Smart home tech examples surround us today, from voice assistants that play music on command to thermostats that learn our schedules. These devices save time, cut energy costs, and add convenience to everyday routines. Whether someone wants to control lights with their phone or monitor their front door from work, smart home technology offers practical solutions.
This article covers the most popular smart home tech examples available right now. Readers will learn about voice-controlled assistants, smart lighting, security systems, and connected appliances. Each category includes real devices that homeowners can purchase and install today.
Key Takeaways
- Smart home tech examples like voice assistants, smart lighting, and security systems save time, reduce energy costs, and add convenience to daily life.
- Voice-controlled assistants from Amazon, Google, and Apple serve as the central hub for connecting and controlling other smart devices throughout your home.
- Smart thermostats like Nest and Ecobee can reduce heating bills by 10-12% and cooling bills by 15% by learning your schedule and adjusting automatically.
- Security-focused smart home tech examples—including video doorbells, smart locks, and leak sensors—provide peace of mind and may lower home insurance premiums.
- Budget-friendly options like WYZE bulbs and smart plugs under $15 make it easy for beginners to start building a smart home without major investment.
Voice-Controlled Assistants and Smart Speakers
Voice-controlled assistants serve as the brain of most smart home setups. These devices respond to spoken commands and connect to other smart home tech examples throughout the house.
Amazon Echo devices use Alexa to answer questions, play music, set timers, and control compatible appliances. Users can ask Alexa to turn off lights, adjust the thermostat, or add items to a shopping list. The Echo Dot offers an affordable entry point, while the Echo Show adds a screen for video calls and recipe displays.
Google Nest speakers run on Google Assistant. They excel at answering complex questions using Google’s search capabilities. Nest speakers integrate well with Chromecast devices for streaming video to TVs. The Nest Hub provides a touchscreen interface for managing smart home devices visually.
Apple HomePod uses Siri for voice control. It works best within the Apple ecosystem, connecting smoothly with iPhones, iPads, and Apple TV. HomePod speakers also deliver high-quality audio for music playback.
These assistants do more than play songs. They can:
- Control multiple smart home tech examples with a single command
- Set reminders and calendar events
- Make phone calls hands-free
- Provide weather updates and news briefings
- Order products online through voice commands
Most households start their smart home journey with one of these assistants. The device they choose often determines which ecosystem of smart home tech examples they’ll add later.
Smart Lighting and Climate Control
Smart lighting represents one of the most accessible smart home tech examples for beginners. These bulbs and switches connect to Wi-Fi or hub systems, allowing control from anywhere.
Philips Hue offers a complete smart lighting system. Users can change bulb colors, set schedules, and create lighting scenes for different activities. Want movie lighting? One tap dims the room. Working from home? Another tap switches to bright, focused light. The Hue Bridge connects up to 50 lights for whole-home control.
WYZE bulbs provide budget-friendly smart lighting. They connect directly to Wi-Fi without requiring a separate hub. Basic white bulbs cost under $10 each, making them an easy way to test smart home tech examples.
Smart switches from Lutron and Leviton replace existing wall switches. They control any connected light fixture, not just smart bulbs. This approach works well for ceiling fans or fixtures where smart bulbs won’t fit.
Climate control devices save money while adding comfort. The Nest Learning Thermostat tracks daily routines and adjusts temperatures automatically. It learns when residents leave for work and reduces heating or cooling during those hours. Google claims Nest thermostats save users 10-12% on heating bills and 15% on cooling bills.
Ecobee thermostats include room sensors that detect occupancy. They focus heating and cooling on rooms people actually use. This prevents wasted energy in empty spaces.
Smart ceiling fans from Hunter and Big Ass Fans adjust speed based on temperature. They work with voice assistants and integrate into broader smart home tech examples setups.
Home Security and Monitoring Systems
Security devices rank among the most popular smart home tech examples. They provide peace of mind and can lower home insurance premiums.
Video doorbells changed how people answer their doors. Ring Video Doorbell shows visitors on a smartphone screen, even when the homeowner is miles away. Two-way audio allows conversations with delivery drivers or guests. Motion detection sends alerts when someone approaches, capturing video footage for later review.
Google Nest Doorbell offers similar features with facial recognition. It can identify frequent visitors and announce them by name. The battery-powered version installs without existing doorbell wiring.
Indoor and outdoor cameras monitor property around the clock. Arlo cameras run on batteries and connect wirelessly, making placement flexible. They record to cloud storage when motion triggers recording. Blink cameras from Amazon offer affordable options with long battery life.
Smart locks eliminate the need for physical keys. August Smart Lock installs over existing deadbolts and allows phone-based entry. Schlage Encode includes a keypad for code-based access. Users can create temporary codes for guests or service workers and delete them later.
Water leak sensors prevent expensive damage. Flo by Moen monitors water pressure throughout the home and detects leaks early. It can shut off water automatically if a pipe bursts. These smart home tech examples pay for themselves by preventing one major water damage incident.
Smoke and carbon monoxide detectors have gotten smarter too. Nest Protect speaks the location of detected smoke rather than just beeping. It sends phone alerts when batteries run low or when problems occur.
Connected Kitchen and Household Appliances
Smart appliances bring convenience to daily chores. These smart home tech examples handle routine tasks with minimal input.
Smart refrigerators from Samsung and LG include interior cameras. Users can check contents from the grocery store without opening the door. Some models track expiration dates and suggest recipes based on available ingredients. Touchscreens on the door display calendars, notes, and streaming content.
Instant Pot Smart Wi-Fi Pressure Cooker accepts commands from a smartphone app. Cooks can start dinner from the office and arrive home to a finished meal. The app includes guided recipes that automatically set time and temperature.
Smart coffee makers like the Hamilton Beach Smart Coffee Maker brew on schedule or respond to voice commands. Asking a voice assistant to start coffee while still in bed beats walking to the kitchen.
Robot vacuums represent practical smart home tech examples that save hours weekly. iRobot Roomba models map home layouts and clean methodically. They return to charging bases automatically and resume cleaning where they stopped. Higher-end models empty their own dustbins into a base station.
Samsung and LG washers and dryers send smartphone notifications when cycles finish. Some models download new wash cycles for specific fabric types. Smart features prevent wrinkles by tumbling clothes periodically if they sit too long after drying.
Smart plugs turn ordinary devices into smart home tech examples. Plugging a lamp or fan into a TP-Link Kasa or Wemo smart plug enables app control and voice commands. They cost under $15 and require no installation.
