Robot lawn mowers are a convenient and efficient way to keep your lawn looking its best. With so many options on the market, it can be difficult to know which one is the best for your needs. Here are some of the top robot lawn mowers available today: No matter which robot lawn mower you…
Most people don’t know that the first automatic vacuum cleaner called Trilobite was already presented in 1997 by the swedish company Electrolux. And even Dyson, the market leader for vacuums, released their own robot in 2001. But in either cases the price or the time wasn’t right yet. It wasn’t until 2002 when iRobot shook up the technology world with the Roomba, a robotic vacuum that finally raised public awareness for this particular niche. The latter model also made it in our list of the best of the best…
Enrich your home with Alexa compatible smart lights and control them with your voice! You’ll see it is both useful and fun! Enjoy the experience! Imagine that you can tell your lights how you wish them to shine! If you are an Alexa owner, this is possible by changing traditional lighting with Alexa compatible smart…
Today, a big plus, if you are competing in the world of smart home devices, is to be Alexa compatible. Many manufacturers are aware of this fact and they made their brands working with Alexa in order to improve the complete smart home experience. The following are the most popular, Amazon Alexa compatible and highly…
Z-Wave was developed by a Danish startup called Zensys. It is a proprietary wireless communications protocol specifically designed for the needs of remote control applications and therefore all kinds of home automation devices. While using a low-power wireless technology it supports the communication via a mesh structure which means that several Z-Wave devices also act…
Can’t find the right smart doorbell for your home? Don’t worry! We’ve prepared a special tutorial on different DIY Wireless doorbell options in the latest part of our smart home guide. Let’s get started.
The future is now and whether you’d like to upgrade your old garage door system to work with your smart home devices or install a completely new garage door controller, we’ve gathered the best smart garage door opener and controller options currently available on the market.
A Motion Sensor Light Switch is often also referred to as “Occupancy Light Switch” as well as “Vacancy Light Switch”. But there is a difference between the two. An Occupancy Light Switch automatically turns on the lights as soon as motion is detected in the sensor range and automatically turns the lights off when the motion is no longer detected in the range.
The market for Z-Wave controllers can be a bit overwhelming at first glance but we compiled a comprehensive list of the most suitable controllers for being the central component of a majority of home automation systems. We created a short review of every product to summarize the most important key points. We will also guide…
If you are into a smart home and automatisation, you wish to make all the devices work together. And that is where the ZigBee controllers enter the scene. Like a puzzle, you can put all your smart gadgets to work connected via the controller. For your convenience, we have chosen five best Zigbee controllers, and…
If you don’t know what home automation protocol to choose yet and want to dive deeper into the intricacies of orchestrating your home – buying a cheap Z-Wave USB adapter might be the perfect option for you. These sticks turn your ordinary pc into a fully customizable Z-Wave controller.
If your home automation system is centered around Z-Wave or consists at least of one Z-Wave enabled controller we have selected the best products that will fit your needs. On this page, you will find short reviews of what we would consider the best z-wave thermostats.
Why wouldn’t you enjoy your perfect cup of coffee every morning, or have fun with friends instead of preparing coffee in the kitchen? Check out best Alexa compatible coffee makers! You certainly can live without them, but once you learn that smell of your favourite coffee can wake you up, you will simply love this…
Alexa compatible garage door openers enable you to feel secure because you can check if the door is properly closed by asking your Amazon Echo or by checking the status on your mobile from wherever you are. This improvement will certainly take you one step closer to the perfect security of your home. Most of…
The home security is one of the points in life that concerns us all very much. It is not only about burglaries, it includes oven or heater left on or window left open. Not so long time ago, if you wanted to invest in the home security system, you would have to spend a huge…
You certainly can live without them, but once you learn that vacuuming can be done even if you are not home, you will simply love smart vacuums! Why wouldn’t you enjoy your free time while the robot vacuum is doing his job on the route you have set up? Check out best Alexa compatible robot…
Home security has been one of the main niches of the smart home industry. But how does the technology stand in 2017? What are the best new inventions? We decide to tackle these issues by giving a check with the best home security camera systems for 2017.
Smart lights are the easiest way to introduce smart appliances into the home. It is one of the lowest price and easy to install gadgets. On smart lighting solutions, you can learn, adjust and get used to smart home appliances and perhaps in the future broaden your home with other more complex smart appliances. We…
Want to make your garage door opener a bit smarter? This week in our Smart Home Guide we’ve decided to share with you a few DIY Z-Wave garage door controller solutions, to help you out with your home automation task.
The days of relying on an inaccurate spin-dial thermostat are long over. Programmable thermostats have come a long way over the last decade, and one of the latest advancements is something known as a smart thermostat. While regular thermostats allow you to adjust and set the temperature in a room with a control panel or…
We’re through first half of the year, and by now we have a pretty clear idea of what are the best smart locks in 2018. Smart locks are predicted to be a fastest growing segment in the smart home devices industry in 2018. If we speak about customers, smart locks became popular among the broad…
Universal Powerline Bus or short UPB is a communication protocol developed for the needs of home automation. As the name suggests it uses the existing powerlines of homes for sending data. It was developed in 1999 by PCS Powerline Systems and was inspired by the already ubiquitous X10 protocol.
Have you already made your home a smart home? Then, you know all the benefits of it. But have you considered making your office a smart office and get to know all of its benefits? It doesn’t matter what kind of business you run, whether it is a small business, dental or medical office or…
In the first part of our BYSH Complete Automation Guides series, we’ll tackle the making of a z-wave smart home setup. Check it out!
Security – that reassuring sense that everything’s okay. It enables us to fully appreciate life and live to our full potential. Modern technology offers some new tools for enhancing security, major protection that’s also a lot of fun. But fun doesn’t mean fickle. Here are a few choices of security gadgets that are seriously efficient…
With the help of Z-Wave Automatic Blinds technology, you’ll be able to make your home even smarter. The best part is you’ll be able to achieve that on a budget! Can you imagine waking up and sun rays gently touching your face? In some Sci-Fi movies, you will find people not having to push buttons…
Ever wanted to make your toaster smarter? While the Griffin Smart Toaster still isn’t widely available on the market, there are various DIY solutions that help you turn your current toaster into an automated device. Let’s check out just how you can do so.
Z-Wave and Zigbee have many differences, but which one would end up costing you cheaper? Are Zigbee products cheaper than their Z-Wave counterparts? Let’s check with a detailed price comparison. Recently, we’ve been doing some inventory and we found that our love for Z-Wave products is quite obvious. (Heck, it’s even right there in the…
Amazon Alexa is not just a smart home device; it is a lifestyle! Amazon Alexa skill is the application that is performed after your voice command. It works as the brain of different smart devices in your home, and can also respond to you. The result is a smarter home controlled by your voice. Alexa…
What a better start of the year, than to have a new smart assistant in your home? We’ve done our best to outline the best smart speakers the market has to offer in 2019.
Starting with home automation can be a difficult and costly task and that’s why different companies offer some of their products in bundles. To help you choose the most affordable, functional and easy to set up bundles, we’ve gathered the best smart home starter kits for your automated home. Check our top picks here.
Zigbee and Z-Wave are the two major protocols running for the spot of best wireless communication protocol for the smart home. Yet, does Zigbee manage to comply with all industry standards? Let’s discuss! It’s obvious that here at BuildYourSmartHome.co we are quite the Z-Wave enthusiasts. However, if we are completely frank, our team doesn’t care…
We all get forgetful sometimes and wonder did we lock the front door or want to check what kids are doing in another room or in the yard. With Alexa compatible cameras and door locks, you get one complete system for home security and you can check if you left the door open from the…
What are the oddest of the odd smart bathroom products? Let’s check out just how far home automation tech has gone in the privatest of rooms! Let’s check out the most obscure products for your bathroom right now!
Bluetooth technology is evolving faster than ever. It provides people with easy wireless solutions for their smart homes. And with the help of a Bluetooth garage door controller, you’d be even able to open your garage door remotely!
What’s better than going to shower and having the water at just the right temperature without the need of any adjustments? Also helping you save the environment by preserving water, smart shower systems and smart shower heads are here to make your shower time that much better. However, are they truly worth it? Talking about…
Based on recent research, 30 million households are expected to switch to smart homes in the United Stated by next year. Family safety becomes the top motivator for adopting smart home technology (63%) followed by convenience (53%).
Living in a world of smart homes as a smart device means that you are up to date and technically advanced. But if you really want to be on the top of the hill, you need to be connected with other devices and, of course, Alexa. Even if you are a doorbell! For your convenience,…
Want to have a top-of-the-life Smart Hi-Fi System? We’re here to help you turn your Hi-Fi Stereo System into a Smart Home Wonder.
What’s the crazies DIY home automation project you can think of? We’ll these are even more wacky and outrageous. Check it out!
Crestron made the Top Ten Review Award list for being a company whose high standards for running an automation system capable of supporting one of the largest networks operating today. Their system package also comes complete with their own professional installers that take care of every detail for you. Their professional installers ensure that every customer has complete device compatibility and that you the customer understands every function and ability that comes with the package you purchase.
In 2003, Will West, Mark Morgan, and Eric Smith started Control4 with the goal of creating an effective platform for a convenient home through advanced technology. Their products were first debuted at the CEDIA tech show in 2004, and their initial production line was available later that year.
Founded in 1998, the software development company Embedded Automation designed and developed a number of breakthrough technologies intended to help create a completely digital home. The firm operated as a division of the mHome product group of companies. It marketed its innovative line of products through an mHome Authorized Dealer Network in the United States for several years. In 2008, the company released a Digital Home Portal, a thin, wall-mounted touchscreen unified control panel designed as a console for interfacing various processes controlled within a digital home. The firm promoted its technologies and the mControl3 Home Automation System at the March, 2008 Electronic House Expo in Orlando, Florida.
If you already have Amazon Alexa, why wouldn’t you enrich your home with small inexpensive gadgets like Alexa compatible switches and plugs? They are an excellent way to improve your home and are pretty much basic smart devices that are really useful. They will release you from worrying if you have switched off the heater…
ZigBee is a home automation protocol which was originally invented for the use in Personal Area Networks (PAN). Like Z-Wave it uses low power radio frequency communication which results in long battery lives for ZigBee using devices. The protocal is based on the IEEE 802.15.4 standard and is widely considered as an alternative to Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Every year in the United States, nearly 3,000 people die in residential fires. Although accidental fires can occur at any time, one of the best ways to keep you and your family safe is to install a smoke detector in every room of your home. With that in mind, we decided to head out and…
Once you have purchased the Amazon Echo, an explorative adventurous spirit wakes up in you! What can it do, how can it help me and what are all its indefinite possibilities? Once you have connected it to all smart devices in-house and found out all Alexa’s skills starting from morning alarm to telling a goodnight…
Wouldn’t you think that a kitchen is a magical place? It plays an essential role in our lives: it is not only the place where you prepare and enjoy meals, but it is also a place of family gathering, an area where we have fun with friends and where many lovely memories are made. But…
Z-Wave is one of the most widely used wireless communication protocols in the world of smart home and IoT devices. That’s why, if you are looking for an easy and smart garage door solution, one of your best options is to choose a Z-Wave Garage Door Controller.
Wireless technology has come a long way in the past few years and new technologies offer exciting possibilities for the Smart Home. That’s why we’ve decided to check out which is the Best Wireless Doorbell for the Smart Home.
Ceiling fans are very popular in the United States and have a long history of existence. The first models appeared in the 1860s and were not yet powered by electricity but rather by a stream of running water. Nowadays almost every U.S. based household has at least one ceiling fan at home.
Home Automation is considered to be an expensive hobby. Nevertheless, affordable tech exists in every niche. With that in mind, here are the best budget smart home devices of 2017.
Earlier this month we had the chance to talk with Z-Wave expert Dr. Christian Paetz. The author of two of the most prominent books about the wireless protocol, Z-Wave Basics: Remote Control in Smart Homes and Z-Wave Essentials, Dr. Paetz is also the primary representative of the Z-Wave alliance. Here’s what we asked him and what he had to share.
Want to purchase a new small appliance, but don’t know whether or not all those new ‘smart’ features are worth it? Let’s check out the best small smart home appliances of 2017 to help you make your purchasing choice.
Smarter is a manufacturing company that tries to break the mold. Instead of going for the same old smart home products we are used to seeing on the market, It tries to provide us with fresh new ideas that revolutionize the way we perceive smart tech. But does their Smarter Coffee Machine does its job well? Let’s find out!
Everyone likes to be waken up by the nice aroma of freshly ground, hot coffee. Can the We-Mo supported, Mr. Coffee Wi-Fi Enabled Smart Coffee Brewer do that? We decided to get our hands on one and see what this home automation beast can do.
The Behmor Connected is a smart coffee maker aiming to enhance your coffee brewing experience. But does the smart appliance deliver what every caffeine addict dreams about? Or is it just the next piece of technology that uses the ‘smart’ hype train to trampoline its price? Let’s find out.
Want to implement a new easy to install smart home solution? Check out our picks for the best plug-n-power home automation kits currently available on the market today.
Are you ready to make your home a bit more automated? Make sure to check out this week’s smart home guide, where we tackle the smart home IFTTT platform and how to use it.
The home automation trend is just starting to catch up, but there are people have already found various ways to mess with smart home tech in order to have some fun. Here are just 5 smart home videos that are truly awesome and that will make your day. Often serious and discussing major topics within…
When people think of smart home tech, they usually imagine an expensive luxurious home with equipment and appliances worth in the thousands. However, this is not always the case. Here are a few tips on how to get started with a smart home on a budget with this smart home guide on cheap smart home tech and where to start on a budget.
We all know that Alexa can play you any song on your smart home speakers. However, have you thought about Alexa playing your favorite song on the jukebox? The guys at Liberty games certainly have, and they’ve created what may very well be, the perfect voice-controlled Games room in existence today.
Have you ever wondered who’s the first to come up with the idea of a smart home? What about the first home automation devices? Here are 15 amazing facts about the history of the smart home, to answer your questions.
New smart home products make the home automation experience easier and more seamless, letting more people get into the world of home automation.
With a huge number of do-it-yourself options available, anyone can start making their homes more intelligent with the help of a few simple interconnected IoT boards. While most people go for the more obvious smart home solutions, others create incredibly imaginative and sometimes downright weird IoT devices for the smart home. With that in mind, we’ve decided to gather a collection of 7 of the most extremely curious and creative IoT projects for the Smart Home. Without further adieu, here they are!
Ever since the dawn of man, humans have been trying to make their lives easier. Even the wheel, the first machines, and the first computers had the purpose of completing mundane tasks and increasing our productivity. This idea is also one of the driving factors behind the recent trend of Home Automation solutions. Some might…
Robotic Vacuums: Neato Robotics vs. iRobot Roomba Robotic vacuums continue to enjoy a great deal of popularity, with new models and more features being added every year. With so many brands and features available for purchase, it can take some time to navigate the information and specifications to determine which robotic vacuum is the best…
For those of you unfamiliar with IFTTT, it’s a program/website/app that allows you to connect different systems and create rules, or as they call them, “recipes”. IFTTT becomes especially awesome when you connect all of your smart home devices. Instead of waiting for your favorite brand to launch a version 2 or an update, you can just develop them yourself. The best part is that non-developers like me can do it. These are my 5 favorite home automation hacks with IFTTT. Actually, it should be called “My 4 favorite Hacks and 1 bonus Recipe for IFTTT” but that’s too long of a title.
A thermostat that talks to your washing machine? A baby bottle that talks to your smartphone and tells you how much and how fast your baby is feeding? A belt that adjusts itself depending on your activities for the day? Here are the 10 Most Crazy Smart Home Gadgets You’ve Never Heard Of.
You can easily turn your iPhone into a wireless light switch with the right technology. Please keep in mind that you will always need corresponding hardware to turn your iPhone into a home automation command & control center. Below we have listed the top convenient solutions to control your lighting in your house wirelessly.
KNX is an abbreviation for the word Konnex and describes a standardized protocol for building control and also has its place in traditional home automation. Its biggest advantage is the independence of any particular hardware platform which means that it could also be executed on an 8-bit microcontroller.
Your normal thermostat helps you to adjust the temperature in your home, letting you control the heating and the air conditiong. The difference between Smart Thermostats and regular thermostats is the fact that they can learn from your specific needs and behaviours.
Insteon tries to combine the best of both worlds which means it supports powerline communication as well as radio frequency communication. Considering it only as a protocol would be an understatement. It is rather a complete technology stack which also consists of separate protocols for the two different types of communication.