Amazon Alexa is quickly becoming a staple in homes everywhere.
Always having your virtual assistant around can make living in your home a lot easier, but do you have to have a smart home for Alexa to work?
You don’t need to have a smart home for Alexa. Alexa offers many beneficial features that aren’t related to a smart home, such as setting alarms, searching the internet, and playing music. However, without a smart home, you won’t be able to experience all that Alexa has to offer.
The rest of this article will cover what a smart home is and how it works, how you can use Alexa without a smart home, and what benefits Alexa adds with a smart home.
I’ll also discuss which smart home devices are compatible with Alexa.
What Can Alexa Do Without a Smart Home?
Although smart homes are becoming more popular, many people don’t have all the smart home features.
However, that doesn’t mean you can’t still have a virtual assistant at your fingertips.
Without a smart home, you can still use Alexa to check the news, play music, set alarms, or find answers to your questions online.
There are also many other benefits, including calling or sending messages, telling Alexa to add something to your shopping cart, and playing fun games.
While Alexa has many capabilities without a smart home, she can do so much more with one, making life a lot easier.
Learn more: Why is my Alexa responding so slowly?
Alexa Smart Home Benefits
Amazon created Alexa with smart homes in mind.
A smart home, or home automation, controls the lighting, temperature, entertainment, security, and other appliances around your home.
You can control these appliances either by talking to Alexa or using an app on your phone.
Alexa-Compatible Smart Home Devices
Alexa works with many third-party devices to make your home more automated and intelligent than ever.
Some devices, such as lighting, can even help save you money in the long run.
I’ll discuss many different Alexa-compatible devices below and tell you how these devices, paired with Alexa, can make your life easier.
Smart Light Bulbs
Installing smart light bulbs like this one around your home is the first step many people take to converting to a smart home.
So, those of us who are too lazy to get back up and turn off the kitchen lights no longer have to. You can just tell Alexa to do it.
The Lumiman Smart Wifi Light Bulb is one of the most top-rated light bulbs on Amazon.com.
Not only are these light bulbs compatible with Alexa, but they’re color-changing, adjustable, dimmable, and can work on a timer.
Read also: 5 Ways To Make Alexa Turn Off Lights After a Certain Time
Smart Plugs
Smart plugs are essential in a smart home. They’re very convenient and can help save you money.
The Amazon Smart Plug from Amazon.com has over 400,000 positive ratings and is one of the most popular Alexa smart home devices.
This smart plug is super easy to use—simply plug it into any outlet, plug in whatever device you want Alexa to control, and set it up in the Alexa app.
For example, if you plug a fan into the smart plug, simply say, “Alexa, turn on the fan,” and suddenly you’re feeling a lot cooler!
With the smart plug, you can control lights, fans, and appliances by setting up a timer on your device.
Doing this can help save money on electricity bills by keeping track of energy consumption.
If there’s a lamp you always forget to turn off, or if you want to fall asleep with a fan but not have it running all night, smart plugs are great for monitoring your electricity use.
Smart Locks
Smart Locks work wonders for keeping your house protected.
You no longer have to worry if you locked your door before going to bed. You can just ask Alexa to do it for you or check on your Alexa app.
The Schlage Lock Company Smart Lock from Amazon.com is compatible with Alexa, and it’s an excellent option if you’re looking for a smart lock to add to your smart home.
This smart lock has built-in WiFi, so you can lock or unlock your door from anywhere.
It’s easy to install, and it offers built-in alarm technology, so you never have to worry.
Smart Thermostat
Using a smart thermostat is another great way to save money while also being extremely convenient.
The ecobee Lite SmartThermostat from Amazon.com offers various benefits to your smart home, and your voice can control it.
All you have to do is tell Alexa to change the temperature.
You can set this thermostat to change the temperature throughout the day to save you the most money.
For example, if everyone is at work or school, you can set the thermostat to turn off when you’re gone and turn it back on by the time you get home.
You can save 23% annually on heating and cooling costs compared to a regular thermostat.
Smart Security System
You can also equip smart homes with smart security systems that are compatible with Alexa.
While there are many versions, I recommend the Ring Alarm Home Security System from Amazon.com.
It comes with three different options to fit your needs:
- The basic ring alarm
- Ring alarm with an indoor camera
- Ring alarm with a video doorbell
This security system has many add-ons that you can buy to make it even better, including extra sensors and smoke and CO listeners.
If there’s ever a time when your security system is triggered, it’ll immediately notify you on your phone.
As it’s compatible with Alexa, you can also tell Alexa to arm or disarm the security system, making it easy to do both from your home or outside your home.
Which Alexa Device Should I Get?
There are several different options when you’re shopping for an Alexa, and while each one offers very similar components, they’re different in many ways.
I’ll go over some of the most popular Alexa devices and how they differ from each other.
Amazon Echo Show
The Amazon Echo Show is excellent for long-distance families. It provides a smart display, which you can use to make video calls.
The smart display is also helpful in the kitchen when you need a visual to look up recipes.
There are several different versions and generations to choose from, each one ranging in size, price, and functionality.
The Echo Show is an excellent device to have with a smart home because of the touch screen display.
For people with a smart security system, the Echo Show can allow instant access to any security camera.
So, instead of having to go on your phone, you can ask Alexa to show you your security footage.
Amazon Echo Dot
The Amazon Echo Dot is another popular option for Alexa. It has a small, inconspicuous design, so it doesn’t take up a lot of space.
It comes in different variations, including:
- Echo Dot with Clock
- Echo Glow
- Echo Dot Kids Edition
This device is excellent in bedrooms or other areas where you might need quick access to Alexa.
While this device may be smaller, it still gives you quick access to Alexa, and you can control your smart home by adjusting lights, locking doors, or changing the temperature.
Amazon Echo Studio
Amazon Echo Studio is the best Alexa device for listening to music due to its great-quality speakers, which makes this good to have in bigger rooms or areas where you often play music.
Echo Studio is compatible with all Zigbee devices, meaning you can control all of the smart home devices in your house with Echo Studio by asking Alexa to do it.
Final Thoughts
Having an Alexa in your home will make things easier.
This virtual assistant is great to use even if you don’t have a smart home.
You can ask her questions, get the weather reports, set alarms, and even add items to your grocery list.
However, having a smart home will allow you to get the most benefits from Alexa.
Smart home devices such as lighting, plugs, locks, thermostats, and security are mostly compatible with Alexa, letting you control all the essential aspects of your home easily.
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