INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
The best smart home devices will turn your dumb home into a smart hub, one that can turn on lights when you enter a room, lock your doors
room, or as complex as an intricate network of connected devices
Really, making a smart home is up to you, and you can personalize it to your level of comfort.But wading the waters of smart home products,
which fall into dozens of categories, can be daunting
And because smart homes rely on components being able to communicate with one another, before you stock up your shopping cart with all the
dreams, we've curated a list of eight gadgets that we believe are the best smart home products you can buy.Here are our recommendations for
best smart home devices to get your existing house, apartment or other domicile up to speed:Choosing the best smart home ecosystemBefore you
start assembling your smart home, you'll want to think about which smart home ecosystem you'll want to build off of
There are quite a few out there, including Apple HomeKit, Google Home/Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings, the Amazon Alexa platform,
On the contrary, those that need quick and easy ways to order things online might prefer the Amazon Echo.Want to see even more smart home
recommendations Check out our comprehensive guides to different product categories below:Now, let's get into our list of the best smart home
devices, starting withBest smart speaker: Amazon Echo (2nd Gen)A better fit for your stylish smart homeNew lookLow priceGreat new Alexa
featuresMore of the sameThe second-generation Amazon Echo speaker is at the top of our list for good reason
Amazon's original Alexa-powered speaker has become the first smart home product for millions of people around the world
This sequel is even better.It's affordable, yet stylish, with new fabric finishes to fit your home
And Amazon is always upgrading Alexa, especially now that the Apple HomePod and Google Home are directly competing with the Echo speaker
your smart home command centerWide device supportStylish designNo USB or backup powerWhile most smart speakers these days can act as a smart
together all your smart home devices
Perhaps the only downsides are that the device does not have any USB ports or backup battery power, both of which appear on some other
hubs.Best smart light bulb: Philips HueiPhone-controlled lightbulbs, anyoneWidely supportedEasy to installExcellent appSomewhat expensiveOne
than done considering how many different options out there
Of them all, however, we think the best smart light bulbs are Philips Hue range of smart bulbs.If you opt for Philips Hue bulbs, you will
need to get the Philips Bridge, which is kind of like a hub for your lights
The advantage, however, is reliability, and the fact that the system is compatible with a range of different standards and home control
systems including Apple HomeKit, Nest and Samsung SmartThings.Read the full review: Philips HueBest smart thermostat: Nest Learning
ThermostatThe superhero your smart home deservesElegant designEasy to useHelps save moneyTakes some work to installAutomating your heating
famous and, in our opinion the best, is the Nest Learning Thermostat
which is an important thing to consider.Read the full review: Nest Learning ThermostatBest smart security camera: NetGear Arlo QA well-made
and smartly designed security cameraFree cloud subscriptionNice appNo local storageNo ethernet portHome security is an important thing to
consider, and there are a ton of connected security cameras out there
One of the best is the NetGear Arlo Q, because of the fact that it has a nice design and reliable motion-detection that starts recording
and off your lights has never been easierEasy to installVery nice designBulkyYou may have decked out your home with smart LED bulbs, like
This lovely switch may be connected, but it also gives a satisfying click, so you can *pretend* it's an old-fashioned switch, if you
From the app, you can create different scenes that turn on or off certain lights, or set lights to turn on when your home's motions sensors
energy usageGood energy monitoringSolid smart home integrationApp is poorly designedThe Belkin WeMo Insight Smart Plug is more than just a
way to control devices plugged into it
great if you're trying to save some money and be a bit more energy conscious
While the plug is a bit on the bulky side, you may be able to live with it for all the dollars/pounds you save on your monthly energy
It also connects to wide range of smart home platforms, from IFTTT, Alexa, Google Assistant, Works with Nest and (unofficially) Samsung
SmartThings.Read the full Belkin WeMo Insight Smart Plug reviewBest smart lock: August Smart LockGood compatibilityNice and strongAutomatic
featuresNo Wi-Fi supportWe mentioned security before, but a security camera is only helpful if someone has already broken in to your house
You also might want to prevent that from happening in the first place, which is where smart locks come into play
offers smoke alarms, which can connect to the rest of your smart home
Starter KitNest ProtectNetgear Arlo QNest Learning Thermostat - 3rd GenerationAmazon Echo (2017)TfhrBh8ZP9ktzqzy5idjV.jpg#
