Smartening Up Your Home on a Budget

Your living space can become even more relaxing when you incorporate some smart features with a few affordable devices. It may seem frivolous at first, but once you’ve gotten the hang of switching your lights on and off or adjusting the thermostat without having to stand up from your couch, you’ll realise that having a smart home is just one more way of making your life more convenient. After all, just because you’re not an international traveller living in the Duta Vista Executive Suites, it doesn’t mean you can’t experience some great tech goodies on a budget.

So, what are some of the gadgets you need to add to your shopping list?

Google Nest Mini

This is one of the most affordable smart home products you can purchase today. Its colourful cloth cover hides touch-screen controls that can let you launch Google Assistant or play and pause your music. It also has a microphone that can hear your “Hey, Google” commands from across a noisy room. It’s a great starter device if you’re just dipping your toe into the smart home waters.

Amazon Echo Dot

If you’re a Google Nest Mini hater for some reason, then the fifth-generation Echo Dot can be your best mate. For this iteration, Amazon has improved the speaker hardware so audio sounds better and fuller. It doesn’t offer a wide array of features (it’s a budget device, after all), but it can initiate certain Alexa routines.

Aqara P1 Motion Sensor

What if you don’t feel like telling your little robot assistant what to do out loud? This smart motion sensor can start certain automations once it detects that you’ve arrived home. Its battery capacity can last up to five years, so it can be a great long-term purchase. It works very well with Apple’s HomeKit and Amazon’s Alexa.

Tapo C120

If you’re security-conscious, this camera can give you the peace of mind you need. It plays nicely with all the best platforms like Google Assistant and Alexa and works both indoors and outdoors. Its camera comes with 2K resolution and files can be stored on a local microSD card. You get free intelligent alerts, but also have the option to subscribe to an enhanced cloud-based service.

Wemo WiFi Smart Plug

Yes, plugs can be smart these days, too. You can use its app to set up a routine that will automatically turn the lights on when your arrival is detected by a connected motion sensor. Perhaps its best feature is the ability to program your lights to turn on and off to make it look like you’re home even though you’re actually away on a holiday.

This list covers the most basic and affordable smart devices you can buy, but there are so many other products like smart locks and smart appliances that you can check out. We recommend that you start small with just a couple of additions to your home, then see if you’re a fan of the concept. Once you’ve become accustomed to the conveniences of these smart devices, you’ll certainly wonder how you managed to do without them for so long.