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How smart tech can help to reimagine kitchens and bathrooms

From entertaining guests at dinner to alerting homeowners of leaks, smart tech has the potential to reimagine the way we live. Once the domain of the ultra-wealthy, new affordable and scalable home automation options are opening up the potential of all homes, including better bathrooms and clever kitchens.

“For the first time, true home automation is affordable, easy to use, and simple to install,” says Tim Fant, offer manager at Clipsal. “Complete systems like Clipsal Wiser Smart Home combine control of lighting, air conditioning, appliances, and almost anything else in the home, from the tap of a phone, a movement, or a simple phrase.”

Home automation has an almost unending number of applications to make life easier. Tim discusses the endless opportunities for two of the rooms where smart tech can make a real difference.

3 brainier bathroom automations

Home automation offers a lot more than asking a smart speaker to play your favourite song in the morning. From setting the scene to watching for leaks, the right set-up can create a more calming experience.

Keeping on schedule: The ability to schedule activities is great for making daily life easier. For example, turning on heating, heated towel rails, and lighting to a soft shine to create a comforting environment in winter, or a bright light and air conditioning in summer to help you feel energised.

A good system will allow you to set different times for different days, perfect for weekend lie-ins.

Water warning: If you’re worried about the bath overflowing, or kids splashing around too much, a water leakage sensor is a must-have. It can be set to ping your phone if it detects excessive water so you can assess the situation.

Humidity sensors can also trigger extractor fans and heated mirrors automatically should the room become too steamy.

Combined control: Smart systems allow you to combine multiple functions into one ‘moment’. With simple automation functions, that can be set to happen at a certain time, or when a sensor is activated. This could include lighting, heating and music set to come on before you head to your morning shower.

3 clever kitchen hacks

If the kitchen is the heart of the home, then the home automation system is its brain! Often connected to dining and alfresco areas, the kitchen is a place to come together with family and friends where smart use of home automation can make for a more effortless experience.

Getting everyone to the table: Smart sockets allow homeowners to control anything they plug in via their phone, from turning on the kettle to more complex movements. The latter could include adjusting heating, lighting, and music and even the command to turn off TVs and gaming consoles to get the kids to the table. 

Lighten up (or down): Motion sensors are great in kitchens or butlers’ pantries when your hands are full or messy from cooking. Connected smart speakers allow you to turn lights, heating, and appliances on and off with a simple spoken command.

Wiser about water: Much like bathrooms, kitchens can get steamy and there are concerns about overflowing water. Humidity and leak sensors can provide an early warning to any issues helping homeowners avoid damage and mould.

For more information Clipsal’s Wiser solutions

Smart home devices: 7 everyday life-changing gadgets

Our homes are our sanctuaries; spaces where we can rest and spend joyful moments with our families. Lately, homes have become even more important, with many of us now spending…

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Shopping Smart Home

New system streamlines your smart home to a single app

Picture this: As you drive towards your home, your mobile phone turns into a remote control, switching on household devices triggered by proximity.

Your garage door will automatically open as you approach in your car, and your lights and heating will switch on for you. Your favourite music track can play as you walk through the door, and your coffee machine can already be working away. Conversely, you can switch off all your appliances from the back seat of a taxi as you jet off on your next adventure.

Smart home appliances are no longer a futuristic pipedream, and many of us now use them in our everyday lives. Controlling everything from your phone saves significant time and space, but as we add more and more smart appliances, it increases digital clutter. Instead of searching through a drawer for a remote, we find ourselves searching through pages of apps.

After several years of development, Melbourne company Brilliant Lighting have offered a solution to this problem. With the addition of a small Nexus gateway box, you can control all your smart appliances from a single app. Their gateway system works across 500 brands, such as Sony, Philips, Apple, Samsung, and Alexa, so you won’t have to buy new products to use it.

“We’ve worked for many years to develop this app, to truly put the homeowner in complete control, and finally say goodbye to those old-fashioned remotes,” says founder Norman Levin.

Brilliant Lighting has a commitment to promote sustainability and reduce our collective carbon footprint, and they see smart homes as the next step in achieving this. With the option to turn off lights and appliances remotely, you can start controlling your carbon footprint with ease.

“These easy set-up home automation systems offer control of your lighting, electrical and security smart devices – as well as many branded household appliances – all from your smartphone,” Norman says.

You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to benefit from the convenience of smart home appliances. During the pandemic, one in four Australians introduced smart appliances into their home. The number of us keen to embrace the convenience and cleverness of a smart home lifestyle is growing every day.

“Even if you don’t see yourself as a techie, this app is so simple to use that you’ll wonder why you waited so long,” Norman promises.

For more information.

Smart home devices: 7 everyday life-changing gadgets

Our homes are our sanctuaries; spaces where we can rest and spend joyful moments with our families. Lately, homes have become even more important, with many of us now spending…

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Appliances Shopping Smart Home

Smart home devices: 7 everyday life-changing gadgets

Our homes are our sanctuaries; spaces where we can rest and spend joyful moments with our families. Lately, homes have become even more important, with many of us now spending most of our time here. Though it’s convenient for many, working from home can come at a price; it’s easy to let things go and get buried in an endless pile of work and home duties.

Amazon Echo Dot

Thankfully, the field of home technology has evolved a lot in the last few decades, and we can access all kinds of gadgets and devices that help make our domestic life easier.

Home improvement expert and blogger Jane Wilson shares seven of the best clever home gadgets which will help you manage your household and stay on top of every task. 

1. Alexa by Amazon

“Alexa is a top-of-the-field piece of technology that you can control by voice to help you with tasks around your home,” says Jane. “It’s the perfect home assistant and it can help you and your family in many different ways.”

Amazon Echo Dot

“You can use it to stay connected to your loved ones, no matter where they are located. You can find answers to all your questions via the voice-activated online search. You can also shop online, make appointments easily and control all kinds of devices around your home, including thermostats, light switches and some modern appliances,” Jane continues.

Amazon offers a range of Echo devices for you to choose from. Jane’s favourite is the Echo Dot, which has a handy clock display. 

2. iRobot Roomba Robot Vacuum

“Anyone with pets, children, or simply the time-poor, would appreciate the help a robot vacuum provides,” Jane says. “Vacuuming mess the standard way usually takes a lot of time and effort.”

The Roomba Robot Vacuum, created by iRobot, rolls around on hardwood and carpeted floors, gathering crumbs, lint, pet hair and anything else it finds on the way. It has built-in sensors that allow it to avoid bumping into walls and furniture.

“You can easily control the Roomba from your phone and program it when to start and stop. Once the robot vacuum is done with the chore, it automatically returns it to its charging dock. You can also connect it to your Alexa device for voice control,” says Jane.

(Our very own Jen has one of these and swears by it with two little boys at home, bringing in dirt and dropping crumbs on the daily.)

3. Eight Smart Mattress

We spend around a third of our lives in our beds, so the quality of the mattress is very important for our comfort and quality of sleep. 

“Eight Smart Mattress is the smartest mattress you can find on the market currently,” explains Jane. “It’s a 10-inch (around 25cm) thick mattress which is constructed of four layers of foam to ensure the best support for your whole body during sleep.”

It also has a built-in technology cover, and a small device that can track the sleep patterns for both you and your partner. The cover sets personalised temperatures for each side of the bed, and its alarm uses gentle vibrations to wake you up without any sound.

4. iRobot Braava Jet robot mop

“Another genius creation by iRobot!” says Jane. She recognises that mopping can be just as daunting as vacuuming, and therefore the Braava Jet’s ability to wash your floors is a true game-changer for her.

Braava Jet

“It sounds unbelievable,” she says, “but this gorgeous machine is equipped with a jet spray that dispenses water and detergent, vibrating cleaning heads that get even stubborn dirt out of grout, and all kinds of sensors, which allow you to mop without damaging walls or furniture.”

(Jen has this one too, and you can find her review here.)

5. Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus

“With amazing inventions from Ring, such as the Video Doorbell 3 Plus, you won’t have to run across the house to see who is at the door,” says Jane. “Just tap on the button on your smartphone app and you’ll be able to see who it is, and even talk to them. All thanks to the small video doorbell mounted to the outside part of your front door.”

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus

6. eero 3-Pack Mesh WiFi Router

Everyone in Australia knows how difficult it can sometimes be to find a decent Internet connection. Even if your WiFi is great in one room, it may completely disappear in the next. Jane explains that this is because the walls of your house can limit the signal from the router. 

eero Mesh Wireless Router

“eero will make your entire family happy by providing the same quality of WiFi in every room,” she says. “It’s a genius device, which replaces your router and delivers a high quality WiFi connection to a very broad range – up to 460 sqm. It’s compatible with every Australian internet provider and setting up the three small boxes across the property takes only minutes.”

7. Airmega

“Not many people know, but indoor air is way more polluted than the air outdoors,” says Jane. “It’s the air stagnation and accumulation of dust that makes it so dangerous. Airmega can help solve that problem in a heartbeat. The device captures 99.97% of the particles that fly around in the air, like dander, dust, pollen and other allergens. It also has a sensor which measures the air quality in the house and takes immediate action if something is out of the norm.”

The Airmega can be controlled via an app on your phone or left on Smart Mode, which allows it to decide on its own how to adjust the speed of the fans.

What’s the smart device YOU swear by for YOUR home?

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