In this day and age of technological advancements, more and more Singaporeans are swapping out traditional appliances for smart home gadgets in the name of convenience. In case you were thinking about getting some, Uchify talks to 12 Singaporeans about the smart home gadgets they use at home, and whether they are as good as reviewers say.
Google Home and its variations
Image credit: ZDNET
“I use Google Nest wifi and Google Home mini speakers. The Nest wifi doubles as a router and speaker, so I can use voice commands anywhere and there are no dead spots. I can also group all my mini nest speakers together and play music on them at the same time, which is great for house parties.”
Dominic
“I have a Google Home and my personal favourite function is the voice command. It’s easy to switch on the lights, air conditioner, and appliances in my home with voice commands, especially when I’m feeling lazy. In fact, I don’t remember which switch turns on which light in my home because I always just say, “Hey Google, turn on the living room lights.””
Amanda Y
“I received my Google Home mini as a gift and I love how it makes searching for songs via voice commands so convenient. Set up is very easy and it has an intuitive design as well. ”
Raiz
“I use my Google Nest Hub as an all-in-one device. It plays my music, tells me the news and time, and controls my AC and TV via voice commands. I also like the Hub’s simple, clean design with customisable screensavers.
I love walking into my room and saying “Ok Google, turn on my air con” or “Play some music”, and have even spent some lovely mornings just telling my Google Home to turn on the TV so I literally didn’t have to leave my bed at all.”
Fauzi
Smart locks
Image credit: AN Digital Lock
“My smart lock is from Shopee, and it’s cheaper than higher-end brands but works just as well. I like how convenient and easy it is to use. I don’t need a physical key; just my thumbprint or a code suffices. It’s also easier for my parents to use.”
Farriz
“I have a smart lock and I love the peace of mind and convenience that comes with it.”
u/bitflag on Reddit
Robot/automated cleaners
Image credit: Shopee
“I have a Xiaomi Roborock S6 MaxV robot vacuum at home. It can avoid furniture and extricate itself when it’s stuck. Basically, it has a great sensor.
I like how it has a mop function that can vacuum and mop at the same time. I love the convenience of being able to program the robot vacuum cleaner to clean automatically through the app even when I’m not at home. I can also track its progress remotely using the app.”
Aditi
“I use the Ecovacs DEEBOT X1 OMNI for vacuuming and mopping. Aesthetics wise, it’s rather minimalistic, which suits the design of my house. It also reduces the need for me or my parents to physically mop the house, which eases our burden. It’s a bit costly, but I find that it’s a worthy investment.”
Jing En
“My family uses the Roidmi Wireless Vacuum Cleaner at home. It comes with 3 attachments: one for the floor, one for the sofa and table tops, and another for mattress. I can also check the battery life and dust cap’s usage through the Roidmi app. I’ve been wanting to get something useful like this for quite a while, and find it lives up to its purpose!”
Gladys
Smart lighting systems
Image credit: TheSmartLocal
“I have the Yeelight Lighting Ecosystem at home. It’s one of the more affordable smart lights, and doesn’t need a hub. Setup was really easy, and I can connect it to my Google Home for voice-activated control.”
Dominic
“I use Philips Hue lighting. The colourful bulbs are pretty cool, and can be connected to Google Home.”
u/bitflag on Reddit
Switchbot
Image credit: Greener Ideal
“I love my showers extra hot but sometimes don’t have the time to wait an extra 10 minutes in the morning for the water to heat up, so the Switchbot has been a lifesaver. It’s perfect for new BTO places that come with storage water heaters. With the Switchbot, I can set an auto-timer to switch on my water heater 20 minutes before I’m supposed to wake up or get home, cutting out the wait time”
Amanda F
Air purifiers
Image credit: Viomi
“I have a Viomi air purifier in white, which fits with my home’s aesthetic. I received it for free so I can’t really comment on its affordability, but it functions excellently. Everything is operated via a touchscreen and can be controlled through an app, so it’s very easy to use and control.”
Gladys
Wifi camera doorbells
Image credit: PC Mag
“I’ve got a wifi camera doorbell. It’s a pretty convenient gadget to have when I’m expecting deliveries or am not in town. I can see who’s ringing the doorbell and, if it’s a delivery man, tell them to stash it in the service cabinet regardless of where I am, so long as I have my phone with me.”
u/6Hee9 on Reddit
Smart air conditioners
Image credit: Tom’s Guide
“I have a Sensibo for my air cons at home. It’s connected to my Google Home and was very easy to set up. Their customer service is pretty good too, and there’s the option of contacting them through Whatsapp if you have issues with the product or setup.”
u/hazelnutmocha on Reddit
Singaporean Score: The best smart home gadgets
With a seemingly endless slew of smart products coming out every week, it’s understandable that newbies to the game will feel overwhelmed. However, with the advice of people who have been there and done that, you’ll easily find something that you like and will make your life easier.
Responses have been edited for clarity and length.
For more opinions:
- We ask Singaporeans about the no-regret decisions they made for their HDBs
- Singaporeans tell us about their favourite cookware
- Is a $3,000 office chair worth it?
Cover image adapted from: AN Digital Lock, Shopee, ZDNET
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