AppMyHome

How to Automate Your Home, Discover the latest and greatest home automation products. Using Home Automation to Turn your House into a Smart Home .

Our Smart Home Devices

Welcome to Our Smart Home Devices page were we link to more than 100 smart home devices running in the AppMyHome household. For your convenience, you can find links to purchase through our Smart Home Shop on Amazon and other merchant sites for most of the products we have tested and/or currently using below.

Note: we have moved on from some devices, either because the company went out of business, the device was no longer needed or we replaced with a newer, similar product. We have listed these under RETIRED devices. 

Affiliate Disclosure

Our Smart Home Devices or similar available on our Smart Home Shop on Amazon and other Smart Home sites:

Automation Hubs and Controllers | Entertainment | Health and Fitness | Heating and Cooling | Internet | Kitchen and Bath | Lighting, Switches and Outlets | Security/Safety | Sensors | Smart Cameras | Smart Solutions

Automation Hubs and Controllers – Home automation Hubs, Voice Control

Hubs are needed to connect devices using Z-Wave and Zigbee protocols to you Wi-Fi network. This enables both remote access and voice control of those devices when supported by the device manufacturer. We use two hubs in our home because the Konnected security interface requires the SmartThings hub. All the rest of our Z-Wave and Zigbee devices are on the Wink hub. You should only need one of these hubs unless you have a similar requirement. Both hubs work well for Z-Wave and Zigbee devices, just be sure to check their websites to verify your devices are compatable.

For voice control we use the Alexa enabled devices, these are the Amazon Echo models. We use several models depending on the room they are in. The Dot is nice because it is small, and least expensive, i.e. enables use thought out the house. Amazon also have models that support video. We have some devices listed elsewhere on this page that have a specific function that has Alexa built in, which is handy so you don’t need an additional Echo in that room.

Entertainment– TV, Audio, Video

Many choices for entertainment that are Smart Home ready, and adding new functionality all the time. For the Smart TV be sure it not only supports Wi-Fi access, but that the TV can be turned on by a command over Wi-Fi, otherwise you will still need your IR Remote. If you don’t have a Smart TV but have an IR remote model, you can pick up a Logitech Hub which acts like as IR remote, even works with Alexa. This is what we did since our Samsung TV would not turn on without the remote. Newer Smart TV models like the one listed here most likely will be fine, just check to be sure.

Same issues with stereos and receivers, though even our older model Denon supports Wi-Fi control.  There are many other devices which have become smart, even speakers like the Sengled Pulse which is also a light, or the iHome clock radio with Alexa built in.

Health and Fitness– Sleep Gadgets, Fitness devices

There are plenty of devices to help in this category. As cyclists we rely on our Garmin to provide all the data we need to handle long rides. For sleeping we’ve recently picked up the Sleeptracker, which is amazing, and doesn’t require you to wear a device, just put it under you mattress and you are set. To aid in comfort while sleeping we have the BedJet, you can read our review here. As a CPAP user, the Dreamstation Go was our choice as we like to travel and the device is both small and quiet.

Heating and Cooling – Thermostats, Smart Vents, Smart Fans

Internet – Cable Modems, Routers, Firewalls

Your internet setup is the most critical part of your Smart Home, it is the foundation. Make sure you get fast internet from your provider, at least 100 Mb/sec download speed, upload around 5 Mb/sec is fine. You can rent your internet devices from the provider, or better yet pick up your own Cable modem and Wi-Fi routers (avoid the all in one boxes), these are a one time purchase and you can upgrade any part of your setup independent of the other parts.

Don’t forget a Smart Firewall like the CUJO, remember all those devices in your smart home likely cannot load any virus or firewall software, so the CUJO will act to protect all of them as it protects your home network.

Since we have a lot of Wi-Fi devices, we choose a mesh Wi-Fi router to ensure we cover our whole house and backyard with a strong Wi-Fi connection. Mesh routers like Orbi put boxes at different locations in the house, but act as a single Wi-Fi network. If you don’t need a lot of coverage then a single router should work fine, just make sure it is the latest generation. You can use a network box like the Fingbox to test your current Wi-Fi signal strength. If you don’t know if your current router is strong enough, the Fingbox has a cool feature that uses your smartphone to test the strength of the Wi-Fi anywhere in your home.

Have you ever needed to restart your cable modem or router when you are not home? Well, check out the Digital Loggers power strip, it checks to see if the internet is working, and if not will power cycle your gear with any interaction from you.

Kitchen and Bath – Kitchen and Bath Gadgets

Lighting, Switches and Outlets– Smart Light Bulbs, Switches and Outlets

Security/Safety– Smart door locks, Smart Smoke and CO detectors, Smart Cameras

Sensors – Motion, Water Leak, Energy Monitors

Smart Cameras – Smart Cameras, Video Doorbells, Indoor Cameras, Outdoor Cameras, Gimbal Stabilizers

Smart Solutions– Blinds, Irrigation, Garage Door Opener

RETIRED Devices

We have moved on from some devices, either because the company went out of business, the device was no longer needed or we replaced with a newer, similar product. So don’t necessarily pass these by as they may be just what you are looking for. 

Recommended devices available by category on our Smart Home Shop on Amazon:

All Smart Home Recommendations | Automation Hubs and Controllers | Entertainment | Health and Fitness | Heating and Cooling | Internet | Kitchen and Bath | Lighting, Switches and Outlets | Security/Safety | Sensors | Smart Cameras | Smart Solutions

Affiliate Disclosure: AppMyHome.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. We are also a participant in the Awin, Impact, Refersion and ShareASale affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to various merchant sites.