If you're looking to create a futuristic utopia in your own home, then you've come to the right place.
April 9 was the Internet of Things Day (yes, that is a thing), and in a slightly belated celebration of this fact, here's a list of the ultimate smart tech to make your home super-smart.
1. Nest Thermostat
Nest is an intelligent thermostat that learns your daily schedule - when you wake up, what time you leave the house and when you come home - and adjusts the temperature accordingly. The device can also be controlled remotely from your smartphone, and will even detect when you're on holiday.
The Nest Learning Thermostat is a great piece of hardware. It's smart, stylish and a delight to use. The cost can be justified by the potential for future savings, as well as the comfort and convenience of being able to set the temperature of your home from anywhere, any time.
Nest is one of the key components in smart home technology as it acts as a central hub, bringing together over twenty companies with its 'Works with Nest' programme.
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Price: £179 (£249 with professional installation)
2. If This Then That (IFTTT)
If you want all of your devices to work together in perfect harmony, then you'll need some software which forces them to talk to each other. The best application for this is If This Then That (IFTTT), a simple program which allows users to make 'recipes'.
The idea of IFTTT recipes is simple. Users say 'if this happens' then 'this should happen'. This could be anything from, 'if I'm within 5 miles of my home, turn the heating on', to 'if it rains, make my Hue lights blue'. The service is very powerful, and a lot of smart home technology is compatible with it.
Price: Free on iOS and Android
3. Philips Hue Starter Pack
Philips Hue are 'connected' LED lightbulbs. The brightness and colour can adjusted from a smartphone app, and they can also be turned on and off remotely. Hue are definitely our favourite smart lightbulbs as they work with both iOS and Android, as well as third-party software like IFTTT.
The company is also keeping their range updated with new products such as the Hue Go, a battery-operated, portable lamp.
Price: £179
4. Dyson 360 Eye
One day robots will rule us all, but until that day comes, they're content with menial tasks such as sucking up dust from the floor, thankfully.
We've tried several robotic vacuums before and none of them have been as good as we'd hope - but if Dyson's track record is anything to go by, the Eye 360 should be a winner.
The company has spent £5 million on robotics research, and the 360 Eye also incorporates all of Dyson's excellent cyclone systems and cleaning tech. Unfortunately the little robot isn't currently on sale, but it's possible to register your interest with the company now.
Anticipated price: Around £750
5. LG connected appliances
There's a growing interest in connected appliances such as washing machines, dishwashers and fridges. One of the frontrunners when it comes to this technology is LG, a company which has developed an intelligent 'HomeChat' feature, literally allowing users to instant message their appliances.
For instance, you can text your dishwasher to 'start washing cycle', or ask 'what are you doing?' to find out what part of the cycle the machine is on. It's slightly cheesy, but it could also be really useful.
Price: TBC
6. Smarter WiFi Coffee Machine
From the same team that brought us the iKettle, we now have the Smarter Coffee Machine, a WiFi-enabled device that brews coffee from bean to cup.
The advantages are clear. You can start your coffee brewing from bed, or have it ready and still warm for when you arrive home. The app even gives users the option to select how strong the brew is, and with the included carafe, the machine can brew 12 cups at once.
Price: £149.99
7. Android Wear Smartwatch
An Android Wear smartwatch is just like an extension to your smartphone - the added benefit is that it's always accessible. Certain pieces of tech in this list have their own watch apps, like Philips Hue and Sonos (which lets you skip tracks and control the volume from your wrist - we absolutely love this feature).
An Android Wear smartwatch will also work with IFTTT, so the possibilities are endless. We've tested recipes on the excellent Moto 360, and it makes interacting with your home feel very futuristic - but like several other things on this list, it's far from a perfectly seamless process.
Price: from £159.99
8. Belkin WeMo Insight Switch
It you've got something that isn't as smart as you'd like, such as an old slow cooker or fan heater, then Belkin's WeMo Insight Switch is here to help.
The plug connects wirelessly to your WiFi router, and in turn converts anything that's plugged into it into a smart device. The WeMo Switch allows users to monitor energy usage, set schedules, receive notifications and remotely turn appliances on and off.
Price: £49.99
9. Sonos
Sonos is the king when it comes to wireless audio streaming. It's one of the best sounding and most connected devices we've come across. The app which controls the system is well designed, and the speakers are simple to set up.
Sonos also include over 60 streaming services, including big names such as Spotify, TIDAL and Deezer, but also smaller services such as Mixcloud and 22tracks. The ability to control the volume and playback from a smartwatch is also a really futuristic feature.
Price: from £169
10. Amazon Echo
Echo is an experimental device from Amazon that's currently only available in the US, but it's an exciting idea for the future. The premise is simple - it's like Siri built into a wireless speaker and designed to sit atop a kitchen surface.
Users can walk into the room and ask 'Alexa' to play some music, set an alarm, the weather, or any other tasks that a virtual assistant might be able to fulfil. Recently, Amazon allowed this to connect to Philips Hue and WeMo switches, so in the future users will be able to control their entire house with their voice from this single device.
Price: around £150
11. Withings Home
The Home from Withings is a webcam with a wide-angle lens. It allows users to remotely monitor their home on their smartphone and receive notifications if movement or sound is detected.
It can be used as a baby monitor, pet monitor or security camera, and the last 12 hours can be quickly recapped in the time-lapse mode. The device also records the environment's air quality and allows users to talk through the device with a microphone and speaker.
Price: £169.95
