We’re still waiting on flying cars, but many of the futuristic luxuries promised to us over the last few decades are now just part of our daily lives. Take the smart home for instance. It’s pretty much the “house of the future”… except we have it today. Ten years ago, you wouldn’t see anything like a smart home outside of a Jetsons episode. Today, you can place an Amazon order, turn up the volume on your TV, and close your curtains just by barking out a few commands. Smart home appliances don’t always come cheap. But the more you have, the easier and more organized your homte life tends to feel. With so many smart home products on the market, where do you begin? Today, we’re taking a look at the best smart home devices based on popularity and utility. 

What is a Smart Home? 

Photo credit: Envato

Using state-of-the-art technology for an interactive and immersive lifestyle experience, smart homes are easily the most valued residences on the modern market. The list of what your smart home can do is growing by the day, but some of the most popular attributes include remote control with the simple touch of your phone, computer, or accommodating wireless device. The modern conveniences of the smart home are unlike anything we’ve ever experienced before.

Stand Out Benefits of Smart Home Products

With smart house electronics satisfying such diverse needs, we could devote a separate blog to their various benefits. Instead, we’ll take a brief moment to break down two of the most popular benefits users seek from the best smart home devices. 

Remote Access

The majority of smart home appliances offer users remote access to functions that formerly required their presence. As you will see in our list of the best smart home devices, this runs the gamut from disarming complex security systems to simply unlocking the front door. Tired of putting plans on hold to wait at home for an important package? Forgot to close the curtains when you left for the office on the hottest day of the year? Out of town guests having trouble figuring out your entertainment system while you’re at work? Remote access solves all of these problems in seconds. 

Photo credit: Envato

Improved Energy Efficiency

Maybe you just want to keep an eye on energy and water consumption for a more eco-conscious, efficient living experience. A smart home can do that too. Many of the best smart home devices are designed with energy efficiency in mind. In many cases, these products incorporate features that monitor energy use. But some can even learn your routines to intuitively reduce energy consumption around your schedule. 

The Best Smart Home Devices

Since smart home products are designed to make your life easier and less complicated, your must-have smart home appliances will vary depending on your needs. But most smart home owners will agree that our list of the best smart home devices includes tried-and-true favorites and absolute essentials. If you’re investing in a smart home or upgrading your home with smart features, these in-demand appliances will elevate you to new levels of convenience. 

Alexa Voice ID

Out of all of the smart home products on our list, Alexa is probably the most widely recognized. By setting up Alexa voice ID, you can trigger a tailor-made experience just by speaking. Think of all of the smart features at your disposal. You can consider Alexa voice ID the key to unlock those features. Alexa can call you by name, make suggestions based on learned behavior, or simply fill your requests. It’s the closest you’ll get to having a genie in the house. 

Smart Security Systems

You’ll find a slew of security systems holding their own amongst the best smart home devices. But which features do you choose? Obviously, it’s a matter of personal preference. But all smart security systems bolster your safety by providing you with immediate alerts to unusual behavior. Some smart security systems even use facial recognition to identify those familiar to you. More importantly, these systems differentiate unfamiliar faces and alert you accordingly. Peace of mind is integral to true comfort, and smart security systems deliver the most cutting edge models. 

Nest Thermostat

When Google decided to develop an advanced smart thermostat, we expected something special. And the Nest Thermostat doesn’t disappoint. The Nest quickly became one of the best smart home devices due to its ability to self-regulate temperature based on your programming. Unexpectedly called away in an emergency? The Nest Thermostat recognizes when you leave the house and adjusts the temperature accordingly. You may not realize just how useful this is until the power bill arrives. But the Nest is one of those smart house electronics that prioritizes energy efficiency. Like many of the best smart home devices on the market, Nest can be fully controlled using your phone. Running late and your visiting in-laws can’t figure out how to adjust the air conditioning? You can do it for them with a touch of your phone. 

Smart Speaker Systems

Building out a smart speaker system for your entertainment center can be an enthralling experience for the technically-minded. It can also be daunting if you’re not into sculpting your ideal sonic soundscape. Yet, a smart speaker system still ranks easily amongst the best smart home devices on the market. We recommend choosing a smart speaker with high compatibility. Some don’t play well with smart devices outside of their brand. Multi-room capabilities are also crucial for that immersive smart home experience. In a smart house, sound systems aren’t just for family movie night! 

Ring Doorbell

The doorbell seemed like one of those inventions that had reached its zenith. But with the rise of smart home appliances, the doorbell is easily one of the most successfully upgraded products. Enter the Ring doorbell. This brand-name doorbell makes sure you know when someone’s at the door… even when you’re not home. Motion-triggered sensors deliver video and audio right through the Ring app on your phone. You can openly communicate with your visitor through the app in real time. This makes it perfect for communicating with delivery drivers, even if you’re stuck at the office. It’s definitely a one-up from the classic “bing bong” summons we’ve known over the decades. 

Smart Locks

Remember when we mentioned your visiting in-laws earlier? Imagine that their Uber gets to your house early and you can’t leave work. With a smart lock, this isn’t an issue. While there are a variety of smart locks on the market, most allow you remote access to your home’s door. So, you can easily unlock the entry from afar with just the push of a button. Many are voice-activated so you don’t have to worry about locking your keys in the house. While these may be among the simplest products on this list, their usefulness easily classes them among the best smart home devices for your money. 

Smart Controls for Pool and Spa

The smart pool and spa controller’s spot on our list would be more iron clad if every home had a swimming pool or spa. Alas, WiFi-reliant smart controllers for pools and spas will only be useful if you have one of the aforementioned features. Sure, the convenience of having control over your aquatic heating systems and pumps is fantastic. But bypassing those costly installation fees that other devices require? That’s the real bonus. 

Are You Ready for Your First Smart Home?

So what if your home doesn’t have Smart features? Virtually any home can be upgraded to a smart home. Different smart home appliances can be purchased piecemeal for an experience tailored to your specific situation. But in all cases, you’ll need to invest in an advanced home network. One wireless router just won’t cut it when trying to support a fully functioning smart home. This means investing in substantial networking equipment and installing carefully positioned wireless access points throughout the home. 

But if you’re in the market for a new home, you can actually purchase pre-designed smart homes. We even offer smart homes through our website as part of our HartSmart Homes initiative. Prospective homeowners searching for these fully upgraded smart homes need only search listings on the JohnHart website for the label “HartSmart Homes”.