Are Robot Vacuums Worth It?

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When the Roomba came out in 2002 we started to see a spark in innovation for our basic domestic amenities. Smart vacuums have come a long way since 2002 and yet there is always room for improvement. So, in 2022, Are Robot Vacuums Worth It?

 

When building your smart home, you might start by thinking what your lifestyle is like and what basic amenities could use an upgrade to make your house work for you, and a common result is a vacuum cleaner. If you are able to invest in a product that cleans the house without your help, I can only assume you wouldn’t pass up the opportunity. However, is it worth the investment? A credited robot vacuum cleaner can price anywhere from 200 dollars to 800 dollars so our first recommendation is to see whether or not a smart vacuum cleaner is right for you. 

 

Are robot vacuums worth it?

 

It’s important to take a look at your home and lifestyle. Are there multiple floors? Do you have any pets? How often do you clean your floors now? Do you spend money for a cleaning service currently? Does your home have wall-to-wall carpeting or are they bare floors? What are you trying to clean? Answering all of these questions for yourself can give you a better idea if a robot vacuum is worth it for you. 

 

Are there multiple floors?

If your home has multiple floors, you might have to consider getting more than one smart vacuum. Robot vacuums cannot yet detect stairs and having to repair a robot vacuum can be costly. 

 

Do you have any pets?

If you have a pet that sheds it’s hair, getting a robot vacuum could be the ultimate solution. As a robot vacuum does not necessarily replace a manual powered vacuum, but a robot vacuum is perfect for the in between days so no dust, animal hair or crumbs accumulate.

 

How often do you clean your floors now?

Understanding your routine with your cleaning can be helpful in figuring out if a robot vacuum is right for you. According to various lab tests done by Choice, they recommend to look at a robot vacuum as slightly lower powered and therefore will need to be programmed more often to match it’s competitor, stick vacuum. However, if you are looking for a solvent to not let dust pile up or desire a cleaning in between a bigger cleaning, this is worth it. If you hire a cleaning service because you don’t have time, this is another strong point to consider as a robot vacuum might be a luxury purchase in the moment, but a money saver in the future. 

 

Does your home have wall-to-wall carpeting or are they bare floors? 

Sometimes robot vacuums can be known to get stuck on a rug or at a corner of the home. When looking at the style of flooring you have, also pay attention to the floor plan of your home. Luxury models have an option to program a floor plan to avoid any mishaps, but cheaper versions might need to be surveyed the first few cleanings to track it’s route and make sure it doesn’t get stuck. 

 

What are you trying to clean?

This might seem like a silly question, because essentially we want to clean everything, but take a look around your room and notice the route the robot vacuum might take – do you think it will succeed? Do you have many spots under your furniture where you have a hard time reaching? A robot vacuum could be great for you, whereas if you have a lot of stairs you might not want to leave your robot vacuum on its own for very long.

 

When considering are robot vacuums worth it, we find it hard to find too many reasons why not. Smart technology is only getting stronger and our floors are only getting cleaner. We can’t forget that once we put in a little time to understand the robot vacuum of our choice that once it’s in our homes it can only be of benefit to get an extra set of “hands.” 

 

We believe that smart technology is a smart choice when building your home in order to create a safer, connected and easier home while saving money and energy. 

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Do Smart Lights Save Money

On the surface, smart technology can seem like just another gadget to upgrade for the sake of an upgrade. At first glance, maybe the mood lighting options caught your attention, or the fact that you can turn off the lights from another room entirely, but under the surface, these “superficial” upgrades can actually lead to meaningful changes. One meaningful change we’re talking about, is the energy and money you will save. So, do smart lights save money ?

 

We have written about smart lights here if you have yet to read about their many benefits, as today we will focus on one, how they can save you money. Saving money with smart lights is not apparent overnight, which is why it’s a question worth breaking down.

 

An LED light can cost around 40 dollars and last around 50,000 hours. While, incandescent lights can cost around 5 dollars or less, but last about 2,000 hours. Already, we can deduct that the 40 dollars over time will stretch itself out for longer, but that’s not the only thing we can factor in. 

 

How do smart lights save money:

Mood lighting – This superficial innovation has more benefits than you might think. Using the dimmer switch when bright lights aren’t necessary is a small way you can save energy and in time reduce your energy bill. 

 

Remote Lighting – Creating a smart product essentially means it can operate automatically and be controlled remotely, thus creating an easier life. You can program your lights to turn off when its dark if you left the house in the day, program your lights to be on only in the rooms you occupy, alert your phone when a light is on, but you are out of the house. There are so many options that make it impossible to accidentally leave all the lights on while on vacation. This benefit doesn’t just make life easier, but also means on average the lights are turned off far more often and with more certainty for fewer hours a day than an incandescent or fluorescent light. 

 

You might have heard of something called “vampire devices” when referring to smart lights, but this is also known as standby lighting which essentially means that the device still consumes energy even when it’s not on. It’s important to note this because when turned off it only consumes around 1 watt or less of power. If you have any chords plugged in to outlets that aren’t in use, this is another version of Standby power. You can take this away as a negative, but overall we believe that counting pennies when you could be counting dollars is not the strategy. 

 

As Smart lights last around 25 times longer, it’s not until time has passed that we will be able to see the savings. However, with the information, and estimate calculator, we have gathered that at the price of an average LED light and its lifespan, you save around 180 dollars a year. Switching to smart lighting doesn’t have to break the bank by changing all your lights at once, but little by little you can start saving 40 dollars a month and eventually see the big difference that all those little changes over time have made. Not only do smart lights save money, but they create a safer and easier home too. 

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What Are The Best Smart Light Bulbs?

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Smart technology is on the rise and the options for smart lights are growing exponentially. Smart bulbs can range dramatically in price, with differentiating capabilities such as the color range, the type of connection or device it pairs with, the amount of light it exudes, if you’d like it to connect to a fan or speaker, and more. We are here to help you differentiate the various bulbs and also answer, what are the best smart light bulbs? 

 

Converting your lighting to smart lighting will save you money and energy, so we advise not to get too caught up in the initial price difference between an incandescent bulb and an LED bulb. However, it should be noted that there are affordable options for LED lights ranging from 8 dollars for a single bulb to 30 dollars for a pack of 4. 

 

WYZE: 

If you have a great wifi connection throughout all corners of your home you won’t need a central hub for this option. All you need is to connect them in, pair them with the mobile application, and let the rest take care of itself. We like this option as it’s affordable and efficient. 

 

LIFX:

This is another affordable option at around 15 dollars for each bulb. You can pair this with Alexa, IFTTT, or google assistant. Lifx offers color-changing strips as well that display multicolors and animations that even its competitors don’t offer.  

 

Phillips:

Phillips Hue has so many options from vintage lighting to warmer lighting options that can be set up with voice control. Although Phillips products have a drastic price range from 10 dollars to 400 dollars, don’t feel like you need to fill your whole house all at once. Phillips hue is top rated and if you are willing to commit to more bulbs at once then there are deals to save if you purchase packs. 

 

CGE:

If you prefer google as your central hub, then these makers are for you. Bulbs range from 10 to 13 dollars with a simple setup to pair with google assistant. 

When figuring out what are the best smart light bulbs, we hope this list and description help you understand it’s not what is best in general, but what works best for you. Of course, Phillips Hue can come at a higher price point, LIFX is the only maker to sell multicolor strips, or you already know you want to pair with Alexa, these capabilities can help you narrow down the list. If you are searching for a specific product, working within a limited budget, and know the central hub or wifi limitations, then you might be able to sort through the bulbs at a faster rate. If you already have some smart technology in your home, you might want to build upon the already existing central hub and therefore, what are the best smart light bulbs for you might already be answered.

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What Are The Benefits Of Home Automation?

First it’s Robot vacuums, then smart lighting systems, and alexa controlled ceiling fans and now almost all basic home amenities are getting a smart upgrade. So, is smart home automation just a new fad or is it here to stay? Upgrading to a smart home can help your life in many ways, but exactly what are the benefits of home automation? 

 

Home automation or a smart home is when your home has a central communication hub in order for all your home amenities to communicate with each other and your application of choice to gain more control over your home as well as many other benefits when installing smart home appliances. 

 

What are the benefits of home automation?

 

  • Worry Free Technology

Almost all of us have forgotten to turn off a light, not sure whether we locked the door behind us or maybe even left the stove on. With smart technology you can turn off the light from you phone, signal your stove to turn off automatically or alert you if you’ve left the door or window unlocked. You no longer need to worry about driving back home from work to turn off the light, call a neighbor while on vacation to check the house or as small as getting up from the couch to see who is at the door. The convenience of having control over all your devices from a single source cannot be over looked. 

 

  • Home Security Technology

Smart cameras, doorbells, window/door locks, and motion sensors are all the automated tech you need to feel safe at home or safe for your home when you’re not there. You can choose to receive alerts when someone is at your door, engage motion sensors to detect if there is a person or an animal by your door, use a camera to check on your kids playing outside, or be able to signal an alarm when the window is unlocked, and even stage a dogs bark to go off if you are not home and an intruder is at the door. We cannot forget that smart smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors have gotten an upgrade as well with the capabilities to alert you on your phone, sound an alarm and even unlock the doors and open the windows. If you’re in danger, your house is looking out for you. 

 

  • Smart Homes Work For You

We have covered this in a previous post, but it is a strong benefit so it’s worth talking about it twice. Signaling your laundry to start when you’re on your way home, programming the dishwasher to end when you arrive, or automatically switching the lights off when it gets dark out. Smart amenities like your fans or heating getting an upgrade also means being able to program the heat to turn on 10 minutes before you come home, or start circulating the air before you arrive on a hot day. Smart refrigerators are even taking note of whats in your fridge and ordering what you are out of.  

 

  • Flexibility and Innovative Technology

The smart tech space is growing and although the technology is growing with it, the flexibility of changing and upgrading your technology is seamless, as models only get more impressive. This industry is on an upward trajectory and only getting more tuned in to our needs. This is a benefit as you don’t need to wait until the next best thing comes, building your smart home slowly and having the ability to switch out your technologies down the road is important. This innovative technology can be a major selling point when putting your home on the market. Automating your home slowly can be what gives you an edge over the other homes. 

 

  • Customize The Mood

Have you ever had a home make you feel better on a bad day? Once you start to learn about all the little things you can automate and connect in your home, the capabilities are seemingly endless. Schedule your favorite song to turn on when you enter the house or wake up, program the lights to dim or change a happy color, change the thermostat to get warm for when you arrive home, and program your basic chores to be completed by the time you’re back from work. The concept of having your home know you best is not too far into the future. 

 

  • Energy and Money-Saving Technology

Programming your lights, heating, sprinklers, and other basic amenities can help save you energy and money on your bills when your lights are on less frequently, your heating and cooling systems are only working at certain times of the day, or only in certain rooms of your home, customizing your sprinklers to adjust to the sunlight or type of plant, programming appliances to turn off when they aren’t in use and scheduling your dishwasher to run at discounted times are just a few ways that you can save.

 

  • Home Automation Insights

Understanding your basic habits, can be how you alter your routine for the better. How often do you watch TV, how much energy are you saving, what the air quality is currently like or what is most often stocked in your fridge. These insights are how you can adjust your lifestyle accordingly or see how you’re lifestyle has potentially changed over time. 

 

After uncovering what are the benefits of home automation, it is clear that managing your home has taken on a whole new meaning that provides you with solutions to your daily habits. Improve your lifestyle by building your smart home automation system. 

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How Expensive Are Smart Lights

Replacing all of your basic home amenities with smart appliances can seem like a daunting task, mainly for your wallet. However, it might not be as expensive as you think it is, especially since you don’t necessarily need to upgrade everything at once. Depending on the features you’re looking for, the room you’re looking to fill, or the central hub you’re hoping to operate with there are various reasons why you should go with one smart light versus the other. However, if your budget alone determines the smart light you will go for, your main concern is just how expensive are smart lights.

 

Smart lights can range from 3 dollars to 90 dollars, so below we broke down a list of what ranges in between, in hopes you can find the smart light that is right for you. Of course, there are different sources to purchase products these days, from amazon, best-buy, home-depot, the company directly, etc. So it’s important to note our prices are not an exact science. 

 

Cree:

These lights range from 3 dollars to 8 dollars for a pack of 2 lights.

Wyze:

Wyze bulbs can be found for 8 dollars to 30 dollars for a pack of 4.

Phillips:

Phillips hue has a wide range depending on the wattage and capabilities. These bulbs range anywhere from 10 dollars to 400 dollars. 

Lifx: 

Lifx lights range from 10 dollars to 110 dollars.

Ring:

The ring light ranges from 15 dollars to 90 dollars.

 

Smart technology is booming and continuously on an upward trend, so there are many LED brands emerging and therefore, difficult to list them all. The question how expensive are smart lights, proves to be a specific question to ask for a wide range of products offered. Although it’s not necessary to upgrade all of your lighting to smart lights at once, depending on the light of your choice, you might get a good deal buying in bulk or as a set. 

In our previous post, it could be useful to understand how much you are saving by switching to smart lights and finding out which one is right for you.

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How To Make Your House Work For You

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Did you give your house a ‘smart’ upgrade? Changing your essential amenities, or upgrading your basic utilities to connect and work together has many benefits, but one of the most noticeable changes is how much easier and secure your home can feel. So how did your home get easier or safer by making it smart? We are here to tell you how to make your house work for you and give you tips to take your smart home upgrade to the next level. 

how to make your house work for you:

A safer life with Smart locks, doorbells, and lights:

Do you need to be at the office, but have a package delivery? A relative is locked out but you’re not able to make it home and let them in? This powerful team can work together to use a camera to detect what is at the door and with a few clicks later on your phone you can unlock or lock the door remotely. Turning on your lights to make it look like you are home, receiving an alert when a window is open or being able to check on the children in the front lawn while inside are a few of the many things possible to create a safer home with a smarter home.

An easier life with smart amenities:

Smart appliances are reshaping the way we think about basic home amenities. If you have forgotten your grocery list at home and aren’t sure what’s in the fridge a list of those items can be sent to your phone, or can even place an order for you directly, a smart fridge can work for you. A smart vacuum, dishwasher or laundry machine can clean while you are sleeping or programmed to be finished when you arrive home. Home amenities extend to the outside of our home as well, such as a smart watering system or smart lawn mower. The idea of being able to water your own lawn while away on vacation is no longer just an idea. Creating a central communication system with Alexa or pairing with your WiFi and IFTTT are ways to use your smart home as a whole program instead of separating all the tools at your disposal.

All the ways of how to make your house work for you are built on creating perfect pairings of the smart technology you have. Creating a relationship between all your devices can lead to simple changes that make your life a little easier. The options are endless and based on your routine, preferences and lifestyle, but we hope that a few of these pairing suggestions will start you off on how to make your house work for you.

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Nec congue detracto legendos et, erat elitr tollit ad mea, minim virtute efficiantur in eos. Ea dicam quidam pri. Choro causae delicatissimi no eos, epicurei deseruisse per ea, no utroque omnesque deseruisse his. Ei nam dicam aperiri, reque nostro delenit in per. In munere primis graeco his, mazim homero eam no, id vix odio equidem. Ea etiam timeam has. Usu at atqui quaestio, no enim quando docendi quo.

Ius minimum ancillae no, ne sed iisque recusabo posidonium, omnis nostrud saperet id eum. Solet vituperata persequeris nec eu, his et fastidii nominavi. Sed mentitum intellegat et. An suavitate repudiandae definitiones nam, legere regione eos id, mei eu quem vituperata persequeris. Cum te lorem legimus mandamus, mentitum offendit gubergren ne mei. An atqui simul tacimates vel, mea iusto graeco putant an. Sea te enim virtute prodesset.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, pri simul ignota ei, usu duis ridens suscipiantur ea

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, pri simul ignota ei, usu duis ridens suscipiantur ea, delectus perfecto splendide sit ex. Altera singulis his eu, sed an iusto errem possit, alienum antiopam mel cu. Vero dicam mediocritatem vis te. Modo virtute nostrud eu vix, indoctum dignissim inciderint vix ea.

Te vis odio vocent scripserit, in vis amet explicari gloriatur. Fabulas minimum albucius ex duo, vis doming dolorem cu. No vix natum habeo putent. Id epicuri lobortis pri, cu accusam luptatum per, inermis noluisse no mei. Primis scriptorem no cum.

Ea iuvaret bonorum cum, his vero porro ullum et. Mel sint dicam tractatos ut. In vis homero eleifend senserit, no est saperet definiebas. Sea dicant primis ex. No falli admodum est.

Nec congue detracto legendos et, erat elitr tollit ad mea, minim virtute efficiantur in eos. Ea dicam quidam pri. Choro causae delicatissimi no eos, epicurei deseruisse per ea, no utroque omnesque deseruisse his. Ei nam dicam aperiri, reque nostro delenit in per. In munere primis graeco his, mazim homero eam no, id vix odio equidem. Ea etiam timeam has. Usu at atqui quaestio, no enim quando docendi quo.

Ius minimum ancillae no, ne sed iisque recusabo posidonium, omnis nostrud saperet id eum. Solet vituperata persequeris nec eu, his et fastidii nominavi. Sed mentitum intellegat et. An suavitate repudiandae definitiones nam, legere regione eos id, mei eu quem vituperata persequeris. Cum te lorem legimus mandamus, mentitum offendit gubergren ne mei. An atqui simul tacimates vel, mea iusto graeco putant an. Sea te enim virtute prodesset.

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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, pri simul ignota ei, usu duis ridens suscipiantur ea.

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, pri simul ignota ei, usu duis ridens suscipiantur ea, delectus perfecto splendide sit ex. Altera singulis his eu, sed an iusto errem possit, alienum antiopam mel cu. Vero dicam mediocritatem vis te. Modo virtute nostrud eu vix, indoctum dignissim inciderint vix ea.

Te vis odio vocent scripserit, in vis amet explicari gloriatur. Fabulas minimum albucius ex duo, vis doming dolorem cu. No vix natum habeo putent. Id epicuri lobortis pri, cu accusam luptatum per, inermis noluisse no mei. Primis scriptorem no cum.

Ea iuvaret bonorum cum, his vero porro ullum et. Mel sint dicam tractatos ut. In vis homero eleifend senserit, no est saperet definiebas. Sea dicant primis ex. No falli admodum est.

Nec congue detracto legendos et, erat elitr tollit ad mea, minim virtute efficiantur in eos. Ea dicam quidam pri. Choro causae delicatissimi no eos, epicurei deseruisse per ea, no utroque omnesque deseruisse his. Ei nam dicam aperiri, reque nostro delenit in per. In munere primis graeco his, mazim homero eam no, id vix odio equidem. Ea etiam timeam has. Usu at atqui quaestio, no enim quando docendi quo.

Ius minimum ancillae no, ne sed iisque recusabo posidonium, omnis nostrud saperet id eum. Solet vituperata persequeris nec eu, his et fastidii nominavi. Sed mentitum intellegat et. An suavitate repudiandae definitiones nam, legere regione eos id, mei eu quem vituperata persequeris. Cum te lorem legimus mandamus, mentitum offendit gubergren ne mei. An atqui simul tacimates vel, mea iusto graeco putant an. Sea te enim virtute prodesset.

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