Final Thoughts
The cost of creating a smart home can quickly get expensive, but we think the cost of our basic setup was pretty reasonable and no more than any other premium technology purchase, such as a TV, mobile device, or computer. If you just want the advantages of AI and somewhere to build upon with smart devices, the Amazon Echo or Echo Dot are the perfect starting point, or in my case, a gateway drug to more expensive home automation hardware.
Amazon Echo Dot – £49.99
Amazon Echo – £149.99
The Logitech Harmony may not have an AI, but it’s something that really gels together the home automation ecosystem. With computers, TVs, multimedia players, consoles and more being a focus of many modern houses, the Harmony is THE gadget to get. The way it effortlessly blends every device together is a real game changer and while it is expensive, you’ll have zero regrets from the first day you use it. We can’t imagine trying a smart home system without it and it’s easily the most impressive when it comes to the number of devices it can automate and simplify.
Logitech Harmony Elite – £200
Smart lighting, as I have recently been discovering, can be a bit of a minefield. The ecosystem isn’t perfect yet and the prices are freakishly high. A quality bulb can be expensive, but add Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, apps and all other kinds of harware to them and you’ll quickly realise that swapping out 10 bulbs in your house can cost literally into the hundreds, and beyond. Is it worth it? Absolutely, but convincing yourself that you’re willing to pay up for it to realise that fact is going to be a tough pill to swallow. While there are a lot of brands out there right now, LIFX and Hue offer the widest range of features and product support, especially when it comes to Alexa and Harmony, so while there are cheaper options, we suggest you pay up for the products that can deliver the quality you would want from a smart home.
LIFX – £VAR
Philips Hue – £VAR
The Logitech Pop aren’t particularly cheap, but when you look at the prices, they’re not that far apart from replacing regular light switches with new ones. However, you get to keep your old switches anyway, you get to put the Pop where ever you want, and can your old light switch trigger your favourite music playlist, turn up the heating, dim the lights and put the coffee machine on? I didn’t think so! They’re not essential to the home automation ecosystem, but if you’re looking to put a unique spin on your household controls, nothing else compares to the simplicity of the Pop.
Logitech Pop – £34.99 – 119.00
So what’s next?
We’ve already got more exciting reviews coming very soon for you, and we’re already looking at expanding into smart home plugs, light switches, TV bias lighting, home security, heating and much more. There’s a whole world of IoT enabled smart home gear out there, and we can’t wait to show you what else we’ve been working on, so stay tuned!
