costs? This is a real battle right now. While there are many enthusiastic early adopters out there, most people think smart home devices are more than just gimmicks. May be, you think the same.
I admit smart home devices with tricks exist. This is a new market and manufacturers are experimenting to see how it works. and what is not — and, inevitably, some of these ideas fail. On the other hand, some of these ideas turn out to be almost revolutionary.
So which smart home features are worth it? Which of these can be safely discarded and ignored? Let’s take a look at some of the ones that are really worth the money.
Energy saving thermostat
Energy efficiency is one of the most desirable features that modern homeowners are looking for. On the one hand, it reduces your impact on the global environment. But if you don’t care about being green, the other benefit is that you get monthly electricity bills.
This means that everyone should be looking at an energy-saving thermostat (if you live in a thermostat-compatible home, of course). You really can’t go wrong here.
Our top recommendation is the Nest Thermostat, available for $249. This popular device not only recognizes your preferred temperature range, but also when you prefer certain temperatures. It will also turn off when you are away from home and allow you to control it remotely via your smartphone.
And this is just the beginning. Here are a few nest features you didn’t know about which will instantly change your impression of the device.
If you don’t like The Nest for some reason, the $215 Honeywell Lyric is a solid alternative with similar features. But don’t stop there. There are many other smart devices that help save energy. and most of them are quite affordable.
Proximity based security locks
Security is another big concern when owning a home. Everyone deserves to feel safe within their own walls, and although this can achieve without any smart home automation, there are several devices that can make it much more convenient for you.
My personal favorite is the August Smart Lock, which is available for $249. This device replaces your traditional door locks and allows you to lock/unlock using your smartphone’s proximity. No more fiddling with keys, no more accidentally locking yourself.
Number keys can be created and assigned to individual smartphones, and these keys can be revoked after a certain amount of time. Fantastic for granting temporary access to guests or military personnel without cloning physical keys.
But don’t take my word for it. Check out all these smart lock alternatives. to see which one works best for your needs. All of them are great and quite affordable.
Note. The most common rebuttal is «What if an attacker disables the device?» While it is possible, it is not easy to do so. Also, anyone who wants to do this can just as easily break a window or hit a door, so I consider this a moot point.
