It can be overwhelming when you decide to start your smart home journey, especially when it comes to choosing the best smart home system for your home. Fortunately, if you take some time to decide what you want out of your smart home system ahead of time, you can reduce the amount of money you spend and avoid compatibility issues as well.
Smart Home Controls
The whole reason you are even considering investing and installing smart home devices! While every mainstream smart home system, such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Homekit have these functions, the diversity of compatible devices is what sets them apart. Be sure to check for system compatibility before you decide on what system to choose, or you will find yourself purchasing replacement devices that work with your system.
See also: What Is A Smart Home
Basic Features
While most smart home systems offer the same basic features, such as voice recognition, smart home and media device control, you need to make sure the basic features you want are available in the system you are considering. Here is a list of the basic features you should make sure are present.
Basic control features of a smart home system include:
- Lighting
- Smart Plugs
- Thermostats
- Audio
- TV
- Security Cameras
- Smart Locks
Some advanced controls to look for, especially if you want to explore home automation options in the future, include:
- Home security system compatibility
- Scene or automation programming
- Smart appliance controls
Be sure to keep in mind the specific use cases you want a smart home for as you choose the best smart home system for your home. For example, if you only want to have control over your basic smart devices like plugs, switches and lighting, Alexa and Google Assistant excel in this area. Homekit devices, while generally more expensive and fewer, are much easier to control through the Apple Home app, especially for beginning smart home owners.
Having a difficult time deciding? We have some guides to help you make your choice.
Smart Home Guides:
