It started years ago. The rise of smart home devices began slowly at first, with the Nest smart home thermostat being one of the first Internet-based smart home devices ever sold to consumers. Today, smart home devices take many forms, from smoke detectors to blinds, thermostats to light bulbs.

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With the push of a button, smart home products control our environment, our personal comfort, and even our quality of life. They make life fun and easy at the same time. If you’re new to smart home products and have never used them in the past, choose wisely. Selecting from a small range of the most effective smart devices can help you understand and appreciate how useful these products can really be.

Why Smart Home Devices?

First, a little about why you should consider smart home products for your home:

• Safety. Many smart home devices will help you monitor the conditions at your home—even when you’re far away. Some smart devices alert you when someone has entered your home or left a door open. Some even allow you to control the lights inside, so you can give the appearance someone is home when they’re really not.
• Efficiency. Smart devices make it easier to save energy around the house by controlling the indoor environment. These devices keep the house comfortable while you’re there and awake, and prioritize energy savings the rest of the time.
• Convenience. Smart products allow you to turn on and off products around the house with the push of a button.
• Wow-factor. These devices are the way of the future. They’re impressive to homeowners, their guests, family, and friends.

Our Favorite Smart Devices for Modern Homes

So, which smart devices are best for your modern house? Below, we’ve listed our favorite products to make life easier, simpler, convenient, and more comfortable.

Smart Blinds

Smart blinds can be raised and lowered according to the position of the sun, the time of day, a pre-set schedule, or with the push of a button from your smartphone.

Smart blinds come in a range of colors and can fit many budgets. If you have a lot of large windows in your house, or if you’d like to control how much sunlight enters your home, even when you’re not there, smart blinds provide exactly the amount of control you need for your home.

Smart Locks

Smart locks can open and close your door from your phone, from a keypad, or from a sensor, depending on the type of lock that you purchase. Some smart locks fit directly over pre-existing locks, so your door can be retrofitted without your old lock being removed (perfect for apartment dwellers). Others are even compatible with a special key that allows delivery people to enter and drop off packages – and that’s pretty amazing!

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Smart Thermostats

Smart thermostats are one of the most impressive devices made for today’s smart homes. Smart thermostats control your entire heating, cooling, HVAC, and ventilation system to ensure that your home stays comfortable when you’re there, and energy-efficient when you’re not.

You don’t even have to tell most smart thermostats when you’re at home or when you’re away. These devices use technology like occupancy sensors and geofencing techniques to monitor when you’re home, when you’re gone, when you’re leaving, and when you’re coming back. Once the thermostat knows what temperatures you prefer, you don’t have to interact with your thermostat much at all to maintain a comfortable temperature in your home, day in and day out.

Video Doorbell

Want to know who’s at your house right now? Use your video doorbell to see who wants to enter your home, and then use your smart lock to allow entry. Video doorbells have made the news repeatedly in recent years for catching images of car thieves, car crashes, wild animals, and even vandals.

With your video doorbell, you can keep your home secure, find out when your packages have arrived, and make informed decisions about what to do when someone knocks at the door. Video doorbells can be monitored from anywhere, so even when you’re not at home, you know who’s coming knocking. These smart products are convenient and also have a significant safety component that makes them popular among homeowners.

Door Automation

Featuring our Pivot Door PV9998A

Just as you can automate your home’s blinds, you can also automate your home’s pivot or bifold doors with a smart door opener. Automated pivot door and bifold door products combine convenience and luxury into one perfect product.

These products are controlled from your smartphone, tablet, or wireless device. They’re perfect for entertaining and also good for home security.

Smart Electrical Outlet

You can turn almost any device into a smart device by plugging it into a smart electrical outlet, which you can then control with your phone or smart home manager.

Smart electrical outlets are pretty basic devices but they can be used to control things like devices in your child’s bedroom – so you can turn off the TV when it’s bedtime or disconnect their stereo, etc. Smart electrical outlets just add a level of convenience by allowing you to control whatever you want, whenever you want, from wherever you want.

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Buying a Smart Home Device? Make the Right Choice

No matter what type of smart device you’re thinking about buying, it’s important to do your homework.

• Read consumer reports. Check consumer reports to choose the best product at the best value.
• Look at online reviews. What experiences are other consumers having with the same products? Find out how it’s going for customers who know.
• Know what it takes to install. Some smart products need to be professionally installed. Make arrangements to have your smart devices professionally installed if it’s needed.

Buying the right smart products for your home can make life better, easier, and safer—all while taking your house into the 21st century. So, what’s holding you back?