Dan Martin
Author
Life has never been easier, all thanks to technological advancement. With new automation gadgets, you can complete tasks in your home without touching the items involved.
This means easier control of your regular household items and might save you some money. One would say the future is here, but experts believe we are just at the beginning.
According to Statista, smart homes have a promising future. According to projections, around 31 billion devices will be connected to the internet by the end of 2020. By 2025, experts believe those figures will rise to 75.4 billion.
However, like with many new technologies, people find it challenging to understand automation gadgets. If you do not know what to use in your house, this article is for you.
We will show you a list of some must-have automation gadgets in your home.
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What is a home automation gadget?
Home automation gadgets allow you to control electronic devices in your home automatically. Using the internet, you can easily trigger a device using another one without doing it manually.
For example, imagine a tub that fills itself to the correct water level. Then heats up to the temperature you want and sends you a notification to come to take your bath. That is what home automation looks like.
When done correctly, home automation comes with several benefits.
- According to scientists, the first benefit of these systems is the convenience of using them.
- More so, smart gadgets can help you reduce your energy consumption. For instance, the US Environmental Protection Agency says that people that use intelligent thermostats reduce their energy usage by 10-30%. With that, you can save on electricity bills.
Home automation gadgets that you should have
The following are some of the best automation gadgets that will make your life easier at home.
1. Smart bathtubs
With an intelligent bathtub, you don’t have to get up to turn on or switch off the tap anymore. All you need to do is tell Alexa to run your bath or start your bath, and the faucet turns on.
The system will automatically draw water into the bath at your preferred depth and temperature.
The beauty of these systems is that you don’t need to compromise design for functionality. You can use them with any bathtub type that you want.
Essentially, the system works with an intelligent drain and bath filler that can tell the depth and temperature of the water. You can get your bathtubs separately and install the ‘smart system’ as an accessory.
You will also need to install an app on your phone to interact with the tub.
2. Smart toilets
If you are remodeling your house or building from scratch, an intelligent toilet might be nice for your bathroom.
There are different models in the market today. Many of them work differently. For instance, there are some that open and close themselves automatically. That means you won’t have to argue about whether the seat should be left up or down.
Some of these intelligent toilets can preheat their seats to make you feel more comfortable. Some other models come with a self-cleaning function that sanitizes the bowl with UV light, an automatic deodorizer, and lots more.
The best of them come with emergency modes that allow you to flush up to 100 times during a power outage.
3. Smart locks
An intelligent lock is another piece of technology you’ll want in your house. It could be on your front door or any other door where you have important things.
These devices are arguably an essential component of a truly connected home. They provide both security and flexibility. They allow you to use your home the way you please without bothering about safety.
With smart locks, you can also monitor who enters and exits your home while you’re away. The good news about these locks is that they are simple to install. They have automatic locking and unlocking capabilities and robust third-party integrations.
Most importantly, they come with a stylish design. That way, you don’t have to compromise safety for aesthetics.
4. Smart speakers
Televisions and soundbars are the centers of attraction in any living room. However, in the ultimate smart home, many other devices collaborate to improve your main living space’s ambiance, convenience, and security.
One of those devices you must have in your living room is a smart speaker. Aside from playing music, some smart speakers work as a central command center. That means you can use them to control virtually any other connected home device with your voice.
The first step is to decide which voice assistance platform is best for your home. That is, will you be using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri. All three support the majority of the major intelligent home device brands.
5. Smart bulbs
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Smart bulbs are the most straightforward automation gadgets that you can think of. Installing them is easy since all you have to do is screw them in like regular light bulbs.
Furthermore, all smart bulbs are LED bulbs, which use at least 75% less energy than incandescent bulbs. Also, they last at least 25 times longer under the same conditions. They also provide additional savings by incorporating dimming.
Experts believe you can save an additional 40% on electricity with this dimming effect. Depending on the model, you can activate your smart bulbs differently.
In some models, the switch is on your phone.
In some other cases, the bulbs come on with motion sensors or when your location is around the house.
That means they can run efficiently without having you turn them on or off.
Conclusion
Home automation technology is advancing at a rapid rate. It would be a dangerous mistake for anyone to think these technologies will end anytime soon. The future is still very much in conception, and many solutions are still being developed.
However, as you incorporate these technologies, you should be aware that they come with some drawbacks. But then, the benefits outweigh the disadvantages in most cases.
Nonetheless, understanding the drawbacks will help you prepare ahead in case the systems fail.
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