Handy hints on integrating smart home devices into your daily life

Ready for the future in your own four walls? Discover how to transform your house into a smart home and make your daily life easier. We’ll also look at some of the potential risks.

The smart home might sound like a fanciful and futuristic idea, but in fact it’s already becoming reality. Many people already use smart devices for a convenience boost in their day-to-day lives, from smart lights and thermostats to digital locks. So what’s the secret to making your house a smart home?

The most popular smart home devices

According to statistics, Swiss households most commonly use smart lighting systems like the Philips Hue system and intelligent security systems such as Google Nest. These devices can be managed via a central app, giving you a convenient way to stay in control. But these aren’t the only devices that the Swiss have welcomed into their homes – other popular choices include the Roomba robot vacuum cleaner and the Amazon Echo smart speaker. And let’s not forget smart heating controls such as tado°, which help you to save energy and money.

More than just a toy: get the most out of your smart home

Wondering what all the fuss is about? A smart home is about more than just technical playthings. With the right devices and a clever set-up, you can make your home not only more comfortable but safer and more efficient too. For example, you can program your lights so that they turn on and off sporadically while you are away so as to deter potential burglars.

💡 Hints and tips

Here are a few tips to help you get the maximum benefit from your smart devices:

• Network your devices to form a system – this will help you achieve maximum comfort and functionality.
• Use automation functions to set routines and make your home more efficient.
• Think about data privacy: make sure that your devices come from trustworthy manufacturers and are always updated to the latest version.

The most popular smart home devices in Switzerland

• Lighting system: Philips Hue
  • Advantages: customisable lighting scenes, energy efficiency, can be controlled by voice or smartphone.
  • Disadvantages: costly, needs an Internet connection.
• Security system: Google Nest
  • Advantages: highly secure, remote monitoring, notifies you of suspicious activity.
  • Disadvantages: data privacy concerns, monthly cost for additional features.
• Robot vacuum cleaner: Roomba
  • Advantages: saves time, thorough cleaning even in hard-to-reach areas, programmable.
  • Disadvantages: sometimes gets stuck, device needs to be cleaned regularly, expensive to buy.
• Smart speaker: Amazon Echo
  • Advantages: voice control, option to integrate numerous other smart home devices, access to a wide range of music streaming services.
  • Disadvantages: data privacy concerns, dependency on Amazon services.
• Heating controls: tado°
  • Advantages: saves energy and money, individual controls for each room, can be controlled via smartphone.
  • Disadvantages: expensive to buy, often needs to be installed by a specialist.

Security: what you need to know

Despite the growing popularity of smart home devices and their many advantages, there are valid concerns surrounding personal data and privacy. Networked devices are a potential security risk as they represent a point of attack for hackers. The data collected by these devices can also be a cause for concern. How this data is used and by whom depends on the manufacturer in question.

Another thing to think about is sustainability: many smart home devices use more electricity than their traditional counterparts. In addition, the constant introduction of new features and updates means that devices are discarded more quickly in favour of new ones – and this comes with an environmental burden. Finally, the cost is another concern. Smart home devices tend to be more expensive to buy than the conventional alternatives. But it’s worth weighing up the additional costs against the comfort gains and the potential to save time and energy.