Technology continues to make our lives easier, or at least more fun, and a new wave of products seeks to do both - and more. Architectural Digest recently featured three of their favorite smart home gadgets - products that are "turning our homes into smarter spaces" with "high-tech gadgets designed to enhance our home experience."
Then, we added a few of our own based on cnet's recommendations for smart home products that The Independent says "are making things easier and smarter, rather than getting in the way."
1. Belkin WeMo switch
If you're looking to get started with the basic smart home and aren't ready to commit to any large or complicated purchases, the Belkin WeMo Switch is a good place to start. "Belkin's WeMo Switch smart power plug is one of our favorite smart-home devices because it provides such a low-risk home automation entry point," said cnet.
The device is a plug-and-play entry point for home automation, with remote device power control and programmability.
2. Jenn-Air's smart oven
The next generation of appliances goes beyond the basic functions to make it easier than ever - and even enjoyable - to complete some of our everyday tasks.
The wi-fi-connected Jenn-Air smart oven, coming in 2017, allows users to "remotely adjust temperature settings through an app, access digital recipes, and even select suggested cooking times by scrolling through a touchscreen," said Architectural Digest.
Digital Trends
3. Amazon Echo
Cnet lists the Amazon Echo as its "best smart home centerpiece," and the device has been widely praised for being a "central control point for your smart home gadgets," they said. "You'll have a hard time finding a better option than Amazon's voice-activated smart speaker, or its likable virtual assistant, 'Alexa.'"
4. Andersen's smart windows
Even windows have gotten in on the smart home game. Architectural Digest loves Andersen's smart windows, distinctive for their "VeriLock security sensors, a technology that's embedded in the locks of the brand's windows, doors, and patio doors," they said. "When activated, the system alerts homeowners through an app if a window or door is opened. Andersen recently won the 2016 Parade of Products Award, after demoing the product at the recent PCBC homebuilding trade show in San Francisco."
Time
The Echo is essentially a smart personal assistant that can do everything from read the headlines to playing your favorite podcast on demand to setting a timer on the oven. "The Echo is more than a souped-up speaker with Siri-like smarts - it's the connected home experience you didn't know you wanted," they said.
5. BeOn's smart bulbs
Smart lighting provides a new level of security, and BeOn's smart bulbs are another cnet favorite, with "an intriguing mix of security-minded features not found with other smart bulbs," they said.
Electronic House
The bulbs "don't come cheap, but they'll keep shining when the power goes out, turn on automatically when they hear your doorbell or alarm, and even replay your typical lighting patterns when you're not home."
6. Haiku's smart light
Truth be told, we're suckers for any product you don't actually have to touch, like this and this. But the Haiku smart light is next-level. Not only do you not have to lift a finger to turn on or off a light, the system actually anticipates your need for light.
"You'll never have to touch a light switch again with Haiku's connected lighting system," said Architectural Digest. "The program automatically responds to motion and natural light through its SenseME technology, which recognizes when people enter and exit a room and adjusts lighting accordingly. The new product can also connect to Amazon Echo to receive voice commands."
