College is stressful enough, and while you can’t do much about your workload or the complexity of your major, there are several ways to make it easier. We don’t have personal robots that can do your homework for you yet, but turning your dorm into a smart home is an excellent beginning.
Most people think of a smart home where you have voice-activated lights or adjust the thermometer with your phone. While that can be part of it, there are gadgets such as automated locks, virtual assistants or robot vacuums to make life easier. The best part is that you don’t need to blow through your college fund, either.
You might not pay for your dorm room’s utilities, but leaving lights on unnecessarily is a bad habit that wastes valuable energy. Smart lights let you regulate the brightness, turn them off with your mobile device or shut down when nobody is in the room if they have motion sensors.
Amazon’s Alexa or Google Assistant can be valuable tools for your smart dorm. They serve as central points from which you control everything, but they can also help when you ask a question, need a quick conversion or need help planning your schedule. Virtual assistants are available on most mobile phones, but getting an Amazon Echo or Google Nest Hub with a display is much better.
Students are not the greatest at looking for their possessions, and far too many have misplaced their dorm keys. A smart lock can be a lifesaver, as they lock automatically during specified times, can be remotely opened with a mobile device, and when paired with a video doorbell, lets you see who is there before unlocking it.
Living on a budget is tough, so college students might not have the disposable income to splash out on smart gadgets that switch on and off automatically. There is a way around this, as you can upgrade many “dumb” devices with smart plugs. For example, a desk lamp connects to the wall socket, and you manually flip the switch to turn it on or off. But if you connect it to a smart plug, you can operate it with your voice or mobile device.
If you are allowed to have a small pet in your dorm, there is no reason why they can’t enjoy smart gadgets too. There are plenty of tools to automate meal time with automatic feeders that let you know when the kibble is running low or when you need to give them fresh water.
A. You don’t need a lightning-fast internet connection for smart gadgets to work properly, as no data is downloaded or streamed (unless you have a connected doorbell). Generally, a 2 Mbps connection is perfect.
A. Depending on the Wi-Fi setup in your dorm, you might need a separate router to create a private network. This is the best solution, as the devices then connect to your password-protected network instead of the Wi-Fi connection used by everybody else. If you want to use a wireless printer in your dorm, a private network prevents others from wasting your toner and paper.
A. No, all the gadgets that you’ll need for a smart dorm function on their own without a subscription. However, some paid-for options with Amazon Alexa provide additional, non-essential functions.
DayBetter Smart Light Bulbs 6-Pack
This six-pack of smart bulbs connects to your Wi-Fi networks so you can change the color, brightness and operation. They are compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, but you don’t need a central hub. You can also set them on a timer or according to a schedule.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Amazon Echo Dot (3rd generation)
Amazon’s virtual assistant doubles up as a smart speaker in your dorm. By using your voice, you can control all your smart devices and listen to music through it. The Echo can set timers, tell you about your day and the weather and let you make hands-free calls.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Wyze WiFi & Bluetooth Enabled Smart Door Lock
You can lock or unlock your door from anywhere through the Wyze app. You’ll never have to worry about keys again, as the auto-lock and auto-unlock features do that automatically. It is compatible with Alexa, and sensors in the lock tell you if the door is open or closed.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Studying is crucial for college success, and you want to ensure that you aren’t interrupted. A video doorbell is an excellent gadget to see who is there, and then you can decide to let them in or just chat to them over the speaker. The wired Ring has a 1080p camera, motion detection and night vision.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Amazon Smart Plug - Works with Alexa
Amazon’s smart plug is compatible with Alexa so that you can control the connected device with your voice or the Alexa app. It lets you schedule lights, fans or even a coffee maker to turn on or off automatically. It’s compact enough to leave the second outlet free.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
An automatic cat feeder is an excellent gadget that helps you stay on top of your daily chores. When connected to the Wi-Fi, you can schedule the feeding frequency and the amount of kibble dispensed. You can record a 10-second voice message that plays before each feed.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
Robotic vacuums are generally expensive, but this model will keep your dorm clean at a relatively affordable price. It is connected to Wi-Fi and is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice-activated functions. It senses when suction powers need to increase and does so automatically.
Where to buy: Sold by Amazon
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Charlie Fripp writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
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