If you want to make your household smarter, there are more options than you think these days. From meat thermometer to washing machine and coffee maker: everything can be operated and programmed remotely from your iPhone. We list 10 devices.
Smart home appliances with app
When you think of a smart home, you often think of remote control of lighting or heating. But there is much more possible to upgrade your home. Nowadays almost everything can be operated with an iPhone app. We selected the 10 nicest and most useful household items that can make your home smarter. If you've got the taste, we have a separate list of smart accessories in the kitchen for you.
- #1 Smart curtains
- #2 Smart Flower Pot
- #3 Smart Photo Frame
- #4 Smart Air Conditioner
- #5 Smart Toothbrush
- #6 Smart Scale
- #7 Smart Blood Pressure Monitor
- #8 Smart Clinical Thermometer
- #9 Robotic Vacuum Cleaners
- #10 Smart washing machine
As iPhone users, we're lucky: when a device with a smart function or app comes out, it almost always works with the iPhone. That's because Apple users like to be at the forefront of trying new things. However, not all smart devices are equally useful. For example, they do not always work with HomeKit and an app is not always the best solution. For example, you could read in our review of the Nespresso Prodigio that it is actually a hassle to make coffee with an app. You must have already prepared a cup and put a coffee capsule in the machine. And then you also have to dive into the app. Just pressing a button can sometimes be easier. That is why we indicate for each household item or device whether it is really useful.
#1 Smart curtains
It has been possible for years to automate your curtains, for example with HomeWizard in combination with a light or time sensor. Meanwhile, HomeWizard has chosen a completely different approach and other manufacturers have taken over. Even well-known brands such as Luxaflex and Velux offer options to automate your (roller) blinds.
There are also universal solutions, where you use a ‘little robot’ move along the rails. Check out our overview of smart curtains to see what your options are. Not everything works with HomeKit, but there is often a workaround to get it working with your iPhone. For example, by simply using the manufacturer's app or opting for other ways of automating, such as IFTTT.
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Control curtains with HomeKit: these are your options for window coverings
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#2 Smart Flowerpot
You also no longer have to think about the care of your plants, because you can outsource that to a smart flower pot. The Xiaomi Mi Smart Flower RoPot is an example of this. This flower pot ensures that your plants are better cared for. Sensors monitor the soil moisture and you receive hourly status information via the cloud. As soon as the conditions are not optimal, an indicator light on the pot indicates this. A blue light indicates that the humidity is not good and a yellow light indicates that the fertility of the soil needs to be checked. For example, you can add some Pokon.
The flower pot works together with the manufacturer's Flower Care app. You can also view the history or look up information about more than 5000 different flowers and plants. With a step-by-step plan you indicate which plant you have, so that the flowerpot can adjust the care accordingly. This flower pot is intended for indoor use, but there are also many ways to take care of your garden outdoors. We have an explanation about automatically watering plants with HomeKit, including a cheap solution from Lidl and a Gardena review about a specific system.
Watch: Xiaomi Mi Smart Flower RoPot
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#3 Smart Photo Frame
A digital photo frame may seem a bit old-fashioned, but for some households it can still be an ideal solution. Especially to give as a gift, filled with photos that grandpa or grandma like. There are many digital photo frames, but we are a fan of the Aura Frames. These are digital photo frames that you can fill with an iPhone app. If you want to give the photo frame as a gift, you only need to know the Wi-Fi address of the recipient to set up the photo collection. The recipient then only has to plug in the plug and will see the photos that you have selected in advance. Perfect for people who are not very technically handy!
The nice thing is that family members can send new photos to the photo frame at a later time. You manage everything with the Aura iPhone app. You can also send photos by e-mail. The number of photos is virtually unlimited. There are five variants of this photo frame with prices between 150 and 250 euros. That is a lot of money, but still a lot cheaper than purchasing an iPad. The entry-level model is called Aura Carver and for the more expensive models you could look at the Aura Mason. Still too expensive? Then you can find cheaper digital photo frames with an app, which can be slightly less in terms of ease of use and software functions. You could also play a slideshow of photos on the iPad, making sure the screen doesn't go off.
View: Digital Photo Frames at Amazon
#4 Smart air conditioner
Have you also discovered the air conditioner to heat your home, so that you use less gas? An air conditioner is not only pleasant in the summer, but can also be used during winter days to warm things up quickly. Of course you want to be able to operate this remotely. The best solution for this is the Tado air conditioning control. It works with almost any air conditioner, so you don't have to completely replace your existing system. Saves unnecessary costs. Available at YourMacStore, BCC and various other stores.
#5 Smart Toothbrush
This is a no-brainer: everyone knows the smart toothbrushes from Oral-B and Philips. The more expensive models work with an app that shows you exactly whether you're brushing long enough and how often you've brushed. For the children there are sometimes some cleaning games in the app. For example, you can play a competition to see who is the first to achieve the score of 100% well-brushed teeth, or see how far you can get by brushing vigorously for 2 minutes. Speaking of vigorous brushing, the toothbrush warns you if you're pressing too hard.
There are many models. So take a look at our round-up with smart toothbrushes to see which models are currently available and which work with an app.
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#6 Smart scale
You can keep an eye on your weight on a tenner scale, but if you really want to do it a bit professionally, choose a smart version. They may be a bit more expensive, but you can keep an eye on the weight development for the whole family. You can optionally shield this per profile, so that others cannot see that you have gained some weight.
You can go to well-known brands such as Withings, Medisana and Tanitha, but there are also newcomers such as Xiaomi who are making good progress with new models. These Chinese brands are also often at the forefront of new features. The best smart scales not only measure your weight, but also look at the weight composition such as fat and bone mass.
View: smart scales with app
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#7 Smart Blood Pressure Monitor
With a blood pressure monitor you can keep an eye on whether your blood pressure is not getting too high. If you opt for a smart variant, you can automatically record your measurements and compare them with each other. We have a round-up of blood pressure monitors, with Withings and Medisana popping up again as frequently mentioned brands. If they work with HealthKit, you can find the measurements in the Health app on your iPhone.
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#8 Smart fever thermometer
Before you know it someone in the family will have a fever again. It is therefore best to have a smart thermometer at hand, with which you can accurately record all measurements. This way you can see afterwards when person X or Y got an increase.
You have them from Withings, Beurer and Medisana, but you can also sometimes find a cheap thermometer at Lidl to measure your fever. They can record measurements for several people.
View: smart thermometers
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If you want to keep an eye on your temperature, you can use a regular thermometer. But with a smart thermometer you can also keep track of the temperature over a longer period of time and it automatically synchronizes with HealthKit. These smart thermometers are in the store!#9 Robot Vacuum Cleaners
Robot vacuum cleaners have been around for years and they can also increasingly be operated with an app. Unfortunately, it is not yet a HomeKit category, so you will look in vain for robot vacuum cleaners that you can include in your automations. In our overview of connected vacuum cleaners we mention brands such as iRobot and Neato, but also relative newcomers such as Roborock. Some have a dust cup, so you don't have to empty them. Others can mop the floor after vacuuming. So there is always a robot vacuum cleaner that is right up your alley.
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#10 Smart Washing Machine
You may not be a fan of Samsung, but if you're looking for things that can be controlled remotely, Samsung has an extensive range, from smart mirrors for the bathroom to refrigerators. They have developed their own SmartThings system for this. If you take a washing machine with a touchscreen, you can check and operate it remotely. The accompanying app is also available for iOS. Just throw your clothes in the washing machine and when it's time to wash, turn the device on. It has automatic washing programs, so you hardly have to think about it.
Fortunately, you are not stuck with Samsung. There are also other brands with a washing machine that you can operate remotely, for example from LG, AEG, Hoover and even the budget brand Beko. Often they themselves regulate how much detergent should be administered. Also view our overview of smart washing machines.
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- Smart cooking: these accessories make your kitchen smarter
- Just freshen up: accessories for a smart bathroom
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- HomeKit in the garden: these are your options
- These smart home accessories are suitable for a rental home
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