What 'smart' things do you have in your home that you like?

[OakAshElm]

Buying a new house off plan and it seems like a good idea to get all sorts of the latest technology in as it is built rather than try to add things at a later date. I'm really behind on this sort of thing. In my current house we have an Alexa for radio and for cooking timers but that is about it.

I would love a house where I can do all sorts of things from my phone so looking for suggestions. Things I am thinking about are being able to turn the oven on to warm up before I get home with the kids (or is this dangerous?) Being able to switch the lights and heating on and off without getting out of bed! Also little modern touches like sockets with in built usb charging looks great. Maybe a Ring doorbell. Budget isn't huge so as much as I would love an automatic vacuum cleaner I don't think I can stretch to that.

Does anyone have any suggestions? Also suggestions for things which don't work well.

Most new appliances are smart now, our dishwasher is but I don't bother using it as I still have to put the tablet in

I've got hive, hue light bulbs everywhere and blink cameras which I wouldn't want to be without.

I've got an Alexa in my bedroom which I use to play audible books, as an alarm and turn the lights off at nighttime. I don't use/check my phone after 7:30pm generally, I like to switch off. Even if it is on with notifications silenced I'll have a look at it if it is with me. Alexa allows me to do the things I need to do at night without it.

I've got a Marshall smart speaker system in the house, sound quality is amazing.

None of this needs wiring in apart from Hive. Hue bulbs work with Hive and Alexa apps.

I used to have a robot vacuum but even the pet one with a large dustbin couldn't cope with my very hairy dog.

We have USB ports in our plug sockets which are good. Nothing apart from that and not bothered. I’d only get something if it would increase energy efficiency.

New phones have USB-C on both ends (new Apple phones currently have USB-C on one end and a lightning port on the other but will be switching to USB-C on both).

The old USB will soon be obsolete, it’s not worth having them on sockets

I wouldn't put USB on sockets either.

We have a double plug socket built into our kitchen island, which you can’t see unless you push it and it flips round. So much more useful than a plug on the side of the island, also has usb connectors on it

I was going to suggest a Smart cat flap so you don't have to get out of bed to unlock it

That is if you can get it to work as ours isn't playing ball

We have a smart thermostat which is great, but whatever you do make sure you put lots of plug sockets in! And if you get the ones with built in USB ports, make sure you have the new USB C ones as everything is moving to that

One thing I have is motion sensor night lights in bathrooms and hall/stairs. No need to worry about children or partners (or me) leaving them on. Not too bright if you get up in the night. It's great when you come in from outside in the dark too and the lights come on automatically.

he is a house cat so thats one bit of tec i dont need to worry about getting

I have sensor lights too , one is a very old plug in type with a yellow/ orange light the other three are Euffy lights that run on 3 x aaa batteries each. The batteries last a couple of months . I have the yellow one on the landing one battery one in the bathroom , one part way down the stairs and one facing the front door . They are all very useful

ME!!!

😂😂& with my brain fog, that's a sad state of affairs!

I'm going to swap my TRV's & Honeywell thermostat to something 'smart'. I'm not sure about a few things, so need to spend some time looking into it.

i might get a few smart bulbs etc. but my house is so small & my Air Fryer is my new mate, so I don't think there's much I can 'smart' . I'll read the thread again one morning after coffee, brain fog too thick by this time of day 🙇🏻‍♀️