How Smart Tech Gadgets Can Upgrade Your Home On Any Budget
Smart tech was once most common in the realm of science fiction. It used to be the case that only in those futuristic books, TV shows, and movies could you see a home that talked to its inhabitants, anticipated their habits and needs, and helped support their everyday home life. Now, of course, it is commonplace to rely upon smart tech gadgets to help us with everything from ordering groceries to playing music to watering the lawn.
But there is a common misconception that persists; when many people think of smart tech, they think only of high priced luxury items. Since smart tech is so widespread today, this is no longer the case. Now it is possible to upgrade your home with smart tech gadgets on any budget. In this article, we will take a look at some of the top smart tech gadgets that can allow you to upgrade your home at a price that works for you.
Smart Speakers: Your In Home Personal Assistant
You might be surprised to find out that many high quality smart tech gadgets are available for less than $100. And some of the smartest choices are even available for under $50! One top overall choice for a smart home upgrade is to start with a smart speaker. One of the top choices is the Amazon Echo Dot, which works with Amazon’s voice assistant system, Alexa. Let Alexa keep track of your purchase history and you can reorder that particular dish soap that works best for you, without needing to run to the store.
For homeowners who prefer Google Assistant and Google Home, try the Google Nest Mini. At just $49 this smart speaker responds to voice commands, allowing you to turn up your favorite song, answer a question, or make a phone call to your spouse without having to leave your sofa.
One good thing to keep in mind: make sure you have an internet connection that is strong enough to support all these devices. Like most smart tech gadgets, smart speakers sync to your smartphone, tablet, laptop, and other other smart devices via a bluetooth connection that relies on your local Wi-fi.
Reduce Your Monthly Energy Bills With A Smart Plug
Some smart tech gadgets not only cost less than you might expect upfront, but they can also help you save money in the long run. Smart tech gadgets that help reduce energy waste in your home can allow you to lower your monthly energy bill, while creating a smaller carbon footprint and making your home more environmentally friendly.
And these eco friendly smart tech gadgets won’t break the bank, either. Try installing a smart plug, one of the least expensive smart tech gadgets on the market. For roughly $25 you can upgrade your normal electrical sockets to a smart plug that can monitor energy usage, respond to Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, and even fool would-be home intruders by turning lamps on and off sporadically while you are away.
Upgrade to Smart Lighting
Another low cost upgrade is the smart lightbulb. Toss your energy consuming old bulbs and replace them with smart bulbs. At $7-$25 a pack, it is a small investment for a product that can make a huge amount of difference. Like other smart tech devices, smart lightbulbs respond to voice commands through your smart speakers, and can also be programmed remotely via a bluetooth connection.
So if you leave the house for a weekend away and forget to turn out the lights, you can do so remotely through your smartphone. Or program the lights to automatically detect when someone is present in the room; if no one has been there, the room becomes idle and the lights dim in response. This can cut down a huge amount of energy waste- which also means it costs you less in electricity bills each month.
Improve Your Home Security With Smart Devices
Investing a small amount to boost your home security is a clever way to improve the overall safety of your home. Low budget home security cameras used to be horrible quality, and the first commercially available smart doorbells used to be horribly expensive.
Luckily, now you can buy a top quality smart home security camera and a smart doorbell for about $100 each. Smart doorbells can show you who is knocking at your door, and can help keep track of who has come to your front step while you are out of the home.
Smart security cameras, meanwhile, offer high resolution images, and more high tech adjustments, such as 3D scanning and infrared thermal imaging. You can watch the live feed captured by your smart security camera right from your smartphone or other device, so you can have total peace of mind that your home is safe and sound while you are on vacation in the Bahamas, or wherever.
Smarter Ways To Water The Lawn
Another smart tech upgrade that can help reduce your overall monthly bills and prevent waste, a smart sprinkler offers features that respond to the weather, so you are not wasting gallons of water each day that your lawn does not even need.
The best low budget options for smart sprinklers cost around $50, while more sophisticated models can run up to $250 or more. Look for a smart sprinkler that is largely waterproof, responds to an easy to use app, and offers features carefully designed to monitor the wellbeing of your lawn while minimizing water waste.
Final Thoughts
Upgrading your home doesn’t have to happen all at once. By making smaller and smarter purchases on select smart tech gadgets, you can build up to the luxury smart home of your dreams little by little. Smart tech gadgets work off of each other, so start with a smart speaker, then gradually incorporate more smart gadgets that respond to your voice assistant. Or if your budget allows, go for a whole interconnected system that permeates your entire home, a major smart tech upgrade to be sure.
Plus, each smart tech device that you install in your home will help give you a renewed appreciation of the possibilities that smart tech can provide in every aspect of your house. So the next gadgets you choose to upgrade to will fit in your home life with even more seamless ease.