Best Smart Home Products

Smart home products are the best way to keep surveillance of your home, control activities and ensure its safety. However, where can you get the best of the devices that will serve you efficiently? Google, Amazon, Apple, among other companies, are at the forefront of giving you the best smart home products.

Some of the best smart home products to keep your home safe include smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, security camera, and smart locks. This article shall focus on the categories mentioned and what to consider before you purchase any of them.

X-Sense Combination Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detector

1. Sealed 10-year lithium battery power supply lasts for the entire life of the alarm.
2. 2-in-1 smoke and CO detector with dual photoelectric and electrochemical sensors.
3. A single button to test the alarm and temporarily silence nuisance alarms.
4. Easy to install onto any wall or ceiling without an electrician.
5. Meets the UL 217, UL 2034 (US) and EN 14604, EN 50291 (EU) safety standards.

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$39.99

The Smart Home Technology

Have you ever imagined what life would be like if all devices could connect to the internet? Don't limit your imagination to just smartphones and computers. Imagine every other device like cameras, speakers, smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors, lights, window blinds, heaters cooking utensils, clocks and everything else you could think of.

Besides the imagination of just connecting to the internet, what if the devices could communicate, take your commands and send information? Forget about science fiction and base your imagination on the Internet of Things. Focus on automation of smart homes and look at every appliance responding to just the push of buttons.

Practical examples like window shades, turning off lights are some few cheap examples. However, there are costly and sophisticated examples that may take some time to install. The price ranges of these devices allow buyers the pleasure to acquire them as gifts, when doing light shopping for holidays or even when they are out shopping for the devices smart devices specifically. Below is a range of the best products you can use in any room of your house.

The Top Smart Home Products

Below is an outline of top smart devices ranging from smart speakers, smart locks, smart speakers, security systems and cameras.

Smart Speaker and Display

1.   Google Nest Hub Family

This family of speakers and displays has Google Assistant as their voice assistant and not Alexa. The Google Home Max has surround sound that fills the room how you like it. The Google Nest Hub Max, on the other hand, is attractive and puts Google display and services in front as well as at the centre.

There are also smaller and cheap speakers like Nest Mini, Nest Hub and Nest Audio to enable you put Google Assistant in all the rooms of your house.

2.   Amazon Echo Family

The voice assistant, Alexa powers the magnificent Amazon Echo Bluetooth speaker; you can pair this Bluetooth device with many smart devices in your home directly. All this is possible through the If That This Then (IFTTT). With the connection, you can control many devices with your voice.

Adding your voice for functionality needs a lot of input. In the event that you already have a speaker, you can purchase the Echo Dot With Clock, connect it and incorporate the Alexa functionality afterwards. If you need more than just voice, speakers with touch screen functionality are available. They include Echo Show 5, Echo Show 8 and Echo Show 10. In the case of these types, you can make video calls and see results from searches.

Home Security Cameras

1.    Wyze Cam Outdoor

It is the company's first outdoor camera, but like the other interior cameras from the company, it offers sharp 1080 videos. When you compare its cost with that of its competitors, it's relatively affordable.  The camera also supports voice commands from both Alexa and Google assistants.

It also works with other devices through IFTTT applets.

2.    Arlo Ultra

Arlo Ultra is one of the best outdoor home security cameras whose features are unmatched with any other type of cameras. To begin with, it's the first camera that can stream and record videos in Ultra High Definition or true 4K. It comes with cool technology for motion tracking, automatic zooming, night vision, 180-degree view, a spotlight, siren and 911 connectison at a single click.

It's wireless and very easy to install. However, for you to experience all it has to offer, you have to subscribe to Arlo's subscriptions.

Smart Locks and Home Security Systems

1.    August Wi-Fi Smart Lock

The August smart lock is the smallest of all locks the company has produced with WI-FI incorporated.  It is compatible with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, other devices and third-party platforms.

2.    Vivint Smart Home

The Vivint home security system offers 24-hour protection for your home. In addition to surveillance, you get swift response in case the alarm goes off. All its automation services are controllable through PCs, smartphones and 7-inch control panel screens.

The components and systems are quite expensive, but the company offers free installation services. Their technicians also take you through how the system works.

3.    SimpliSafe Home Security System

For both DIY and professionally monitored solutions, SimpliSafe security is the best choice. You get to secure your home with or without monthly subscription plans. The security system comes with a lot of flexibility and simplicity to protect your home from environmental threats and intruders.

What to Consider Before You Buy Smart Home Devices

Below are some of the important aspects to consider before making a purchase.

Smartphone apps – For most smart home devices to function, they need to be set up through smartphones. Be sure to check the availability of apps for different devices before you purchase them.

Ecosystems – The current setup of your home will determine if a smart device you purchase will work or not. Therefore, ensure you are on the lookout for their compatibility.  By compatibility, you will have to look at the voice assistants like Apple's Siri, Amazon Alexa, among others. All this is to ensure all the new devices you purchase can communicate to the already existing ones.

Presence or absence of a hub – Some devices will require a central communication hub. An example of a hub is your WI-FI network. Some devices will require you to purchase an additional hub.

In conclusion, the best smart home products offer better security to your home, unlike other methods that are not sufficient in protecting your home from intruders and environmental threats. Some of the best smart devices include carbon monoxide detectors, security cameras and smart locks. However, before purchase, you should be keen on the above aspects to get value for your money and secure your home efficiently.