How to make your home “smart” without spending a fortune

Posted on Wednesday, November 29th, 2017

If you are familiar with the concept of the smart home, that familiarity is likely to remain basic. After all, smart homes remain far from widespread. However, even just the idea of living in one can greatly excite, as it would enable you to activate various appliances around the home over a network – so, perhaps by speaking orders or making a few taps with an app on your phone.

It’s certainly a futuristic vision of the home – and, for that reason, you could be easily daunted by the smart home concept. After all, sophisticated technology can be expensive. However, there are ways in which you can start making your home “smart” without significant financial expenditure.

Do some research

It’s worth pointing out that, today, the array of smart home products on the market is highly diverse. As a result, you could struggle to decide exactly which of them to purchase. The products can include lights, cookers, heating and air conditioning systems, and much more.

It doesn’t help that not all smart home software frameworks – including Apple’s HomeKit and Samsung’s SmartThings – are compatible with all smart home appliances. So, before you buy a particular product, check that it supports the framework you want to use it with.

Buy more crucial and relevant appliances first

You are under no pressure to swap out every single appliance in your home for a “smart” one. In fact, you can put together a smart home more effectively by not attempting to do so overly quickly. Limit your focus to those smart appliances that would most boost your convenience.

You could deem these to include a coffee machine, depending on your main beverage of choice, or a security camera if you live in an area prone to burglaries. AskMen recommends that you actually first replace lighting and heating. This is because automating these aspects of your home would trim your expenditure on electricity and heating – and money saved here could later fund other home items.

Consider using smart plugs to convert “dumb” electronics 

If the prices for buying certain smart home items are currently deterring you, the situation might be financially easier to start with if you shell out for smart plugs instead. These are plugs that can be attached to standard electrical appliances and so allow them to be controlled like a smart home appliance – for instance, through voice commands or use of an app.

However, you should resist using smart plugs with energy-hungry gadgets, cautions Business Insider, as those plugs could otherwise be overpowered. So, using a smart plug with a heater or air conditioner is not recommended.