2020 is here and with it comes an influx of smart home devices designed to make your life easier. With so many options to choose from, especially with a relatively competitive market vying for your hard-earned money, where do you start when it comes to finding the best devices?
Look no further, as we’ve gone and done some digging on your behalf, to make the process easier for you. Today, we’ll explore what exactly a smart home device is (particularly if this is the first time you’re hearing the term), as well as looking at three of the best devices for you to consider adding to your home this year.
The Best Smart Home Devices For 2020
What is a Smart Home Device?
Smart technology has been on the rise for quite some time, adopting mainstream appeal thanks to the early popularity of smart fitness devices and other wearables. A smart home refers to a residence that uses internet-connected devices (usually over Wi-Fi) to enable remote management and monitoring of appliances and systems. This can refer to incorporating technology to change the temperature in the room, to adjust the brightness of the lights, or even to a device that manages the entire household. The 2020’s are expected to include large-scale adoption of these types of devices, especially as we start to live in a world dominated by artificial intelligence and technology.
SimpliSafe
Security for your home has become just as important as online security, and while having cameras at home is a good starting point, the SimpliSafe is the best way to secure your entire home for a much more affordable price. The kit includes a base station, keypad, motion sensors and more, most impressively which can detect different kinds of potential security risks, including hearing glass break, smoke detection and more. These triggers will result in immediate emergency calls, as well as letting you know too. What we liked most about their product offering was that it doesn’t lock you into a contract upfront. Sure, getting their professional monitoring package has its perks, but it isn’t a requirement, and they are happy for you to cancel anytime should you decide to give it a try.
SimpliSafe
Google Nest Hub
Google Nest Hub refers to a smart display device that comes with its home assistant, which not only increases the capabilities of your smart devices across the board, but gives you a seamless user experience in the process too. The difference to traditional voice assistance? You now get visual feedback, which not only helps when you are working through a specific recipe but helps to improve the usability of your assistant in the first place. Other cool features include optimization for smart home cameras, video doorbells as well as other feeds, which can be used based on your individual needs at home. Smart technology has never looked so elegant!
Amazon Echo Dot: 3rd Generation
Amazon’s Echo is well known as an entry-level speaker for your virtual assistant, but with the release of a third-generation model we’re moving into new territory for the brand. While Alexa is still in stiff competition with other assistants in the market, Amazon boasts about the fact that she actually offers far more integration for third party devices, meaning that you have access to tens of thousands of modifications to allow for a more personalized home experience regardless of the brands your products come from. From a pricing perspective, this product is also relatively affordable compared to competitors, and is a good place to start if you’re a first-time smart home technology user. Once you get one, there will be no looking back.
