Best Smart Home Products for Living Alone
Whether you’re a recent college grad or a elderly bachelor, living alone can be a source of freedom. However, living by one’s self can present challenges and dangers. There are many smart home products that can be especially beneficial for those without roommates.
Smart Thermostat
When you live with others, there can be a fight over the thermostat. Depending on your personal preference, you may prefer it hotter or colder than others. When you live alone, however, your thermostat setting and home’s temperature stays unchanged. That consistency makes you a perfect candidate for a smart thermostat. Some thermostats, like the Google Nest, analyze your trends and can adjust automatically. Others, like a Honeywell Smart Thermostat, can be scheduled manually to reduce the temperature when you’re away from home, to reduce your heating bill and shrink your environmental footprint. Smart Thermostats are also WiFi connected and compatible with Google Home and Amazon Alexa, so you don’t need to be home to change the temperature.
Smart Lock
What happens when you forget your keys and lock yourself out? Those who live alone know they need an alternate method of entry because they can only rely on themselves. Sure, you could hide a key under the mat, making your home vulnerable to anyone who knows where to look. On the other hand, the secure and smart solution would be installing a Smart Lock on your door. Whether controlled by a keypad or app through your phone, ensure that you are never locked out again by installing a connected lock from companies like Yale and Kwikset.
Home Security System
An Internet-connected home security system like Scout Alarm is a must when living alone. Sensors on doors and windows, as well as motion sensors, are the first line of defense against intruders. As the sole occupant of your home, you may not always be home to monitor who is in and around your home. A video doorbell can also help you keep track of who comes to your door, and prevent porch pirates from stealing deliveries from Amazon, UPS, and FedEx.
Smart Pressure Cooker
Isn’t it nice to come home after a long day at work to find a cooked meal waiting for you? Without a partner or parent to cook for you, you’ll want to use your smart home to accomplish this task. The most popular smart pressure cooker at the moment is the Instant Pot Smart WiFi, which connects to your home’s WiFi network to allow for cook time scheduling. You can even control this cooker using Amazon Alexa! The Instant Pot mobile app for iOS and Android includes hundreds of recipes, just in case you’re a cooking novice or are looking to expand your repertoire.
Robot Vacuum
If you don’t like cleaning your apartment, but a housecleaner is out of your price range, consider a robot vacuum cleaner to suck up dirt and dust without you lifting a finger! The most well known robot vacuum is the iRobot Roomba, which comes in many different models. You’ll want to buy a model that is WiFi enabled, so that you can schedule cleaning from your mobile device. These devices can be quite noisy, so you’ll want to automate the cleaning process for when you’re out of the house (lucky you don’t have a roommate’s schedule to consider). If you’re feeling extra lazy, you can pair your robot vacuum with a robot mop such as the iRobot Bravaa, which has a “precision jet spray” for wet and damp mopping.
There are many benefits to living alone. With the rise of smart home devices, living by yourself is even easier and more accessible than ever. All you need is a smartphone, home WiFi, and maybe a smart assistant like Amazon Alexa, and you can cook, clean, and protect your home even when you’re away.
