Are you ready to join the smart home revolution? What is a smart home? What is a smart home? We recently launched a Smart Home category on MakeUseOf, but what is a smart home? Read More Do not be afraid! Turns out smart homes aren't that expensive. How much does a smart home really cost? How much does a smart home really cost? A smart home could change your life, freeing up time in your day and regulating your routine so you don't have to remember what needs to be done. But how expensive is it, really? Read More
Money is just a hindrance if you want the absolute cutting edge in home automation. On the other hand, if you are willing to wait until the early adoption phase 5 Reasons Being an Early Adopter is a Bad Idea 5 Reasons Being an Early Adopter is a Bad Idea Are you the kind of person who does an advance order? The new technological devices as soon as they are available? So you are an early adopter. Is there a drawback? Let's find out. Read More .
Waiting is probably the most frugal option, but that doesn't mean you can't plan ahead and start shopping today. Here are several components that can be had now for less than $100.
The most basic smart home component is the smart outlet or smart plug , which are the same thing:an extension to your wall outlets that provide better control over the appliances and devices connected to those outlets.
Belkin's WeMo switch is the most popular by far, not because it's the cheapest (it's $45) but because it has the best marketing and promotion around it, plus it's easy to use and has a great name.
Does that make it the best option? Not really, but if you run into any problems, it's comforting to know that there are many other users of the same product. However, there are several creative ways to use the WeMo 3 Way Switch. The Belkin WeMo can "Smarten" your regular household lamps. 3 ways. The Belkin WeMo can "Smarten" your regular household lamps. Regular household lamps into smart lamps. Read More
Fortunately, there are plenty of WeMo exchange alternatives. 6 Smart Plugs That Aren't Belkin WeMo 6 Smart Plugs That Aren't Belkin WeMo Read More For example, the Ankuoo NEO is only $31. But if you want a brand with a better reputation than Belkin, consider the SmartPhings SmartPower Outlet for $55.
The aforementioned smart outlets are great for controlling your “dumb” lamps and light brackets, but smart home automation has progressed beyond that. Now you can buy specific lighting systems that incorporate the best elements of smart technology for maximum comfort.
The most recommended solution is the Philips Hue Lightbulb, which is an LED light bulb designed to use up to 80% less energy than a traditional light bulb. What's smart about it? With the smartphone app, you can control it remotely or set it to fire according to a timer. A light bulb is currently priced at $20.
See our introduction to the Philips Hue system Light your home the smart way With Philips Hue Light your home the smart way With Philips Hue If you can afford the upfront costs, you won't find a better supported and more user-friendly Smart lighting system on the market . Read More Of course if you look around you can find “better” alternatives, like the LIFX dimmable smart bulb available for $99. Are they worth the price? In my opinion, no.
Another key component of smart home automation is the sensor. There are a large number of sensor types available depending on the hub of the smart home. Which Smart Hub for Home Automation is Best for You? Which Smart Hub for Home Automation is Best for You? For a while, people thought the idea was nothing more than a gimmick, but recent product launches have shown that smart home automation is starting to deliver on its promises. Read More
If you don't know where to start, the Aeon Labs multi-sensor might be a good entry point. It is a four-in-one solution that can detect motion, temperature, lighting, and humidity, and communicates using the well-known and well-supported Z-Wave protocol. It can be yours for $49..
Consider attaching it to a cheap but versatile hub like the Staples Connect hub, which is available for $49. When paired, you can configure the sensor to notify the hub when a particular event is triggered, and the hub can send the alert your smartphone.
Gardening is a wonderful way to de-stress and channel your creative energy in a productive direction, but there are some aspects of gardening that are cumbersome and trivial. For example, remembering to keep everything watered at the correct rates.
Well, here's some good news:We've covered smart devices for your garden 5 Smart Devices to Help Manage Your Garden 5 Smart Devices to Help Manage Your Garden Turns out, a smart garden is entirely possible, thanks to the devices we're going to check out. take a look at today. Read More The drawback is that most products will cost you more than $100.
Except for Parrot Flower Power, which is a self-described “smart plant sensor” that tracks the health of your plants in real time. The information is transmitted to your smartphone via the accompanying app. It will cost you around $60.
An egg tray is probably the last thing on your mind that needs to be improved, but it has been done. And after reading more about this, you'll probably come to the same conclusion I did:"Dude, this is pretty smart!"
The Egg Minder Smart Egg Tray can hold up to 14 eggs. It has sensors that track how long each egg has been in each slot so you know when the eggs are old or going bad.
It also syncs with your smartphone so you always know how many eggs you have at home. When running low, Egg Minder can send push notifications to keep you informed. For $10 it's a steal, and it's just one of many smart gadgets you've never heard of 5 Smart Home Gadgets You Probably Haven't Heard Of 5 Smart Home Gadgets You Probably Haven't Heard Of Read More .
The only drawback is that the Egg Minder isn't the same dimensions as most standard egg trays, so you may or may not have a problem fitting it into your refrigerator.
If your home doesn't have a surveillance system, rest assured you can build one yourself How to Build a Security Camera Network Using Old Smartphones How to Build a Security Camera Network Using Old Smartphones There is no best use of old smartphones When building your own DIY network security camera system, we show you everything you need to know! Read More All you need is a few old smartphones that you no longer use.
Set them up with mobile webcam apps like IP Webcam or any other cell phone surveillance apps. 3 Most Effective Cell Phone Surveillance Apps to Monitor Your Kids [Android] 3 Most Effective Cell Phone Surveillance Apps to Monitor Your Kids [Android]. Once they are ready, you can use Webcam Watcher as a central monitoring station for the surveillance network.
If that's too basic for you, then you'll probably want a dedicated smart home security device. Safe and sound:4 great security devices for the home safe and sound:4 great security devices for the smart home Read more. They typically cost several hundred dollars, but the D-Link Wireless Surveillance Camera is a good budget option at $47. It lets you watch on the go with your smartphone.
This list doesn't include the Nest Thermostat or the August Smart Lock, two products that are often recommended as the first smart home device. Start your smart home with 4 easy projects. Start your smart home with 4 easy projects. A huge company, and it can be hard to know where to start. But it is not as difficult as you may think! Read More If you're willing to stretch your budget a little over $100, consider starting with those.
Smart TVs What is a Smart TV? 6 of the best on the market today What is a Smart TV? 6 of the best on the market today Most of the TVs you look at right now are smart TVs, but what is a smart TV and which ones are the best on the market right now? The other reading devices are ones that are frequently recommended, but are slowly losing value as 3D television declines. 3D Smart TV:Is everything ready? Smart TV 3D:is everything ready to be? If you're new to smart TVs, now may be the time to catch up and see what you've been missing. With 3D Smart TV technology, you have even more options to consider. Read More Smart TVs are a growing security risk:How to deal with this? Imagine being hacked through your smart TV. It sounds silly and mundane, but it can be quite serious. This is what you need to know. Read more.
But if you've come this far and are still looking for smarter home ideas, you might be interested in a smart doorbell. What is a smart doorbell and which one should you buy? What is a smart doorbell, and what should you buy? Doorbells that provide two-way communication, enable remote monitoring and send alerts directly to your smartphone? We are not talking about the future:all this (and more) is already possible with smart doorbells. Read More Read More Read more . Good luck!
If you were given $100 to spend on a smart home device, which one would you buy? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
