Be smart about having a smart house
Be smart about having a smart house
Image: 123RF / nicoelnino

 1. LG 55SJ800V SMART TV

I resisted getting a 4K television because the current DStv signal is only 720p, not the full 1080p that is defined as high-definition. The designation 4K means it’s four times that, which the TV does a good job of boosting. It’s clearly the future, and now that you can stream Netflix in 4K I upgraded. LG’s excellent 55-inch TV – which is the right size for our TV room – has a clever remote control (based on what was once the Palm Pilot operating system), and a dedicated button for Netflix.

2. KINDLE OASIS

I read vociferously and have been a keen user of the Kindle since it first appeared. I have the first version of the top-end Oasis (not the current waterproof model) and love it for the clever use of two buttons on just one side (you flip it for different hands) and the extra battery in the cover. The Paperwhite or Voyage are cheaper and just as good.

3. UE BOOM BLUETOOTH SPEAKER

Even though we inherited a sophisticated built-in sound system that lets us play music throughout the house (using excellent roof speakers and wall-mounted mini amplifiers), we’ve recently started using a UE Boom 2 Bluetooth speaker. It means we can just fire up Spotify on our phones and play whatever we were listening to in the car.

UE Boom Bluetooth Speaker
UE Boom Bluetooth Speaker
Image: Getty

4. DECENT WIFI

The most important thing in any home these days is decent WiFi coverage. To that end we have fibre (100Mbps, up and down) and an Ethernet network with WiFi repeaters throughout the house. I already had several of the Apple Airport Express devices, so I cabled those in. If I did it again, I’d try the Netgear Orbi range.

5. PIGEON BOTTLE STERILISER

We have a 10-month-old son. The most-used technology in our house is the bottle steriliser and food warmer from Pigeon. It’s the hardest- working gadget right now.

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