The Internet of Things (IoT) has provided us with many unique pieces of technology and devices to make our lives easier, and as the digital age continues to flourish, that convenience will grab the attention of more people; one of the innovations that IoT has created is various smart devices for your home. Automated home devices make it convenient to run your home while you’re away or while you’re inside of it; in both situations are that creating a smart home to control all of your smart home devices with your smartphone or touchscreen tablet is the easiest way.

Many people don’t know the amazing things we have at our disposal with IoT smart home devices. Listening to music and asking questions, whether someone is at the door or you’re away at the beach—whatever it may be, the possibilities are endless!

What Are Smart Home Devices?

Smart home devices are internet-connected devices that automate and simplify several aspects of everyday household tasks. These devices can commonly be controlled remotely through a smartphone, voice assistant, or home hub. Some forms of smart devices could be lights in the house, security features, smart kitchen appliances, etc. All of these devices would form a smart ecosystem that facilitates a seamless lifestyle.

Consumers’ desire for convenience, security, and energy-efficient smart home technology has grown in popularity. Many of these devices utilize artificial intelligence and machine learning to become aware of users’ preferences, so they eventually require less input from the user to enable efficiency. Also, as innovations continue into the era of IoT (Internet of Things), we will continue to learn more about smart home devices in terms of customizing our daily and/or repetitive tasks!

Top 5 Smart Devices for Your Home

Smart home gadgets are “must-have” items for contemporary residences due to their comfort, convenience, and security. Here are five devices that provide all three benefits.

1. Smart Door Lock

Imagine this: You are bolting out the door, late for work, when all of a sudden, it hits you—am I sure I locked the front door? A smart door lock ensures that you will not have that worry anymore because it gives you control of the security of your home from the palm of your hand.

Smart door locks were designed to replace traditional locks and keys to increase your convenience and safety. Some features include remote access, auto-locking, and keyless access. With a smart door lock, you can lock and unlock your home from anywhere in the world using your smartphone device. For example, imagine you’re returning home after a long day at work, as you approach your door, it automatically unlocks without having to search your pockets for your keys or worry about if you remembered to lock the door behind you.

But that isn’t where the features end! Many smart locks even work in concert with your home security system, providing you with alerts whenever someone enters or exits your home. If you have children, you can assign them temporary access codes to allow them secure entry without needing to leave a physical key under a mat, hide in a potted plant, or tell them the code to your home!

These are reasons why a smart door lock isn’t a novelty item but a necessity for any home trying to improve security and safety.

2. Smart Speakers

As you probably realize, you control smart speakers through voice commands. They perform various tasks and coordinate with other smart devices in your home. Because of their ease of use as one device that does it all, they’ve become rather ubiquitous in many U.S. homes.

Smart speakers use a virtual assistant, which takes commands as you give them. For example, the smart speakers use Google Assistant as the partnership; with your voice alone, you can set appointments, make or take phone calls, control music in multiple rooms, and much more—all hands-free.

3. Smart Switches

The smart switch ranks as one of the best smart home devices and our top overall pick among the best smart plugs. It is just as small as its competition, and although it lacks the energy monitoring of some other smart plugs, it works with all the major smart assistants.

Have you ever wanted to turn off the lights, adjust the thermostat, or close the curtains with a button press? With a smart button, you can control multiple smart gadgets in your house with a button press!

The best part about a smart button is that it is flexible. You can place it on the coffee table to control the temperature, next to your front door to activate your security system, or alongside your bedside table to control your lights—all without pulling out your phone or opening the app!

They don’t require a hub to work for basic functionality (usually), they’re battery-powered, and they are incredibly easy to mount. Smart buttons are excellent for simple tasks around the house and create a more convenient hands-free experience while using smart home devices. Smart buttons can also be a relatively inexpensive way to test out smart home automation.

4. Smart Door/Window Contact Sensor

There is an adage that states, “Every bit matters,” and this holds in relation to home safety. Smart door/window contact sensors are among the most effective and affordable methods of adding additional protection to your home. These sensors notice when a door or window opens and send an alert directly to your phone.

This allows for quick and unfiltered knowledge of any unexpected intrusion, such as a child leaving the house to sneak out. Many models can also integrate with your existing security system and automatically trigger alarms or cameras when someone is detected moving.

The sensors are simple to install, not obtrusive, work, and give you confidence when you are home or away. They are a smart addition for anyone looking for additional security and dreaming of upgrading or improving their home security without spending a fortune.

5. Smart Security Cameras

If you are anxious about the safety of your family while you are away, a smart security camera can give you peace of mind. These are equipment that both monitor and protect your home. There may be indoor or outdoor security cameras, and they may be equipped with HD resolution, two-way talk, WiFi interoperability, night vision, smartphone control, and many other products. Depending on the layout of your home, you may need more than one security camera. The cameras can record the footage for your eventual review or reference; the footage can be wired or wireless.

Smart surveillance cameras will record footage of what is happening to your home in real-time. You can view that footage at any time using your smartphone or tablet and the internet.

Research has shown that simply having a surveillance system can reduce criminal activity by 50%. That fact alone makes smart security cameras some of the most intelligent smart home gadgets. This is especially true if you have children or are aging in place.

Conclusion

Simplifying daily living with smart home gadgets adds convenience, security, and improved energy efficiency. These devices streamline household management by providing greater convenience and automation to improve life experiences. Smart home solutions will continue to advance as technology advances, leading to practicality and user intuitiveness designed and customized to users’ needs. Bringing and enhancing your home to a smarter home environment will create a more connected, efficient, and comfortable home.