For some time now, the leap has been made to smart speakers. We have gone from having a speaker or sound equipment whose main mission was to reproduce music, plain and simple, to having speakers that allow us from accessing the internet to make any query to domotize the house in a simple way. Without a doubt, the great candidates to have at home, in addition to the Google Home and Google Home Mini, is the Echo range from Amazon.
His voice assistant, Alexa, offers a wide range of options and possibilities designed to make life easier for us in our day-to-day lives. We already told you in its day when it was released, although it is never a bad time to remember them. Whether you already have one of Amazon's speakers, or if you are considering purchasing any of the three available models, at Blusens we have compiled one selection of 9 devices and gadgets, divided into three categories, compatible with Amazon Echo and Alexa, and that you can buy now, to make your life a little easier. Can you come with us?
The first that we must take into account When choosing the gadgets or devices that we want to add to our ecosystem, it is, in addition to compatibility, the type of connection they use. The most widespread type of connection is based on the use of our own router as an access point, using Bluetooth or WiFi for their communication with each other. This connection scheme is very useful and simple, and we can perfectly use it if we have few devices and we look for an affordable solution. On the other hand, in case we want to domotize our house in a more serious way, we will have to resort to protocols such as Zigbee or Z-Wave.
This may sound like Chinese to you, but it is as simple as the language in which different devices are understood. Of the three Amazon Echo models, only the Echo Plus supports Zigbee, so if we want to prevent the data stream from passing through our router inevitably, and achieve a much more reliable, secure and fast connection, we should opt for the Echo Plus. Therefore, if we want to use this protocol, we will have to obtain the highest model in the range, or buy an intermediate hub that acts as a concentrator. Although for a basic home installation, the connection by WiFi and Bluetooth will be enough for us in the day to day.
Smart light bulbs
A good point to start when it comes to domotizing our home, or simply to expand the ecosystem that makes up our smart speaker, are the smart bulbs. In addition to being extremely easy to use, they are easy to assemble, simple to configure and, above all, they have an affordable enough price so that your purchase does not stop us. When purchasing a smart light bulb, we must bear in mind that although its last name may indicate that it will be something very complicated, and totally different from a normal light bulb, it is still an LED lamp, so the generic aspects to take into account will be the same: life cycles, power, type of bush or thread and color temperature.
Being connected, from our smart speaker we can vary or modify some of these factors. We can change the color of the light emitted with just a voice command, as well as increase or decrease the light output, program its on and off, as well as many other variables.
The first smart bulbs we recommend are from the brand lifx, specifically the models Mini and A60. A few months ago we already tried them, and we were delighted with its performance. You can find them on Amazon for less than € 20, and they will provide you with a fantastic gateway to the world of home automation at a reduced price.
We climbed a step and reached the Yeelight by Xiaomi. Did you really think that Xiaomi did not have a smart bulb in its range? The model of the Chinese brand is available in two variants: RGB, with infinity of colors, and in white. This latest version emits light in shades of white, being able to adjust the color temperature to our liking. We can find them on Amazon for about € 24 in both versions, making it a product at a still affordable price.
If we go to a more recognized brand worldwide, we find the Philips Hue. They're available from just € 20 on Amazon individually, as well as in different packs of two, three and four bulbs, thus saving the purchase. The only but about these smart bulbs is that work using the Zigbee protocolTherefore need an Amazon Echo Plus to make them work, or buy a kit with a bridge, rising the price to more than 80 €.
And finally, in terms of smart bulbs, another highly recommended possibility is the smart bulb by TP-Link. Is available in various models, whose difference lies in the light output and the light color issued. From about € 30 On Amazon, they work by WiFi, so it will not be necessary to have a hub or bridge, thus facilitating its use.
Smart plugs
Another type of device to take into account when starting to automate our home is the smart plug. Because of his ease of use and low priceor, they are another highly recommended option to accompany smart bulbs. Allow have control of the device that we have connected to said plug, being able to program its on or off for hours, as well as interacting with him even from outside the home.
Without leaving TP-Link, we have available the HS100 from about € 22 on Amazon. We have Two versions: the most basic allow interact with it from your mobile or through Alexa, making communication via WiFi, while lThe more expensive option adds the possibility of monitoring the energy consumed by the appliance connected to it. A negative aspect? Its bulkiness, It is not one of the smallest in the marketor, and in certain cases there may not be enough space for installation.
The own Amazon offers us its smart plug so that we can expand our ecosystem connected to Alexa. No products found., plus it is bulkier than the TP-Link model. As well works via WiFi, And allows connect, disconnect and program automatically the appliance connected to it.
If we already want to curl the curl, meross offers us the MSS425, a smart power strip or multiple socket that will surely become the favorite option for those who have multiple devices and want to control them easily. Connects via WiFi, so in addition to working with Alexa, it can be controlled through our mobile. No products found., plus has USB ports so that we can charge our mobile devices directly from the power strip.
Security cameras
Of course, when it comes to domotizing our home, an element as important as it is simple to add is a security camera system. The tranquility they offer, without a doubt, is worth it, to power control what happens in our house even if we are away from it. We can record the images, and view them live from our mobile device.
Heron offers us, by less than € 40, its compact camera model designed to monitor what is happening inside our home. With a 720p resolution, have a 75º viewing angle, being enough for domestic use. Rotate vertically and horizontally, stores images in a SD card up to 128Gb and connects via WiFi, so with any mobile device and, of course, with any Amazon Echo, you can control it at will.
D-Link offers us, a step above, its intelligent camera DCS-8000LH. With a 120º viewing angle and WiFi connection, also record in 720p, but it stores the images in its own cloud, as well as in our own mobile phone. Thanks to your motion sensor, it will send us a notification to the mobile as soon as it detects that there has been a movement or sound, and its compact and modern design makes it go more unnoticed than other models. We can find it by just over € 50.
And if we want a top of the range model, by less than € 180 we can find on Amazon la Circle 2 from the renowned Logitech brand. It is a higher price than other smart cameras, but allows to be mounted both indoors and outdoors, unlike the previous ones. In addition to Alexait's compatible with Apple HomeKit and Google Assistant. A wide variety of amounting accessories so that its placement is totally to our liking, and the recording quality is Full HD, being stored for 24 hours for free in its own cloud.
As you have seen, if you have an Amazon Echo, it will be very easy to start domotizing your home with these devices. Of course, it all depends on your needs, but you have already seen that there is a wide range of prices and features so that, when buying them, acquire the ones that best suit your needs.