Gone are the days were the smartest device in your home was a calculator. Now there are a million smart gizmos or gadgets designed to make your life immeasurably easier. But which ones actually live up to the hype?
While some smart devices are logically products that could actually lessen your workload, a lot seem to just prey on the hype of being a smart device. It doesn’t really make a lot of sense to need a wifi connection for your washing machine. After all, the hardest part of laundry is probably lugging all the washing downstairs or finding time to empty the machine, not the urgent task of replying to WhatsApp messages in the middle of the rinse cycle.
So how do we know the difference and what smart devices are actually worth it? Well, we’ve taken the guesswork out and rounded up the smart devices that really do make life more convenient.
Virtual Assistants
Virtual Assistants are probably the most common home smart devices around. These devices are exactly what they sound like. Essentially they function as an assistant, all you have to do is say the code word, and then you can pretty much ask them to do anything. Set reminders, make calls, do some online shopping, whatever you’d like.
They’re particularly useful if you’re a big fan of radio or podcasts, as they double as speakers, so all you have to do is ask them to play your favourite show! The perfect choice for your kitchen as you can play music or shows, hand-free, so it won’t interrupt your cooking or cleaning.
You’ll be spoilt for choice with all the options out there, like the Google Nest or the most popular Amazon Alexa.
AMAZON Echo Dot with Clock; €79.99
Robot Vacuum Cleaner
Robot vacuum cleaners sound like some from a cartoon, a little robot that rolls around your floor hoovering up dirt and changing direction if it bangs into anything, but they actually do get the job done!
They keep your floors clean and don’t actually require you to do any work. They’re also fast rising in popularity, meaning there are quite a few on the market for you to choose from. The RoboVac 15C MAX is a great option as it’s super slim to fit under furniture, works on most floor types and is quieter than most.
Robot Lawnmowers
Robot lawnmowers work in a similar way to robot vacuum cleaners. They drive around on your grass by themselves with a virtual perimeter to ensure they stay on the lawn and don’t destroy your flower beds.
You can set a timer for how often they should mow so it has a routine to follow, and keeps your grass from getting to long. While others are directed by a smartphone.
The Worx Landroid robot lawnmower has rain detectors to ensure it doesn’t cut on wet grass, and can even work on large hills.
Worx Landroid L1000 (WR147.1) – robot lawn mower; €1,299
Smart TV Sticks
The future of telly seems to be smart TVs. So much so that most Televisions in shops are smart TVs now. A smart TV basically has a wifi connection and allows you to download streaming services like Netflix and watch them on an actual telly.
But if you have a regular telly? Well, that’s where smart TV sticks come in! They are small devices that plug into your TV, and essentially turn your telly into a smart one.
There are plenty of options out there, but the ROKU Streaming Stick+ 4K is one of the best. Not only is it one of the most affordable choices, but it also allows for most major streaming services, and is extremely easy to set up and use.
ROKU Streaming Stick+ 4K; €69.99
Words: Slaine McKenna