🔴 Check out this video next to see the devices I am using. Thanks for watching. 🍿 Top 10 Smart Home Devices for 2023! - kzread.info/dash/bejne/lYGAurxmYaadcso.html

I really appreciate how you do not do a long intro and you are very straight forward. Thank you!

As always a super video Craig! Always look forward to them and I always pick up something new

Craig, you nailed the nuance between don’t be cheap and don’t spend blindly. Using Aqara as an example could not be more on the mark. I do not have a single Aqara device that gives me problems. That said, given the diversity of products they offer, I have only tried about 5-6 types and leave other devices (eg, SmartPlugs) to other brands such as Eve. KZread and various websites provide a bevy of reviews for products. There are also user groups on FB and more where beginning users can, and do, ask questions every day. I learned a ton from KZread videos in particular. Not only did they describe why they liked certain devices but showed tests on how they performed, often compared to other brands. Not only did it help me understand the brands but which next accessory would help my SmartHome the most. Via this approach, I naturally had some bad moves (asking relatives for “anything Apple HomeKit” for Christmas one year… ugh), but my home went from 3-125 SmartHome accessories in a bit over a year with limited missteps.

Great Video! I've been growing my own smart home and following a lot of the tips you just gave!

Great advice Thanks for sharing

Loved this video, such great advice and really on point 👍🏻😁

Thanks Craig.

This is Great. Do I need to be a techy to set all these smart solutions? Which I can get a manual or something

Thanks Craig all good points! I just realized that my wife is not as crazy as me and does complain a bit about all of voice controls. I am going to get a few new switches for basic light controls. I have a few old Hue Tap switches that are past their prime. For mistakes, I would add that it is a good idea to avoid naming lights anything similar to the room they are in.

It’s also good to avoid batteries as much as possible. Switching batteries all the time can be quite frustrating.

Super Info, one question. Can I dim the chandelier’s with aqara system ? I would buy the whole system from them for my new flat 😊

Do you have any recommendations for security cams for indoors? They have to be clear in the dark too.

Wow, some great advice. #6 is a sticking point for me. 🙂

I use lutron swtches (never change away), dimmable LED that are a cool white but when at 50% or less dont appear cool white but more like incandescent. The three smart bulbs are Nanoleaf and are set with automations when the lutron switches are used on/off/and certian times of day with lights or colors. The best features of the Nanoleaf is that I use their circadian lighting feature and the bulb will be bright cool white in daytime and warm at night. They will actually just change slowly over time.

Awesome video! Thanks. I've only done a few of these - so far! 😂

Haha that’s awesome that you brought up my scenario! I 100% got rid of my Amazon Echo Show because NO MATTER how my times I turn off those stupid “suggestions” AMAZON KEEPS TURNING THEM BACK ON…WEEKLY! Plus I just flat out hate the Echo Show. I’m very happy with my new Apple HomePod mini.

Great video Craig!!! I don’t care about Google but everything I have has always needed to be Alexa and Apple Home.

I currently use a wifi mesh system i my place! I find it really helps with the wifi speeds! Also I am counting down the day when apple brings to us a homepod with a screen, then i will get rid of my echo show 5 as my bedside device!

Have Had smart home for years and my best 2 advices is 1. Keep it to one or two brands and one ecosystem. 2. Don't use any workarounds like Homebridge or home assistant if you don't really have to. I use home assistant for our home theatre but that's a setup by it self and when those workarounds starts to flip out you don't want it to be affecting a hole house trust me😂 PRO anti marage tip👌😆

I have eufy cameras and ring doorbell and other ring devices. I liked the eufy cameras better, but anything you need their home base for like the doorbell was awful. I ended up sending those back and now have two echo systems. So annoying. Wish I would have gone with solely ring.

Yes sir I gave up I had smart bulbs in my last home but after moving they keep saying unresponsive plus smart plugs. But cos my new WiFi is WiFi 6 and 5htz then smart things won't work with. I thought well I never or rarely turn on lights but if I want to then how hard is it too flick a switch. 😊

I have found great low priced solutions for smart switches, smart bulbs, fan controls, smart plugs, strip lights, door sensors and temperature sensors. Problem now is we are talking about selling our house in a couple of years. I just realized that I have 9 different apps that it takes to run it all. Most integrates with my Alexa stuff, but have this be a selling point it is not. Now I am starting to replace them with matter capable if they don't upgrade to matter. This is big pain in butt.

Im still *really* hoping that Amazon dont mess us about and actually finally make the Ring cameras and alarm native HomeKit compatible..... even if thats via Matter. Also.... Google - Nest learning thermostat.... I have a nasty sneaking suspicion that Google will use Matter compatibility to make us buy a new thermostat and NOT upgrade the existing one.... but if they do that and force me to buy a new one then im out and will replace it with someone else's thermostat out of principle. Also, Aqara look great but why no outdoors camera? This is a huge gap in their offerings! Any ideas if and when they will release an outdoors camera? My current HomeKit camera is Logitech Circle View and its *horrible* disconnecting from HomeKit daily (yet not the wifi network strangely) and needs so many reboots that Ive resorted to plugging it it via a smart plug so I can reboot it quickly and remotely!

I use 5,000 K bulbs only in clothes closets, laundry room, and in my shop. These are fixed temperature bulbs that are turned on and off by a smart light switch. In fact I have Aqara contact sensors on the closet doors Open the door, the lights come on. Close the door, and the light goes off. Using the 5,000 K bulbs in these locations gives you the correct color of items you are looking at; whether that be picking out clothes to wear or determining if I have the correct finish on a wood project. We use 4000 K bulbs in our ceiling lights in our ceiling fans, but rarely use these unless we need to really "see" something; like cleaning the floors, getting a sticker out of a finger, you get the idea. These are also on dimmer switches so we can control the intensity of the lights. Then in our floor lamps and table lamps we have LIFx Dusk to Dawn bulbs and Nanoleaf colored bulbs.These we can set to the color temperature we need depending on the time of day. Or use the color option to indicate things like a water leak scene. We can also set them to an orange light at 5% for night lights throughout the house in case we need to get up in the middle of the night and walk around without tripping over something or running into something and breaking a toe.

“Stop buying cheap crap!” amen brother! LOL!!! I wish Aqara was available to purchase in Mexico. The few devices that you can actually find in AliExpress become twice as expensive due to shipping and sometimes import fees. And the few sold in AmazonMX are crazy expensive, sometimes costing even more than Philips Hue devices. Maybe someday. I started my smart home during the pandemic (who didn’t right?) 😂 and purchased various Meross devices because they were amongst the most affordable , compatible with Homekit. Well, sadly they all started failing and falling down like flies. I began replacing them for Philips Hue and I’ve been super happy ever since. Yes, the system can be pricier but my peace of mind is priceless!! Philips Hue and Lutron have been heavenly! Rock solid devices !

Missed you yesterday, Saturdays I watch your live (recorded cuz I don’t get up early enough ;-}, later I saw your reasoning, hope all is well again.

I enjoyed all your comments on lighting. Are there any light strips which are *just* cool white light and warm white light? I have no interest in all the fancy RGB options, and I'd like to keep my electric bill low. My guess is that lighting one Red, one Green, and one Blue LED is going to use up more electricity than turning on a single white LED.

@CraigsTechTalk

Жыл бұрын

Thank you very much. I really think the nanoleaf essentials are the way to go. When they are in white, they don't blend any of the colors in like Philip hue and a lot of others do. Depending on brightness and color temperature will determine how many LEDs are on with the Nanoleaf. The new Matter Nanoleaf essentials just started shipping. I don't know a better light bulb or strip for warm and cool white. I don't even count the RGB in them because the color is so dim.

In my smart home...my asus 4 band router and mesh setup is handling over 75 connections. You really can't do a smart home reliably on the routers they give you with your connection.

What color temperature should we have in a theatre room? I see people matching the screen or just having crazy colors, but I thought it was supposed to be something like 6600K.

@CraigsTechTalk

Жыл бұрын

From everything I have read, and it makes sense, is go 5600. That is because most TVs tend to be cooler. That is a little cool for me, so I go with closer to 4000. Color is fun for some ambient light to move around in, but doesn’t help your eyes.

My mistake for my homepod ran smarthome is getting Siri Shortcut lightbulbs. Siri Shortcut Lightbulbs do NOT work with Apple HomeKit, so make sure its either Matter or HomeKit compatible!!

I cant find your second channel

I have 11 Alexa’s around my house and if I put them all in a group to play music it won’t work- might play one song then just stops- any suggestions?

Lutron Auroa Dimmer. Excellent accessory for Smart Bulbs. Keeps your switches on, and foolproof for the the smart home troglodytes in the home or guests.

This gentleman is smart

Platform agnosticism is definitely the best advice to follow when building a smart home

@CraigsTechTalk

Жыл бұрын

Thanks Gareth. You would know well after making your transition to HomeKit. Hope you are doing well.

Bought a Kwikset smart lock. Had an issue with setting it up in HomeKit, so I tried to reset the lock. Didn’t read the prompts while resetting it and accidentally reset my ENTIRE home! Lost all connected devices, scenes and automations! (More than 40 devices all with different automations and/or scenes) Moral-READ ALL PROMPTS WHILE RESETTING SOMETHING!!

Are matter Nanoleaf lights going to stay connected to HomeKit?!?!?!

Craig, this was a great video and I agree with most everything you said. In fact it caught me about to finish up changing my 9 existing smart wall switches (lights and ceiling fans) to Lutron. I should have done it long ago, I do like color bulbs in lamps, not just for mood lighting but for various notifications. It makes no sense for my situation, though, to replace six can light bulbs in my kitchen with Hue or other bulbs and pull my hair out trying to keep them matched/mismatched the way I want them. A good old Lutron smart dimmer with Pico remote does an awesome job. I would suggest that folks check the well known "auction" sites for Lutron devices. I've saved at least 25% on the ones I've purchased and they've come unopened as listed. If a sale were to go bad...it hasn't...I'd be out maybe $50 and it's not nearly as painful as buying expensive things that way. Oh...you've done to pretty impressive lighting jobs!

Thanks buddy I bought loads of smart devices but I hate to tell u Bluetooth light bulb saves Wi-Fi faster

Since advice #8 is taken I’ll continue with advice #9 and #10 then..: #9 Don’t buy stuff that requires a subscription for full functionality like Arlo or Ring or Nest to name a few examples. Sooner or later you gonna do the math and realise how much you spend for all of those subscriptions… But mostly because you pay a lot of money to buy a device that you can not use fully whitout paying a monthly fee abd you also gonna find youreself completly in the hands of whichever company you bought the stuff from. If they decide to raise thei fee you’ll only have the option to either ditch their stuff or to pay the new subscription. #10 Avoid things that doesnt work locally. It’s really frustrating if things doesnt work because of your internet conection going down.

Only. My HomeKit devices stop responding. I hate it because HomeKit is what I want to use most

Nanoleaf bulbs are out of stock D:

lol I lit a plane- that’s how badass I am. Hahaha

@CraigsTechTalk

11 ай бұрын

Thanks, glad you liked that one. I appreciate you watching.

@amarshall621

11 ай бұрын

Dude- I just dropped 2 grand after binging everything you have published. (All through affiliate links ) But seriously- thank you for the passion- The home is Apple kit and smart now! @@CraigsTechTalk

@amarshall621

11 ай бұрын

Next step is POE Security Cams - which just dont seem to be Apple HK friendly. I'm guessing Hoob would be your recomendation ? Thank you again.

Do your home Smart not haphazardly. Zwave and zigbee have been around over 30 years collectively. Don't use wifi bulbs, plugs and sensors that congest your data networks. Keep your IP devices wired if at all possible and always use a Mesh.

@corvettec-dt1eq

11 ай бұрын

Using multiple access points is a good idea for any home bigger than a 2-room apartment, yes. I've always had better luck with wired backhaul systems though

PSA: Homekit router will cause Aqara to malfunction. Aqara requires unrestricted access to the web so don’t expect to utilize Homekit router’s security features. Also, I stumped into this problem/solution no way anyone knows this without a little luck.

Just because something has "smart" attached to it doesn't mean its part of the SMART HOME.

I like the one company smart, my first mistake was to trust google. 😢😢😢 almost every google/ nest device i have are dying. So i replace them with Alexa. 4:38 Now everything i add to Alexa just work. Google hurt my family by killing things they get used too.

@CraigsTechTalk

Жыл бұрын

Google has been bad about killing things that used to work. I am glad to hear that Alexa has been better for you. I think it is a much better option.

i get so mad at alexa and google i just want to throw them away its easier to turn on the lights and tv than having them do it sometime i don't think it worth it to have alexa or google but sometimes it nice to have and i understand technology but i've grown over the years to not like it. but anyway i like your videos they are really helpful

Smarthome Stress needs to be recognised as an actual disorder I reckon

@CraigsTechTalk

Жыл бұрын

I agree. It can cut years off one’s life.

Thanks, I have decided not to get involved in smart home products, It cost too much, it is totally confusing, and it is all changing, as a MATTER of fact it is all about to change again, so I am out.

Mistake No.1 be cheap on WiFi router/mesh. It will come back to you!

@CraigsTechTalk

Жыл бұрын

You are so right.

Thanks Craig.