Gadgets to simplify your home

Running a household is hard work. Make it easier with smart gadgets.

For a busy woman who juggles work, family and running a household, the question isn’t why would I want to add time saving devices to my home, but rather which devices should I add? With so much choice out there, it’s a valid question.

Nicholas Bourikas, president of Canadian Sound Lifestyle Electronics in Oakville, says many of the homes they serve focus on security when first starting to build a smart home. Today’s cameras offer surveillance inside and outside the home with feeds and notifications that go directly to the homeowner’s mobile phone. Of course, this may not be where every person wants to start, as it is just one of many possibilities available to make a home less Flintstones to more Jetsons.

As the number of smart devices in a home increases, so too, may be the desire for a voice-controlled personal assistant service, like Alexa.

“With this type of device, you don’t have to hit a button to activate something. Just say what you want done and the device will connect to whatever is necessary to make it happen,” says Bourikas. “It’s easier to say a command than to search for the missing remote.”

If you’re at a loss as to where to start and what to buy, we’ve gathered some smart product ideas that are worth investigating. Each offers the potential to ease certain challenges that come with running a household.

CHALLENGE: Your kids lose their house keys, again. And you’re at work.

Smart locks remove the need for keys completely. Create an entry code just for the kids (or for each one) to track when they arrive home and when they leave. No more leaving the door unlocked for the teenager coming home late at night, either. Notifications pop up on your phone for entries, exits and any suspicious activity around the door. SCHLAGE SENSE SMART DEADBOLT WITH CENTURY TRIM $299.99 Available at large hardware retailers.

CHALLENGE: The heat is on, but some rooms are still cold.

Most thermostats only read the temperature in one place in the house, which can leave other rooms too cold or too hot. Some smart thermostats come equipped with room sensors. Simply place the sensor in a room where it can adjust the temperature as you wish.

CHALLENGE: Keeping the floors clean is a never ending battle.

There are a number of robot vacuums, and even a robot mop, to suck up those pesky dust bunnies, food crumbs, and pet hair. You can even command the cleaning to begin remotely for those emergency “friends are dropping in” surprises. Unfortunately, there is no device for picking up dirty socks left on the floor (yet). IROBOT BRAAVA JET 240 MOPPING ROBOT $369.99 Available at large retailers.

CHALLENGE: Rushing to make a healthy and tasty meal for the family.

Perfect your cooking without a single culinary class, thanks to the latest technology in sous vide precision cookers. Use this device to perfectly cook meats, fish, eggs and more. Remotely start cooking with your phone and get notified when it’s ready to eat. ANOVA PRECISION COOKER, 2ND GENERATION $169 Available at anovaculinary.com.

CHALLENGE: Forgetting to unplug devices.

We’ve all done it… panicked as we try to recall if we’ve turned off the curling iron in the bathroom or the block heater in the basement. The smart plug eases any worry because it enables you to shut off any electronics using a phone or tablet. WEMO MINI SMART PLUG BY BELKIN $49.99 Available at electronic retailers.

CHALLENGE: Lights are left on – all the time.

Smart bulbs can be turned on and off using your smart device. You can dim them to create a mood, and even set them on timers to turn on before you wake up. If the kids leave them on, you can set them to automatically turn off by a certain hour. That means one less thing to remind your kids to do.