10 Smart Home Devices You Need Right Now
What does a smart home consist of? A smart home is not a physical building, but a home’s technical infrastructure that automates processes and anticipates preferences. This automation and preference predicting is mediated by smart home devices, such as speakers, lights, and locks. These devices are controlled from a central device or app for optimum efficiency and convenience.
Smart device ownership has soared in the last few years, with two-thirds of American homes owning at least one device. Smart thermostats save home owners money on heating and cooling and doorbell cameras allow homeowners to see guests outside and unlock the door from their phone. Prioritize security and efficiency by adding smart home devices to your home.
If you’re in the market for the best smart home devices to add to your house, take some advice from an expert! Casai’s Chief Technology Officer, Andrés Páez Martínez, has compiled a list of the top 10 smart home devices you need in your home right now. Keep reading to learn more!
1/10: A Great Router
The router is your internet gateway. Most of the smart home tech (including most of the tech listed below) depends on your router to function. Look for routers with larger processing power which is measured in cores. Generally, the bigger the number of cores, the better the router performs.
2/10: Smart Lock
Smart locks are so much better than physical keys. The most advanced brands offer entry using fingerprints and facial recognition! Casai’s smart locks are connected to the app on your phone, so you can open the door with the tap of a button. Next time you have your hands full of bags and you can open the door without your keys, you’ll be thankful you bought a smart lock.
3/10: Smart Speakers
The most popular examples are Google Home, Amazon Echo or Apple HomePod. The Google and Amazon speakers are comparable in features and he would recommend everyone testing one of these products. Before you have one it’s difficult to understand why you need it. After your purchase, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without one. Andres promises that you won’t regret buying a smart speaker.
4/10: Smart Lights
Smart lights are great and have gotten much more affordable over the past few years. Smart lights offer the ability to turn on and off your lights from your phone. Or, if you have a smart speaker, you can do it with your voice. Similar to the smart speaker, once you get it, you won’t want to go back. At Casai, we strongly prefer smart switches over smart bulbs. These work better with legacy mechanical wall switches, have no learning curve, and if the internet goes out, they still work as normal.
5/10: TV Casting Device
Being able to watch your favorite series by casting from your phone is not just convenient, but expected these days. While there are some TVs that come with streaming apps installed (Netflix, Hulu, Amazon), punching in your login information is clunky and time consuming. Smart home devices like Chromecast or Roku make your phone the remote, so you don’t have to waste time logging in. Instantly stream Netflix, Amazon Video, HBO Max, Disney+, Youtube, and more when you cast from your smartphone.
6/10: Smart Blinds
Smart blinds are awesome and extremely convenient. They function similarly to smart lights which means you can open and close the blinds with your voice, remote control or phone! You can also automate the blinds to open with the sun for a more natural alarm clock. Make sure you test out smart blinds to experience one of the coolest smart home features!
7/10: Sensors
For data obsessed individuals, smart home sensors are a must. Sensors for temperature, humidity, air quality, light intensity, motion and noise can be placed and conveniently integrated into a single app. This allows homeowners to monitor every space in your house at all times. Sensors also store data, so you can review the archives or track what happens when you experiment with varying settings. Lastly, sensors can be used to automate things like temperature; for example, “Open the blinds until temperature reaches 70℉/21℃.”
8/10: Smart Faucets and Showers
Yes! Faucets and showers can also be smart! A smart faucet helps you get an exact temperature and amount of water. For example you can ask them to, “pour one cup of hot water” or “pour 500ml of room temperature water”. Smart showers are almost the same as smart faucets. With a smart shower, you can set shower duration, water flow rate and water temperature. As with all smart home devices, you can control these requests from your phone or using your voice.
9/10: Smart Pet Feeders
Smart feeders have already gained some popularity and are loved by pet owners all over. A smart pet feeder allows you to control the quantity of food you give to your pet and when it arrives in their bowl. Some come with a WiFi camera, so you can see your pet eating his/her food. Best of all? Send a special treat with the click of a button.
10/10: Robot Vacuum Cleaners
Last but not least, robot vacuum cleaners are a great addition to any home. These vacuum cleaners are great for keeping floors tidy, so you don’t have to. From vacuuming to mopping, these robots will save you a lot of cleaning time.
Smart devices are getting more convenient and more efficient. Start integrating some devices into your home to reap the many benefits that will make your house cleaner, safer, and more comfortable. This list of the best smart home devices is a great place to start; but if you’re looking to try out even more, stay in a Casai. Each Casai is equipped with the latest smart home technology, so you can test out all the latest smart home features before bringing them home.
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