Cooperative Living March/April 2021 - 24

CuttingEdge | by Maria Kanevsky, Contributing Columnist
Smart Home Tech for Your Budget
You can keep on top of the digital game at a reasonable price
S
mart home devices add comfort and convenience to
your life, but the price tag for some of these devices
can be another story. Luckily, several options won't
break the bank while still offering nearly all the same
benefits. If you're new to smart home technologies, here
are three inexpensive options to get you started.
SMART HOME SPEAKERS
Smart home speakers provide a wide range of features,
such as the ability to play music, call friends or family, or
even locate a misplaced smartphone. They also
can act as a smart home hub for your other
smart devices. Each speaker comes with
a voice assistant, like Amazon Alexa or
Google Assistant, which you can use
to control additional devices in
your home.
When choosing a smart home
speaker, make sure your other
devices are compatible with the
system. For example, Google
Assistant works best with other
Google products, rather than Amazon
or Apple products. Several speakers,
especially smaller, entry-level types like
the Amazon Echo Dot and Google Home Mini,
can cost $30 or less. They are more affordable than the
larger versions, like Amazon Echo and Google Home,
while still offering nearly all the same features.
SMART PLUG
The smart plug is another affordable technology. It
works by directly inserting the smart plug into an outlet,
then plugging your device into the smart plug. This can
make any device " smart " by connecting it to your Wi-Fi
through the plug. It also can be used with smart home
speakers.
A smart plug can help you reduce your monthly energy
use by programming automatic shutoff times to prevent
devices from drawing energy when they're not in use.
Plenty of inexpensive and well-performing plugs are
available for less than $20.
SMART BULBS
Smart light bulbs are among the cheapest and the
easiest smart devices to install in your home. They
can be controlled through your phone or by voice,
if connected to your home speaker. Some features
include turning them on and off remotely and selecting
different lighting colors, shades and dimness levels.
Some of the less expensive options are
Smart home speakers,
like the Amazon Echo Dot,
offer a wide range of
features that can control
home devices.
the Wyze Bulb, the Lifx Mini and the Ikea
Tradfri with prices ranging from about
$8 to $20 per bulb. For multi-bulb
fixtures, buy a smart light switch to
control the entire fixture as an
alternative to buying several bulbs.
However, this option doesn't allow
for different color choices and requires
a bit more handiwork to change the
switches manually.
Remember, if you're buying more
than one smart home device, make sure
the devices are compatible with your home
hub (Google Home Mini with Google products
or Amazon Echo Dot with Amazon products) to
ensure the best performance. As with any smart home
device, access to a secure and stable Wi-Fi connection
will be crucial.
Smart home devices will almost always be more
expensive than their " non-smart " counterparts,
but they provide additional comfort and convenience
that traditional devices cannot. It is up to you to
determine if the values of these devices are worth
the price. ■
Maria Kanevsky is a program analyst for the National Rural
Electric Cooperative Association.
Smart plugs can make
any device " smart "
by connecting it to
your Wi-Fi.
22 | Cooperative Living | March-April 2021
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Cooperative Living March/April 2021

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