How to Smartify Your Home

Automatic Shades

Lutron’s Smart Bridge ($120) triggers the brand’s Serena remote-control shades (from about $349) to open when you arrive home or close when you leave. Slick.

Thermostat

The Ecobee3 (about $229) can leverage your phone’s GPS to adjust the temp as you come and go. Its unique remote sensors ensure the bedroom isn’t broiling at night.

Smart Plug

Turn on lamps and such plugged into iDevices Wi-Fi Switch (about $60) by setting your iPhone to trigger it when you walk in the door or simply asking Siri to activate it.

Door Lock

Schlage’s Connect (about $199) dead bolt opens with a PIN code or an app, and can signal a Z-Wave hub to, for example, activate lights or other connected devices.

Doorbell

Vivint’s HD Doorbell Camera lets you clearly see and speak with visitors, and the app logs video clips of activity. Available with a $60 per month monitored security contract.

Router

Securifi’s Almond+ router (about $250) sets up in minutes (sans computer) and doubles as a hub to command other Z-Wave or ZigBee devices.