A smart home is a happy home. At least, in the sense that the easier you make things for yourself and your family, the better!
These days, planning and going about renovations is as much about smart home upgrades as it is the usual decorative touches. A gadget here, a convenience there and before you know it you’re wondering how you got by without them.
But which smart home upgrades for modern living should appear at the top of your ‘must-buy’ list? If you’re planning on bringing a few 21st century mod-cons into your home this year, which indispensable gadgets should you make a beeline for?
1. A Smart Robot Vacuum
Robot vacuum technology has come a long way over recent years, with prices having plummeted to all-time lows. A decent robot vacuum cleaner can practically eliminate one of the most time-consuming and laborious of all domestic duties. Seriously – there’s nothing quite like coming home after a busy day to find a neat little gadget has done the job for you.
2. USB Outlets
The time has come to kiss goodbye to troublesome and clunky adapters, which despite being cumbersome have a nasty habit of going missing. Switch to a series of USB outlets around the home and you’ll be able to charge pretty much every mobile device you own, without having to search for the corresponding power brick.
3. A 21st Century Toilet
It’s not the first thing you think of where gadgetry is concerned, but hear us out on this one. From the latest hi-tech bidet to an automatic cistern and bowl sanitizer, there’s a ton you can do to combat at least some of the nastiness in the bathroom. All without spending a fortune, or making any major structural alterations.
4. A Smart Home Automation System
By this, we mean one of those neat little voice recognition devices, which enable you to control a whole bunch of other gadgets around the home. Amazon Echo being one of the most popular choices available, which can be used to control a wide variety of smart devices – anything from lighting to TVs to music systems to electric blinds and even security systems.
5. A Video Doorbell
Speaking of security, the latest video doorbell systems are simply fantastic. With no complex installation requirements whatsoever, these neat little gadgets sit discreetly outside your property and provide a live HD video feed of what’s going on outdoors. As the device connects directly to your home Wi-Fi system, you can access the live feed (or recording) from anywhere in the world at any time.
6. Motion Sensors and Smart Security
Motion sensor security technology isn’t quite as rudimentary as it used to be. Or to put it another way, your exterior lights and alarm systems aren’t going to be activated by a couple of leaves blowing by on the wind. Automated security technology is more sophisticated, capable and accurate than it has ever been, which can also be tied to a smart home automation system to send direct alerts to your mobile device, if and when something suspicious is detected.
7. Smart Thermostats
Last but not least, a smart thermostat is as much about saving money as it is adding comfort and convenience to your home. The idea being that rather than having a single central thermostat, you install a few additional thermostats to regulate individual room temperatures.Again, some of the latest smart thermostats can be linked to your smart home automation system, meaning they can be controlled from a mobile device at anytime from anywhere in the world.
