Making your home 'smart' increases the control you have over the day-to-day running of your home. You can control smart devices when you're at home or even when you're out and about. From switching the kettle on from your bedside to using your phone to check in on your pet whilst you're at work, these innovative gadgets come in pretty handy. It's not just about making life easier, smart devices can help you to run your home more efficiently too, which can save you money. There are lots of devices that can increase safety in the home too, such as cameras, alarms and doorbells, giving you peace of mind.
There's a whole host of gadgets out there and the list is growing - it's all about finding what works for you.
Thermostats and heating devices come in handy for creating a comfortable environment that's ready for when you arrive home.
Smart lighting lets you change the atmosphere of your room, plus it can also give the illusion of presence when you're away from home.
Smart cameras are ideal for checking in on children and pets when you're away, and there’s even smart doorbells that let you see who is calling even if you’re not actually home.
Smart plugs can make every day electricals smart, you could switch on lamps and the TV by controlling just the plug.
There are speakers that let you voice command music and content, and TV boxes enabling you to control settings away from home, so you don't miss your favourite shows.
There's nifty gadgets like pet feeders to take care of the pooch and even trackers you could attach to your pet or even your bike or keys in case they're lost or stolen.
You don't necessarily need a smart hub to create a smart home. Many products are stand-alone smart devices which are often referred to as plug and play devices. You simply set them up, link them to your home Wi-Fi and control them via your smart phone or tablet.
If you want to make your home a little smarter, you can use a smart hub to create a system where multiple devices can work together and the hub acts like the brain of the operation. You can also have more than one hub in your home.
If you want to control your smart devices through a smart hub it's best to make sure your chosen hub is compatible with any of your existing smart devices or if you purchase the hub first, double check that any smart devices you go on to purchase are compatible with your hub.
We have something smart to suit all budgets, making it easy for every household to add some modern automation to their home. Remember some devices can even improve the efficiency of your home, so they'll save you money in the long run. We have a wide variety when it comes to brands and what smart devices they have on offer. Take a look at the electriQ range for some excellent functionality at a fraction of the price compared to some of the leading brands.
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There's no right or wrong way to start your smart home. It all depends on what type of functionality you'd like in your home. You can easily start with some plug and play devices such as light bulbs and cameras, where you simply use your smart phone or tablet to control them or start with a smart hub and create a smart system where the hub is the brains of the operation. We've made it easy for you to shop by which hub you opt for too, by defining which of our products are compatible with Alexa and which require Google.
Smart devices compatible with Alexa »
Smart devices compatible with Google »