Smart Home Technology 2019

Smart Home Technology 2019

‘The Jetson’s’ debuted in 1962, at the height of the space race, and made many bold predictions of what daily life could be like in the future. A lot of the show’s futuristic gadgets centered around the home and had our child hearts longing for similar features in our adult abodes. Since then, the integration of technology into homes has steadily progressed, but it has kicked into high gear in the last few years thanks to the boom in connected devices. Nearly 30 million smart home products will be sold in 2019, according to the Consumer Technology Association. That’s a 23 percent increase from last year, signaling a tipping point for the industry. Although, we haven’t yet reached the level of robotic housekeepers and automated dog walks, here are some of the smart home gadgets making waves this year.

Lighting

Smart Light Bulbs

They are Wi-Fi or Bluetooth compatible LED light bulbs that allow lighting to be color customized, scheduled and controlled remotely right from the palm of your hand.

We Recommend: LIFX and Philips Hue

Smart Light Switches

Gone are the days where you must get up to turn the light on or off. These work with smart assistants and have easy to use apps that let you control your lighting in a variety of ways.

We Recommend: Lutron Caseta – Hands down the best-performing, most fully-featured smart switch currently available. Plus, its well-designed app is easy to use and offers plenty of helpful features, including geofencing, scene management, and a security mode.

Smart Plugs

Looking for a simple, easy way to “smarten up” the devices you already own without breaking the bank? Then plug-in outlets are what you need. They connect directly to your home Wi-Fi letting you remotely control any device plugged into it through your phone. Use it to control lamps, portable ACs, heaters and much more!

We Recommend: iHome iSP6x – It’s affordable with simple installation, an intuitive app, and lots of scheduling options.

Safety and Security

Smart Doorbells

They allow you to know who’s knocking even when you’re not home. Plus, you get the added security of the camera feature, which could be just enough to deter some unwanted house guests.

We Recommend: Ring Video Door Bell 2 and Nest Hello

Smart Smoke Detector

A smoke alarm that tells you there’s a fire nearby is great, but a smoke alarm that tells you there’s a fire no matter where you are is even better. And with added benefits like carbon monoxide detection, it’s well worth the value.

We Recommend: Nest Labs Nest Protect – For its precision and reliability. Also, when coupled with a Nest Thermostat it can be configured to shut off your ventilation system if it detects smoke, a potential lifesaver. How cool is that!

Outdoor Security Camera

With all the advances in home technology, safely monitoring your home’s security is more affordable than ever. Smart security cameras not only record continuously but they come equipped with apps and features that can give you serious piece of mind. Perks like night vision, weatherproofing, and wireless streaming are just the tip of the iceberg.

We Recommend: Netgear Arlo Pro 2 – It comes with free cloud storage, and we can definitely get behind that.

Indoor Security Camera

Need to keep an eye on your home from anywhere? These “nanny cams” are more discreet than ever, giving you real-time access to what’s going on even when you’re on the go.

We Recommend: Yi Home – It’s super affordable with a reliable, user friendly app.

Entertainment

Smart Speakers

Crisp sound, digital assistants, home hub operators, and much more. Gone are the days of bulky stereo systems because these sleek, space-saving, portable gadgets seem to do it all.

We Recommend: Amazon Echo and Google Home

Smart TVs

Stream shows ü, play video games ü, browse the internet ü, check your emails ü. How and where we watch shows has changed so much, so it just makes sense that our TVs level up too.

We Recommend: LG OLED 55E8PUA – With new OLED technology that energizes and lights up each individual pixel independently, the picture quality is stunning.

Appliances

Smart Fridge

Has the milk run out? Does the fridge reek of old food? These bad boys help keep track of all of that and more. From weather data and voice command to recipes and dietary guides, they are the future of food storage.

We Recommend: Samsung Family Hub Refrigerator – It’s made with fingerprint resistant stainless steel. Plus, its optimal temperature regulation and Bixby smart assistant make it a must.

Smart Thermostats

These smart home integrated devices help you stay comfortable all year round by letting you control the temperature of your home before you even get there. And with built-in energy-saving features, the cost makes up for itself in no time.

We Recommend: Ecobee 4 and Nest Learning Thermostat

Smart Vacuums

Although these have been around for a while, they’ve come a long way in terms of smart home technology. The latest versions not only have precise remote-control capabilities, but they now also come equipped with dirt tracking navigation, extended battery life, and camera monitoring systems for added security.

We Recommend: Eufy Robovac 30 – It’s a great value, and extremely quiet to boot.

Smart Irrigation Controller

These systems draw on data from sensors, weather forecasts, and plant-care databases to determine watering needs and deliver just enough moisture at the right time to help reduce water consumption. The best part is that you get to monitor and control it all right from your smartphone.

We Recommend: Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller – With multiple zone controls, smart assistant support, and an easily navigable app, this one is topping the charts.

Connectivity

Smart Home Hub

With the plethora of smart devices out there all needing configuration and setup, wouldn’t it be nice to have a device that can help connect and control them all to work in sync? That’s just what a Smart Hub does! Sometimes referred to as a smart bridge, it connects devices on a home automation network and controls communication among them.

We Recommend: Wink 2 and Samsung SmartThings Hub Gen 3

Wi-Fi Extender

Now that smart technology is integrating into almost every part of our lives, Wi-Fi extenders are a great way to ensure all your home devices stay connected.

We Recommend: Netgear AC1200 – With useful features like the USB 3.0 port and 5 Gigabit Ethernet ports, it has more to offer in performance than its competitors.