Giving gifts to friends and family is a way for us to express our gratitude. Practical and helpful, smart home gadgets make excellent presents. They reduce energy bills, offer convenience, and give a feeling of security. Do yourself a favour and give the gift of a smart home. Let’s start with some things to consider while choosing a smart home gift.
Choosing or adding to a smart home ecosystem
Technically speaking, a smart home starts with a smart speaker or a smart display. If the recipient doesn’t have one of these, start there. You’ll be choosing between three smart home ecosystems: Google, Amazon, and Apple. Each has its own respective voice assistant. My suggestion is to find out which smartphone they are using. If it’s Apple, consider giving them a HomePod mini. The Siri voice assistant they use on their iPhones will now extend to the Home Pod. If the gift recipient uses an Android phone, then gift them a Google Nest Mini. This uses the Google Assistant voice assistant. Another option is to stay neutral with Amazon Echo Dot. They use the Alexa voice assistant. I think Alexa is the most human of the three voice assistants. So choose the one that you think the gift receiver will use.
If they already have a smart speaker, consider getting them another one for a different room. In my opinion, the ideal smart home has a voice assistant in the kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. You want to be able to access a voice assistant from anywhere in the house, especially before you add more devices.
Smart home security: A source of comfort
Everyone wants to feel at ease, especially at home. Because of this, one prominent smart home area is security and access. People feel more comfortable when these things are implemented throughout the house. Let’s look at some options for smart home security systems.
Smart security cameras
Security cameras make great gifts because they’re easy to install. You download an app, follow instructions, and the cameras connect to your Wi-Fi network. There are both wired and wireless cameras for indoor and outdoor use. Outdoor cameras can be used indoors, but not all indoor cameras can be used outdoors. Another thing to remember is cloud storage for video clips. Most major brands like Blink, Arlo, and Ring require a paid cloud subscription. Personally, I would only buy someone a smart security camera if they already use them. If they have an existing paid subscription, adding more cameras will definitely make them happy. Find out the brand they use, and buy an add-on camera as a gift.
Smart doorbell
Some people love to shop online. Thus, they get many deliveries at home. If you know someone like this, consider getting them a smart doorbell. These doorbells have built-in cameras that let you see and talk to someone at your door remotely. When they press the doorbell, you get a video call to your phone. If you’re thinking of a smart doorbell as a gift, first check if the recipient has an existing doorbell. If so, you might want to get a wired smart doorbell. If they don’t have one, you should get a wireless, battery-powered smart doorbell.
Personally, I would recommend the new Arlo Video Doorbell. I recently reviewed this and it’s both a wired and wireless doorbell. It’s also incredibly easy to set up and install. It’s the perfect gift for someone who gets a lot of deliveries at home.
Smart locks
Everyone with a bank account has a PIN that they will never forget. That’s why I think everyone should have a smart lock. Why carry keys when you can open a door with a PIN code? That said, some people may want to still use a key and that’s fine too. Many smart locks use keys in addition to a PIN code. That’s why you cannot go wrong with a smart lock as a gift idea. It’s still a traditional lock, just with smart features.
I’ve tried many smart locks, but my current favourite is the Alfred DB2-B. This is the smart lock on my front door. I like that it has a 1” deadbolt that can be unlocked in several ways. One is with a key. The second way is through a PIN code on the touchpad. And third is by using my smartphone. This is a great gift idea for someone with a short-term rental suite. From their smartphone, they can create new PIN codes for guests. The PIN codes can even be time-sensitive so they expire after a certain period of time.
Gifting energy savings
Smart plugs
Numerous smart home products offer energy-saving features that lower household energy costs. For instance, portable electric heaters and smart plugs go together like cereal and milk. They make it possible to turn on a heater remotely. On their travel home, your gift recipient can turn on a heater so their room is warm by the time they arrive.
Personally, I use TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Lite. I have one connected to my coffeemaker. I set up the coffeemaker with coffee grounds and water before bed. Then, after I wake up, I tell Alexa to turn the coffeemaker on. By the time I get to the kitchen, a fresh pot of coffee is waiting for me. If you know someone who can’t function without their morning cup of joe, they will love having a smart plug.
Smart thermostats
The cost of living has gone up and people are looking for ways to reduce their energy bills. Smart thermostats make great gifts because they help save money in the long run. If you’re gifting a smart thermostat, it’s good to know beforehand the type of heating system someone has. My home has electric baseboard heating. Keeping the heat on all the time is super expensive. I installed the Mysa V2 Smart Thermostat. In the Mysa app, I set schedules based on my personal lifestyle. When I’m sleeping, the temperature in the living room goes down, while my bedroom goes up. I can also remotely adjust the temperature from my smartphone. This has helped me significantly reduce my heating bills.
Gifting a smart home
Gifts that are used on a daily basis are memorable. Products for smart homes are meant to be utilized daily. They give any home convenience, security, and energy savings. Giving individuals a head start on a smart home is a perpetual gift. There is a large selection of smart home products available, ranging from keyless access to effective home heating. To assist you in choosing what to buy as a gift, make sure you read this smart home buying guide. It will tell you everything you need about gifting a smart home.
