Did you ever think there'd be such a thing as a smart house?
Even now, do you conjure up the image of your home possessing a voice, a heart beat, and a brain?
Well, incorporating smart home tech can feel a bit like giving your home all of those things. But whatever the case, this technology is great for keeping your home safe, energy efficient, entertaining and even clean!
So with all of this new technology, where do you begin? We'll get you started with a list of our favorites.
Bring some "life" into your home with the following smart home tech:
Smart Thermostat
Nest Learning and ecobee3 Smarter WiFi
Of the two, the Nest Learning Thermostat is more widely known than the ecobee3. But both devices offer many of the same benefits.
They’re both:
- Able to learn your preferences and schedule
- Adjust the temperature according to your preferences/schedule
- Far more aesthetically pleasing and easier to use than old school thermostats
- Going to pay for themselves over time in energy savings
If you live in a large house, have more money to spend and are willing to pick up additional remote sensors, you'll probably want the ecobee3. Those extra sensors will give you control over the temperature in different rooms around your house.
On the other hand, if you live in a condo or smaller place and don't have as big a budget, the Nest will serve your needs.
As far as the displays go, the Nest's is more vibrant. But the ecobee3 is larger and touch-enabled. The touchscreen makes it easier to enter a WiFi password, access the settings, get weather information, etc.
So which one you choose will depend on those factors.
Either way, once you have the luxury of heating up or cooling down your house from your bed via your phone, you'll never go back to a regular thermostat!
Smart Security
August Smart Lock
The August Smart Lock lets you remotely control your door lock from your phone.
You might be wondering why you'd want this piece of smart home tech.
Well, aside from its good looks and easy installation right over your deadbolt, it becomes even more functional when it's connected with a compatible hub. Once you do that, you have the power to dictate who can enter your home when you're not there.
For example, if you're having repairs done by a trusted friend but can't be home when he or she is coming to do them, you can unlock the door once they get there and lock it after they leave.
That way, you don't have to stay home all day.
Smart Lighting
Philips Hue and Cree Connected LED Bulb
Are you longing for a smartphone app that enables you to turn your lights blue? Maybe not. But it can still be a lot of fun!
With the Philips Hue, it's easy to change the mood of a room with this smart lighting technology. As long as you have a couple hundred bucks to drop on the starter kit, get ready for some cool lighting options.
If you're looking for something a bit less extravagant, the Cree Connected LED Bulb could be a better fit. It requires a hub to work and you won't be able to turn your rooms all those great colors.
But you can still use your phone to dim your lights - if that's something you want - and save a little cash along the way.
universal remotes for smart homes go, Logitech has been a key player in the game or a long time. And if you're planning on having other smart home devices, Harmony Home Control is your best bet.
It includes the Harmony Companion that connects to devices such as the Nest thermostat and Philips Hue lights that we mentioned above. But it also connects to the usual suite of media streamers, televisions, cable boxes and game consoles.
Home Control opts out of the IR blaster in favor of an RF signal. That means you don’t have to point it right at the device you want to control in order for it to work.
As with anything, operation isn't always seamless. But considering its ability to control up to 8 things at once, it’s hard to beat.
Smart Information/Entertainment
Amazon Echo and Sono Play:1
The Amazon Echo is technically a speaker, but it's capable of so much more than just music. Its ability to crawl the Web, set alarms and tell you the weather make it more like your personal digital assistant.
It's simple to operate and while you may use it to play music much of the time, it's also your hands-free connection to the Internet.
If the Internet aspect doesn't interest you, then the Sonos Play:1 is a great choice. This smart home tech device is all about the music and one you have the Sono's app, it can easily stream music from Spotify, SiriusXM, Pandora, Google Play Music, Amazon Prime Music, and the other big hitters.
Smart Vacuuming
Roomba 980
No list of smart home tech devices would be complete without the Roomba.
And with the Roomba 980, the little semi-autonomous robot vacuum is smarter than ever.
You can schedule it to automatically start cleaning at specific times, even if you're not near it. And it's amazingly effective at tidying up, even though it'll still occasionally crash into walls. Which is amusing.
The biggest drawback of the Roomba 980 though is the price tag. But if you have around $900 to commit to your cleaning, this is a great little piece of technology.
Ready to Infuse Some Wisdom into Your Home Tech?
Buying a smart home tech device at the onset might seem a bit costly. Especially if you're considering buying more than one.
But it's an investment that's well worth it and will more than pay off in how much time and energy you'll save. That's why we recommend going smart for your regular home and your getaway home!
Contact us today to discuss our current listings and how you can use technology to maximize the efficiency of your new home in our beautiful community.
By Coldwell Banker
