Household appliances are an essential part of our lives. Though we could go through our day without them, they make everything easier and more convenient. Sure, we wouldn’t die without fridges and washing machines, but it would impact our lifestyle immensely. Although these appliances are almost essential to us, they could use an update. A lot of them were invented over a hundred years ago and haven’t received a thorough upgrade ever since – until now. Smart technology offers that long-awaited upgrade by turning your regular household appliances into smart appliances. 

Internet of Things

A set of smart household appliances (or other smart devices), connected to a common hub, is often referred to as the internet of things (or IoT). The novelty, that comes with this innovation, is the connectivity of formerly strictly independent devices. Common household devices, such as fridges, stoves, and thermostats, couldn’t be operated remotely or programmed to operate on their own.

The main purpose of an IoT system is, like with other innovations, making our lives more convenient. In this case, this is achieved through:

• • Control – devices, connected to a hub, can be remotely accessed and controlled
  • Automation – some devices can be taught to operate on their own when they’re supposed to
  • Monitoring – you can directly monitor an IoT device’s current state, power consumption and more

Those are the main points, which define an IoT system and make it a perspective technology, but there are even more features. And because this is still an emerging technology, more solutions are invented each day.

Upgrade Regular Appliances

When it comes to smart household appliances, the market is already fairly large and diverse. Nowadays, a lot of devices already come with smart features. But, such devices are often much more expensive than their regular counterparts. They are more useful and convenient, but they don’t always justify their higher price. Besides that, most of us already have regular old household appliances. Fortunately, there is a way to upgrade your old water heater and microwave oven and make them smart. 

The first thing you need to consider when upgrading household appliances are your preferences. With all those smart devices and gadgets available, you don’t have to settle for just anything. Smart technology gives us the opportunity to tailor it exactly to our needs.

The other important thing you need to consider is compatibility. Since every device is different, this has to be taken into account, when we’re trying to connect them to a smart system. Both clothes iron and washing machine can be connected to the same hub, but they can’t be controlled the same way.

SMART PLUG – the most essential way to upgrade your existing household appliances

The most common way of upgrading your existing household appliances is by using a smart plug. The feature that separates them from regular ones is connectivity. These gadgets can connect to your WiFi or smart system. From there, you can easily access them from your smartphone and turn on and off whatever device is connected to that plug. Additionally, they can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times.

When used correctly, smart plugs can greatly improve your life. Here are a few examples:

• • Use it with a water heater – this way, you can save energy and money, by having it turned on only at certain times
  • Have them improve your mornings – hook your radio, light, toaster, or any other device to your smart plug and have them all turn on right when you wake up
  • Use it with any device with standby mode – many household appliances, such as microwave ovens, drain a lot of power while in standby mode. Smart plugs can keep them turned off when you don’t need them
  • Turn off your tumble dryer – researches have shown, that tumble dryers are prone to causing fires. Program your smart plug to turn them off at night and when you’re away
  • Control your kids’ consoles and TVs – you can program your smart plug to switch off every day just before bedtime
  • Turn on your slow cooker from the office – operate your smart plug remotely and have that delicious meal ready by the time you’re back home

These are just a few examples, how smart plugs can make your every day more convenient. Mix that up with some imagination, and the possibilities are endless.

4 Best Smart Household Appliances

Since the smart house appliance market is so broad, it might be difficult to choose the perfect product for you. To give you an idea, what this technology is all about, we’ve composed a list with smart gadgets we found most helpful – or most exciting.

1. SMART GRILL

Anyone who grills regularly knows, just how inconvenient it can get. Constantly walking in and out to check on your meat, hoping your meat isn’t burning, or that the coal isn’t cooling down. This gadget relieves you of all these nuisances by letting you know the internal temperature and alerting you when you’re needed.

2. SMART FRIDGE

This device was one of the first household appliances that were made smart. They’ve been on the market for a while now, but that doesn’t make them outdated and stale. Modern smart fridges are fitted with a touchscreen display and are able to connect to the internet through Wi-Fi. Besides these two functions, several models include many more convenient features, like customizing the temperature for each compartment separately or creating a grocery list, that automatically syncs with your smartphone.

3. SMART COOKING DEVICES

Nowadays you can find many smart devices, designed to help you cook a delicious meal. Such devices are usually not meant to replace your good old pot or grill but are designed to help you with the more intricate – and more delicious – dishes. A great example is the smart sous vide machine, which slowly cooks your meat at the exact right temperature, making that formerly difficult process much easier. 

4 .SMART COFFEE MAKER

Nothing beats a freshly brewed coffee in the morning. A smart coffee maker will provide you with that life-infusing beverage without requiring any effort from you. And if you’re an especially devout coffee drinker you can go a step further and turn that coffee machine into your alarm clock. You can program it to turn on before your alarm clock goes off and have the smell of fresh coffee wake you up.

 

Smart Device Give You Endless Possibilities

It is also worth mentioning how other smart devices can improve the utility of your kitchen. You can hook your voice assistant to your smart household appliances to operate them remotely. Or you can program your smart vacuum cleaner to wipe the kitchen floor after you’re done the cooking.

There are also devices that may someday become a part of standard kitchen equipment. A prime example is a smart kitchen display. At first glance, they look a lot like regular tablets, but are built durably enough to withstand the harsh environment beside your stove. They also come with different built-in functions ranging from recipe suggestions and setting timers to shopping list composer and budget assistant. 

As always – with smart technology, the possibilities are almost limitless.

To summarize, smart house appliances make your life without a doubt much more convenient. They can automate many chores you would normally have to do. And if a chore isn’t possible to automate, they at least make it much easier. We’ve mentioned many ways and examples of smart house appliances improving your everyday life – but you don’t have to stop there. Smart technology allows you to set your smart home up just the way you like. Whether you aim to make cooking more enjoyable or to make your electricity bills lower, smart house appliances can surely help you to achieve your goals.