Smart home starter pack: What you should be getting

While smart home systems claim to bring increased convenience to their users, the process of setting up a smart home can be rather troublesome, especially when your home is furnished with older electronics which does not come with “smart” capabilities. If you are a current homeowner who wishes to make your home a tad smarter without invasive procedures, this starter pack can help.

Smart IR (Infra-red) Remote

A smart IR remote is probably the easiest and cheapest way to make your current devices smarter. It works by compiling and mimicking the signals emitted by the respective remote controllers, which gets sent to the corresponding device when we select a feature on our phone.

There are many use cases for such a simple product. Devices such as air conditioners that have to be switched on or off at specified timings can be easily scheduled to avoid high energy consumption. It would also save the trip to control these devices for multi-level homes.

Smart Plugs

Like the smart IR remote, smart plugs offer extra control on devices without intelligent features. Users can use these plugs for devices that come without IR sensors and remotes, such as lamps, chargers, or even cooking appliances. Before you arrive at your doorstep, you can expect your slow-cooked food to be waiting for you.

With most plugs integrating an electricity meter, you can also keep track of the energy consumption on individual devices and use timer features to reduce electricity usage. You never know; your TV could be quietly sucking away electricity while you are asleep!

Smart Peephole Camera

Smart Peephole cameras are a game-changer, featuring a battery-operated design that can be mounted in place of your peephole, compared to security cameras which require wiring work. Footage captured through the camera will be synced to the mobile devices, with some models allowing 2-way communication through the camera or doubling as a doorbell.

Users can assign instructions to the delivery personnel without waiting for a phone call or text from the opposite party through this device. It could prevent missing packages from theft or a missed delivery due to miscommunications.

Smart Induction Cooker

Despite the popularity of smart rice cookers, not all dishes can be cooked in the rice cooker. The versatility of cookwares makes smart induction cookers the next best choice for smart features.

Smart induction cookers which are WiFi-enabled allows you to make precise temperature adjustments or set a timer through your phone app while monitoring the cooking progress at the same time. To aid with seamless unattended cooking, some cookers even feature safety features such as anti-dry up protection and a phone notification after cooking is completed.

Smart Lighting

Installing smart lighting for the entire house may seem excessive for some, and the cost can quickly add up. Meanwhile, installing smart lighting in selected locations can add convenience without ramping up the price.

Popular locations include home entrances, hallways, bedsides and bathrooms, where lighting is not needed for extended periods. Some lighting devices feature rechargeable designs that do not involve replacing current devices to achieve smart lighting, with motion sensor options on some models.