The first remote control was invented in 1894 when a radio signal caused a mirror galvanometer to move a beam of light. Just over a century later, you can use a remote control to automate just about any task imaginable around your home.
In 2017, you can remotely control more than radio players and TVs. Many of these don't need a separate remote. Instead, you can essentially use your smartphone as an all-purpose remote to program ceiling fans, automated lawn mowers, and much more. However, if you're interested in a more traditional remote control option, a universal remote may be more your style!
In this article, you will learn more about remote control devices available for the home. Some on this list will surprise you!
Logitech continues to be the market leader when it comes to all-in-one remote control solutions. Their line of Harmony controls is often marketed as a remote control television solution, although these products do much more than help you change your television from one channel to another.
The top-of-the-line Harmony Elite, for example, can control entertainment devices, as well as lighting, shades, locks, and more. Works with some of the most popular smart home products on the market, including Philips Hue, August, Roku, and PlayStation.
Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control, Hub and App, works with Alexa Logitech Harmony Elite Remote Control, Hub and App, works with Alexa Buy Now On Amazon $248.95
There are many daily tasks Get the most out of your Logitech Harmony Elite Get the most out of your Logitech Harmony Elite So you've got a Logitech Harmony Elite. Here are some of our favorite ways to use the universal remote in your home. Read more what you can do with your Harmony remote. For example, when connected to the Nest Learning Thermostat, the remote (or the Harmony app) can change the temperature in your home. You can also use Harmony to detect and change Nest Away's mood.
What's even better is setting default Nest thermostat temperatures for each of your Harmony activities. For example, automatically heat your home when you launch a TV show or turn off your A/C when you listen to music.
Do you like ambient lighting better? If you connect Harmony to your Philips Hue system, changing the color and brightness of bulbs or a scene is as simple as pressing a button.
In addition to the Harmony Elite, Logitech offers less expensive remotes, including the Harmony Companion and the Harm0ny 950.
Many of the remote control products on the market are aimed at making your home more convenient to clean and maintain. These robots will help you clean and wash your house. These robots will help you clean and wash your house. Consumers today are not limited to robots that can vacuum. The market now includes droids that clean floors, clean windows, and even fold your clothes. Read more . These include vacuum cleaners, window washers, and robotic lawnmowers.
One of the most popular robot vacuum companies lately has been ILIFE, who had a lot of success with the A4. The most powerful A6 model released earlier this year and has received the most praise ILIFE A6 Robot Vacuum Review ILIFE A6 Robot Vacuum Review ILIFE has followed up its successful ultra budget robot vacuum cleaner A4, with a new and more powerful model A6. With a new rubber brush system, it should work better on carpeted floors. Read More. Both models are relatively inexpensive, especially when compared to most robot vacuums from market leader Roomba. Each ILIFE device ships with a remote control.
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Roomba remains the leading producer of automatic vacuum cleaners. The company's current offerings range in price from $375 to $900. The seventh-generation iRobot Roomba 980 remains the company's current flagship device. The 980 is the first Roomba to feature Wi-Fi and smart home capabilities.
Priced at around $900, the Roomba 980 is an expensive robot. For the price, you get adaptive navigation with visual location, which allows the robot to clean the entire level of your home, even if it needs to recharge. When the battery runs out, the robot automatically returns to its charging base. When fully charged, the robot returns to work to complete the job.
Other Wi-Fi enabled iRobots now available on the market include the 690, 890 and 960. Each is controlled via a phone or tablet.
Are you looking for something different? Companies like Neato, Bissel, and Ecovacs also make robot vacuums.
Some surfaces in the home require more than just careful vacuuming. This is where floor cleaning and cleaning robots come into play. Not surprisingly, iRobot also dominates this small market with its Braava series of floor mops.
The company's floor mops include the Braava 380t and the Braava jet 240. The main differences between the two are the size of the coverage area and the number of cleaning modes (wet mop, wet sweep, dry sweep). You can use the free iRobot Home app to control these floor mops.
Yes, there are robots to clean your windows. For now, most are Winbots that come from Ecovacs Robotics.
The Winbots feature vacuum technology that cleans vertical and horizontal glass, framed or unframed, whether it's clear, frosted or colored. Ecovacs notes that operating a Winbot is as "simple as one, two, three." First, spray the device cleaning pad with the provided solution, turn on the power, then place the Winbot on the glass and press Start. Automatically, the Winbot measures the glass, cleans it and then returns to its starting position. If you want a little more control? Winbots come with handy remote controls included in their price.
However, the world of remote control household products goes far beyond cleaning. Here are some of our favorites out of the box.
Companies like the Hunter Fan Company and Haiku are now making smart ceiling fans that work over Wi-Fi and, in some cases, Apple's HomeKit. You control that these types of fans are inside a house with an included handheld remote or from anywhere in the world via mobile devices.
If you're not looking for a new ceiling fan, but still want to control your existing fans remotely, you're in luck. You can add smart ceiling fan control to your current setup using smart lighting switches and controllers Simple Ways to Automate Your Ceiling Fan Simple Ways to Automate Your Ceiling Fan In this article, we'll take a look at the latest smart ceiling fan solutions currently available on the market and the technology behind them. Read more.
Most of these solutions come with remote controls, or you can use a free iOS or Android app to control your settings.
Automatic pet feeders have been all the rage in recent years. CleverPet is perhaps the most interesting to date. The device engages dogs throughout the day using puzzles made with sounds, lights, and touch pads.
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CleverPet, which looks a lot like an upside-down food bowl, adapts to your dog's routine and skill level. You can update it with new games using a Wi-Fi connected hub. Example game types include Chase-the-Squirrel, which uses lights that move across the device's pads, and Word Learn, which teaches your dog to respond to certain words through commands using your voice. When your dog solves a puzzle, immediately reward him with a piece or two of kibble.
A CleverPet app allows you to download new games to the Hub. You can also use it to monitor your dog's progress throughout the day. The app also allows you to remotely schedule when the CleverPet is operational, or you can leave it on all day. The device switches off once it disperses your dog's daily food allotment, which means your pet only eats the amount of food you choose.
You can control the features of CleverPet using a free app.
There are several other remote control pet feeders. The Best Automatic Pet Feeders The Best Automatic Pet Feeders Whether you have one pet or many, you'll find the right automatic pet feeder for you and your furry friends on our list. Read more on the market. They're available at various price points, which is great news if you don't want to break your budget.
Like iRobots, automatic lawnmowers are remotely controlled by smart devices. For now, these machines remain expensive, including the higher-end Husqvarna 430X.
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The Husqvarna Automower 450x is ideal for large, complex lawns. Large tread wheels provide traction even if the surface is slippery, with the mower handling up to 45 percent slopes. The device cuts using sharp carbon steel blades mounted on a cutting disc system. These blades provide efficient operation and low power consumption.
Weighing in at 31 pounds, the Husqvarna Automower 450x cuts a 9.45-inch wide driveway, up to 0.25 acres. The cutting blade is adjustable up to 2.4 inches. It runs for 260 minutes on a single charge, with a charging time of 75 minutes.
Husqvarna Automower has a built-in alarm system that lets you know if you're away from your property. You can also add a PIN code that must be activated before it can run.
An app offers basic remote controls for the mower, such as stop, start or park. Additional controls are accessible on a built-in screen.
Are you looking for something cheaper? There are other robotic lawnmowers Are robotic lawnmowers safe to use? Are robotic lawnmowers safe? Here, we examine how robotic lawnmowers work and what safety measures keep them safe with the ones they love. We will also take a look at the current lawnmower robots on the market. Read More These offer fewer features than the Husqvarna Automower 450X. However, these are ideal for homeowners with smaller yards.
Automated shades come with a variety of remote control options. As a buyer, you can generally select the type of remote to ship with your shades, as some options are more expensive than others.
A single channel remote control (or single channel wall switch) is ideal for a single window or a group of windows that you want to control at the same time. A multi-channel remote control allows up to five programmable channels at a time. These remotes work best in homes that have multiple rooms with groups of shades. Lastly, a timer allows you to program shadow movements, based on the time of day.
For example, you can program your shades to open at sunrise and close during daylight hours and at sunset. In addition to the convenience that this type of remote control provides, it also adds a level of security to your home by giving the appearance that someone is nearby, even when you are away.
Increasingly, vendors are also offering smartphone apps that control window treatments. Why You Should Automate Your Window Shades Why You Should Automate Your Window Shades Automated window shades offer peace of mind in homes with children and pets. Let's take a look at the automated blinds market and why you should automate your blinds. Read more . At a minimum, these apps provide the same features as a programmable timer, but several offer additional features.
Major window treatment companies on the market include Somfy, Serena, HunterDouglas, and more.
As you can see, there are many different home products that you can now control remotely. Yes, these include televisions but also cleaning devices, pet bowls, lawnmowers and much more.
What products do you use in your home with remote controls? Let us know in the comments below.
