Lots of people think that by having more gadgets, you’ll end up using more electricity and filling your house with, well, gadgets…
If your new gadgets are all smart devices, though, you can incorporate them as part of your carbon-lowering campaign by making the most of what they have to offer. They also make life that little bit easier, so it’s a win-win. Without delay, then, here are the five smart devices your household can’t do without.
The Amazon Echo Dot (third generation)
You really are getting an all-singing, all-dancing addition to the household with the Dot. It’s a handsfree speaker that offers up clean high-tones and deep bass, as well as inform you about the day’s weather conditions and give you a recipe for risotto.
What’s even better is that you can control other smart devices in your home if you set it to be the main hub. You can turn off the lights and set the thermostat, all with voice commands.
Philips Hue smart lightbulbs
Smart lightbulbs let you control the intensity and colour of your lighting, either through an app or even your voice. They’re especially handy when you come home to a dark house and all you have to do it tell them to turn on!
The Philips Hue bulbs are a popular choice as you can create mood lighting with just a few taps or voice commands. You can also set timers to turn them on and off while you’re away to help deter burglars.
What’s even better is the fact that these bulbs can last up to 25,000 hours, which works out as around 23 years with normal levels of usage.
The Ring wifi-enabled doorbell
If you link this device to your wifi you can see who’s at the door even when you’re not at home thanks to 720HD streaming. This is handy for instructing delivery people or just for making sure that no-one dodgy is hanging around, as the Ring also sends alerts to your smartphone.
It also works at night, with infrared vision, so you can see who’s coming up your driveway without having to approach the door.
The Nest thermostat
What’s great about the Nest is that you can control the temperature of your home remotely from your phone as well as via your voice assistant. It’s handy for turning off (or turning down) the heating if you realise you left for work with all your radiators blazing or, on the other hand, the aircon freezing away. If you’re not a fan of returning home to an icebox (or sauna) at night, then you can get the place nicely warmed up or chilled down, ready for your arrival. Having a Nest helps you to save energy and reduce your carbon emissions.
The Toshiba Smart TV
Smart TVs are brilliant because not only can you use voice commands, but they offer you pin-sharp viewing experiences and let you add all your apps, channels and streaming services onto the same menu.
