With all the emerging technology in home living and the fact that we’ve been spending more time in our homes lately, there has never been a better time to be an apartment dweller. Just because you can’t afford to live in a remodeled condo on your own, doesn’t mean you have to skim on technology in your NYC apartment.
You don’t have to buy expensive high-end appliances costing thousands of dollars to create a smart home experience. Instead, try smart solutions that also happen to be cost-effective to automate your home and make life more fun and convenient.
Check out these 7 smart home essentials to modernize your NYC apartment.
Smart speakers
Smart speakers, also referred to as voice assistants, can be a great addition if you are a fan of music, podcasts, news, and trivia games. This smart functionality allows you to discover recipe ideas, order pizza, let you know what’s on TV, and may even function as a timer or alarm.
The three main voice assistant options include Google’s Home, Amazon’s Echo, and Apple HomePod. All three voice assistants are wireless, easy to install, highly portable, and can work for many purposes.
Smart lock
Ever wished you couldn’t ever need to make key copies for multiple people who need access to your apartment? A smart door lock is a useful addition because it can help you lock and unlock the door based on your smartphone location.
The feature enables you to provide short-term or scheduled entry to people not living with you, such as contractors or dog walkers. You may have to seek permission from the landlord or management before installing a smart lock on your door. This is because many models require swapping out the existing lock mechanism, something most rent agreements don’t allow.
Smart cameras
While many furnished rentals in NYC have a security system built-in, you still need an in-apartment smart camera to alert you of unexpected visitors. Look for a nearby or internet company that has some options that can work for you. If your landlord doesn’t allow you to make holes in the walls, you can go for wireless cameras.
But if your landlord allows it, you can drill a smart doorbell camera that sends a notification when someone is approaching your door. Although it may not be the best addition if your apartment hallway has significant foot traffic, it lets you see who’s on the other side of the door.
Smart shower head
For the financially responsible and environmentally conscious, a shower head can allow you to take control of water use as you enjoy a satisfying rainfall shower. A quality smart shower head should have a display that lets you set the water temperature.
Smart shower heads also track the current water temperature and the number of gallons you use per minute.
Smart thermostats
If your landlord permits you to install a smart thermostat in your NYC apartment, you can significantly save energy consumption and save on bills in the long run. Smart thermostats help you automate your heating and cooling system.
Over time, the thermostat learns your schedule, but you can still adjust remotely. There’s no need to pay for AC when no one is using it while you’re gone at work all day.
Smart bulb
There are two ways to transform your home lighting into something extraordinary: smart light bulbs or smart light switches. While smart bulbs can fit into any normal light bulb socket, smart switches on the other require complicated wiring.
These Wi-Fi light bulbs can sense when you enter the apartment, so you never enter a dark apartment. Also, no more running to the walls flipping switches when you enter or leave your house. Besides, if you have a smart voice assistant, you can ask the assistant to turn the lights off for you.
Smart smoke detector
Some security systems come with smoke detectors, but investing in a dedicated smart smoke detector is still wise. Unlike normal detectors, a smart smoke detector sends a notification to your smartphone when you’re not home to feel it. In addition, you can silence the alarms using the app.
So if you have forgotten to flip the bacon, it will alert you at the first smoke emission so you can address it fast. Most landlords won’t allow you to hardwire any devices on the walls, but you can opt for wireless smart smoke detectors.
Modernizing your NYC apartment doesn’t have to be expensive
Renters these days have a variety of smart home gadgets to choose from, and luckily most won’t necessarily dent your pocket. Besides, with more internet-connected smart gadgets entering the market, you no longer have to run wires around every room in the house to get smart.
Did we leave out any must-have smart device from our list? Let us know in the comments below.
