5 Kinds of Unnecessary Smart Home Devices I Evade

Smart home devices can really increase the efficiency of our homes. But that doesn't mean they're all worth your money. Besides being expensive, the wrong smart home devices can also attach a layer of complexity to your daily routine and compromise your home security. With that said, here's a look at five smart home devices I don't think I'll ever buy.

Smart Refrigerator

Are smart refrigerators worth the hype? I don't think so. There may come a time when smart refrigerators will be our choice. But until then, I'll stick with my regular "dumb" refrigerator.

Sure, a smart refrigerator allows you to remotely control certain aspects of your refrigerator, such as adjusting the temperature or viewing the contents without opening the door. But these features come at a hefty price, and I'm not entirely sure they're worth the investment. I'd rather save money on my initial purchase and avoid potential headaches later if the software crashes or breaks.

Smart Pet Feeder

There are tons of smart home devices for pets these days, from security cameras to smart water fountains and self-cleaning litter boxes. And while I use many of these for my cats, one thing I still worry about is the smart pet feeder.

This idea sounds really simple, especially if you are going to be far away from home, but there is a possibility that the device could malfunction. All technology fails from time to time, and if it does, I want my pets to not starve until I get back. So, until a more foolproof smart feeder comes along, I'll stick with a regular bowl and feeding schedule.

Smart Toaster

I can see the appeal of some smart home devices, even if I don't personally buy them. But a smart toaster is something I can't get behind. These devices let you choose your preferred toasting level from your smartphone, offer faster toasting speeds in some cases, and even let you toast two slices of bread at different levels.

And while these are useful features, my biggest issue with the Smart Toaster is its price. Not everyone can or wants to spend a few hundred dollars on an appliance that basically just toasts bread. And most people don't need the kind of advanced features these appliances offer unless they're incredibly particular about their toast. For the average human, a basic toaster does the job just fine.

Smart Washers and Dryers

You perhaps already know what smart washers and dryers are and what they can do, but are they cost the money? For some, they may be. These devices allow users to start and manage cycles when they are not at home and check progress remotely. Moreover, some of these devices can be more energy efficient than regular machines.

But despite these profit, I don't see myself purchase. While the ability to manage my laundry remotely is nice, it's not really necessary for me at this point, especially since I still have to manually load and unload my laundry.

Additionally, smart washers and dryers can be quite expensive, and let's not forget that a malfunction in the line will also cost more to repair. At least for now, a simpler device is better.

Smart Toilets

One smart restroom contrivance that I can not see myself ever investing in is a smart restroom. They come with a lot of bells and hisses, from automatic flushing to heated seats and occasionally indeed health monitoring features.

But they're often expensive and installation can be difficult (you'll even have to pay someone good money to do it). I'm also not satisfied with the amount of data sharing required with some smart toilets. At the end of the day, I prefer a simple toilet that is technology-free and will serve me reliably for years.

Not every contrivance is inescapably a smart device. When it comes to these types of bias, I'd rather conclude for simpler technology.