but do require a labor-intensive set up (and often come with a hefty price tag, so be sure to do your research).