Smart devices were perhaps the biggest hype of 2019. From doorbells to digital assistants, there is a smart device in almost every home. Today we discuss the best smart home products of the past year.
Google Nest Hub
Smart speakers such as the Google Home Mini can be found in more and more households, but the lack of visual information is a major limitation. Some information is better transferred in the form of written text, a picture or even a movie. The Google Nest Hub adds a screen and camera, which has suddenly given the device much more functionality. The integration with Google Nest also makes this the ideal basis for Google’s smart home cameras and doorbells.
Nest Hello
One of the many devices that you can use in combination with the Google Nest Hub is the Nest Hello doorbell. In addition to the familiar features such as a camera with which you can see who is at your door and the option to use the doorbell as a security camera, the Hello also offers an extra. This doorbell is capable of recognizing faces and can send you a message when a famous person is at your door. Unlike many other cameras with face recognition, the Nest Hello builds its own database of faces without the help of an internet database.
Philips Hue
There are dozens of brands that have each released their smart lighting, but the Hue lamps from the Dutch brand Philips are still king. The lamps have high brightness and beautiful colors, but the biggest advantage is in the controls. The integration with, among others, Google Assistant and IFTTT make these lamps very versatile, but the Philips app itself also adds a lot of functionality. For example, synchronize the color of the lamps with your television so that the images of your new 4K television have even more impact. The Hue lamps are also a nice gadget during the holidays. Use the lamps for example as Christmas lights or simulate fireworks via the app so that you do not have to go into the cold during the New Year.
Alro Pro 3
The Alro Pro 3 is the best smart home camera of the moment. The cameras are not cheap, but the many possibilities and image quality make this camera worth considering. The Pro 3 is suitable for indoor and outdoor use and can be powered with a cable, but also with the included battery that can power the camera for up to 6 months. The long battery life is possible because the camera only starts when motion is detected. This means that not much unnecessary information is stored and the camera naturally also saves a lot of power.
TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug
The simplest gadget in our top 5 comes from TP-Link. The Kasa Smart Plug turns your socket into a smart version with WiFi integration in no time. All devices that you insert into it can then be switched on and off via your digital assistant or integrate the Kasa with other smart home devices via IFTTT for much more functionality. For example, turn on the coffee maker when your alarm goes off or disconnect your sensitive electronics from the power supply in a thunderstorm.
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