Home may be where the heart is, but increasingly, home is also where the tech is. And that’s potentially a great thing, because today’s best smart apps, appliances, and devices are not only making life easier but also making life more affordable. Best of all, you don’t have to be a techno-wizard to get these systems up and running in your home. Now, more than ever, smart home technologies are affordable, accessible, and very easy to use.
More Power to You—Not!
Probably one of the greatest advantages of today’s smart technologies is their potential energy efficiency. The simple fact is, running a home can be a true power suck. If you take the time to calculate your home’s energy consumption, you can see how much standard home appliances are needlessly draining energy.
Usually, it’s your refrigerator, dishwasher, clothes dryer, and HVAC system that are the most rapacious energy vampires of them all. But these are modern amenities that not many of us are willing to do without. And, thanks to smart technology, we don’t have to.
You can now retrofit your home’s lighting and most HVAC systems with smart technologies that will monitor your current energy demands and automatically ratchet down consumption when it’s not needed. And you can even purchase smart appliances that will automatically do the same thing. And that means your home is going to be one of the most energy-efficient and economical houses on the block!
Making Life Easier
Smart technologies aren’t just going to cut down on your energy costs. They can also make life a lot easier.
Consider today’s new smart refrigerators. If you’ve ever shared a refrigerator with a roommate or a houseguest, you know how frustrating it is to have your heart set on a favorite snack only to go to the fridge and find an empty shelf where your treat should be!
Smart refrigerators can put an end to that. Because not only can they automatically adjust energy usage, latest models may use machine learning to keep a running inventory of your typical purchases, detect when you run out of a regular item, and even order that item from your preferred grocer.
And if you think that’s cool, today’s smart ovens are going to wow you even more. With these intelligent appliances, you can use your smartphone to watch realtime as your cake rises or your turkey browns.
Even better, you can use that same smartphone to control your oven, including preheating, cooking, and warming. After all, there’s nothing better at the end of a hard day than being greeted by succulent aromas and a piping hot, ready-to-eat meal when you walk through the door.
Those benefits aren’t just convenient. If you live with a disability, then such connected devices can mean the difference between living independently and having to call in help to cope with the basics of everyday life.
The Takeaway
With today’s smart apps and devices, you don’t have to have an IT degree or a Jeff Bezos-level bank account to trick out your home with the latest tech. Smart technologies for your home are not only affordable but also increasingly user-friendly. With a relatively small investment of time and money, you can outfit your abode with devices that will slash your energy use and the electricity bills that come with it. Best of all, with these smart devices you can streamline things and make life easier overall.
