Six useful devices for most homes are a printer, a video doorbell, a pouch laminator, a robot (smart) vacuum, a smart thermostat and an air purifier. Each solves one everyday job: printing, seeing who is at the door, protecting documents, routine floor cleaning, lowering heating and cooling costs, and filtering airborne particles.
Key Takeaways
- A smart thermostat is the device with the clearest published savings: according to ENERGY STAR, certified models save about 8% of heating and cooling bills on average, or about $50 a year.
- Size an air purifier by its clean air delivery rate (CADR); the EPA recommends at least 130 CFM for a 200-square-foot room.
- A pouch laminator protects documents; food bags need a heat sealer or vacuum sealer instead.
- Video doorbells and robot vacuums are connected devices, so secure the Wi-Fi network and account that runs them.
- Printer running costs depend on ink or toner as much as on the printer price.
Homes are meant to be a place of convenience. It’s usually where we do the bare minimum work. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, people looked for ways to handle small everyday tasks without leaving the house.
That demand for convenience has created a whole category of home devices designed to save time and effort.
World Of Tech
In today’s world, almost everything has a technological aspect to it. The advancements in technology have made it possible for us to make working anything more convenient. Below we will discuss some of the devices that have made working and living at home easier and more comfortable.
Printer
One of the most common devices at home these days is a printer. With a click of a button and everything you need will be printed out for you. However, it wasn’t so simple a while ago.
Printers were not so common. Anyone who wanted a print had to go to an office or a stationery shop. However, over time, they are now readily available and cheap as well. Thus allowing more and more people to purchase them in homes.
Printers remain useful in a largely digital world. During the COVID-19 pandemic, many students, teachers and office workers studied or worked from home, and for forms, assignments and signed documents printing is essential. A home printer saves a trip to a print shop or library, and for households that print regularly it is a practical everyday tool rather than a luxury.
Video Doorbell
In this time and age, security is a growing concern. Due to constant demand, such goods have constantly been upgraded. It is now possible to keep an eye on everything digitally.
One of the most prominent examples of such products is a Video Doorbell. It allows you to watch whoever is at your door through a video camera installed in the doorbell. The camera can deter some unwanted visitors and records who came to the door, but a doorbell camera does not physically stop an intruder.
This technology has allowed people to keep an eye on their houses even when they’re not home. It is especially useful for working parents with children at home, who can check on a phone who comes to the door. It adds peace of mind while you are out, and it works best alongside good locks and other security measures.
CCTV cameras can cover the same area, but a video doorbell combines the camera with the doorbell button, motion alerts, smartphone notifications and two-way audio in one device at the front door.
Pouch Laminators
Many people open a pack of food and save the rest for later, and food left open can go stale or spoil. Two different devices are often confused here: a pouch laminator seals documents such as ID cards, recipes and certificates inside plastic film, while food bags are resealed with a heat sealer or a vacuum sealer.
Packaging pouches for food and other goods are a separate product from laminating pouches. Laminated pouch manufacturers make packaging pouches for food and other goods. For documents, the matching product is a laminating pouch: a plastic pouch, usually sealed on one edge, coated inside with a heat-activated film.
One pouch laminator can take several pouch thicknesses. According to Wikipedia, standard home and office machines normally use 80 to 250 micrometre pouches, and the most common thicknesses are 3, 5, 7 and 10 mil. Most home models fit on a desk; prices vary by model and retailer, so check current prices before buying.
Smart Vacuums
Gone are the days when you would have to manually vacuum every inch of your house. Smart vacuums are devices that vacuum your house for you.
They navigate through rooms with built-in sensors, and many newer models map the home with lasers or cameras instead of moving at random. They are a great way to stay on top of everyday cleaning. A robot vacuum saves time on routine floor cleaning, although it is small, takes longer than a person with a full-size vacuum, and uses anti-drop sensors to avoid stairs rather than clean them.
Smart Thermostats
Smart thermostats are devices that automatically adjust your cooling and heating. They follow a schedule and, on many models, learn from occupancy sensors, your phone’s location (geofencing) and the temperatures you choose. Then they use this information to adjust cooling and heating.
You can also put a maximum and minimum temperature limit. According to ENERGY STAR, certified smart thermostats save about 8% of heating and cooling bills on average, or about $50 a year, and savings can be greater depending on climate, comfort preferences, occupancy and HVAC equipment. Over time, those savings can help recover the purchase price.
Air Purifier
Many households buy an air purifier to reduce dust and other airborne particles indoors. An air purifier uses a filter, often a HEPA filter, to remove some of these particles from the air. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) notes that no air cleaner or filter will eliminate all of the air pollutants in a home.
Some models are sold with extra features such as humidifiers or fragrance diffusers, so check what a specific model actually does. The EPA advises avoiding air cleaners that intentionally produce ozone, which is a lung irritant.
Air purifiers are sold in most large stores and online. Prices vary widely with size and filter type, so compare the clean air delivery rate (CADR) with the size of the room before buying.
Conclusion
There are many other products as well that make life much easier at home. These six cover printing, front-door security, document protection, floor cleaning, heating and cooling, and indoor air, which are everyday needs in most homes. With the advancements in technology day by day, we have witnessed even more improvements and new products.
The COVID-19 pandemic, which the World Health Organization declared over as a global health emergency on 5 May 2023, led many people to spend more time working and studying at home. New models keep adding features, so compare current specifications and reviews before buying.
Must-Have Home Devices Compared
The table below summarizes what each of the six devices does and the main specification to check before buying.
| Device | Main job | What to check before buying |
|---|---|---|
| Printer | Prints documents, forms and photos at home | Inkjet or laser, and the cost of ink or toner |
| Video doorbell | Shows and records who is at the front door | Battery or wired power, motion alerts, two-way audio |
| Pouch laminator | Seals documents and cards in plastic film | Supported pouch thickness (3 to 10 mil is most common) |
| Robot vacuum | Handles routine floor cleaning on its own | Navigation type (sensors, laser or camera), self-emptying dock, mopping |
| Smart thermostat | Schedules and adjusts heating and cooling | Compatibility with your HVAC system, ENERGY STAR certification |
| Air purifier | Filters airborne particles in one room | HEPA filter, CADR matched to room size, no ozone output |
How to Choose a Home Printer
Home printers are mostly inkjet or laser models. Inkjet printers spray tiny droplets of liquid ink and are the most common type of printer bought by consumers; personal inkjet printers typically print about 6 to 25 pages per minute. Laser printers use toner and a xerographic process and are known for fast, high-quality text and graphics.
Running costs matter as much as the purchase price. Many manufacturers follow a “razor and blades” model: a cheap printer with expensive ink, or a more expensive printer with cheaper consumables. Households that print a lot should compare the cost of replacement ink or toner, not only the price of the printer. For a deeper comparison, see this guide on whether an inkjet or laser printer is better.
What Does a Video Doorbell Do?
A video doorbell, also called a smart doorbell, is an internet-connected doorbell with a built-in camera. It activates when a visitor presses the button or when its motion sensor detects someone, then sends a notification to the owner’s smartphone. Most models include a microphone for two-way conversation, and some work with smart locks.
Video doorbells run on batteries or are hardwired to existing doorbell wiring. Because they connect to the home network, security matters: researchers have shown weaknesses in some models, so keep the firmware updated, use a strong Wi-Fi password and protect the account with a strong, unique password. For a wider plan, read this step-by-step guide to installing a home security system.
Pouch Laminator or Food Sealer: Which Do You Need?
A pouch laminator and a food sealer solve different problems:
- Pouch laminator: passes a plastic pouch through heated rollers under pressure, so the heat-activated film inside bonds to the document. It is used for items such as ID cards, certificates, recipes and signs.
- Heat sealer: joins thermoplastic materials such as plastic bags using heat and pressure. Impulse sealers heat only while current flows through the element.
- Vacuum sealer: removes air from a bag before sealing it, a common choice for storing food.
Buy the device that matches the job: a laminator will not keep an open bag of snacks fresh, and a food sealer will not laminate a document.
How Robot Vacuums Have Improved
Robot vacuums have been on the market for decades. The Electrolux Trilobite appeared in 1996, and the iRobot Roomba, launched in 2002, was the first commercially successful robot vacuum. In 2010 Neato Robotics introduced laser-based mapping so the robot could clean in systematic straight lines, and by 2015 Dyson and iRobot used camera-based mapping.
Current models can add wet mopping, app control over Wi-Fi, HEPA filters, anti-drop sensors and docks that empty the dustbin automatically. The trade-offs are slower cleaning than a full-size vacuum, replacement costs and privacy and security concerns, because these are connected devices. Beginners can compare options in this guide to a vacuum cleaner built for first-time buyers.
Do Smart Thermostats Really Save Money?
Yes, on average. According to ENERGY STAR, certified smart thermostats are independently certified using actual field data, and savings average about 8% of heating and cooling bills, or about $50 a year. ENERGY STAR also notes that heating and cooling make up almost half of the average American household’s annual energy bill, more than $900 a year.
Features to look for include smartphone control, geofencing that detects when you leave or return home, automatic learning of temperature preferences, over-the-air software updates and a low-power standby mode. One known limitation is that a thermostat’s built-in motion sensor can miss people who are home but not near it, so check the occupancy settings. More ideas are in these energy saving tips for your living space.
How to Size an Air Purifier for a Room
The EPA recommends matching a portable air cleaner’s clean air delivery rate (CADR) to the room. The higher the CADR, the more particles the unit removes and the larger the area it can serve.
| Room size | Minimum recommended CADR (EPA) |
|---|---|
| 200 sq ft | 130 CFM |
| 600 sq ft | 390 CFM |
CADR ratings apply to particles only; according to the EPA, there are no widely used rating systems for portable air cleaners designed to remove gases. The EPA also says filtration does not replace controlling pollutants and ventilating the home, and an air cleaner will not resolve a mold and moisture problem. Whole-home filtration is covered in this article on how your HVAC filter affects indoor air quality.
Common Mistakes When Buying Home Devices
- Choosing a printer on purchase price alone and ignoring the cost of ink or toner.
- Buying a pouch laminator to seal food, or a food sealer to protect documents.
- Buying an air purifier with a CADR too low for the room, or one that intentionally produces ozone.
- Leaving default passwords and old firmware on connected devices such as video doorbells and robot vacuums.
- Buying a smart thermostat without checking that it works with your heating and cooling system.
For more connected-home ideas, see this list of smart home devices worth investing in.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the most useful devices to have at home?
A printer, a video doorbell, a pouch laminator, a robot vacuum, a smart thermostat and an air purifier cover common household needs: printing, front-door security, document protection, cleaning, heating and cooling, and indoor air. Which ones are worth buying depends on how you use your home.
How much can a smart thermostat save?
According to ENERGY STAR, certified smart thermostats save about 8% of heating and cooling bills on average, or about $50 a year. Savings can be higher depending on climate, comfort preferences, occupancy and HVAC equipment.
What size air purifier do I need?
Match the clean air delivery rate (CADR) to the room. The EPA recommends a minimum CADR of 130 CFM for a 200-square-foot room and 390 CFM for a 600-square-foot room.
Can a pouch laminator seal food bags?
No. A pouch laminator bonds plastic film to documents and cards. To reseal food bags, use a heat sealer, or a vacuum sealer that removes air before sealing.
Does a video doorbell need Wi-Fi?
A smart video doorbell connects to the internet to send smartphone notifications and live video, usually through the home Wi-Fi network. It can run on batteries or be hardwired to existing doorbell wiring.
