What is a Smart Home Assistant?
A smart home assistant is a device that allows you to control multiple smart home gadgets, access information, and perform tasks hands-free. These assistants communicate with other smart devices, providing an awesome experience to manage your home’s lighting, security, climate, entertainment, and more with voice commands.
Compatibility
There are many smart home assistants for you but the one you are looking for should be compatible with your other smart home devices, like Google, Alexa, Apple, Samsung, etc. Check out the protocol of the smart home assistant, some common protocols are Zigbee, Z-wave, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth. In my opinion, Zigbee is the best protocol as it offers a wide range of devices and also you don’t lose your Wi-Fi’s Bandwidth.
Voice Assistant
A smart home assistant will be like trash if it cannot understand what you are saying to it. Choose a smart home assistant with accurate voice recognition, i.e.: doesn’t cause any misunderstanding, In my opinion, the Amazon Echo 4th Generation is the best choice if you are looking for a voice assistant. If you speak a different language than English in your home, then you can also look for a smart home assistant with multiple language support.
Features and Functionality
Look out for features and functionality such as system automation, i.e.: it can do your routine task at the provided time daily. A good smart home assistant also contains a feature such as scheduling tasks and timers, etc. The Google Pixel Tablet offers various features such as a built-in G2 chip, a speaker charging dock, and also have an 11-inch screen for ease of use. A smart home assistant should have long-distance voice recognition so you don’t have to go near it every time for a command.
Ease of Use
A smart home assistant must be user-friendly and straightforward, for ease of use. If you are going to have a smart home assistant with a display, then look for an easy-to-use interface, so you can manage it without facing any problems. The Echo Show 15 is an assistant with an easy-to-manage screen, you can fit it anywhere in your home and operate it easily. You can also set up a voice training feature so it can also identify the home member talking to it.
Privacy and Security
It is not compulsory to buy a smart assistant for your home only, you can also set up it in your office, to work without any interruptions. In offices privacy and security matter very much, the Sonos Era 100 is an assistant that encrypts your data while communicating with other assistants. You can also look for privacy controls such as deleting your voice recording each day.
Designs
There are various designs for smart home assistants, long, and short, thick, and thin, with speakers, displays, etc. Choose a device according to the space you have, if you have a small space, you can choose a smart speaker while having a large area, you can go for an assistant with the display. If you are looking for a portable smart home assistant, the Sonos Roam is the best choice. You can also look for an assistant with a similar color to your home decor.
Price and Value
If you are looking for an affordable assistant, you can compare its features with its price. Check for any long-term costs for additional features. If you are going to make your complete home smart you can look for deals and bundles for a better value. Amazon Echo 4th Generation and the Echo Dot 5th Generation are the best budget-friendly smart home assistants. Some Assistants don’t work for a long time so check for a long warranty. The smart home assistant must have future updates, so it has improved functionality with each update you get.
