The 5 do-it-yourself smart home devices that make being in our home — living, working, cooking, coping, relaxing, and just plain surviving — better this year.
In 1989 (the year Back to the Future II was released) Robert Zemeckis and Steven Spielberg seemed pretty sure that by now we’d have bionic high-tops and robot Michael Jacksons would bring us all of our nanomilshakes. While we may not have flying cars and hoverboards like in the film, today’s technology has certainly changed our everyday lifestyles — especially at home. From smart outlets to voice assistants to automatic locks, tech-advanced home upgrades are reaching the market at a rapid pace. According to one survey by Xiaomi, a global leader in smart devices, 70% of consumers have reported making changes in their living environment since the onset of COVID-19, and 51% have purchased at least one smart device since March of 2020. If you’re curious what devices you’d benefit from, check out these easy smart home upgrades you can start enjoying in just a weekend (or less).
1. Amazon Echo
Amazon Echo is the friendly and polite home helper we didn’t know we needed. This popular voice-activated assistant (otherwise known as “Alexa”) can carry out a wide range of tasks: streaming music from your Spotify account, giving you weather updates and news reports, or even controlling your thermostat and other areas of your home.
2. Nest Thermostat
With Nest, you can take control of your home’s thermostat whether you’re at home or away. Instead of manually adjusting your furnace/air conditioning every time you leave the house, you can set your thermostat on an energy-saving schedule and even make adjustments while you’re out of the house.
3. Dyson Pure Cool Link Air Filter and Fan
Like your average fan, only much cooler. The Dyson Pure Cool Link not only keeps the room nice and chilly, but also doubles as an ultra-fine air purifier, removing allergens, pollutants, and odors. Bonus: automatic night mode for quiet cleaning and voice activation with Amazon Echo.
4. August Smart Lock
A keyless lock system that you can control with your phone? Sign us up. You can automatically set a locking schedule which means no more driving home or getting up in the middle of the night to double-check the front door. We also love that you can let someone in remotely, in case you have a visitor or delivery while you’re out.
5. Phillips Hue Lightstrips
These smart lightstrips wrap behind your tv or computer screen, creating a stunning backlit display while you watch television, stream content, or play video games. Wow your friends and family with different light displays that sync with music or try soothing, ambient tones to set the mood. Hue lights can be controlled via the Phillips app or with voice assistants such as Google Home, Amazon Echo, or Apple HomePod.
Summary
Have you tried any of these smart home upgrades? Which products are your favorite? If you need an internet solution that supports a tech-friendly home, reach out to us. We’ll get you connected.
