We were surprised at how many smart home products were included. The builder gave us the option to install even more devices during construction, but it would have cost us about $2,000 for a few door sensors, two motion sensors, a siren, and two control panels. We didn't choose that option, and figured we could easily install two Echo Hubs (8/10, WIRED Recommended) for less than half that cost.
I was surprised at how much smart home gear came with it at no extra cost. Of course, the builder didn't tell me anything about this and didn't provide some of the devices I wanted, like a smart doorbell. But while I like some of the gear that came with the home, I would have liked the opportunity to shop around and turn down some of the products they selected.
The beauty of the garage
My favorite device is the MyQ Smart Garage Door Opener ($289). The only reason I didn't set it up on day one was because I would have had to wait for the Eeros to power up (my builder included a service to do that for me, but I should have done it myself). I also needed a strong enough Wi-Fi signal in the garage. The MyQ is convenient because it doesn't require a hub and even has a handy little QR code that directs you to download the app. It has a built-in camera that can be used for security (though there's a subscription fee for video storage and better notifications).
Photo: Nena Farrell
If you have multiple users, one person needs to set up MyQ and invite other family members via email. We were in a rush to get it set up, so my husband finished it faster, so MyQ was set up in his name and he invited me in the app, and we were ready to go. We both easily controlled the garage with no further steps or issues. The app shows if the garage is open or closed, and we can both control the garage from anywhere.
The entrance problem
On the other side of the house is a gadget I hate: a Kwikset smart lock. It really makes me miss my old Abode smart lock (8/10, WIRED recommended).
The Kwikset smart lock was a pain from the moment we got the key. It's a Kwikset smart key, so it should be easy to change the lock on the door, but neither my husband nor I could do it. We always have to get new locks and keys when we move to a new house anyway. We decided to ignore the lock issue and just use the smart features for now.