It's Not Just For Nerds! 

Making your home “smart” seems super complicated – but it doesn’t have to be! Including some automation into your daily life actually streamlines your home and can even save you money. We’ll dive into a few products that can make your home smarter but keep the implementation minimal.

Ring Doorbell / Smart Doorbell Camera

Installing and setting up the Ring camera is a breeze – it simply mounts onto the door frame or siding beside your door and gives you an idea of who’s come to your door. It’s connected to an app on your phone and has a two-way voice connection, so you can talk to the person standing at your front door. It’s especially useful if you have packages delivered frequently, or have children coming and going that you’d like to keep an eye on. We love the Ring brand, but there are other doorbell cameras that have recently also come on the market, which are great as well. Ring Doorbell - $299 - Home Depot (and other major retailers)

Nest Smart Thermometer / Smart Thermometer

A smart thermostat lets you control the temperature of your home from afar. While the old-school thermostats are programmable, this is next level because of the “on-demand” options. Maybe you’re returning home early or are away for an extended period of time. This gives you the flexibility to be in control at all times. By programming your heat to go off while you’re away, your heating bill will shrink! Our faves: Nest Thermostat 3rd Generation, $299, Amazon.ca, Honeywell Lyric, $139.00, Amazon.ca or Ecobee light, which is Canadian made and comes with room sensors. Nest Smart Thermometer - $263.00 - Amazon.ca

Smart Plugs

Coming home late and need to plug a lamp in? Forgot to turn on your crockpot? Want your coffee to start brewing before you set foot onto your bedroom floor? Smart plugs are accessible through an app, or by using Google Home, Echo Dot or Alexa. They work just like any old plug, except again, you can customize what they do and when they do it. Our pick? TP-Link Smart Plug - $29.99 - Amazon.ca