Electronics & Gadgets Blog
Must-Have Electrical Items for Smart Homes, Transforming Your Living Experience
by Samuel Kalenga on Aug 12, 2024
The era of smart living is upon us with smart technology taking charge of our homes. We no longer have to deal with those bulky boxes which take months of rigorous DIY-ing to setup. We now have a whole new world of smart home technology that seamlessly integrates itself with our everyday lives. We now have hundreds of different smart home electrical items that can revolutionise the way we live. This is a detailed guide on choosing the smart devices to turn your home into a ravishing smart living space.
Smart Power Outlets: The Foundation of a Connected Home
Smart power outlets are the essential backbone of almost any smart home system, serving as a way of bringing your standard electrical system into your smart home hub, allowing for monitoring and control of devices remotely, as well as setting schedules for on/off times and just about anything else you can think of that relates to electricity. Below are some of the best smart outlets on the market.
- Alexa Power Outlet: For Amazon Alexa users, these outlets introduce the power of voice control. Say ‘Alexa, turn on the lamp,’ and your lamp will light up! What better way to avoid fumbling for switches than a little voice control to bring even the simplest of devices up to speed? Want to walk into a dark room and turn on the light with the power of your voice? Problem solved.
- Google Home Electrical Outlet: If you’re a Google Home user, plugging into these outlets delivers the same easy voice control. Say: ‘Hey Google, turn off the coffee maker…’ Done. Now just do it. If you’re running out the door, or sitting on the couch, they have you covered. Think about setting a longtime (like three hours) timer on your coffee maker, so that it will turn on to brew your coffee just before you wake up in the morning.
- Apple HomeKit Electrical Outlet: For owners of Apple HomeKit hardware, these outlets tightly integrate into that system and reliably become part of your smart home. With your iPhone or iPad, you can control your appliances, set up automated actions, and enjoy the full range of Apple’s HomeKit already in your house. You could create a custom action, such as lowering all your lights, firing up quiet background music, setting the thermostat to a more comfortable movie temperature, and doing all that with your device by tapping one button.
- Best Smart Wall Outlet: When browsing for the best smart plug, ensure that it contains features such as surge protection, USB ports, and the option of a timer. These are extras that will make your outlets more practical than just a dumb power switch. Find outlets with multiple USB ports so you can charge all your devices. Also, make sure they contain surge protection – this will keep your electronics safe and sound in case your home has power surges. Finally, timer functionality will enable you to automate the shutoff of any lights or appliances that might have been turned on at inopportune times. Here’s a smart outlet that comes with features as described. You can set it to a timer so you can automate the shutoff of your lights/appliance/equipment at appointed times in the day and also charge your phone and tablet with USB ports that are protected from power surges should your house experience them.
Smart Power Strips and Sockets: Streamline Your Device Control
Smart power strips and sockets take this convenience even further by enabling you to group multiple devices together, and to turn. You never need to plugs and struggle to can turn on your whole with a single voice command or a tap on your smartphone Using natural-language voice commands, for instance, you could say: ‘Turn off the living room devices’ and have your system respond with a small screen display that shows all the devices it has turned off.
- Z-Wave Power Strip: Z-Wave has shown time over time to be one of the most tried and tested, reliable and longest distance technologies – no losing ‘contact’ between your smart hub and a Z-Wave unit in your home. With a Z-Wave power strip, you can control anything plugged in from wherever you are in your home – even away from home (or out of town on vacation?). Cut the power tabs before leaving home, and breathe easy knowing your home is safe and not wasting power when you can’t be there.
- Smart Power Sockets: Smart power sockets work at the device level, so you can have separate control over your lamps, fans or even your coffee maker One benefit of smart power is that it can be applied to individual devices, rather than devices that have to be grouped together as with a traditional smart meter. These are good for devices you don’t want to group, such as lights, fans or even your coffee maker. With the ability to monitor energy consumption you can see how much each device is drawing. Imagine being able to turn off each light in your home individually – dimming the lights for a romantic evening in the living room and turning off the lights in other rooms when you’re not using them.
Smart Power Meters: Master Your Energy Usage
Yes, you want to save some money here, but more importantly you can use the information from your power meters to make eco-conscious decisions. Smart power meters can show you the detailed accounting for the energy consumed in your home, giving you the ability to identify waste and cut back on consumption to help reduce your environmental impact. Some options?
- Emporia Power Meter: Unlike a generic doodad that monitors kilowatt-hours, this unit gives you hard numbers about your electricity use, down to the appliance and the hour of the day. Instantly, you’ll know exactly when and how you’re using electricity and how to cut back — potentially saving hundreds of dollars a year on your electric bill. See exactly how much is being used by your refrigerator, air conditioner, and other appliances, and make the seeable changes to cut your bill and your carbon footprint.
- Z-Wave Clamp Power Meter: It offers real-time energy usage information and integrates with your Z-Wave network for easy tracking of how and where you use energy. From which appliances to turn off, to providing feedback on which appliances you could replace, the meter gives energy usage data for everything in your home. What if you could monitor the energy usage of 300 W home theatre audio system, and turn off the system if it was not in use to save energy and money?
Smart Home Appliances: Enhancing Comfort and Convenience
If smart plugs and power strips are the backbone of a smart home, then smart appliances raise the comfort and convenience of your smart home to the next level. It’s the automatic next step that turns a smart home into a smart living experience. The best part is that smart appliances can be easily integrated into your smart home and they are also easily controllable remotely, programmed and even personalised through your smart home system. Let’s explore some of the top smart appliances you should not be without:- 9000BTU Air Conditioning Unit: Are you struggling to keep cool during the long, hot summer? The solution is this portable air conditioner that will have you reaching for the duvet as soon as the temperature starts rising – no matter what time of year it is! With four modes – cooling, dehumidifying, fan, and sleep, this 9000BTU air conditioner is sure to improve your lifestyle. It comes equipped with a digital display and remote control, so you can control the climate anywhere in the room. Ensuring optimum comfort in your home is easy with a theoretical cooling capacity of up to 300 sq. ft, making it the ideal cooling companion for even the most spacious rooms. Pre-cool a bedroom before sleeping for an optimal night’s rest, or set a timer so the air conditioner switches on as soon as you get home from work, meaning you can walk into a refreshing and comfortable room.
- Cello 16 Inch Smart TV: Easy! Small! WebOS (UK Store Only) Freeview Play FreeSat Bluetooth Pitch Perfect Speakers Prime Video Apple TV BBC 16 inches – perfect size for smaller spaces such as the kitchen, bedroom, or home office. Access the most popular streaming services Netflix, Prime Video, Apple TV, Keep up with all your favourite shows with Freeview Play and FreeSat. Bluetooth to stream music wirelessly and turn your TV into a convenient hub of entertainment. Ever wanted a TV in the kitchen whilst you make dinner? Next time get the latest news as you go through your training in home gym. Open Up the bedroom doors and enjoy a movie night in bed. Complete your kitchen and turn your extra space into an extension of your home with this compact and trendy smart TV. Have your pick from thousands of apps with WebOS, which allows for fast and simple interaction with the TV. The Pitch Perfect speakers provide brilliant quality sound, so you don’t have to sacrifice quality. It doesn’t stop there! Stream your favourite music with bluetooth!
- SHARP 24" Smart LED TV: 12v 24v for Caravan Motorhome Boat Truck Freeview Play WiFi Streaming AV Ports Freeview HD Satellite HD Saorview Netflix Prime HDMI USB Mains 12v Included 1T C24EE2KF2UBM This super Smart Travel TV, powered by mains or 12 volt / 24 volt, is perfect for use in the home, caravans, motorhomes, boats or in trucks.Not only will you get all the channels of Freeview Play, the Smart TV feature also enables you to connect to the many WiFi stream providers all over the world, such as Netflix, Prime and many more.Country TV Instant access to over 100 Channels dedicated to Country Music, Western Shows, and a variety of Country Genres, including Western Films.
- SHARP YC-MG02U-S Compact Microwave: No kitchen should be without a microwave. This 20-litre one from SHARP is great for reheating leftovers, easy to use, and quick. It’s got 800W power and 1000W grill as well as 11 power levels, so you can use it to cook most things. It has a sleek design and is great for small kitchens, single living or even in an apartment.
