Best smart lights, clocks and other gadgets that don’t rely on voice control like Alexa
Smart homes save time and simplify basic daily tasks, but what if you want to automate your home without voice commands?
It turns out there’s more than Temp Mail one way to do that. You value your privacy, but tech companies don’t.
It’s time to automate your home without compromising what matters to you. Privacy. This list of smart home gadgets will help you without jeopardizing your peace of mind.
Sengled smart Wi-Fi light bulb
Wi-Fi lighting is convenient. Sengled’s four-pack of smart bulbs can replace any 60W bulb in your home while only drawing 8.7 watts of power, thanks to the LED design.
RELATED: How to build a smart home at any budget
Convenience is so much nicer when it means you also save money. Sengled included a scheduling feature that allows you to utilize the 16 million color range and set the mood for every room in your home.
Unfortunately, these bulbs only run on 2.4 GHz, limiting the number of smart home items you can connect via Wi-Fi. Devices that use 5 GHz give you more bandwidth for more devices.
You can use the Wake Up mode to gently turn up the brightness on one bulb or schedule them to dim at whatever bedtime you set with Sleep Mode. Everything is controlled from an app that connects to your Wi-Fi router with no smart hub required.
Sengled includes a three-year warranty with your purchase as well. Since most LED bulbs have a 25,000-hour life cycle, you would have to push this bulb to make it run out of usefulness. With scheduling, this is more than 10 years of automated lighting.
Kasa smart plug with remote control
Kasa allows you to use Alexa or Google Assistant, but it’s not required to operate these smart plugs. With four in a single package, you can automate the most-used outlets in your home in no time.
Designate timers to schedule when plugs turn on and off can help you save electricity and money. Use the included remote control to use your plugs whenever you want, or use the smartphone app to control them.
Whether you’re connected to your Wi-Fi network or on vacation, you can use your smartphone app to connect to your router directly and control these Kasa smart plugs.
These smart plugs have multiple safety features, including double contacts for the ground pin to reduce the chance of electric shock. These Kasa smart plugs use nickel-plated contacts and a flame-retardant shell as a failsafe against electric failure.
Once again, this runs on 2.4 GHz (as many smaller IoT devices do), so it will limit the bandwidth for more IoT devices on your router. Every plug is UL rated for safety. However, you have to be extra careful with toddlers, so they don’t pull these out of the wall.
UbiBot Wi-Fi temperature humidity sensor and smart temperature monitor
Controlling your indoor temperature without ever having to touch a thermostat is pretty wild. You can control UbiBot from your browser or smartphone app and it never requires you to use Alexa or other voice assistants.
UbiBot sends visual data charts and graphs to your phone. You can use this information to determine your most efficient heating and cooling times throughout the day. Apart from being convenient, UbiBot can help you save money with data.
This thermostat works in temperatures as cold as -4°F up to 140°F, thanks to Swiss-made sensors. If you live in very humid areas, UbiBot can help you find out the levels in your home, so you know whether to turn the dehumidifier on or not.
Last but not least, there’s no subscription model. All the functions you need are free, including your cloud storage and 24/7 remote monitoring. It’s the last smart thermostat you’ll ever need.
Geeni outdoor duo Wi-Fi weatherproof smart plug
Smart plugs are great, but if you brought most of them outdoors, they’d fry in the rain quickly. This weatherproof outdoor smart plug by Geeni costs less than standard indoor plug packs and allows you to control outdoor devices from your smartphone.
The included app is straightforward. You can set schedules for outdoor lights, on/off times and even turn on sprinklers when you’re not home. Everything connects through the 2.4 GHz connection in your Wi-Fi router.
Voice commands are included but entirely optional. Everything can be controlled through the app.
This plug has a unique issue: only one outlet works with voice commands, so it’s a good thing we’re not here for those in the first place. Be sure to place this plug as close to the router’s location as possible. With no 5 GHz option, you might run into range issues.
Sifely smart lock with keypad and remote access
Something is unnerving about house locks with voice activation. This smart lock by Sifely lets you connect with your app to allow remote access without worrying about Alexa or Siri Shortcuts listening in on you.
With this lock, you can enter your home in six different ways, including a wireless card fob, which is when you put your phone near the lock to open it. It’s an excellent way to enhance home security without losing your mind during installation. It’s very DIY-friendly and requires no drilling at all.
You can easily use the touchpad or the fingerprint scanner built into the handle. Sifely tries to sell you on an add-on called Sifely Wi-Fi Gateway, which is what lets you use remote access on your phone.
The sleek stainless steel design should look good with any front door. It’s one of the most functional and aesthetically pleasing upgrades you can make to your home in a short amount of time.
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