TERRIFIED BY TECH? MAPLIN HAS THE PERFECT SOLUTION
WHAT does it mean to make a home smart?
That’s a question a lot of people would have trouble answering. We know it’s something to do with things being connected to the internet. And your smartphone is almost certainly involved.
But the world of smart home technology is getting more, not less, confusing.
There are myriad smart devices on the market, and lots of platforms on which they can be controlled. But which works with which? And what can they do anyway? That’s where Maplin come in. Yes, that Maplin – the place you went to buy that special screwdriver you needed to open up your PlayStation so you could blow all that dust out. The place you bought that karaoke system with the integrated mirror ball. That Maplin.
Because as well as being an electronic emporium of unrivalled diversity, Maplin is also expert at smart home technology.
It has created the UK’s first smart home consultation service. And it’s free.
A smart home expert comes to your house, you tell them what you’d like your own smart home revolution to involve (saving money, making your home more secure, or making life easier).
They will tell you what’s possible, how it works, what it costs – and sell recommended products to you (and install them, for an extra fee).
I asked them to look at how they could save me money. I needed a smart thermostat on my boiler (previously the heating had been an on or off situation), some smart lighting, and some smart plugs to allow me to control lights that could not take smart bulb, and some small appliances.
The Hive thermostat recommended cost £250 including installation, and came with a free Amazon Echo Dot (more on that in moment), plus £80 for a Hive Hub, and £44 each for a pair of Hive colour-changing lightbulbs. The three TP-Link smart plugs were £24.99 each.
That’s a not inconsiderable outlay – but over time the money I save by having finer control over the heating and lighting will make it more than cost effective.
And the beauty of setting up a smart home system is that you don’t need to do it all at once – devices can be added over time.
Each system (Hive and TP-Link) has its own app and website from which Let’s get smart around the home devices can be scheduled and controlled. And that, in turn, plugs into Amazon’s Alexa app, which means I can also talk to my Amazon Echo Dot and tell it what to do – “Alexa, turn the heating up,” I say, and up it goes. And that’s the other feature that soon gets addictive – being able to turn everything on and off with your voice is not a novelty you get used to. At some point at the beginning of next month I’ll have everything set up so I can wander into the living room and say: “Alexa, turn the Christmas lights on” and all my Christmases will come at once. Find out more about Maplin’s Free Smart Home Survey at maplin.co.uk