We all want an easy-to-use connected home, but not necessarily the budget to redo the entire setup. Now there are solutions to modernize the existing one at a lower cost, without having to be a great handyman or a high-flying geek. Then it will be easy to control everything by voice or smartphone, your blinds, lights or coffee maker, reinforce security with a connected lock or know from a distance who knocked on your door.
We already knew about connected light bulbs, which are the number one connected object to buy for the home, or connected plugs that allow you to control a classic appliance. But now, all corners of the house can afford a 2.0 version without replacing your objects or breaking all the walls. Here is a selection of objects that are simple to install, sometimes cheap, all of which will make your day to day easier.
The BFMTV newsroom made this selection independently. BFMTV may receive compensation when one of our readers makes a purchase through the links in this article.
If you’ve invested in connected lights from Lexman, including the latest LED ceiling lights, bulbs, and other recessed lighting, you may want to be able to control them remotely without getting up to go to the switch. By pairing them all through the Enki app, it is possible to program three different scenarios on the button to control Enki compatible devices. Single, double or long press, and there are three different actions that can be configured.
This button does not need to be fixed to the wall or replace a switch. It sticks wherever you want. It works with one of the Enki boxes, even the one dedicated exclusively to lighting.
Price: 17.90 euros – Available in Leroy Merlin stores
ring intercom
This little box plugs into a classic building intercom, the kind that doesn’t have a videophone. Connected to your home WiFi and connected via a compatible cable to the intercom, it will allow you to answer calls on your smartphone when you are not at home. It will even be possible to open the door of the building to your interlocutor, as you would by pressing the intercom button.
The Intercom serves as an ideal relay to secure the premises without indicating that you are not at home. You can give temporary access to the application to another person using a code. She will be able to open the door of the building through the application, as if she were calling her house. None of this affects the other intercoms in the building and only affects the home intercom connected to the Intercom.
The intercom works thanks to a battery that is recharged every 6 to 12 months depending on its use and the number of daily passages. It’s also possible to use Ring’s solution with Alexa to answer calls from Amazon-connected speakers and other compatible devices (Ring is also owned by Amazon). To find out if your intercom is compatible, simply go to the site to check compatibility.
Price: 80 euros – Available on Amazon
Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 Pro Padlock
Strengthen the security of the house door while keeping the remote control. Connected locks that have been around for years can now be retrofitted to your classic lock without having to change everything, including the cylinder. Just install them inside the case to modernize them, nothing is visible on the outside.
It takes 15-20 minutes to install everything with no tinkering required, then connect the Smart Lock 3.0 Pro to your WiFi. The Nuki padlock is placed on the lock, the key embedded in the box. You will then manage the opening and closing of the house according to your wishes, the people in the house or the guests passing through. The sensor connected to your door will be able to warn you at any time if the door is closed or has remained open. It is possible to lock the door remotely if you have forgotten it.
From the Nuki application, thanks to the WiFi connection, the user manages the opening or closing that can be automated by locating the smartphones of the members of the household. A “digital key” can be shared with friends. They will only have to approach their smartphone to unlock the door (or by typing a code on the associated keypad – optional).
Available in black or white, the Nuki Smart Lock 3.0 Pro is battery operated, with a battery life of at least 9-12 months. And you’re warned well in advance if you need to start thinking about recharging.
Somfy izymo blind receiver
This is perhaps the only solution that you cannot totally install on your own, and yet it is quite simple. This little receiver will transform your wired roller blinds into connected roller blinds. Simply install this small wired radio module into your existing electrical switch system. Connected to the Somfy app on your smartphone and to the Somfy box (which can also manage lights and speakers in the home), it will be possible to open and close your blinds remotely, to choose to open them only half way or silently. The electric blinds then become smart blinds, combined with other connected devices.
You can even simulate a presence by programming the opening and closing of your blinds during your absence, with the possibility of having 15 minutes of pulsation so that it is not regular. They are compatible with Google Home or Amazon Alexa for voice opening, being able to enter connected home scenarios from these two players, but also with Apple HomeKit.
Price: around 70 euros – Available in many DIY stores, from Somfy and its authorized installers.
Yale Smart Cabinet Lock
Here’s a clever solution to transform an unlocked drawer or cabinet into a “safe”. The Smart Cabinet Lock is a small box that is fixed on the inside (with screws or double-sided adhesive provided) while the door will rest on the arm to hook to lock as it closes. The module works on Bluetooth or WiFi (with the Linus gateway in addition). It is configured through the Yale app. This will allow you to lock or unlock the cabinet or drawer, define an access schedule, issue authorizations to other household members or visitors to act on the connected lock.
You are warned if someone tries to force the device that may also ring. It is possible to associate it with a voice assistant to request to open or close the cabinet lock.
Price 65 euros – Available on Amazon.
Wireless and battery-free control Self-e Legrand Celiane with Netatmo
You do not need to pull a wire in the wall to install this command. It is extremely slim and works without batteries or electrical connections. It is the mechanical energy of your finger pressing down that provides what is needed to send the command to the Zigbee hub. This takes the form of a black diamond placed over the replacement Céliane socket to be placed in the place of an old electrical socket.
The control then serves as a connected switch that can be placed anywhere, on the nightstand or on the wall if desired. And it comes in various models and designs, some of which can also accommodate a switch for different home automation scenarios. Above all, you need a compatible radio receiver supplied by Legrand in the Celiane range with Netatmo (plug, wireless control, light switch, etc.). And then it will be possible to control all kinds of objects. Then everything goes through the Legrand application.
Price: around 70 to 90 euros depending on the model. Available at Legrand, but also at DIY stores, partner stores, ManoMano or even on Amazon.
Source: BFM TV
