Get started with Smart tech FOR LESS
From Amazon to Ikea, there’s a range of affordable smart devices now available for your home
Voice control is the big thing in smart home technology at the moment and, of course, Apple recently got in on the act with
its HomePod smart speaker. But, in typical Apple fashion, the HomePod is far and away the most expensive option in this category, costing £319 if you want to use Siri to control the (still rather limited) range of lights and other devices that are compatible with Apple’s HomeKit platform.
It’s Amazon that is really making the running here at the moment, though – its Alexa voice assistant already works with a really wide range of lights, thermostats and other devices, and its Echo range of smart speakers includes affordable options such as the Echo Dot, a little plug-in accessory that lets you add voice control to an existing speaker for just £49.99.
Google’s Assistant technology isn’t quite so popular, but it has its own low-cost option in the form of Google Home Mini at £49. And, if you’re a fan of the do-it-yourself Raspberry Pi, Google has even launched a version of its Assistant software for that, too. Most smart lighting systems are costly, as you have to start by buying a kit that contains two or more light bulbs, plus a special hub (also called a bridge or gateway) that connects to your router in order to control the lights.
Let there be (affordable) lights
However, prices have started to come down recently, and Philips – the top dog in the smart lighting market with its Hue range– now sells a Hue White Starter Kit that contains two white bulbs and a bridge for just £59.95 (and it works with HomeKit for Siri voice control, too).
LIFX takes a different approach with its lighting range. Instead of using a hub that connects to your router, the LIFX lights have all their smart tech (including HomeKit) built in to the bulbs themselves. This means that you can get started with just a single smart light for a specific room or location, such as a child’s bedroom, with prices starting at just £24.99 for a basic white light bulb, or £44.99 for a colour bulb.
Even budget-conscious Ikea is getting in on the act, with its Tradfri range of smart lights. Ikea provides a number of options, including its Tradfri Gateway Kit, which includes two white bulbs and a gateway for £65. However, it also sells a low-cost Motion Sensor
Kit for just £25. This includes one of the Tradfri bulbs, along with a motion sensor that can be used to control the light, perhaps illuminating the bulb if it detects an intruder during the night, or when you’re away on holiday.
Safe and sound
Motion sensors are another inexpensive option for your smart home. Security is important to everyone, but a good security camera can be expensive, often costing £150-£200 for a model that provides high-definition video recording. Buying several cameras for different rooms just isn’t a viable option for most people. A simple motion sensor is a more affordable alternative – Elgato’s Eve Motion sensor is just £44.95. Elgato also sells handy little Eve Door & Window sensors for £34.95, so you can easily cover several rooms in your home for about £100. The Elgato sensors all support HomeKit, too – although they do need an Apple TV, iPad or HomePod to act as the relay point when sending security alerts over your home network.
Alternatively, you can buy a more complete security kit, such as Samsung’s SmartThings Starter Kit. This is priced at £199 on Samsung’s own website, although we’ve seen it for less on Amazon and some other online stores. The SmartThings kit includes a number of sensors, including a motion sensor, door/window sensor, and even a ‘presence’ sensor – a kind of smart keyring that can help you to keep track of a young child or elderly relative – with all the sensors controlled by a central hub that connects to your router. The SmartThings hub can be used to control compatible devices from other manufacturers as well, such as security cameras and even video doorbells, so this is an affordable security kit that also allows you to expand your smart home system in the future.
There’s another affordable option for adding smart tech to your home. It’s possible to buy smart plugs and switches that can be used to control existing devices, such as lights, speakers, and even washing machines and other appliances. These simply allow you to turn the power on or off for a particular device via remote control, but that can still be handy if you want to schedule the lights to keep coming on when you’re away on holiday, or only use air conditioning at a specific time of day. Samsung’s SmartThings kit includes a smart plug, but if you don’t want to pay for the entire Samsung kit, you can buy individual smart plugs, such as Belkin’s popular WeMo Switch for as little as £39.99. Belkin also makes the more expensive WeMo Insight (£49.99), which can monitor your power consumption, helping you to save more money in the future.