A Complete Guide To Having A Smart Home In Singapore – Best Smart Devices, Benefits & How To Control

Smart homes in Singapore

You’ve seen Hollywood show off really cool homes where the owner simply snaps a few fingers or voices some commands and suddenly the house lights turn on and the air condition is set at just the right temperature. Sometimes, they aren’t even home and can still monitor the cake in the oven to prevent it from burning. Yup, that’s what you call a smart home.

And this isn’t science fiction or special effects; smart homes in Singapore are very much a reality, albeit not Iron Man level as of yet.

Table of Contents

Smart homes in Singapore

What does a smart home do?

Simply put, a smart home lets you, the homeowner, control your home appliances from anywhere at any time. Of course, these appliances have to be smart devices that are connected to your home internet and then accessed via your smartphone and related apps remotely.

Smart Home in Singapore - wifi system
Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: Siemens

In most cases, a smart home is connected via wireless systems and all you need is functioning WiFi. Home appliances that can be controlled remotely, with a few taps on your phone screen, include lights, door locks, fire alarms, and refrigerators.

Benefits of a smart home

Besides making you the coolest person around, there are several other advantages of a smart home. It’s convenient, allowing you to switch things on and off, as well as make adjustments to settings as and when you like. These generally make your home safer as you can monitor the devices even when there’s no one at home.

In most cases, smart homes result in long-term cost savings too due to energy efficiency. Plus, it might increase your home value should a buyer be keen on a fully equipped smart home.

Factors to consider before setting up a smart home

Having said that, there are certain factors to consider before deciding the extent of smartness you want your home to have. Straight up the initial cost of buying the smart devices and setting up the entire system is costly. So, there is a hefty investment involved when you first set up.

While a smart home might be a little complex to set up on your own, you can easily employ an ID or contractor to help you with this. These professionals will be familiar with the logistics required and will also have advice on what smart gadgets are really worth your money. Plus, they can recommend devices that will minimise the chances of having any compatibility issues.

Lastly, be wary of giving too many people access to the smart home system to avoid any cybersecurity vulnerabilities and privacy concerns.

Which smart home system is the best in Singapore?

If you have friends or family with smart homes, you’ve probably heard them go “Hey Alexa”, “Hey Siri”, or “Hey Google”, depending on which central hub device they have. The 3 biggest brands globally when it comes to smart home control devices are, of course, Amazon Alexa, Apple HomePod, and Google Home.

Smart Home in Singapore - Amazon Alexa Echo

Image credit: Amazon

If you’re going to rely heavily on voice commands, it’s best to get one of these home systems to control all or most of your smart devices. All you need to do is make sure the smart devices you buy are compatible.

However, if you intend to control all your smart devices via their respective apps, then you don’t really need the centralised systems. The downside is that you’ll need to keep track of each device on a separate app.

What is an example of a smart home?

Now we get to the fun part. You must be wondering exactly what parts of your home you can customise to make your life easier. Here are some of the common smart devices that people install in their homes:

1. Smart lighting

Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: Parker & Sons

Turn the lights on or off, adjust the brightness, or even change the colours with smart lighting. Make date nights at home a teeny bit more romantic by simply saying, “Hey Alexa, dim the lights and play Love Story.”

That’s not all; you can also preset your favourite light temperature for various scenarios such as when watching movies and working. These can be set to turn on automatically with a timer too. Forgot to switch off the lights before leaving home? Simply go on the app and turn them off while on the go.

Get a smart LED light bulb.

2. Smart door lock

Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: HomeSmart

Yes, we know that digital door locks are fairly common now. But smart door locks can do so much more than save you from misplaced house keys. Using the app, you can let your kids or helper in even if you’re not at home. On the flip side, you can trigger an emergency door lock by changing the passcodes remotely if you suspect an intruder is trying to enter.

Get a smart door lock.

3. Smart security alarm

The smart alarm can still work even if your WiFi goes offline for a couple of hours.
Image adapted from: Amazon Singapore

Speaking of fending off intruders, installing a smart security alarm is another easy way to secure your home. These come in kits that include a siren station, window and door sensors, and sometimes, motion detectors. Get instantly alerted on your phone if something is amiss. If you’ve got seniors living with you, they can tap the ‘SOS button’ on the remote to get help too.

Get a smart security alarm.

4. Smart security camera

Image credit: Tapo

Going a step further to ensure your abode remains safe, installing a smart security camera is pretty common, especially if you often receive packages. Generally, there are 2 types – outdoor cameras that are weatherproof and provide clear night vision; and indoor cameras that are smaller, mainly used as baby or pet cams.

With a smart camera, you can get a live screening of what’s happening in your home from your smartphone and be able to track back footage on the spot.

Get a smart security camera.

5. Smart soundbar

Image credit: Bose

No need to fight over the remote anymore with a smart soundbar. Simply command your speaker to raise or lower the volume, or go mute whenever you need. And if your speaker is connected to your smart home assistant, you can simply ask the smart speaker all the questions you want answers to.

Get a smart soundbar.

6. Smart TV

Image adapted from: LG

This is one electronic appliance most of us probably already have in our home – a smart TV. Much like how Prime Video, Netflix, and Disney+ are installed on your smartphones, the smart TV comes with all these streaming platforms built in. Easily access entertainment apps like YouTube without the need for any additional devices and search for shows using voice control.

Perhaps more interesting is the screen mirroring feature which allows you to share your smartphone or tablet screen on a large TV screen. This is a great feature to use when you want to show photos from your most recent travels to family, for instance.

Get a smart TV.

7. Smart smoke detector fire alarm

Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: HomeSmart

While it’s not mandatory to have a fire alarm in residential homes in Singapore, it is highly encouraged. Having a smart smoke detector fire alarm means getting real-time notifications if the alarm is activated. Within the app, you can quickly turn it off and even get it to do a self-check to assess the severity of the situation.

Get a smart smoke detector fire alarm.

8. Smart thermostat

Image credit: Amazon Singapore

In sunny Singapore, perhaps the most useful smart device is a smart thermostat. Minutes before you get home, you can remotely set your aircon to turn on and cool down the indoor temperature to be just nice upon arrival. These devices can accurately measure humidity levels too so you can adjust your fan speed accordingly. And if you lose the remote control, it doesn’t matter, just use the app or voice control.

Get a smart thermostat.

9. Smart fan

Image adapted from: Xiaomi

On less hot days when a fan would do, a smart fan is another option. While you’re sitting on your couch, simply call out to it to turn on, without having to get up at all. Then adjust the speed and airflow settings using the app – true convenience at your fingertips.

Get a smart fan.

10. Smart air purifier

Image credit: Levoit

If dust allergens are the bane of your existence, you know the importance of having an air purifier in your home. Take it a step further by getting a smart air purifier that can be easily accessed from anywhere via your app so you can ensure the home environment is clean before you even get home.

Get a smart air purifier.

11. Smart robot vacuum cleaner

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Once you’re out for the day, leave all your home cleaning to a smart robot vacuum cleaner. Turn it on and off, monitor its progress and cleaning path, and even change cleaning modes all via the smart app. While you’re on the go, you can set it to recharge as well in case you forgot to do so earlier.

Get a smart robot vacuum cleaner.

Turn your humble abode into a smart home with smart devices

The best thing about getting these smart home devices is that you can easily order all of them online. What you need to be careful about is ensuring the device compatibility with your smart home control system. Get Amazon Alexa, for example, and then download the Alexa App (App Store | Google Play) on your phone to connect your smart home devices.

A great place to start looking for all the smart tech on one platform is Amazon Singapore. And for S$4.99/month or S$49.90/year, snag a Prime Membership while you’re at it. This gives you free international delivery, fast shipping, exclusive discounts, as well as access to Prime Video. Then Alexa can easily order groceries off Amazon Fresh for you too.

This is just a more convenient option that lets you control everything with one home assistant but again is not compulsory. If you prefer, simply choose the smart home gadgets you need most and then control them individually via their respective apps. Many of these are not too difficult to set up on your own by watching an online tutorial.

Find out more about Prime Membership

More guides on the best home appliances to get:

A portion of this content may contain referral links to products. However, all opinions remain our own.
Cover image adapted from: Parker & Sons, HomeSmart, Tapo