10 Annoying Problems in Your Home Solved with Smart Devices

The home where we relax after a long day at work. Even when we go on a fun vacation, there is nothing better than the feeling of coming home. Everywhere is still alien and hostile, but one place will always welcome us.

And so sucks when there are problems at home. This place of relaxation and comfort can quickly become a place that inspires us with stress and frustration. But with the help of some smart devices, some of these problems can be reduced or even eliminated.

Problem #1

You have a teenager who often sneaks out or comes home late. Or you have a locked firearm and want to make sure no one has access to it without your permission. Or you often leave your garage door open at night.

Solution: iris contact sensor. This small and affordable sensor will let you know when something is opening or closing and is flexible enough to be installed anywhere for any purpose. Requires a ZigBee-compatible smart hub such as the Iris Smart Hub or the second generation SmartThings Hub.

Problem #2

You want to give someone temporary access to your home during periods when you are not there to let them through (for example, babysitters and maintenance workers). You also hate the five seconds it takes to lock and unlock a door.

Solution: august smart lock. This thing replaces your regular door lock, unlocks when you approach it, and locks when you leave — the smartphone app acts as a key. You can also assign virtual keys to others, and the lock will identify them as authorized to enter. Virtual keys may expire over time.

August is not the only smart door lock on the market. Others are available. but many of them don’t have the proximity lock feature.

Problem #3

You want to know when people are knocking on your door, even when you’re not at home. You want to give verbal instructions to parcel providers. You want to know who is still playing ding dong ditch at 2am.

Solution: Wi-Fi call Video intercom. Why look through the peephole when you can just open the smartphone app and watch HD video with two-way audio? No matter where you are, you can chat with anyone at your door. It also has visitor alerts based on a built-in motion sensor.

The ring is the most popular of its kind, but you can find several other smart doorbells on the market. Some offer better video quality while others offer fewer features at a more affordable price.

Task #4

You want to know as soon as possible when your basement floods (again), whether it’s from heavy rain, a burst pipe, or a faulty washing machine.

Solution: SmartThings Water Leak Sensor. This is a small device that you put away in areas prone to leaks. As soon as it comes into physical contact with water, its alarm goes off and sends you a smartphone alert. SmartThings Hub required!

If you don’t have a smart hub, you can choose the D-Link Wi-Fi water sensor instead. It only requires a smartphone to pair and can be fully controlled using the included mobile app. In fact, D-Link’s entire line of home connections are very good (see our review for a detailed look).

Task number 5

You want to stream Netflix, Hulu, HBO and other kinds of channels directly to your TV without plugging in a laptop (or dealing with the awful interfaces of most smart TVs).

Problem: Solution: Roku Express, Roku Streaming Stick, or Roku Premiere. These devices are very easy to use: just plug them into your TV. The Express is a portable device similar to a USB stick, the Streaming Stick is a more powerful version of it, and the Premiere is a real set-top box with even more power. We recommend Streaming Stick (read our review).

There are other Roku models out there, but they are more expensive and/or serve more niche purposes. Read more about this in our guide to choosing the right device. .

Task number 6

You have trouble falling or staying asleep, but you don’t know what the problem is. You want to learn more about your sleep habits.

Solution: sleep sensor ResMed S + . Place it on your nightstand and it will analyze your sleep patterns and your sleeping environment (eg light and sound levels, temperature, etc.). Based on this, he can recommend ways to improve the quality of your sleep. Comes with apps for Android and iOS.

ResMed S+ is just one of many smart products designed to solve sleep-related problems. For more information, check out our favorite sleep devices.

Task number 7

You just can’t get up even after a good night’s sleep. You want to make your morning cup of Joe without getting out of bed. You are also a coffee snob (I mean connoisseur).

Solution: Behmor Connected coffee maker. Not only is this a high quality brewing machine, it allows you to set the exact temperature for your coffee — perfect for those who are serious about coffee. You can control it via the mobile app and even create different brewing profiles (for different beans, for example).

Task number 8

You can’t sleep at night because you’re constantly worried about a carbon monoxide leak. After all, this is one of the quietest killers. You also hate dealing with false smoke alarms!

Solution: The nest guards the alarm. This device is a Wi-Fi connected smoke and carbon monoxide detector that sends you mobile alerts when you have either (see our positive review). ) In the event of a false alarm, you can mute your phone. Battery and wired options are available.

If you can’t use Nest Protect or are unavailable for any reason, there are plenty of alternative smart detectors worth checking out.

Task number 9

You wish your lights weren’t so dull. Why can’t they respond to voice commands? You also wish you weren’t so stupid. Why can’t you forget to turn off the lights around the house?

Solution: Philips Hue Starter Kit. The kit includes a Hue Bridge that acts as a brain and two A19 LED bulbs that plug into the bridge. You can then control each lamp individually with the Philips Hue mobile app that connects to the bridge (check out how great it is in our review).