How to build a smart home at any budget – Komando

Smart homes feel pretty magical. Walk into a room, say the word and a light turns on or a lock slides into place. Theyre also great for security: Out goes an SOS or medical emergency alert with a touch of the button.

That doesnt mean you can skip steps to protecting yourself from hackers and nosey tech companies. Tap or click for five security settings to change if you have an Amazon Echo at home.

You might think you cant afford smart home tech, but thats just not true. Whether youve got $100 or $500 in your pocket, you can fill your home with this cool tech. Keep reading for the best gadgets you can buy on a budget.

A smart home is defined by automation. That means you have internet-connected devices that automatically take care of lighting, climate, alarm systems or even entertainment equipment. So if you have even one Amazon Echo, that means youre technically living in a smart home.

Here are the componets well focus on:

Privacy, security, the latest trends and the info you need to live your best digital life.

Amazons Echos are great all-purpose smart speakers. The Echo Dot is super affordable, and the latest generation has good sound quality to boot. Grab two and you can play music throughout your house and use them as intercoms to chat with someone in another room.

With MyQ Wi-Fi enabled garage hub, just tap a button on your smartphone to open and close the garage. Its super simple to set-up and use. And if youre a Prime member, you can get free in-garage delivery from Amazon. Click here for more details.

While this isnt the latest generation Echo Dot, it packs a big punch in a tiny package. It comes with a smart bulb, too, and even two of these packages are well under the $100 budget. This is the perfect way to set up smart lighting, too. With easy voice control, set your lights to brighten ahead of your alarm to mimic the sunrise gradually. Just ask, Alexa, wake me up at 7 a.m. with lights, and youre good to go.

What if you want an interactive screen instead? Youll love the Echo Show 5 Sandstone, which allows you to watch videos, video chat with friends and family and read articles. Bonus: This package comes with an Amazon Smart Plug that lets you voice control basic appliances. For example, plug in a lamp to the outlet and now you can say, Alexa, turn the light on. Its as easy as that.

For around $20, you can add two LED color-changing lightbulbs that are compatible with Alexa and Google Home Assistant. Want to bathe the room in pink, blue or gold? These Smart Wi-Fi Light Bulbs will light the way.

This bundle is a steal. It delivers everything you need to start your smart home in one easy package. The 3rd Gen Echo Dot lets you add voice control to any outlet. Youll get four far-field microphones that help Alexa hear you from across the room.

Want to fill the whole home with music? You can do all that without a smart home hub. Start setting routines and schedules through your Alexa app.

Plus, it comes in four different colors. If you ever wanted a pink Echo Dot, youre in luck!

Video doorbells show whats going on outside your front door, whether youre at home or far away. You can get a Ring Video Doorbell 3 with Echo Show 5 for around $150. Youll get mobile notifications whenever someone presses your doorbell or triggers your motion sensors. And of course, youll get that Echo Show 5 with a 5.5-inch screen included.

Amazons Echo Show 8 is the upgraded version of its Show 5. Its got a bigger, better screen and you can adjust the angle at which youre viewing super handy when youre trying to watch a video about fixing a pipe with your head stuck under the sink. Turn off the microphone or camera with one press of a button and enjoy podcasts, movies, audiobooks and music.

This package comes with a nifty stand and smart plug, which lets you add voice control to any outlet

Plus, with the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Switch, you can control lighting from anywhere in the house. Its easy to install and theres no hub required it works out of the box with Alexa and Google Assistant. You can even set a timer or countdown schedule to make your smart switch automatically turn on or off. How cool is that?

Lets say youre working with a bigger budget and want to go all out. Each of these three bundles is a great way to set up your automated home. Which one sounds best to you?

By now, you know all about the Ring doorbell and MyQ garage they help you automate your home security, making life smoother.

But what about your sprinklers? You can control your sprinklers from anywhere with the Rachio Smart Sprinkler Controller. Set up smart watering schedules through the app based on your plants, soil type or even sun exposure. You can even use the standard weather intelligence program to skip unnecessary watering whenever it rains.

Now youve automated the outside of your house. Now, heres what to do inside.

Check out the Ring Indoor Cams to strengthen your homes indoor security. Mount the cameras on a wall or set them on a flat surface. Either way, you can record all your videos and watch over your entire home through the Ring app, even if youre away.

This bundle is great if you want to set up extra strong security measures. Youre getting the Echo Show 8, along with the Ring Peephole Cam to catch potential burglars, at a great price.

Theres also the August Smart Lock, which allows you to lock and unlock your door from anywhere. You can grant friends keyless access when they arrive and keep track of who comes and goes and automatically unlock the front door whenever you arrive. Say goodbye to the awkward days of fumbling for keys, shopping bags or dogs when you leave or return to your home.

This bundle also nets you the Ecobee3, an easy-to-install smart thermostat. Now, control all temperature settings with your voice no more squinting at and fighting with the thermostat. It will even get used to your schedule and make suggestions based on your preferences.

Just combine it with your Alexa-enabled device, and youre good to go!

The Gosund four-pack of smart plugs rounds out this package. You can set up voice control for any attached appliance. You can even create a customized timer and schedule to automatically power on or off any home electronics. For example, you can disconnect the charger from your fully charged phone. Basically, its a great way to reduce energy consumption and save cash.

Just plug a device into the smart outlet, connect it to your app and youre ready to rumble.

Leave all your preconceived notions about home security systems at the door. With our sponsorSimpliSafe, there are no expensive contracts, pushy salespeople or systems too complicated to get your family to use.

The 14-piece Haven collection includes a base station, keypad, keyfob, four entry sensors, two motion sensors, a panic button, smoke detector, water sensor, freeze sensor and 105dB siren to scare away any potential thieves. Get everything, set it up yourself in under an hour and get 24/7 protection.

Right now, when you buy a new package, you can get a free HD security camera. Just go to SimpliSafeKim.com.

Setting up a smart home can seem intimidating at first. After all, there are tons of moving parts to keep track of: outlets, plugs, Echos and so on. Thats why these bundles are a great way to hit the ground running. Theyre simple, easy to set up, and best of all easy on your wallet.

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How to build a smart home at any budget - Komando