Once a thing only dreamt about in the movies Smart Homes are becoming more of a reality. From automated lights to refrigerators that you can see into from your smartphone while at the grocery store, technology companies are making everyday tasks easier and giving us the future that all those movies promised. You can control almost anything in your home from your phone nowadays, but is a smart home right for you? And is it worth it?

There are a few things to consider when making the switch to a technology-based home. First, your level of comfort with technology, as well as that of the other people in the home. If you are not super comfortable with technology then it may not be as easy as promised and become more frustrating than it is worth. If only some people in the home are comfortable, it may involve having both the tech controls AND the manual ones, almost negating any implied convenience. Second, how dependent do you want to be on technology? What if the wifi goes down? If you don’t have those manual options as well, can you survive?

When you get over the initial hype and wow factor of controlling color changing lights from your smartphone, is it really beneficial or is it sometimes more of a hassle?

Don’t get me wrong not all smart technology isn’t worth it. (I myself have a smart plug I use on a timer for a lizard tank so he gets the perfect amount of light and I don’t accidently forget to turn the sun off). But it is worth weighing the long term benefits of a fully automated smart home before going overboard. Some things may be more useful than others.