5 Must-Have Systems To Power Your Smart Home

Convenience, efficiency and connectivity: These three central factors explain so much of the appeal for smart appliances. The various smart household systems available today offer new levels of comfort that seemed so far away for previous generations.

Sometimes, it truly feels like we’re living in the future.

Top 5 Smart Home Appliances

Let’s explore some of the most essential systems and appliances for getting the most from your smart home.

1. Smart Plugs

Smart plugs are the unsung heroes behind shrinking the Internet of Things (IoT) down to a usable scale for individual households. Why?

These devices essentially make it possible for you to add smart controls to existing appliances. Think of this technology as the intelligent equivalent of a clapper or a timer for controlling your lights – but smart plugs can be used for any powered device in your home, not just lights. Smart plugs are typically connected to your Wi-Fi network, and they allow you to remotely turn the flow of energy to your connected electronics on and off. Integrating the plugs with an existing smart home hub in the cloud will help you centralize your control.

2. Smart Water Softeners

Don’t underestimate the importance of water softening or the benefits you can expect from selecting a smart appliance for this crucial household need.

Water softeners treat hard water to ensure that water-using appliances can operate efficiently while also addressing problems like buildup in pipes, dry hair and skin, and spots on your dishes. Smart features enable you to do things like track your home’s water usage (and help meet your water conservation goals), monitor salt levels and see when you’re running low,  monitor your system when you’re away from home, and more. Smart water softeners also can deliver notifications when your system needs service and deliver other useful insights about your system’s performance.

3. Smart Lightbulbs

What’s more essential than lighting? Smart lightbulbs provide added functionality for illuminating your home, both inside and outdoors, if needed. While smart plugs can allow you to simply turn a lamp on or off, smart lightbulbs offer unique features.

For example, some are equipped to change the color or brightness of the bulb according to a schedule or on demand. From a smart home hub, you can arrange lightbulbs into groups and control them accordingly, whether you want to change the color for a festive occasion or turn the light lower when the sun is shining brightly.

4. Smart Thermostats

Home heating and cooling systems can draw a lot of energy, so using them efficiently is key to environmentally friendly living. It can also unlock some potentially significant cost savings.

That’s why smart thermostats have proven to be so popular. Not only can you control these devices from your smartphone no matter where you are, but some devices will also integrate with motion sensors in your home or leverage geofencing technology to determine when they should flip from “home” to “away” status. For many households, thermostats are a core smart home appliance that offers convenience and energy efficiency.

5. Smart Gardening Systems

Even if you don’t exactly have a green thumb, smart gardens can help you keep your household feeling vibrant and lively. Plus, there’s nothing more satisfying than cooking up a new dish using some of your own homegrown vegetables and herbs.

Solutions range from simple to sophisticated, with automated lighting, watering and app integration. Many providers also sell easy-to-grow seed pods, eliminating the need for messy potting or planting. Some indoor gardens require you to refill the tank regularly, but they’ll take care of watering your plants for you. Select products can even serve as centerpieces, elevating your home decor.

Start Slowly and Build the Smart Home of Your Dreams

The key to creating a smart home that’s uniquely yours is to focus on identifying your unique needs and thinking creatively about how you can use household IoT technology to make life easier and more enjoyable for you and your family. If the smart home appliance you’re looking for doesn’t exist today, there’s a chance it’s just around the corner!