Transform Your Home Into a Connected Home With These 5 Essential Items

Looking to build out the smart home of your dreams? We’re in a great time to do just that, with several options to choose from. If you’re just starting to do your research, allow us to instill some of the pillars of a smart home with the selections below for you. Here are 5 essential items for any connected home.

Sonos Play:1 set with free Google Home Mini

Sonos has long been a major player in the audio world by producing some of the industry’s best speakers available and the Sonos Play:1 embodies just that. The high quality speaker can be used for streaming music, but this set of two plus the Google Home Mini is made to be a very smart upgrade to your home.

By linking the included Google Home Mini to the Sonos Play:1, you can supercharge the speaker’s capabilities by adding the power of the Google Assistant to it. This allows for easy, hands-free voice control for your music. Link both Sonos Play:1 speakers for and even more impressive audio output or use them individually throughout your house to ensure that quality sound is available in whatever room you place them in.

LIFX A19 Smart LED Light Bulb

Smart lights are one of the most fun additions to any smart home, especially if you opt for the multicolored options. They add a splash of color and personality to anyroom upon the tap of the app or command from a voice assistant.

There are two major players in the smart bulb space: Philips Hue and LIFX. Both are fantastic options to choose from, but LIFX offers both multiple light bulb versions (LIFX Mini, LIFX, & LIFX+) across multiple price points and doesn’t require a hub that must be connected to your network’s wireless router.

Google Nest Learning Thermostat (3rd Gen) + Free Google Home Mini

While smart thermostats have been around for quite some time, they’re more popular than they ever have been, with multiple options to choose from. Still, it was Nest that really put the smart thermostat on the map, and that continues even today.

With Nest’s competition isn’t in short supply of genuinely useful features, Nest’s “learning” feature makes it stand apart from them. Instead of having to set your schedule, Nest learns your schedule over time and makes adjustments accordingly so you’re always comfortable. Now combine this with the included Google Home Mini and in addition to the thermostat’s learning powers, you can control the Nest in app and with your voice.

August Smart Lock Pro + Connect + Free August Smart Keypad

Honestly, there isn’t much competition in the world of smart locks. August pretty much rules the roost, and for good reason. The August Smart Lock Pro is easy to install and offers incredibly useful features. From providing temporary keyless entry to individuals to monitoring the activity of who is coming and going through your doors while your away is one of many ways to stay in the know.

The Smart Lock Pro comes with a free connect included, but also bundled in this deal is the free August Smart Keypad, offering yet another way to unlock your door on your terms.

Belkin - Wemo Insight Smart Plug

Having a smart home isn’t just about convenience. It’s also about getting smart about how you use your everyday items at home. Unfortunately, if you’re trying to save on your electric bill, it’s going to be a taxing trial and error effort without something to help. Luckily, the Wemo Insight Smart Plug is here to help.

Not only can turn devices plugged into this smart plug on and off with an app or smart assistant, but you can get deep insights as to how much energy is use by the plug. This allows you to save energy in the long run. In addition to its energy monitoring capabilities, you can also set schedules for the plug and connect it to IFTTT to make it work for you even more.