Smart Home Cheat Sheet: Tips for Amazon Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit
Amazon released the first Echo smart speaker more than a decade ago — but CNET has been covering the smart home space for even longer. Since then, CNET experts have been continually assessing the smart home landscape, which consists of smart light bulbs And speakers Unpleasant video doorbells And security cameras. There are many more smart devices than just these categories.
Whether you’re looking for the best products on the market, want to know how to get started, or want to discover how to unlock all the hidden features that devices like the Amazon Echo, Google Nest, and Apple HomePod have to offer, this overview has you covered.
Below you’ll find helpful articles with tips and tricks for the most popular smart home brands, including Amazon Alexa, Google Home, and Apple HomeKit. You’ll also find tips on where to place your devices, how to change device settings, and even how much you can expect to spend. (Since home security, home internet And home energy (The content has already been grouped into separate cheat sheets; I’m ignoring home security cameras, video doorbells, smart locks, thermostats, and routers.)
What are the best smart home devices?
With thousands of smart home devices covering a wide range of types and styles, it can be hard to know where to start. Whether you’re looking for the best smart plug or outdoor lighting, there are countless options and lists to sift through. Luckily, CNET experts have spent years testing new tech to determine what’s worth your money and what you should probably pass up.
For starters, you might want to consider the brand. If you’re looking for a system that’s compatible with thousands of devices, Amazon Alexa might be your best bet. Or if you’re looking for devices that can easily connect to your iPhone, Apple HomeKit might be the way to go. Here are the best from each brand:
If you’re not interested in voice assistant technology but are simply looking for the best of each type of device, check out our roundups of our favorite smart products:
Smart plugs can make any ‘dumb’ device in your home smarter.
How much does a smart home cost?
With so many smart home devices on the market, it’s easy to go overboard and spend a lot of money on different products to really style your home, but you don’t have to. How much you end up spending depends on the number of devices you get, the type of device, and the brand you choose. There are plenty of great options in each category from brands you may not be familiar with but that have a long history in the smart home space.
It’s hard to give you an exact amount to build your smart home, but we’ve done our best to give you an estimate so you can get an idea of what to expect.
Does it matter where I put my smart home device?
While you might be tempted to just stick your new smart speaker or display anywhere in your home, location does matter. There are usually ideal places to put your devices, but also places you should never put them.
The Apple HomePod Mini is a great way to get started with a smart home for those in the Apple ecosystem, as it includes access to Siri and is a Thread border router.
How do I find out the settings of my smart home devices?
Some smart home devices are simple and don’t require many settings changes to personalize them. Others, like smart light bulbs, can be much more useful if you take the time to add a few customizations. For example, you can set them to turn on with a warm glow at 10% brightness when it’s time to wake up.
The enjoyment you get from your smart home device depends on how well it works. That means your settings can make or break your experience. Instead of just using the default settings, customize them for better privacy, audio, notifications, and an overall optimized experience.
Your smart device settings can make or break your experience.
Liked this cheat sheet? Check out CNET’s other complete guides:
