The good thing about working in the world of technological dissemination is that you are updated with everything. The bad thing (for the wallet) is that sometimes you end up falling and buying. In some cases, we have to confess that a good gadget ends up creating dust in a drawer, but in others, you see the light: how could I have lived so long without this gadget? The boom in voice assistants and the democratization of home automation is soundproof of this: speakers, connected plugs, smart bulbs, smart thermostats, connected air conditioners.
We have asked the editors of Engadget about the connected device they use the most in their smart home, the best purchase they made for their smart home. These have been their responses.
Philips Hue Bulb Kit
This product is certified to work with Amazon’s Alexa so that it can be controlled by voice. It can also be used with Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. The set consists of two bulbs to configure an intelligent lighting system capable of lighting up to 16 million available colors. Users can sync Philips Hue bulbs with movies and music to create personalized moods. Warm to cool and bright white light options. An exciting possibility is to make your sunrise and wake up little by little.
Domotify flood detector
This intelligent sensor, which requires the Gateway device to synchronize with a smartphone, designed for detect water in home then send notifications in same real-time to all mobile phones synchronized with the application, avoiding possible damage to the house. It integrates an LED indicator light and works at a frequency of 2400-2483.5 MHz. The application is compatible with Android / iOS systems.
Wanfei
Compatible with Android and iOS, it consists of an intelligent monitor for plants. Buying home automation products allows you to connect by Bluetooth to the device, know the level of light, humidity, and fertility of the earth, and know what the type of light your plant receives is like. Nothing better than taking care of your vegetables with the least possible effort. It sure surprises you.
Tahoma
It is one of the best home automation products on Amazon because it allows you to manage your home equipment from your tablet or mobile phone. Imagine being able to raise or lower the blinds, turn on the alarm, open the garage door or program the heating on easily. It is compatible with most commercial brands. How about?
Meross and Osram Smart + plug
I have several “smart plugs” in my house, and the truth is that I find them super helpful. This Osram Smart (already discontinued ) is more typical. I bought it in a sale, and this one from Meross ( 13.99 euros ) is more advanced and has consumption monitoring.
Why is it the most helpful thing I have? Because they practically turn any device into a connected device. In my case, I have a traditional air purifier without any connectivity that I can turn on and off remotely, without even being at home, thanks to the plug.
I can also program it, so I have it programmed to turn on for several hours each day automatically. If you have non-connected devices that work well and do not want to renew, but you would like to program or control them remotely, it is the best option.
Teckin smart plug
It is compatible with Amazon’s Alexa and other virtual assistants to allow voice control. The Teckin-in intelligent module provides real-time reports on the amount of energy that household devices consume and can monitor how much any particular appliance is consuming or how much energy a specific room is consuming. With the free Smart Life app, you can program home lighting and other automated home systems, such as radiators. It is easy to use and install (a simple link to the 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network).
Eedomus + controller
We bet on home automation in my house with an automation switchboard that allows infinite possibilities: eedomus ( 299 euros ). It connects to the Internet and will enable you to manage everything in the home from anywhere, by temperature in the dining room to turn on the porch light. I have quickly added many accessories (intrusion detectors, cameras, thermometer, lamps) to achieve a compelling demotic solution.
The best thing about the control unit is not only controlling all the connected accessories but also its programming possibilities. And it is that I can create as many rules as I want. For example, have the porch light go off when the motion detector is activated, program the house lights to turn on at a particular time, have the house stay at a specific temperature. It is one of the best purchases I have made: apart from comfort, it also offers me security.
Nest thermostat
It is a device that changes the temperature and much more from the smartphone (iOS and Android). It intelligently adjusts for preferred temperatures, home insulation, and the weather outside. It uses the location of the mobile phone and its built-in activity sensors to prevent an empty house from heating up automatically.
TP-Link HS110 and Koogeek plugs
In my case, and although I have some bulbs and LED lights at home, the connected system that I have used the most is the smart plug. For price and performance, they are the product that I get the most version from. I have three at home, and I use them daily to activate or deactivate lighting or air conditioning systems, both manually and through programming: there are two TP-Link HS110 ( 21.90 euros ) and one from Koogeek ( 49 euros ).