SMARTHOME DEVICES BUYER’S CHECKLIST

THE KEY THINGS TO BE AWARE OF WHEN BUYING SMART DOODADS.

LED BULB COLOUR TEMP

Most white LED bulbs are a warm white (2,700–3,000K), but some people (including us) prefer a cooler white at 3,500–4,000K.

RGB VS WHITE LED BULBS

Colour change RGB bulbs let you set some great custom colours, but cost more than the dimmable white-only bulbs.

HUB OR NO HUB

Increasingly, smarthome devices connect directly to your Wi-Fi, avoiding the need for a hub and one more device to have plugged in.

SMART ASSISTANT The best smarthome products have integration with other services, such as being able to be controlled from Alexa or Google Home. IFTTT

Smarthome products that support the IFTTT network allow all sorts of custom control through online triggers.

LED BULB FITTINGS

Screw (E27) fittings are most common, but Bayonet (B22) adaptors can be bought from eBay for a few dollars if needed.

LED WATTAGE

Most LED smart bulbs aim to replace a 60W incandescent bulb, and consume 8–10W and output 600–800 lumens.

EXPLORE THE ECOSYSTEM

Many smarthome brands have a range of products available which can all interact, so it’s always a good idea to check out all the options.