Smartening up your home need not cost you an arm and a leg. We look at standalone as well as affordable smart home starter kits that are cheap to buy, easy to install and can be configured quickly all by yourself. In fact the only thing that we would consider professional help is the smart thermostat. Everything else from voice assistants to security systems to smart plugs, smart locks and lifestyle smart appliances work right out of the box.
Smart home technology is here to stay. The real benefit is in being able to control them all remotely from your mobile devices be it tablet, laptop or smartphone as well as receive alerts and notifications over the Internet putting you in charge and helping you save on your energy bills.
With so many different smart home technology available, we recommend starting with our Ultimate Smart Home Checklist. Using the checklist, you can decide the type of technology to adopt for the different rooms. The checklist lets you plan and cost up your smart home project wherever you wish to focus on. You can find this on the sidebar of this page.
Next, you would need to consider the type of Voice Assistant you wish to use for your home. This act as a smart hub where you can control compatible devices from one place. Smart home kits and gadgets support one of the following Voice Assistants; Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Apple Siri & HomeKit. For example, the Amazon Echo with Alexa has a built-in hub that lets you control Sonos speakers, Philips Hue lighting, Hive, SmartThings and other compatible gadgets. Deciding which smart hub to use means you shop for only gadgets that support it. See From Voice Controlled Speakers to Home Automation.
Essential Reads
There is a clear distinction between an intelligent robot vacuum with smart navigation and one that just goes around randomly cleaning until its battery runs low before going back to the charging base. While both manages the job of cleaning, the former does it with more elegance and efficiency while the latter will clean for […]
Video doorbells do not have to be expensive. Here are 8+5 of the best budget video doorbells under a hundred dollars with 1080p Full HD video feed, two-way audio and totally wire-free design. Plus, it doubles as a security camera for the door or porch with night vision, PIR motion detector and instant notification.
When we started looking for a security camera system, we knew that we definitely wanted a wire-free solution. We also wanted one that we could DIY and did not require professional installation. It had to have no trailing wires for power nor video feed and definitely no monthly cloud storage subscription fee to pay. Anker’s […]
Smart scales are not as expensive as one thinks. You can now get a feature packed smart scale with Bluetooth connectivity and mobile app support for under forty dollars, with some going for less than twenty dollars. Here are some of the best budget smart scales you can buy right now.
Here is a product I never thought I needed until I bought one. I mean, what is wrong with conventional weighing scales. All you need is your weight right? Wrong! The smart scales is so much more than just a weighing machine. It actually measures and monitors many aspects of your health and wellness.
On first impression, the Vacos Cam looks like the Arlo Pro 2 but what really piqued our interest was the Full Colour Night Vision mode. For a reasonably priced camera, that in itself is worth its weight in gold. We simply had to test this out for ourselves.
Did you ever want to know who was at your door before you opened it? And did you ever want the convenience of knowing who might drop by your house while you were at work? If you didn’t know that was possible, then you can stop what you’re doing and be in the know about […]
Video doorbells aren’t new. Wired intercom systems that support two way conversation and sometimes video have been around for ages. So how are these smart video doorbells any different? For starters, one of these will not only let you see who is at the door but with WiFi connectivity, remote app access, facial recognition, voice […]
Amazon Echo Show (2nd Gen) is a brilliant 10.1-inch with premium sound and vibrant colours but the alternatives to the Echo Show are catching up to steal its thunder. Smart speakers are so yesterday. Upgrade now to smart display.
If pushing the conventional vacuum cleaner around the house is not your thing then perhaps you can leave it to one of these robot vacuums to do the job. The new generation Eufy BoostIQ RoboVac 30C and its alternatives are now cheaper, more efficient and better at picking up dust.
Sonos is not the only multi-room speakers in the market. Other big names are sharing the spotlight when it comes to multi-room audio. These high-end speakers are giving Sonos a run for its money.
Robot vacuum cleaners with Alexa voice command support are cheaper than you think. It’s now time to put your feet up and ask your robot cleaner to take care of the dust on the floor.
Going to be late for work or social, having to go away on emergencies or short business trips or simply wanting to be sure that your pet is fed on time, a smart automatic pet feeder will do the job. In this article, we explore five of the best smart pet feeder for your dog, […]
These programmable pet feeders are perfect when you have a busy schedule, need to attend to emergencies, going to be late from work, planning a short business trips or break. Simply set the desired feeding schedule and portion, and these automatic feeders will do the rest.
Pet cameras are going to get huge as more and more people adopt a pet or two as part of their family. We explore 8 of the best connected smart pet cameras that not only lets you watch but interact with your pet including alerting, talking, rewarding and playing with them remotely.
Pet cameras have gone mainstream in the last few years and where previously, the market was dominated by small independent electronics companies and kick starters, the big guns have now arrived – many of which are dominant in the home security or connected technology sectors (that’s everything from autonomous cars to your voice activated home […]
There is no limit to the investment we will make in our pets – anything we can do to improve their quality of life , we will. Pet cameras are one of ways we can interact with our pets without being there but how does one go about picking the right pet camera.
Being smart with your energy consumption means being clever with your energy bills. Why heat the house when you are not around or set the same temperature throughout the day even when you are asleep. Use one of these smart thermostats to save energy and money.
We love the IKEA Besta LED light door and panel especially when you can control it with a wireless remote but we just could not bring ourselves to fork out all that money for multiple doors. So, we came up with a cheaper alternative and added voice support along the way. Here’s how we did […]
It’s time to cure that dead spot in your house, the one where you couldn’t get a good signal to browse the Internet or to continue streaming your favourite TV show.