Simple Smart Home Upgrades That Actually Make Life Better
Technology that's worth the investment for everyday living
By Trish Tipton
Smart home technology has matured to the point where many upgrades genuinely improve daily life rather than just sounding impressive at dinner parties. The key is choosing technology that solves a real problem or inconvenience rather than adding complexity for its own sake.
A smart thermostat is the highest-return smart home investment for most families. Learning your patterns, adjusting automatically when no one is home, and being controllable from your phone, a good smart thermostat typically pays for itself in energy savings within a year or two while also providing year-round comfort benefits.
Smart lighting — bulbs or switches that can be controlled by voice, app, or schedule — adds genuine convenience for families. Programming lights to come on at sunset, dim at bedtime, or turn off automatically when everyone leaves takes time to set up but quickly becomes something you wonder how you lived without. Smart switches are preferable to smart bulbs in most applications because they work with any lamp.
Video doorbells and smart locks complete the picture of a connected front door. Being able to see who's at the door from anywhere in the house, answer it from your phone when you're away, and give temporary access codes to service providers or family members adds genuine security and convenience. These technologies have become affordable and installation is usually a DIY-manageable project.