It is no secret that technology advancements have made our everyday lives easier and more convenient. From the tiny computers we hold in our pockets to automated cars that help prevent vehicular accidents, our lives are in the hands of technology. We can answer calls on our watches, have Bluetooth devices tell us the weather and much more. Our question for you is – if technology is readily at your fingertips, why haven’t you made the switch to home automation to make your home a smart home? If you didn’t know this was possible, we are here to guide you to five crucial smart home components that can change your life for the better.
These are must have devices that not only make your home a smart home but keep you connected to all aspects in and outside of your home. The benefits are massive. Maybe you are overwhelmed with the idea that your home may be fully automated but it’s important to know that your new smart home will not only promote convenience but safety as well. If you are ready to make the move into the future or just want to get a bit more information on these smart home devices, you’ll first need to know some more information about each one.
If you don’t want to take our word for it, check the reviews by thousands of other users and see how switching to using these five smart home components increased their comfort and security in their own homes. For now, let’s dive in to the first five devices that are essential to making your home a smart one.
5 Smart Home Components For Your Arsenal
1 – Amazon Echo Plus
If you are a Prime user, there is no doubt you have seen the advertisements for the Amazon product line that has brought Alexa into the homes of everyday people via smart home components. If you do not already have one of these products for your own use, let us introduce you to the Amazon Echo Plus. The age of digital assistance is upon us and can be found on many different platforms – Google’s Google Assistant, Windows Cortana, and Amazon’s Alexa to name a few.
The Amazon Echo Plus is a premium speaker that is advertised with a built-in smart home hub, Zigbee hub. This product, like other Amazon products, is so easy to setup and use in your home. With it you can control compatible smart home devices and make your overall experience a more enjoyable one. It is powered by Dolby play 360 audio that provides smooth vocals and excellent bass. You can activate voice control to stream your favorite music from all the best channels.
Other things you can control by voice activation are turning on the lights, locking your doors, and adjusting the thermostat. Want to connect with others? You can sync your device to your smartphone and call or text hands-free. You can also link up other Amazon Echo devices and scatter them throughout the house to create a personalized network in your home.
Alexa is your personal assistant, ready to make your life less stressful at home and increase the ease of access with the avenue of voice activation. The Amazon Echo Plus is the perfect device to start your smart home conversion.
Our extensive guide Best Voice Assistants for 2020: Amazon Echo vs Google Home dives deep into comparisons between Alexa and Google Assistant.
2 – Ultraloq Smart Lock
We understand the most important thing to people in their homes is safety. It is and should be a number one priority when determining smart home components. When you’re at home you want to be confident in your security and find comfort in knowing you and your family are at their safest. The Ultraloq Smart Lock takes out the uncertainty and ensures that safety and security isn’t a question in your home. With the Ultraloq you stay connected to your home safety network and have complete control of all your doors in your home.
The Ultraloq is now compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Home Assistant with its voice activated recognition system. With the Ultraloq you can control what doors unlock and which ones stay locked in the entire house. You can unlock your doors via auto-unlock, a smart phone app, your fingerprint, a digital code, key fob or a good old-fashioned key.
The idea of this system is to give you peace of mind no matter where you are. You can also set up smartphone notifications to see when someone is at your door, remotely unlock your door and view access logs from anywhere. The safety and convenience features are elite and second to none.
Our guide 2020’s Best Smart Locks provides extensive information and in-depth reviews of the best smart locks that we have reviewed.
3 – Ring Smart Lighting
You can expand your “ring of security” with the connected system of Ring Smart Lighting. Products include spotlights, floodlights, path lights, step light, and motion sensors. The Ring App, a compatible smartphone app, lets you group your Right Smart Lights together to create a seamless security protection experience that allows you to control and monitor your home lighting system. Ring Smart Lighting was purchased by Amazon and has since been compatible with Alexa-enable devices.
With this system you can turn on the lights with voice activation, as well as adjust any settings. Alexa can detect motion and will notify you as soon as she does. The ring of security goes beyond turning on the lights, it begins and ends with your home safety. Other features include controlling landscape lighting and activating security cameras around your home. With their wide range of products, your ring of security can expand to a fully automated lighting system that does more than just turn the lights on in the dark.
4 – Arlo Go LTE Camera
A security camera is perhaps the first installment people go to when they think of increasing their home security with more advanced smart home components. Arlo Go products are completely wireless, weather-resistant, elite mobile security cameras. The Arlo Go is powered by LTE, thus requiring a mobile data plan when using it. It provides a live stream as well as recordings in HD quality. You can listen in and talk through a built-in speaker with its 2-way audio capability. This camera has a wide-angle motion sensor that makes sure all movement is detected and reported directly to you.
Installing this little guy means big things for your home security. The Arlo Go has night vision integration that automatically turns on when sunlight is no longer available. It also automatically stores motion and audio recordings for seven days. Arlo products are compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT and Stringify. In 2017 it was awarded the CES Innovation Award.
The Arlo Go LTE camera will provide you comfort while you are in your home and away at work, running errands, or enjoying a much-needed vacation. All you need is a data plan, smart phone and you’re just a click away to your security system. This is a great addition to your smart home integration.
If you are looking for our strong recommendations for the best wireless security cameras, we have an extensive guide called Best Security Camera System for 2020.
5 – Insteon Hub Central Controller
Not all smart home devices are new, some have been around for a while but you may have never utilized them before until now. This is where the Insteon Hub Central Controller comes in to play. This hub allows for simple and straightforward use, make your life easier. It connects you to your home through your smartphone or tablet, no matter where you are in the world. It is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You can control lights and appliances with Insteon, doing everything from basic controls to advanced device settings. A special feature of Insteon is that you can automate schedules with a customized lighting plan to turn on throughout the day at your command.
You can also control multiple devices at the same time with this hub. If you have Insteon sensors throughout your home, you will receive instant alerts when one of them is tripped. You can control Insteon light bulbs, outlets, thermostats, wall switches, smoke sensors and more with the Insteon Hub. This product will ease your mind while you are away and going about your day. It markets itself as a Hub for everyone, available to all. You can enjoy enhanced security and know that your home is safe while you are away.
Some Smart Home Components are More Important Than Others
Making the move to integrate smart products into your home isn’t easy for everyone. There is a common misconception that you relinquish control whenever you allow technology to make your home fully automated. We are here to provide you with peace of mind that fully automating your home will actually provide you with more security than if you didn’t make use of these smart home products.
You can control the locking capability of your doors and windows, receive notifications when motion sensors are tripped, turn on your favorite tunes while relaxing around the house with a simple voice activation, and so much more. The possibilities with smart home components.
While you are out of the house you can remotely access any of these devices and find comfort in knowing that your home is being well looked after. It is the job of these devices to protect your home and notify you as soon as anything is out of order. Transitioning your home into a smart home is a very simple task and will ultimately improve your way of living.
No more second guessing if you locked the front door or forgot to turn out the lights when you head to work. All of this and more is waiting for your control at the touch of a button on your smart phone. Do what is best for you and your home and make it a smart one with solid smart home components.