smart thermostat

The Ultimate Smart Home

How To Make

Hi There!

By now I’m almost sure you have, and if not, then it’s about time you started poking your nose around!
With the recent advancements in technology, everything is virtually going smart! Smart products are everywhere from phones, to electronics, down to even cars. Unfortunately, however, the diversity of products can be somewhat quite overwhelming even for tech junkies themselves.

This has subsequently made many of us shun away from learning about these products by assuming that it is too complicated for our understanding; we couldn’t be any further from the truth! In essence, smart products are made to be remarkably user-friendly, and once you start using them, you will barely have second thoughts about making use of them to make both your home and your life easier and of course more automated.

Home Attitude: Everything You Need To Know To Make Your Home Smart (It's All About Attitude)
Home Attitude: Everything You Need To Know To Make Your Home Smart (It's All About Attitude)
Price: $14.99
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HONEST BUYING GUIDES
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So what are the best Home Automation Tools this 2021 you ask?

Table Of Content

Smart Hubs
Smart Routers
Smart Mesh Routers
Smart Indoor Security Cameras
Smart Outdoor Security Cameras
Smart Doorbells
Smart Door Locks
Smart Garage Doors

Smart Light Bulbs
Smart Lights Strips
Smart Switches
Smart Thermostats
Smart Robot Vacuums
Smart Coffee Makers
Smart Sprinklers

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Smart Home
1

Smart Automatic Door Locks

2

Smart Tvs

3

Smart Home Thermostats

4

Solar Power

5

Smart WebCams And Baby Cams

6

To The Cloud We Go!

7

Smart Lights And Light Fixtures

8

Smart Recycling And Compost

Why do you need Smart technology?

For each one of us, time is the most valuable yet diminishing resource. Unfortunately, most of our days are spent working on mundane chores which take a considerable chunk of this precious commodity which could otherwise be used to do more important tasks. Home automation is the best solution to get you more moments to pursue your passions, spend with your family, or just taking time to relax. Don’t you agree?

If you think so (and there is entirely no reason you shouldn’t), then it is time you invested in the smart home movement.

Almost everything in your home, if not all, can now be linked to the internet and remotely controlled using smart gadgets. However, despite how easy it sounds, setting up the so-called ‘smart home’ can be overwhelming as there is such a wide array of devices and factors to incorporate before it is fully operational. Nonetheless, we have created a guide to help you sort through the clutter and get acclimated to your new smart home.
Are you ready for your smart home?

Lets Get Started With It: Where Do We Begin?

With home automation, there is never really a particular place to start out. Nonetheless, if you are green to the realm, it is best you start out from the beginning with the basics. There is a whole assortment of different devices, protocols, upgrades, issues, changes, updates and such that bringing your smart devices to work in harmony can be difficult. This is why we recommend that you start by identifying where and what you want to automate FIRST. With an explicit goal of what it is that you need, it is easy to dive right into the pool of home automation.

  • Step 1: Decide What, Where and How To Smartify Your Home

    If you have no idea of how home automation works or how it would look in a day to day routine, it is essential you get ahold of the whole concept. Think of this: what tasks you do on a daily basis? Or how often do you alter things within your house setting depending on what and when you are doing it? Where is most of your time spent? And doing what? Or even, at what time of the day do you do it?

    When you perform this simple, yet useful exercise, you will instantly identify what it is that you do the most while at home. This will give you your target automating areas. This are the areas where you some need assistance, and it is also here that you pick out which tasks are worth incorporating into a home automation schedule. And aside from just being the perfect choices for home automation, the odds are that there is an ideal smart device in the market just for those jobs!

  • Step 2: Get Yourself the Right Hub…And a Bunch of Other Assistant Systems

    The future of smart homes is here…well, kind of. And while the concept is about incorporating various smart devices within your home for easy operation, are a couple of different gadgets communicating in different languages really what smart means? Unfortunately, even with the smart devices installed, your otherwise smart home can be somewhat stupid if the devices are not working harmoniously. It usually takes slightly longer to establish this kind of home than standard adverts scantily portray.
    And with the wide array of various smart products in the market, and our lives so entangled and engrossed by the numerous smartphone apps and passwords to deal with and recall, there is need to have a product that ties all these gadgets together to allow smooth operation. It is vital that you find a central hub to control all your smart gadgets.

After you have established your smart home goals and why a smart home is a right investment, you will need to invest in a product that can help you control most, if not all, of your smart devices. Otherwise, it can get uncontrollably crazy.

Here are some of the BEST products you can invest in to create one central hub for your smart home.

Smart Hubs: Streamline all your smart gadgets to establish a simple, smart home with smart hubs. If you are a novice to smart devices, or even if you are tech savvy, it can be somewhat overwhelming for learning how to utilize them properly. And with numerous new inventions coming out in the market every day, identifying a way to have them working collectively is vital.

With smart hubs, you can effectively integrate your existing (smart) gadgets and control them using a single central system. This ensures that your home is operating efficiently and smoothly and will reduce the learning curve for your devices.

Some of the best smart hubs available include: 

Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub
Wink Hub 2, Easily Control Every Device in Your Smart Home

Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub 2nd Gen.
Samsung SmartThings Smart Home Hub 2nd Gen.
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Wink WNKHUB-2US 2 Smart home hub, White
Wink WNKHUB-2US 2 Smart home hub, White
Price: $87.98
You Save: $11.02 (11%)
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Google WiFi Router by TP-Link - OnHub AC1900 (Managed by Google Wifi APP)
Google WiFi Router by TP-Link - OnHub AC1900 (Managed by Google Wifi APP)
Price: $74.95
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Securifi Almond - (3 Minute Setup) Touchscreen Wireless Router/Range Extender
Securifi Almond - (3 Minute Setup) Touchscreen Wireless Router/Range Extender
Price: $89.99
You Save: $10.00 (10%)
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Smart Routers: Having the ability to link all your smart products in your house without any interruption is merely essential.

If you have no strong wireless connection, nearly all these gadgets cannot operate at optimal capacity. This should not be any surprise considering that there are very little things if any, that you can do these days devoid of a good internet connection.

A smart router offers an assortment of features which help you ensure that your smart home is operating at a top-notch level. Also, besides boosting the wireless signal and range of your home, smart routers also work as a central hub to control most of your smart home gadgets.

And while there are numerous options available in the market (as it should be), some of the best smart routers which we recommend include:

Google WiFi Router by TP-Link – OnHub AC1900 (Managed by Google WiFi APP)
Securifi Almond 3 Touchscreen WiFi Wireless Router/Range Extender/Access Point/Wireless Bridge

Mesh Routers: Nothing beats the frustration of persistent connectivity issues particularly when you begin to rely on your smart home devices for daily use primarily.

For products such as light strips and smart vacuums, a strong signal is essential for their proper and effective functioning. Nonetheless, in the event of a dead spot within your smart home, it can be quite challenging without an effective router. This is where mesh routers come in!

With mesh networking, you not only guarantee proper wireless connectivity around the entire perimeter of your home but you also effectively destroy all Wi-Fi dead zones, which are otherwise disrupting the free flow of wireless connectivity to your smart devices. Can it get any better than that?

These gadgets come in a kit which permits you to establish multiple hubs through your smart home. The objective is to get rid of all dead spots as well as buffering times to ensure a smooth, dead zone free, and stable home networking.

Some of the best mesh routers for you we recommended include:

eero Home Wi-Fi System
NETGEAR Orbi High-Performance Tri-Band Wi-Fi System

NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Whole Home Mesh WiFi System with 3Gbps Speed (RBK50) – Router & Extender Replacement Covers Up to 5,000 sq. ft., 2-Pack Includes 1 Router & 1 Satellite White
NETGEAR Orbi Tri-band Whole Home Mesh WiFi System with 3Gbps Speed (RBK50) – Router & Extender Replacement Covers Up to 5,000 sq. ft., 2-Pack Includes 1 Router & 1 Satellite White
Price: $279.37
You Save: $90.62 (24%)
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Amazon eero Pro mesh WiFi system (1 Pro + 2 Beacons)
Amazon eero Pro mesh WiFi system (1 Pro + 2 Beacons)
Price: $319.00
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  • Step 3: Secure Your Home: Automating the Security and Safety of Your Smart Home

    Remember that famous phrase of ‘you are nothing without your health’? Similarly, your home is nothing devoid of security! As such, home security is among the most critical aspects worth considering when investing in smartifying your home. Smart home security systems are a significant step towards achieving home automation.

    Besides just being plain cheaper than incorporating a traditional security setup run by a large firm, these systems can be better tailored and also give you a sense of control over your home. With these devices, you can easily monitor your home systems using smartphone applications from virtually anywhere.

Some of the ways you can automate your home security include installing:

Smart (Indoor) Security Cameras: Have you ever left your house and then sometime later you got that bad feeling deep within your gut?

It is some anxiety that you have perhaps forgotten a crucial thing in your home. Did I perhaps leave the stove or burner running? Or is my baby all by himself?

Undeniably, there are numerous reasons why you might want to have access to your house while you are out. Luckily, indoor security cameras are just the right tool to help you with this. Many of these gadgets feature HD video that permits zooming as well as recording abilities which safeguard the footage for later review. And all this you can do entirely wirelessly. Imagine that!

Some of the best brands you can check out (at Amazon) include: 

Nest Cam Security Camera
NETGEAR 1080p HD Arlo Q Security Camera

Ring Spotlight Cam Wired: Plugged-in HD security camera with built-in spotlights, two-way talk and a siren alarm, White, Works with Alexa
Ring Spotlight Cam Wired: Plugged-in HD security camera with built-in spotlights, two-way talk and a siren alarm, White, Works with Alexa
Price: $199.99
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Smart (Outdoor) Security Cameras: According to some recent statistics particularly in the United States, in every 13 seconds, there is a home break-in

If you have been a victim of a break in, then you already know how traumatizing and scary it can feel. To avoid such incidents in the future, take a step and install smart outdoor cameras. They are your smart home security watchdogs since they allow you to monitor the surrounding of your house through smartphone apps. What’s more, you can set them to alert you when they detect motion within your compound, so you are ready if there is an intruder.

Some of the best outdoor cameras in the market include:

Ring Stick Up Cam Outdoor Security Camera
Nest Cam Outdoor Security Camera

Smart Doorbells: Picture this: it’s late into the night, and you are all alone at your house, and then your doorbell rings!

You are not expecting anyone, and you have not ordered anything, and when you peek through your window, you can’t quite tell who it is. What do you do? If you have had this experience before, then you know it is always somewhat awkward and potentially frightening.

Nonetheless, with a smart doorbell, you get rid of the need to go open the door. As soon as your bell rings, you can see the visitor via your smartphone app, and you can even converse with them via 2-way audio. Surprisingly, this works whether or not you are home as it gives you notifications even when you are not around.

Some of the best options available include:

Ring Video (Wi-Fi Enabled) Doorbell
Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Ring Video Doorbell (1st Gen) – 720p HD video, motion activated alerts, easy installation – Satin Nickel
Ring Video Doorbell (1st Gen) – 720p HD video, motion activated alerts, easy installation – Satin Nickel
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Ring Video Doorbell Pro, with HD Video, Motion Activated Alerts, Easy Installation (existing doorbell wiring required)
Ring Video Doorbell Pro, with HD Video, Motion Activated Alerts, Easy Installation (existing doorbell wiring required)
Price: $249.99
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August Smart Lock (HomeKit Enabled / Dark Gray)
August Smart Lock (HomeKit Enabled / Dark Gray)
Price: $239.90
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Kwikset - Kevo 99250-202 Kevo 2nd Gen Bluetooth Touch-to-Open Smart Keyless Entry Electronic Deadbolt Door Lock Featuring SmartKey Security, Satin Nickel
Kwikset - Kevo 99250-202 Kevo 2nd Gen Bluetooth Touch-to-Open Smart Keyless Entry Electronic Deadbolt Door Lock Featuring SmartKey Security, Satin Nickel
Price: $155.32
You Save: $73.68 (32%)
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Smart Door Locks: Are you worried that you somehow forgot to lock your door properly?

Worry no more! Similarly, if you keep on leaving your door key on your door in the open right there where burglars can easily find them, then you need smart door locks. These are intelligent locks which allow you to ascertain whether or not you have correctly locked your door and to lock it remotely (through your phone for instance) if you forgot to.

What’s more, you can also unlock your door even for your visitors without being home. How about that!

Some of the best smart locks available in the market include: 

August Smart Lock 2nd Generation
Kwikset Kevo (2nd Gen) Touch-to-Open Bluetooth Smart Lock

Smart Garage Doors: Safeguard your storage with remarkable wireless garage control.

Smart garage doors work pretty much like all other mentioned home security products. After installation, you can use your phone to check if you have locked your garage door. And if you haven’t, you can always close it while on the run.

Some of the best smart garage doors available on the market include:

Garageio Smart Garage Controller 
MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener Chamberlain

  • Step 4: Automate Your Lighting

    Whether you are starting out on the whole lighting automation or adding to an already established setup, being able to automate your lighting (exterior and interior) is yet another crucial step to smartifying your home. After all, it is the light that sparks the beauty of your home, isn’t it?
    From smart lamps to smart bulbs as well as all other smart lighting gadgets in between, there is a whole lot of ways you can automate your lighting. And better for you, the devices that facilitate this are remarkably affordable and straightforward.

    With smart lighting system, you can activate, program, or even control modern smart lighting, so you never have to flick a switch ever again manually! Such is the benefit that comes with automated lighting in your house that you can also schedule your lighting. In fact, you can set them to change color once you get a social media notification or email or even get them to activate if there is a visitor in the room.

For your smart lighting project, there are several gadgets that you can use.

Smart Light Bulbs: Since time immemorial, a properly-lit home has always been associated to being a secure home.

Dark houses indicate emptiness which is the ideal condition for burglars to �test out.’ With smart light bulbs, you can switch on the lights of your home from virtually anywhere. Moreover, you can also set timers on them so that they light up after sunset to make your house look occupied.

Some of the best smart bulbs in the market include:

LIFX Color A19 Wi-Fi Smart LED Light Bulb 2nd Gen
Philips 456186 Hue White and Color Bulb

Sylvania Osram Lightify Flex Light Strips + Lightify Flex Light Strips Expansion
Sylvania Osram Lightify Flex Light Strips + Lightify Flex Light Strips Expansion
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Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LightStrip Plus Dimmable LED Smart Light (Requires Hue Hub, Works with Alexa, HomeKit & Google Assistant)
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LightStrip Plus Dimmable LED Smart Light (Requires Hue Hub, Works with Alexa, HomeKit & Google Assistant)
Price: $88.89
Price Disclaimer

Smart Light Strips: create your ideal setting with only a button click!

If you are one of those people who love a change of setting once in a while, smart lighting may help you do this. By altering the appeal of your everyday setting, you can shift the mood of the place, get yourself off a rut, as well as inspire new ideas. And while it may not be feasible to do a complete overhaul now and then, the use of smart light strips enable you to alter the appeal of your home with ease drastically. All you need to do is attach these strips to any surface, link them to an app on your smartphone, and tinker with the vast array of color and brightness options. The use of smart light strips is smart technology’s smart side.

Some of the best Smart Lightstrips recommended for you include:

Sylvania Osram Lightify Flex Light Strips
Philips Hue White and Color Ambiance LightStrip

Smart Switches: Imagine being able to control all your lights from virtually anywhere, even in the comfort of your seat.

Smart light switches work similarly to smart light bulbs. The only difference, however, is that as opposed to having control of the light fixture you can control a switch. This allows you a diversity of options since you can for instance control gadgets like ceiling fans using these smart switches if you are looking to adjust the airflow within your house remotely.

Some of the best smartwatches and which we recommend for you include: 
Wemo Light Switch, Wi-Fi enabled
Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini by TP-Link

Wemo F7C030fc Light Switch, WiFi enabled, Works with Alexa and the Google Assistant
Wemo F7C030fc Light Switch, WiFi enabled, Works with Alexa and the Google Assistant
Price: $32.49
You Save: $17.50 (35%)
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Kasa Smart Plug by TP-Link, Smart Home WiFi Outlet works with Alexa, Echo,Google Home & IFTTT,No Hub Required, Remote Control, 15 Amp, UL certified, 1-Pack (HS105)
Kasa Smart Plug by TP-Link, Smart Home WiFi Outlet works with Alexa, Echo,Google Home & IFTTT,No Hub Required, Remote Control, 15 Amp, UL certified, 1-Pack (HS105)
Price: $11.99
You Save: $12.96 (52%)
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  • Step 5: Automate Your Smart Home Climate - Work on Your HVAC

    Once you are through with step 4 and your lighting is on point, the next reasonable thing is to work on your air conditioning and heating system. Wirelessly regulate the temperatures within your home courtesy of smart technology. When establishing a smart home, regulation of temperature is among the essential aspects worth considering and ultimately incorporating in the plan. With the right temperature balance, you not only promote comfort within the house, but you also save on costs as well as energy as there is no wastage.

With smart thermostats, you can effectively set the temperature you prefer not to mention your standard daily schedule.

With this, your house can efficiently adjust its temperature at the right time. Not only will this help you get rid of the panicking thoughts of what temperature you left your home at, but it also saves you the costs of energy bills. Call it a win-win situation!

Some of the best thermostats in the market and which we recommend for you include: 
Nest Learning Thermostat
Honeywell Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat

Google Nest Learning Thermostat - Programmable Smart Thermostat for Home - 3rd Generation Nest Thermostat - Works with Alexa - Stainless Steel
Google Nest Learning Thermostat - Programmable Smart Thermostat for Home - 3rd Generation Nest Thermostat - Works with Alexa - Stainless Steel
Price: $223.76
You Save: $25.24 (10%)
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Honeywell RTH9580WF Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
Honeywell RTH9580WF Wi-Fi Smart Thermostat
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  • Step 6: Home Automation- Smartify Your Home Cleaning and Maintenance

    Finally, and the moment we have been waiting for (both you and us alike) is here!

    Those little days of dreading and even ignoring the household chores are turning out to be a thing of the past. This is especially so with the advancements in smart home gadgets which are looking to bring in an era of automated home cleaning and maintenance.

    Smart devices help to ensure that everything in your home runs efficiently guaranteeing that everything is done as is required through the items that know when to begin and stop their tasks. This can help you save on valuable and usually expensive resources such as water and electricity. Even more significant, they will keep on the only thing we all don’t have enough of-Time.

    Devices which automate your everyday tasks enable you to schedule things such as morning coffee brews, vacuuming, and garden watering, so you need not spend time working on your menial chores. They will help you not overlook things such as sprinkling water to your plants deep into the summer (something many of us have been guilty of on several occasions).

Smart Robot Vacuums: If you or any of your loved ones suffer from any allergies, then you already know that keeping your house clean can play a significant part on your overall health.

Nonetheless, it can be challenging to keep up with daily pet dander and dust since it gathers quite quickly and many of us are not able to vacuum consistently more than once in a week or sometimes a month.

Using a smart vacuum can save you these hassles. You can set it to operate in the most convenient schedules for you even if it is on a daily basis. With a robust and expedient model, you can clean every place in your house effectively. Don’t be surprised if your sinuses thank you for one!

Some of the best models in the market and which we recommend include:

iRobot Roomba 980 Vacuum Cleaning Robot
ILIFE V3s Pro Robotic Vacuum

ILIFE V3s Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Tangle-free Suction , Slim, Automatic Self-Charging Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Daily Schedule Cleaning, Ideal For Pet Hair，Hard Floor and Low Pile Carpet
ILIFE V3s Pro Robot Vacuum Cleaner, Tangle-free Suction , Slim, Automatic Self-Charging Robotic Vacuum Cleaner, Daily Schedule Cleaning, Ideal For Pet Hair，Hard Floor and Low Pile Carpet
Price: $159.99
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Mr. Coffee Smart Optimal Brew 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with WeMo
Mr. Coffee Smart Optimal Brew 10-Cup Programmable Coffee Maker with WeMo
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Brewgenie Smart Coffee Maker Brewgenie Bg120
Brewgenie Smart Coffee Maker Brewgenie Bg120
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Smart Coffee Makers: consistently wake up to a hot cup of Joe!

For many of us, we are never really fully awake until we get our first cup early in the morning. And unfortunately, there is usually no time to brew that cup of this beverage in the morning, especially if we are commuting, and we end up spending a lot of money at that favorite coffee joint we regularly visit.

However, with smart coffee makers, you can schedule your beverage brew in advance. These remarkable gadgets allow you to set the time you want them to brew your caffeine such that you arise to the whiff of freshly made coffee each day without fail.

Among the best smart coffee makers in the industry and which we recommend include:

Mr Coffee Smart Wi-Fi-Enabled
Brewgenie Smart Coffee Maker

Smart Sprinklers: these devices transform you into a top-notch gardener without any effort whatsoever!

They allow you to schedule watering for precise times and days such that your garden receives ample water even when the sun is brightest devoid of wasting the water. Surprisingly, others also feature weather sensing so that they don’t water the garden during rainy days. Impressive, don’t you think? Not only will you save both money and time in managing your yard, but you will also enjoy the most attractive garden in your block!

Among the best Smart Sprinklers in the market and which we recommend for you are:

Blossom 12 Zone Smart Watering Controller with WiFi
Rachio 3 WiFi Smart Lawn Sprinkler Controller

Blossom 12 Zone Smart Watering Controller with WiFi + Powerline - Self-Scheduling Sprinkler Irrigation System
Blossom 12 Zone Smart Watering Controller with WiFi + Powerline - Self-Scheduling Sprinkler Irrigation System
Price Disclaimer

Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller, 8 Zone 3rd Generation, Alexa and Apple HomeKit Compatible with Hyperlocal Weather Intelligence Plus and Rain, Freeze and Wind Skip
Rachio 3 Smart Sprinkler Controller, 8 Zone 3rd Generation, Alexa and Apple HomeKit Compatible with Hyperlocal Weather Intelligence Plus and Rain, Freeze and Wind Skip
Price: $201.19
You Save: $28.80 (13%)
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Bottom Line

There is no denying that building up your home into a smart home can feel like somewhat of a daunting task, especially if it’s your first time. Nonetheless, as we have comprehensively outlined, centering on the essential aspects mainly security, automation, lighting, and hub aspects is an excellent way to kick off your mission. And although there are numerous ways and devices that can help you establish and complement your smart house, you will, of course, need to start somewhere, which is what this guide takes you through-where, how and with what you can start with!

If you want to establish a unified and operational smart home, we advise you to make your way through all the products outlined in this guide first as well as the steps for a vivid picture of what is required, and how to do it. Apart from just discovering everything you need to realize your dream of a smart home, you will also see how easy it is to do it, how the devices are simple to install, simple to learn, and entertaining to work with.

We think that it’s just a matter of time until you are thoroughly hooked on the idea of smart technology.