Ultimate Guide to Smart Home

*Updated 11/12/2020

Smart Home

A home equipped with lighting, electronic devices, and systems that can be controlled remotely via a phone or even voice command. It may also include automated home security and alarm systems.

If you stay with your parents like I do, your house is most likely not considered a Smart Home. But if you are getting a new house of your own soon, maybe you should look into setting up a Smart Home.

Source: HuffPost on Giphy

So what does a Smart Home encompass:

1. Smart light and smart switch

2. Sensor and plug

3. Remote control

4. Door lock and bell

5. Curtain and bind

6. Vacuum robot

7. Air purifier

8. Voice assistant (Google Home, Amazon Echo, Apple HomePod)

All these devices can then be controlled by your mobile. You will need to have a WiFi or internet connection at home for them to function. However, the smart light, switch, sensor, and plug communicate through another protocol such as Zigbee and ZWave. Thus, you will need a Hub for all of them to communicate with each other.

Do you need them?

Sensor

Good for: Night-time when you need to go to the toilet.

Door lock

Good for: Unlock with password, thumbprint, and phone. It also allows you to set automation rules. For example, to turn on the living room light when you are back.

Doorbell

Good for: Provides live video feed and communication with the person outside your door. This is especially useful when you are expecting some parcel to be delivered to your house, but you are not at home. It will allow you to talk to the delivery man via the smart doorbell. It can also just be used as a form of security to check if anyone suspicious is loitering around your corridor.

Curtain and bind

Good for: Setting automation rules to open or close at a certain timing for example in the morning when you wake up.

Vacuum robot

Good for: Cleaning floor of small dust particles and hair.

Air purifier

Good for: Especially useful for the haze period. I personally feel that this is not necessary.

What are my options?

Voice assistant

Personally, I think this is optional as it depends on whether you are someone who like to use voice commands. Out of the three options available out there, firstly, Amazon Echo is more for the UK or US as in Singapore, their application is not available in the app store. Then for Apple HomePod, it would be more suitable if you are using a lot of apple products. However, given the price point of 299USD and how they are quite behind in the race between the other two. Thus, Google Home would be the go-to in Singapore as it offers the most features that are available locally.

Sensor and plug

Brands: Xiaomi, Aqara, BroadLink

Smart light and smart switch

Brands: Philips Hue, Yeelight, Aqara

You only need either smart light or smart switch, you do not need both to change your light into a smart device. Smart light is more expensive as compared to smart switch, but it allows you to change your light colour to almost any colour you can think of. You can also adjust the brightness and dim it if it is too bright. On the other hand, a smart switch can work with your existing lightbulb, making it smart, allowing you to control it with a device or your phone.

Yeelight bulb cost around $20-$30, Philips Hue bulb ranges between $30-$80 depending on the type of bulb. While Aqara switch cost about $20.

Remote control

Brands: Xiaomi, BroadLink

Vacuum robot

Brands: Xiaomi, Dibea, ECOVACS, Roborock

Objective

What you want to achieve in a Smart Home is to have all the devices and applications integrating and working smoothly with each one another. Ultimately, when setting up your Smart Home, you would want to be using the minimum number of mobile applications and devices as much as possible!

FREE VOUCHERS

Source: Giphy

You heard that right! It is $225 worth of e-Vouchers!

The government is actually having a Climate Friendly Households Programme now that gives you 3 e-Vouchers to offset the cost of purchasing climate friendly refrigerators, water efficient shower fittings, and LED lights. All 1- to 3-room households are eligible.

Follow these 5 Steps to redeem your e-Vouchers:

1. Eligible households will receive a mailer. Scan the QR code or visit the go.gov.sg/cfhp website.

2. Once website is launched, sign in with your SingPass.

3. Complete and submit the form.

4. If eligible, you will receive an SMS with a web link for redemption within two days.

5. Click on the link to access the e-Vouchers and visit any participating store to use your e-Vouchers!

*e-Vouchers are valid till Dec 2023

VIOLAH!