Smart Home Voice Control Features That Simplify Your Daily Life

Once upon a time, we gathered armfuls of grocery bags and nudged the car door shut with our knees. Then, we cursed quietly (or loudly) and fumbled for our keys. And they were out of reach.

Finally, we set down the grocery bags, dug the keys out of our pockets and unlocked our front door. We regathered the groceries, stumbled inside … and realized we forgot to buy milk.

Enter the beauty of smart home technology. It simplifies countless tasks — from the mundane to the major — and makes our lives safer and more cohesive. With apps, devices and systems, we can instantly organize and tackle those (often pesky) everyday tasks. 

Even better, smart home voice control takes much of the manual hassle out of running an automated home. Whether you’re unlocking the door or remembering to buy milk, smart home voice control devices are at the ready. After all, your hands are full.

[Related: A Guide to Room-by-Room Automation for Your Home]

What Is Smart Home Voice Control?

Before we get into the perks, let’s dig into the matter at hand. 

In short, smart home voice control means using voice commands to operate your automated home and its systems. You might do so via an app, smart home hub, voice assistant or other device. In fact, you may already own a voice assistant/smart speaker — a key smart gadget.

If you do, you’re ahead of the game. About 8.4 billion voice assistants should be active by 2024, and the voice recognition market should reach about $27 billion by 2026. Clearly, the tech is doing something right.

Besides smart speakers/voice assistants, you can use smart home voice control with many Internet of Things (IoT) devices:

• Remote controls
• Wall-mounted touchscreen panels
• Smart home hubs
• Smart home controllers
  • These are similar to (and sometimes the same as) a voice assistant/smart speaker. And of course, the core concept is “control.” Via a smart home controller with integrated voice recognition capabilities, you operate an automated home from one place.
• Smartphones (often as a go-between among you, a hub and a device/system, usually per an app)

With voice control, smart home tech gets smoother and more interconnected. Whether jotting down a virtual note or securing your whole home, you have an array of hands-free options.

And of course, options make your life easier — your IoT devices interact through one main hub. Interconnectivity means flexibility, and that’s one of the smartest parts of living in an automated home.

So, smart home voice control is widespread, powerful and poised to revolutionize how we live. How can it make your life easier? We’ll give you a rundown. 

[Related: Smart Home Systems: Where To Begin?]

Actions You Can Take With Smart Home Voice Control Devices

We’ll state it frankly: This could be a very long list. To make matters brief, we’ll note features that help you no matter what you do. 

Stay-at-home parent? Busy professional who rarely sees the house? Whether you’re parked at home or always on the go, these are some of your best smart home voice control features. 

[Related: Smart Home Technologies Supporting Aging in Place]

Tweaking the Temperature

It seems like a quick fix — stand, go to the thermostat and change the settings. But smart home voice control devices, as well as manual and automatic options, accommodate all sorts of circumstances. And they guarantee your house feels exactly as you like it. 

Maybe a heat wave hit while you were at work or you caught a sudden chill in the bedroom. Perhaps you’re ill or unable to move at the moment. Or maybe your teenager has just been fiddling with the AC settings on the sly. 

Changing the temperature with only a voice command is so simple that it seems intuitive — and that’s the whole point. With IoT voice control tech, automated HVAC systems give you control anytime, anywhere.

Adjusting a smart thermostat remotely saves you time, yes — but it also saves you money. And with a whole-home climate control system, you’ll never walk into a sweltering kitchen or a frigid bathroom. 

[Related: 8 Ways Climate Control Improves Your Home]

Adjusting the Lighting

Again, getting up to switch on the lights seems simple enough. But with voice control, smart home lighting gets serious upgrades. 

Adjusting lighting with the help of a voice assistant and lighting control system isn’t merely convenient. It boosts home security and prevents hazards, especially when you have young children or older adults in the home.

Think about it — no more stubbed toes or precarious stairs when going to the bathroom at night. And forget about shuffling through a pitch-black garage when you get home from work — you can flood your property with light before heading home at dusk. The lighting level is variable, too (no piercing vanity lights or too-dim bulbs). 

And of course, smart lighting also saves you money. Besides energy savings from LED lighting, you won’t pay for lights accidentally left on while you’re gone. Just tell your voice assistant to turn them off while you’re headed out or speak to your smartphone app in the car.

Tip: For even greater cost savings, pair lighting control systems with motorized window treatments. You’ll decrease strain on your HVAC system and considerably increase your personal comfort!

[Related: Motorized Shades: A Quick Guide]

Checking Your Locks

Among smart home voice control devices, you might overlook smart locks. But hear us out — a voice-controlled smart lock is far cooler than it might sound.

With voice control and recognition technology, you won’t find yourself fumbling for your keys again. (We’re thinking of you, arms-full-of-grocery-bags scenario.)

However, smart locks offer far more than convenience. Let’s say you’re in the bathroom and wonder whether you locked the back door. Simply ask your voice assistant — if you didn’t, go ahead and activate the locks with a command. 

Paired with a smart home surveillance system, you’ll have full security for every room, whether you’re in it or not.

[Related: 7 Reasons To Install a Home Surveillance System]

Controlling Streaming TV

We’ve come a long way from your granddad asking you to get up and turn the TV dial. 

Imagine it’s the weekend, and you’ve crafted your perfect comfy couch haven. Beer and popcorn are at the ready, but you can’t recall where you left the remote … and you’re eager to watch your show.

Skip crawling off the couch and just tell your smart device to start the episode.

Of course, smart home voice control accommodates way more than streaming. With a smart home controller, activate your smart TV, find your flick and set the high-performance audio to the ideal level. (It’s not lazy — it’s efficient.) 

And cost savings factor in, too. If you forgot to turn off the TV while headed to bed, tell your voice assistant to do it. Voila.

Tip: Smart home voice control devices truly make for an impressive home theater. From temperature to lighting to audio, you’ll have a captivated audience and immersive experience. 

[Related: Home Movie Theater Ideas: Your Ultimate Guide]

Turning On the Jams

This is another feature we might take for granted. We know it’s easy enough to scroll through your apps and click a playlist. But smart home voice control gives you that ability from anywhere — and with much better sound!

Let’s say you’re in the middle of cooking dinner and can’t get that one song out of your head. Without washing up or stopping stir-frying, tell your voice assistant to play that song. Now, you may fall down a rabbit hole of ’90s nostalgia as you cook, but you never have to touch a device. 

Add a system like multi-room music, and you carry the mood throughout the house with discreet speakers. Personally, we think premium whole-home music control is amazing (imagine the house-party possibilities). Controlling that sound with only your voice makes it infinitely better.

[Related: How To Build a Premium Home Sound System]

Scoping Your Fridge

It’s bound to happen someday … the in-laws are dropping by for a surprise visit. You don’t know what on Earth you’re going to feed them, and you’re already scrambling to organize the house.

While climbing into your not-so-favorite attire, you ask your smart home hub whether you have enough eggs for a souffle. It checks your smart refrigerator via IoT tech and replies — hopefully with a “yes.” 

OK, maybe that exact situation won’t happen to you. Nonetheless, using smart home voice control devices to check your fridge can be a godsend. At home or in the supermarket, you can check whether you need an item with just your voice, an app and a smart fridge.

It may seem like a minor item on the list, but it has big implications for a simpler life. You waste less food, reduce energy use, save time and avoid unnecessary buys. As a result, you once again save money.

[Related: Smart Kitchen Design]

Taking Notes

Maybe taking notes isn’t as crucial as locking your doors, switching on your floodlights or bumping up the heat. Regardless, it’s one daily aggravation that with voice control, smart home gadgets can handle.

Ask your voice assistant to call your doctor’s office — you’ve been putting off that checkup. Remind yourself to order coffee the next time you shop (your smart fridge can help with that, too). Vocally run through your list of weekly tasks so you can prioritize them. 

The options are up to you, and they’re myriad. Even if you just remind yourself to exercise, keeping track of your tasks (and goals) becomes easy, breezy and consistent.

[Related: 7 Smart Home Gift Ideas]

Contact AV Smart Solutions for the Best Smart Home Voice Control Systems

After running through this list, you might be itching to enjoy the same features. But finding and connecting all these devices might feel like jumping hurdles. Get ready to embrace the comfort, convenience and cost savings that smart home voice control offers! 

At AV Smart Solutions, we’ll nix hassle, prime your home for voice control and seamlessly assemble your systems. We’d love to make your AV dreams a reality with our expertise in the residential, commercial and office environments.

Give us a call at (425) 655-5052, or fill out our online inquiry form. One of our AV specialists will be in touch ASAP.

Featured image via Pexels