For better or worse, technology is advancing at a rapid rate. Gadgets are getting a whole lot “smarter” and that includes the stuff in our homes too. The tough part is where to start, and what to go for? Well, we’ve got you guys covered with our list of 7 smart home gadgets that’ll help make life easy to live again. These devices might not come cheap. But hey, you get what you pay for. Here goes:
Amazon Echo
No smart home gadget list would be complete without the Amazon Echo. It may not be a new product by any means, but Amazon’s versatile voice-activated smart home speaker definitely comes under the category of crème de la crème. Just by talking to it, the Echo will help you stream music, provide recipes, and even call an Uber for you. What’s better is that this is all just the tip of the iceberg, and the Echo gets smarter with every app. Just take note, it may be a little tricky operating this device, as it’s not officially supported in Singapore (yet).
Amazon Echo, US$139.99, available via www.amazon.com.
Fizzics Waytap Draft Beer System
Ask any beer lover, and they’d all tell you the same thing – great beer always comes in draft form, no matter what. Which is why the Fizzics Waytap Draft Beer System is a godsend. This boozy contraption uses micro-foam technology to improve the flavour, taste, and mouth-feel of canned or bottled beer, so whatever you’re drinking is the maximized potential of your beer. A must-have house party item, we reckon.
Fizzics Waytap Draft Beer System,US$119.99 to US$169.99, available via fizzics.com.
Somabar: Automated Craft Cocktail Applicance
Can’t make a cocktail to save your life? Not to worry. The Somabar’s got you covered. This Wi-Fi connected kitchen appliance is actually a personal robot bartender that helps you make drinks via an app, which in our opinion is pretty darn useful, especially if you’ve knocked back a few stiff ones already. Professional mixologists may cringe, but for drink making-challenged folks like us, this is perfect.
Somabar: Automated Craft Cocktail Applicance, US$429, available via somabar.com.
Tile Mate
Have you ever gone through the tedious process of losing your keys in your own home? Ditto. Which is why Tile Mate, a smart keychain, is such a lifesaver. This petite device actually acts as a sort of GPS tracker, which you can locate with a supporting app. All you need to do is attach it to your keys (or any other thing really) and voila, you can locate your “lost” item within a 100-feet Bluetooth range by calling it. Best of all, there’s no charging needed. Like the Amazon Echo, Tile Mate is not available in Singapore, so you’d probably have to go through a third-party to have it delivered to you.
Tile Mate, US$25, available via www.thetileapp.com.
Dyson V8 Fluffy
Okay, so Dyson’s latest cord-free vacuum cleaner, the V8 Fluffy, isn’t as “smart” as some of the other products on this list. But it’s definitely smarter than the average vacuum cleaner. How so? The V8 Fluffy makes household cleaning incredibly easy through its powerful suction force and detachable cleaner heads designed for various situations, like getting dirt off a carpet or clearing out hard-to-reach spaces. Oh, and it has an engine that runs faster than a Formula 1 car (we’re not kidding).
Dyson V8 Fluffy, $999 to $1,099, available via major departmental stores like Best Denki, Courts, and Harvey Norman. Visit www.dyson.com.sg for more information.
Philips Hue
Our house lights aren’t something we really give much thought to. We reach back home; switch them on and off, end of story right? Well, not really, at least not if you’re looking at things through Philips’ perspective. The electronics giant has been dishing out smart bulbs and lamps over the last few years, re-defining what lighting is supposed to mean in a home – for instance, you can control your lights wirelessly through a smartphone or even customize how the colour temperature turns out. Cool stuff, indeed.
Philips Hue, $89 to $556, available via www.harveynorman.com.sg and www.lazada.sg.
Samsung SmartThings
If all your smart home gadgets are little cogs that help your life run smoothly, then Samsung’s SmartThings is the glue that binds them all together. Think of it as sort of ecosystem, where products like smart light bulbs, locks, and doorbells are controlled by a singular entity; in this case, a software that allows you to sync all your devices together in order to set instructions, like determining when they switch on and off, depending on your daily routine of course.
Samsung SmartThings, $202.90, available via www.qoo10.sg.
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