Everything You Should Consider Before Buying Smart Home Technology
Every time I write about a new smart home product, I can count on a few commenters wondering about the need to add smart features to a product they’ve been using for years. “What’s wrong with a washing machine that doesn’t talk to me,” “I can do it better than any robot vacuum cleaner,” or “I hope you enjoy being spied on through your smart air purifier!” There’s nothing wrong with the “dumb” products we’ve learned to use—they’re not dumb, they just require more work on our part. The promise of smart products is enormous. Of course, they save time because they work without your participation. And they save money because you can program them using intelligence—both yours (experience) and theirs (AI). And they’re fun. I can never get over the joy of voicing a request into the air and turning on the lights, locking the doors, turning on the dryer or robot mop. But the main reason—a reason you really can’t argue with—is that smart home products make the world accessible. We’ll all be using them in a few years; but for now there are important considerations to take into account before you get started.
You need strong and stable Wi-Fi
Smart home devices need the Internet. You can eventually run them on local signals such as Bluetooth, Z-wave and Zigbee, but this is not standard. Installation almost always requires Wi-Fi, and use often also depends on the Internet. You don’t just need reliable Wi-Fi, you need stable Wi-Fi in all areas where you will use smart products. This isn’t always easy to achieve if the space is large or if there are obstacles in your way, such as metal in the walls or large appliances. The solution is often to use mesh routers, which better distribute the Wi-Fi signal across the space.
Some smart home technologies won’t move with you to your next home
Some smart products are easier to hit the road with than others. You can pick up a tile and go anywhere, and I’ve found that moving floor bots and smart plugs around is quite easy. But if you want to move the voice assistant speakers or the hub, it’s a big problem. The same goes for light bulbs and smart technology. As people begin to choose smart switches over smart hubs, you need to consider whether you’re investing in products that you’re unlikely to remove and bring into your next home. Your robot vacuum cleaner may go with you, but not your smart garage opener; think about the longevity of your choice.
There will be privacy violations of smart home technologies
We should be able to have smart products and at the same time expect privacy. But we know that companies are fallible, networks can be hacked, and security breaches happen. I’m not saying we should just accept the privacy violations that seem to be standard now, but I’m taking the unpopular view that you need to be aware that it can happen and not let it make you anxious. The reality is that many people have struggled with the security of entering your credit card online or using your Social Security number as identification. Ultimately, the younger generation accepted that online transactions are just the way things are now and random risk is the cost of doing business, and banks have developed fraud protection systems to deal with it.
You will need to choose one main hub.
There are now many system hubs and the ecosystem is constantly growing. While you may have multiple systems in your home (HomeKit and Alexa, Alexa and Google Home, SmartThings and Home Assistant, etc.), the reality is that you want to pick one voice assistant (Siri, Google, or Alexa) and really give it a try Stick to one hub. Consolidation will make it easier to manage your products with automation and a hub app, and help you choose between smart speakers and displays. The best way to make a choice is to take into account the products that are most important to you, as well as what kind of craftsman you are. If you’re an Apple fan, HomeKit makes sense, but many products don’t work with HomeKit. In my opinion, Alexa has the strongest ecosystem, but if you like absolute control, Home Assistant may be for you. New centers such as Hubitat and Brilliant offer varying levels of control and product integration.
Start adding smart home technologies in layers
Don’t go crazy with smart products. Select a hub and then select one level of utilities: lighting, HVAC or cleaning. If you’re choosing lighting, choose between smart switches, fixtures or light bulbs (or all three), but try to stick to as few brands as possible and go slow. Experiment with automation, voice control, and what to do if you lose connection. Gradually add new layers as you become more comfortable with the technique.
A byproduct of smart home life that no one loves is the extra apps and physical hubs you get. Find the hubs in one place and label them so that it is clear from the front what they control. Save a document or spreadsheet somewhere with all the apps on your phone and what they control. This is my favorite hack because many of these apps don’t have the company name on them and they all look and sound very familiar (My SmartLife, Smart Home, Homelife, etc.).