Technologically advanced and connected devices are what make a smart home smart. These smart devices run on your Wi-Fi and perform tasks to make your life easier, and also help you save time, effort, and money.

If you've wanted to know about smart devices and what they do, read on. We've compiled a list of cool smart home devices.

1. Smart Speakers

Perhaps the most popular smart device, the smart speaker is much more than a speaker for music. It runs on Wi-Fi and comes with a virtual assistant that is programmed to respond to your voice. Smart speakers come in compact sizes and easily fit anywhere in your home like on a kitchen counter or a bedside table.

Some have touchscreen displays for you to view recipes and videos, while the premium ones offer high-quality sound. Some smart speakers also have a built-in camera so you can make video calls with loved ones and even monitor your home when you are away.

A smart speaker will answer your questions on various topics, tell you the news, traffic, and weather, and even play games with your kids. It also acts as a hub that will allow you to set routines and operate other compatible devices like bulbs, water heaters, and coffee makers. Plus you can add skills to connect to more devices and do more.

2. Smart Plugs

Smart plugs look like regular plugs and also fit into your existing wall outlets. They connect to your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth network and enable you to control various appliances through their companion app or virtual assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant.

Once set up, smart plugs allow you to turn appliances on and off and even schedule them to start at a particular time. So you could set your water heater to turn on half an hour before you wake up. Or turn on the slow cooker before leaving home and turn it off remotely when the cooking time is over.

Using smart plugs is an easy and inexpensive way to automate your home. Some even let you monitor your energy consumption. To know more about smart plugs and how you can use them around your home, read our article on what smart plugs can do.

3. Smart Bulbs

Smart bulbs are well known. They don't need extra fittings to run—just plug into your wall socket and turn them on. They can light up in millions of colors and can be scheduled to turn on at specific times.

But smart bulbs have evolved and now offer many ways to control lighting and create a colorful ambiance in your home. The best ones can sync with your gameplay, the movies you watch, and the music you love.

Yes, smart bulbs today can light up to the beat and tune of your music. So it's like the light and colors of your music spilling over in your room to create a personalized experience. And you can sync some smart bulbs with Spotify as well.

4. Smart Thermostats

Heating and cooling require substantial energy usage in a home. However, you can save significant energy and money too with a smart thermostat.

A smart thermostat works by learning how you use energy in your home—like when you warm up your home and when you like to keep it cool. It then programs itself to give you maximum comfort while ensuring energy efficiency.

It has sensors that can detect when no one is around and control the environment accordingly. A smart thermostat is also connected to your phone and can track your location. So when no one is at home it reduces the heat or cooling. And before you arrive your home gets tuned to your preferred settings.

5. Smart Cookers

A smart pressure cooker lets you cook a tasty meal with minimal effort. Smart cookers are many kitchen items blended into one. You can weigh food, chop it, mince, and blend in one single pot.

You can preheat the cooker from your phone or tell Alexa to do it from your bedroom. Some even have a sauté feature to let you cook and sear right in the pot—no need for the skillet.

Some smart cookers come with a steaming rack for food and even a touchscreen to tune settings. High-end smart cookers come with a built-in cooking calculator with thousands of preset recipes. You can just add the ingredients and it will guide you through the cooking process.

6. Smart Refrigerators

A smart refrigerator connects to other devices over Wi-Fi and many of its functions can be controlled with your smartphone. Smart refrigerators have a built-in touchscreen to interact with it, view recipes and videos, and even use it as a photo display, or a message board.

Some smart refrigerators provide both hot and cold water. Just set the temperature and the amount of water, and you'll get a notification when it's done. You can even customize the temperature by drawer or compartment.

A smart refrigerator will also read out recipe steps for you while you cook. Some even have an internal camera so you can view the quantity of food inside without opening the door.

7. Smart Showers

Smart showers can enhance your morning routine and refresh you for the day ahead. Compatible with virtual assistants, smart showers can be controlled through your phone or via their digital controllers.

Smart showers are designed to save water. They notify you when the set temperature is reached and even pause the flow till you enter the shower.

You also get smart rain showers with a few spray functions to choose from. Some even come with a Bluetooth speaker to enjoy music while you bathe, while others also let you produce steam at specific temperatures.

8. Smart Mattresses

Smart mattresses are designed to give you a good night's sleep. They boost your sleep comfort by regulating temperature and tracking your sleep through sensors. Smart beds can also adjust the bed's firmness and position to your liking through air tubes with pressure sensors.

Moreover, smart mattresses can also have different temperatures on each side—so your side of the bed can be warmer if you like and your partner's side can be cooler to sleep on.

The best smart mattresses also have speakers for music and massage features to relax you before you sleep.

9. Smart Hub

With several smart devices working together in your smart home system, investing in a smart hub for control is a great idea.

A smart hub app lets you access all your rooms based on the devices in them. Plus you can access your scenes, automation, and more. It lets you add and connect lots of devices and also control them through Alexa or Google Assistant.

Yes, the Amazon Echo works as a good hub too, but the best dedicated smart hubs offer more sophisticated automation. Some can connect to both Zigbee and Z-Wave devices for you to use even a wider range of products.

Enjoy an Easier and Better Life With Smart Home Devices

Many more types of smart devices are being created and these will become even smarter in the future.

Today, an increasing number of people are enjoying the convenience, ease, and savings that smart devices offer. If you haven't already, it's a good time to begin your smart home journey and live a better life with smart devices.