We live in a time when investing in our homes is of utmost priority. Since COVID-19 is here to stay for the foreseeable future, the best thing we can do for ourselves and our families is making our houses a place of comfort, fun, and convenience. A big part of that is investing in smart technologies and home automation systems that can help us save money on electricity and save the planet.
Living in the 21st century means having almost everything automated. Here are some of the best home automation tools and gadgets you need to know.
What is home automation?
Home automation is simply about giving you and your family access to control devices and electronics in your home, all from your mobile phone—which means being able to control things in your home wherever you are in the world. Home automation can help provide you with a sense of security and convenience that you never have before.
Lighting
If you want to start dipping your toes in the whole home automation trend but want to start with something simple, start with smart lighting. There is already plenty of affordable and smart LED bulbs in the market. They provide various features—from vacation-mode lighting that can keep your home lit up even when you’re not, to entertaining and fun color-changing bulbs which look wonderful in the pool area, and the ability to turn off the lights in your home with a mere voice command from the comfort of your bed.
Pets
There are many home habits that you can automate, and one of them is your pets’ feeding time. Especially if your fur babies need to be on some consistent diet where they have to eat a certain amount at specific times of the day, a smart pet feeder is exactly the gadget for you. It’s also an effective tool for pet owners who often have to travel for work or leave their homes at long hours of the day.
Some automatic pet feeders have the following added features:
- Customizable time feeding and meal portions
- Wide-angled, HD, and night vision cameras for you to be able to monitor your pets from everywhere in the world
- WiFi-powered
- Optional cloud recording
- Light-up LCD clock
- Dishwasher-safe
Landscaping
Another home chore that you can automate is your watering and landscaping. Not only will it help you save time and allow you to focus on other tasks, but an automated sprinkler system can also help reduce your water consumption and, in turn, your water bills. The best part is that the sprinkler installation can be done by experts who know the best possible system for your home, especially as they understand your daily goals, lifestyle, and needs.
Appliances
You might be surprised to know that almost all appliances in the world can be smart now, including but not limited to:
- Clothes washers and dryers
- Refrigerators
- Dishwashers
- Coffee makers
- Vacuums
- Microwaves and ovens
- Touchless soap dispensers
- Air fryers
Many of these appliances can be commanded through voice command and connected to platforms like Google Home and Amazon Alexa. You need to choose the platform that works best and find the appliances connected with that platform.
Entertainment
Here are some categories of entertainment that you can automate:
- Hub and remote control
- Streaming devices
- Mesh Wi-Fi system
- Soundbars and speakers
- Smart speakers
- Smart TVs, projectors, and monitors
- Smart displays
You can command these entertainment units through different platforms like Alexa and Google Assistant.
Safety and security
Your home can be made even safer and more secure through the following smart products:
- DIY home security systems can help you self-monitor the state of your home from your phone. Your phone will also be notified when there has been a break-in or a fire, and you can also view the security cameras from anywhere in your house.
- Smart locks also allow you to lock and secure every door in your home before you go to bed. There are also digital keys, which you can provide guests so that they can enter your home without the need for physical keys. You can also monitor who’s at the door through these smart locks.
The Bottom Line
The idea of automating everything in your home may be fun, but it also presents a lot of security risks. Just be sure to enforce a lot of security measures to protect your home from hacking, or consult with professionals, too. With enough safety precautions, your home can be the smart house you’ve always dreamed of.
