Ryan Eldridge of The Squirrel Collective has all of the best gadgets to make your home smarter. (Jillian Lopez | KSNV)
If you’re ready to make your home smarter, Ryan Eldridge of The Squirrel Collective is here with tips for getting started with smart home gadgets.
PERSONAL ASSISTANT PLATFORM
Google Home and Amazon Echo are great personal assistant platforms, however, The Squirrel Collective prefers Echo, as Google Home isn’t yet compatible with as many devices.
Echo, featuring its voice assistant Alexa, is a good beginner device, costing $50.
It is compatible with tons of smart devices like Nest, WeMo, Honeywell, and more.
The device can even order an Uber, pizza, or flowers, and can check on bank balances, sports scores, and news briefings.
HANDS-FREE AND AWAY-FROM-HOME CONTROLLERS
Products that you can control hands-free or when you’re away from home should have easy functionality and minimal installation, like smart thermostats and light switches.
The Squirrel Collective suggests the Nest Smart Thermostat, which costs around $249.
The thermostat learns how you change the temperature over time and programs itself. It can also detect when no one is home and turns itself down when you’re away.
The device can be controlled from anywhere with your phone and is compatible with Amazon Echo’s “Alexa.”
They also suggest the WeMo LED Starter Kit ($49.99) and WeMo Mini Smart Plug ($34.99).
Also compatible with Amazon Echo, the products have an easy installation and can connect with up to 50 smart bulbs that can be controlled individually or as a group.
The smart plug can expand a remote control to anything that plugs in like fans, lamps, coffee makers, and more. It can be controlled remotely via app or voice or even scheduled.
PROGRAM ACTIVITIES AROUND THE HOME
Once you’ve got a few smart devices, they can be set up for automated activities. Learning IFTTT (If This Than That) can set up string commands.
For beginners, The Squirrel Collective suggests the Logitech Harmony House Companion, which costs $149.
“Watch TV” will turn on all necessary components and put them on the right inputs. You can also customize activities like “go to bed” to turn lights and home theater off and lock the door or “movie night” to turn on all components and dim the lights.
For more information on smart home gadgets, visit The Squirrel Collective website.
