Best Home Automation System 2020- #8 is a MUST
In this Article we will discuss what foundation you need in place to get best home automation system. Currently there are lot of companies providing home automation products and you need to pick and choose the perfect combination to get best home automation system.
When we start gardening, first thing we do is to prepare bed for plants. Make sure it has right soil, manure/fertilizer and proper sunlight before we put that first seed or sapling we are planning to grow. Without proper bed or foundation our plants will either not grow or will not give results we were expecting.
Similarly, before we go out buying smart home devices we need to make sure that our home is ready for it. Taking care of below mentioned items will help you in maximizing benefit of smart home and save lot of time and money.
High speed internet for home automation
If you are still using dial-up or any other slow internet service then it’s time to move to a high-speed internet provider. Smart home devices interact with your wi-fi network and you need to have sufficient bandwidth to support home automation.
Modem
It is a device which connects your home with internet and if you have not replaced it in last couple of years then you should be doing it before automating your home. It’s better to get a wireless modem as it will have router inbuilt. If you are renting your modem from cable provider, then they should replace it free of cost.
Router or Smart Hub for home automation
Modem does not provide wireless connection unless it has router in-built. You need to have a router to get wireless connection across your home. Now days many companies are coming up with smart routers and hubs which not only provide wireless connection but also help in connecting various smart home devices with each other.
Wireless Repeaters
If your house is big and/or has multiple floors then you may have observed that some areas have very low or no wireless connection. In such situation, you may want to add wireless repeater so that you can get internet in each and every corner of your house. I remember once I had a smart switch in our kid’s nursery and sometime it stops working when internet was not reachable to that corner where switch was installed.
Ecosystem
Currently there are hundreds of smart home devices available in market and each comes with its own app. You don’t want to end up having multiple apps to interact with each smart device. Also, if these devices are not able to interact with each other than you will not be getting full benefit of home automation. In order to avoid these problems many companies are coming up with their own ecosystem like Apple’s Homekit, Samsung’s SmartThings, Amazon, Google’ Brillo and list goes on.
We are going to discuss about some of these ecosystems in future articles but for starters it is good idea start thinking about which home automation ecosystem will work best for you. There are a lot of devices which are compatible with these ecosystems like Philips hue bulbs, iDevices switch etc. One should always look at compatibility of devices with their ecosystem before making purchase. If you have a lot of apple devices in your home then you may want to stick with smart home devices which are Homekit compatible.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links below are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, we will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase.
Below we have listed some of the Best Home Automation Devices for your money available in market:
Best Smart Hub for Home Automation
Samsung SmartThings Hub, 2nd Generation
Best Smart Hub available for your smart home: #3 is free if you have an iPhone
Best Wireless Camera for Home Automation- Indoor
Nest Cam Indoor security camera
Best Smart Thermostat for Home Automation
Ecobee3 Thermostat with Sensor, Wi-Fi, 2nd Generation, Works with Amazon Alexa
It comes with remote sensor which you can place anywhere to monitor and control temperature and can be extended for more than one room.
Best Smart Thermostats and why you need one
Best Smart Plug for Home Automation
If you are looking for plug compatible with apple homekit then iDevices Switch is your best bet. It is competitive in terms of pricing with other smart plugs and this works with Amazon Echo.
Smart Plugs and switches: Easiest way to make your home smart
Best Smart Lights for Home Automation
Best Smart Lock Lock for Home Automation
Lock and unlock your door, create virtual keys for guests, and keep track of who comes and goes, all from your smartphone. Auto-locks behind you for peace of mind and automatically unlocks as you approach. Turn on or off whenever you want.A 24/7 activity log tracks who enters and exits your home. And with unique keys for each user, you’ll always know who opens your door and when. Works with: Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Nest, IFTTT, Wink, Logitech Harmony, Logitech POP, iOS and Android devices.
Best Virtual Assistant for Home Automation
Answers questions, reads the news, reports traffic and weather, reads audiobooks from Audible, gives info on local businesses, provides sports scores and schedules, and more using the Alexa Voice Service. Controls lights, fans, switches, thermostats, garage doors, sprinklers, locks, and more with compatible connected devices from WeMo, Philips Hue, Samsung SmartThings, Nest, ecobee, and others
Best Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
iRobot Roomba 650 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner
Roomba 650 is a robotic vacuum cleaner. You just have to press a button or set a schedule and it will go around your house vacuuming. Its sensors will detect dirt and remove it, once it is done cleaning it will go back to its base unit to charge. You may program it to clean when you are in office and once you are back you step into a clean house.
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