Smart homes – a home setup where multiple appliances and devices are linked via a network and can be controlled remotely using voice commands or smartphone apps – can be daunting to set up.

The number of households with smart home devices in South Africa is expected to reach 2.5 million in 2025 according to Statista.

So, whether you want to put on the kettle from the comfort of your bedroom, turn off the lights, or turn on your geyser remotely, a smart home may be the answer. And it need not break the bank.

Business Insider South Africa looked at a simple DIY set-up, to get your smart home going.

The centre piece – the smart speaker

smart home

Supplied.

The smart speaker is your most essential gadget and is central for home automation and voice controls.

It should be set-up in a central area of your house, like the lounge or living room.

BI looked at the Google Nest Mini Smart Speaker, which pairs with iPhone and Android via the Google Home app. It would be advisable to create a new email address from scratch for your smart home, so it’s not tied to your personal information and email, etc.

Once your smart speaker is sorted, you can start connecting your smart products.

Continue reading here: https://www.businessinsider.co.za/how-to-set-up-a-smart-home-on-a-budget-2021-10