Staying in a rented apartment has its pros and cons. One of the biggest limitations is that you can’t design or install the gadgets and appliances that you like. It is especially true if you’ve been meaning to upgrade your home to a smart home. Thankfully, there are few renter-friendly smart home gadgets that you can buy. These gadgets are easy to install and do not require extensive changes to the overall structure of your house.
For instance, you can check out smart door locks that do not require you to remove the deadbolt, or smart light strips that are easy to install. The same goes for security camera and Wi-Fi extenders.
So if you are up for upgrading your home to a smart home, here are a few renter-friendly smart home gadgets that you can buy. But before that,
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1. Indoor Security Camera: Arlo Essential Indoor Security Camera
One of the main advantages of an indoor security camera is that you can monitor your house through an app on your phone. At the same time, it can notify you of any movements in real-time. If you are looking to up the security of your home, investing in a quality indoor camera is a wise step.
The Arlo Essential indoor security camera bundles a slew of attractive features. For one, it notifies of movements via the phone app whenever the camera is triggered. Interestingly, it comes with a privacy shutter which you can enable or disable at your will. The best part is that it’s a simple desk-mount wired camera, which you can place smartly inside your house.
The best part about this indoor camera is that it can distinguish between a person and an animal (among others). Plus, you can also customize the area of action. Moreover, it is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, and you have the flexibility to pick the assistant of your choice.
The camera records in Full HD and delivers clear and detailed video. The folks at Tech Radar opine that the video is detailed enough to let you see clearly inside homes. This indoor security camera doesn’t support offline storage and keeps everything in the cloud. You will need to pay for the Arlo Smart plan subscription to check your recorded videos. It comes with a 3-month free trial.
Alternatively, check out the Blink Mini indoor camera.
2. Wi-Fi Extenders: TP-Link AC1750 Wi-Fi Extender (RE450)
If the Wi-Fi coverage is inconsistent around your house and you can’t update the router due to lease restrictions, a plug-in Wi-Fi extender like the TP-Link RE450 is your best bet.
The TP-Link RE450 is an affordable extender and delivers good throughput speed. Plus, the overall range is also solid. The best part is that it supports a dual-band network, and you can use both the 2.4GHz and the 5GHz network. Although, the latter delivers better speed with less interference.
The design of the extender has three antennas. However, the bulky profile may end up blocking adjacent power outlets, especially if they are close. The setup process is straightforward. You’ll need to follow the instructions on the box and place the Wi-Fi extender to get a strong Wi-Fi coverage.
As noted earlier, the signal strength is solid, and several users have backed this in their reviews. It’s a popular product on Amazon and has amassed a healthy number of positive reviews.
Alternatively, you can check out the NetGear Wi-Fi extender as well.
3. Smart Plugs: Kasa Smart Plug HS103P4
Smart plugs are the best solution to turn dumb devices into smart ones. These plugs connect to the Wi-Fi network and can be controlled by the companion app, Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant.
The Kasa smart plugs come in a pack of 4 and are super affordable. These plugs work over the 2.4 GHz band and are compatible with smart assistants like Amazon Alexa, Google Home & IFTTT. More importantly, they deliver a solid performance.
After you set them up, you can configure them with a digital assistant and the plugs using a smart speaker like Amazon Echo Show or Google Home. It becomes a good setup with routines.
So if you want your coffee to be ready or your water heated at a particular time, you can do so. The connection is stable, and as long as it can connect to a (strong) Wi-Fi connection, these smart plugs will continue to work as advertised.
The Kasa smart plugs bundle a horizontal design and can be a tad difficult to fit into vertical outlets. That said, these are durable smart home devices and can maintain connections, despite the affordable pricing.
Alternatively, you can check the Amazon Smart Plug.
4. Door Locks: August Smart Lock and Connect
Replacing the existing deadbolt in rented apartments can be a little tricky. Hence, buying a smart door lock with a deadbolt is the ideal solution. They fit over the existing locks and don’t need excessive drilling on the door, saving you from the wrath of your landlord.
The August Smart Lock fits over the existing traditional door locks, making it a renter-friendly solution. It features a clean look, with just a turn knob at the bottom. It works via Bluetooth, and you can unlock it via the companion app. And when required, you can use the keys to unlock the doors.
It features cool features like Auto Unlock, DoorSense, and Geofencing. DoorSense is one of the major highlights of this lock. This one alerts the user via notification if the door is left open. Cool, right?
For now, you can set up pins for your guest. Interestingly, you can create schedules and duration for the pins.
The August door lock doesn’t support smart assistants like Google Home or Amazon Alexa. However, if you buy the Connect Wi-Fi Bridge with it, you’ll be able to configure this door lock with your Amazon Echo devices.
5. Smart Light Strips: Govee Smart LED Strip
The Govee LED strip is easy to apply and comes with 3M adhesive stickers at the back. Plus, it is compatible with Alexa, and if you already have an Echo device, you can set up routines and schedules on them. Apart from that, you can also use the Govee app.
The lights are easy to control and respond well to commands. They are versatile, and you can use them anywhere, be it your entertainment room, gaming room, or kitchen. The adhesion is decent, and the lights give off enough brightness.
And guess what? They sync to music as well. Like most of the products on this list, this smart light strip is highly popular. They have more than 50,000 ratings to their credit, with people praising these lights for their adhesion, brightness, and easy-to-use nature. Besides that, they do not cost much.
Smart as a Whip!
These are some of the renter-friendly smart home gadgets that you can buy. Aside from the above, you can check out smart outdoor adapters, light switches (if the lease allows replacing), and smart power strips.
Last updated on 23 June, 2022
The above article may contain affiliate links which help support Guiding Tech. However, it does not affect our editorial integrity. The content remains unbiased and authentic.
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DID YOU KNOW
Amazon Alexa can also double up as a home intercom system.
