If you're new to smart homes, it's easy to be fooled into thinking they cost a small fortune to set up and maintain. In reality, many manufacturers are promoting overpriced products that lack functionality.
Sure, the best devices from premium brands are expensive. But here's a dirty little secret:You probably don't need them. If You're a Smart Shopper Shipping Smart:5 Frugal Tips to Save Money Shopping Online Shipping Smart:5 Frugal Tips to Saving Money Shopping Online Looking for the perfect product in your budget, but is shipping too much? Here's how to lower those fees as you go. Read More
If you're trying to set up a smart home on a budget, read on. Here are 10 cheap alternatives to popular smart home brands.
The market leader in this sector is undoubtedly Philips Hue. But in many ways, it's too expensive 5 reasons Philips Hue bulbs are too expensive and pointless 5 reasons Philips Hue bulbs are too expensive and pointless Thinking about buying a Philips Hue smart lighting system to save money and create cool lighting effects? Read this article first, because Philips Hue realities don't always live up to the hype. Read more . In an analysis elsewhere on the site, we established that it would likely take at least a decade for you to break even, even if you outfitted your entire home.
Fortunately, there are plenty of cheaper alternatives Philips Hue alternatives for a smart light bulb to save money Philips Hue alternatives for a smart light bulb to save money In this article, you'll learn about some of the cheaper alternatives to Philips Hue and see how they compare. Read more . We've covered them in another article, but here's a quick rundown:
C by GE A19 GE Lighting C-Life and C-Sleep Smart LED Light Bulb Combo, 2-Pack, Works with Alexa C by GE A19 GE Lighting C-Life and C-Sleep Smart LED Light Bulb Combo, 2-Pack, Work with Alexa Buy now on Amazon
General Electric's C-Life range is greatly underappreciated. They have many of the same features as Philips Hue. For example, you can group them together and control entire rooms at the same time, they automatically dim and offer voice control via the C-Reach smart bridge.
Best of all, they are cheap. A single 9.5-watt bulb only costs around $15, while an equivalent Hue bulb is around $25.
You didn't even know that Ikea made smart lights, did you? It shouldn't come as a surprise, the Swedish retail giant has its fingers in a lot of pies.
The Tradfri product series is a simple approach to smart lights. Sure, all the usual features like off-site control and scheduling are there, but it lacks some advanced features like Alexa and Google Home integration.
Still, you get what you pay for. And you don't pay much. You can expect to pay $70 for a starter pack. Includes a cube, two light bulbs and a remote control. That's nearly $50 cheaper than Hue's starter pack. Each additional bulb is around $10.
When you think of smart home entertainment, your mind probably wanders to high-end wireless speaker brands. Are you shopping for wireless speakers? How to choose the best system for you who buy wireless speakers? Choosing the best system for you Don't invest in a wireless speaker system without these considerations in mind. A little thought can save you a world of money, time, and trouble! Read More
There are cheaper models out there.
Unless you are an audiophile Are you an audiophile? These 10 questions reveal the truth Are you an audiophile? These 10 Questions Reveal the Truth You might think you're an audiophile, but in reality very few music lovers meet all the necessary requirements. Are you really an audiophile? Or are you just a great suitor? Read More Chromecast Audio:Which One Is Best For You? sonos vs. Chromecast Audio:Which is the best for you? A lot of people seem to think that Sonos and Chromecast Audio are the same thing, but we'd be wrong. While their core purpose might be the same, the differences between them are vast... Read More In case you didn't know, it's a small dongle that plugs into the back of your dumb old Hi-Fi, allowing you to stream music from anywhere in your home. Most Android apps support the technology.
And while a single Sonos Play:1 speaker (the entry-level model) will set you back $199, a Chromecast audio is only $35. That means you can transform six Hi-Fi units in your home for an equivalent outlay.
Roku Streaming Stick (3600R) - Quad-Core Processor HD Streaming Player Roku Streaming Stick (3600R) - Quad-Core Processor HD Streaming Player Buy Now On Amazon $43.00
Of course, Google also produces a regular Chromecast. It connects to your TV and lets you watch apps like Netflix and Hulu.
But a better option is a Roku Streaming Stick. The company updated the device's specs in mid-2017. A Brief Guide to Roku's New Hardware for 2017 A Brief Guide to Roku's New Hardware for 2017 Roku has refreshed its entire lineup for 2017. The problem is, it's hard to do keeping track of so many different devices Let us help you with this short guide to Roku's new hardware. Read more . Rokus are easy to set up, offering thousands of free private channels 20 Private Roku Channels You Need To Install Right Now 20 Private Roku Channels You Need To Install Right Now Here's how to add private channels to your Roku, along with some of the best private channels on Roku. You can install it right now. Read More A Roku Streaming Stick is just $49.99 on the company's website. It's often even cheaper on Amazon.
And the Roku is certainly cheaper than spending $179 on the entry-level version of Apple's new 4K Apple TV device!
In this category, the best known product is undoubtedly Samsung SmartThings. It works with hundreds of apps and devices to help all the gadgets in your smart home communicate with each other.
Its typical selling price is $99.99. It's not exactly expensive, but it may be more than you're willing to pay if you're starting your smart journey home.
Insteon Central Controller Hub, Compatible with Alexa, 2245-222 Insteon Central Controller Hub, Compatible with Alexa, 2245-222 Buy now on Amazon $79.99
Instead, why not try the Insteon Hub? You can often find one for as little as $30 on Amazon, though prices sometimes go as high as $45. Either way, it marks a significant savings.
It works with switches, lights, thermostats, sensors, security cameras, and more so you can build the perfect schedules for your home.
The hub can be controlled from the accompanying smartphone app or by using the Amazon Alexa integration.
Wink Connected Home Hub Wink Connected Home Hub Buy Now On Amazon $39.96
The Wink Hub can also save you money. It is more expensive than the Insteon product but cheaper than SmartThings. Amazon often offers great deals to further reduce the cost.
The Wink covers most of the connection standards used by smart devices, including Z-Wave, ZigBee, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, Lutron ClearConnect, Kidde and more. Plus, it works with a dazzling array of third-party apps and devices, ironically including everything else in the Samsung SmartThings range.
The market leading smart thermostat, Nest is one of the most popular smart devices in any category. Since Google bought the parent company in 2014, it has gone from strength to strength. At this moment, its position in the market seems indisputable..
Unless of course you're trying to save money.
A third-generation Nest Learning thermostat will set you back $250. Keep your money in your pocket and buy one of these alternatives instead Finding the best smart thermostat for your home Finding the best smart thermostat for your home Looking for a good smart thermostat for your home? your home? Keep in mind that some are smarter than others! Take a look – one of these options may be your solution. Read more.
ecobee3 lite smart thermostat ecobee3 lite smart thermostat Buy Now On Amazon $124.00
The Ecobee 3 Lite costs around $170 on the company's website, though, again, you might be able to pick one up for less on Amazon.
Clearly, $170 isn't exactly cheap, but it's still an $80 savings over the newer Nest device. And don't forget that smart thermostats can also save you more than 25 percent on your annual electric bill, thus offsetting the initial cost.
The Ecobee 3 Lite works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, IFTTT, and SmartThings. For added functionality, consider purchasing some Ecobee room sensors, they will report local conditions to the thermostat, allowing you to make temperature alterations on the fly.
The Sensi Smart Thermostat is possibly the best value-for-money device on the market. You can buy less than $100 if you buy the device through Amazon.
A “four-stage” heating system gives you more flexibility than the Nest and Ecobee, and it's easy to pre-program temperature settings to align with your daily routine.
It lacks automatic scheduling and motion sensor integration, but you can control it with your voice using an Amazon Echo device.
Using lots of smart plugs is the smartest home hack 5 Smart Hacks to Save Electricity in Your Smart Home 5 Smart Hacks to Save Electricity in Your Smart Home The trick to saving electricity is knowing where most of your energy is being used. Read more . Sure, it may not be the most elegant solution, but adding a smart plug to every appliance and device you want to control remotely can save you a lot of money.
There are a lot of great plugs out there, but remember we're looking for value for money.
Kasa Smart Plug Outlet by TP-Link - Reliable WiFi connection, no hub required, works with Alexa Echo and Google Assistant (HS100) Kasa Smart Plug Outlet by TP-Link - Reliable WiFi connection, no tethering required, works with Alexa Echo and Google Assistant (HS100) Buy Now On Amazon $16.99
For between $20 and $25 per plug, the TP-Link Smart Plug is probably your best bet. It doesn't require a hub, it's compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and it's fully programmable.
It also has an awesome smartphone app. The best feature of the app is its energy monitoring:you can see which outlets are consuming the most electricity and then manage those devices accordingly.
BearDot Mini Wifi Smart Plug, Compatible with Alexa and Google Home, Smart Home Devices that Connect with Alexa and Google Home, No Hub Required, App and Anytime Anywhere Voice Control (XLC17006) BearDot Mini Wifi Smart Plug, Compatible with Alexa and Google Home Smart Home devices that connect with Alexa and Google Home, no hub, app and voice control anywhere, anytime (XLC17006) Buy Now On Amazon $13.99
BearDot's Wi-Fi Smart Plug isn't as well known as some other brands, but it's a great entry-level model for beginners who don't want to spend a lot of money.
Like the TP-Link, it doesn't require a hub to run, can connect to your Wi-Fi network, and works well with Amazon Alexa and Google Home.
You can usually pick one up for between $14 and $20 on Amazon.
In this article, we've looked at five of the most common categories of smart home gadgets and given you two cheaper replacements for the de facto market leaders.
Have you tried any of the devices we recommend? Do you think they are better than their more expensive competitors? As always, you can leave all your thoughts and opinions in the comments below. And remember to share this article with your followers on social networks..
