Here’s How You Can DIY a Smart Home Experience for as Low as RM20!
The idea of a smart home may seem distant for many of us. Oftentimes, building a fully intuitive smart home starts with the blueprint — and a very fat bank account. Unfortunately, not many of us have that luxury… but who says we can’t DIY a similar experience?
The core concept of a smart home is to make our lives easier. The truth is, we can do just that — if you’re savvy enough to know where to look. We do, and we’re going to show you some of the best affordable tech you can purchase for a smart home experience.
Starting with…
Rechargeable Pet Water Fountain with Sensor
This is honestly purr-fect for those of you who have pet cats or dogs at home. An automated pet water fountain makes life easier for both you and your fur-kid, as you no longer have to worry about water feeding times. The best part? You can get one for less than RM100 — we got ours for RM88.79 on Shopee!
Think of this like your typical water dispenser at home, except it’s designed specifically for pets. It dispenses water automatically from a water tank into a stainless steel dish and even comes with a filter to remove sediments.
There are plenty of models out there, but I particularly liked ours because it comes with three modes: Sensor, Timer, and Standard. In Sensor mode, water is only dispensed whenever your pet is near, thanks to an infrared sensor. Timer mode dispenses water once every 15 minutes. These modes are great for rationing and ensuring your pets don’t get too bloated from drinking too much water.
As for Standard mode, it continuously dispenses water non-stop but can only be activated when plugged into an outlet via a USB-C cable. The other two modes can be operated without plugging in, as the dispenser has a built-in 2,600mAh battery (just remember to charge it every now and then!). If you need a longer-lasting solution, there’s also an option with a larger 5,200mAh battery.
It may sound complex, but don’t worry — installation is super simple. You just need to place the three components in the correct order: Water Tank > Control Panel (the layer with button controls) > Steel Dish. We literally took five minutes — including unboxing — to fit the whole thing together.
Motion Sensor Lights
Ever seen one of those movies where the lights turn on automatically the moment the main character walks in? Those are simply motion sensor lights that activate whenever they detect a moving object.
Cool? Very much so. Expensive? Not really! Motion sensor lights are easily accessible on Shopee for less than RM20. Our particular choice was the SPRISE Motion Sensor Night Light, which cost only RM19.99 per unit — and gets cheaper the more units you buy.
These lights are installed via a magnetic strip and adhesive tape and can be placed wherever you see fit. Bedrooms are a good spot, so you no longer have to stumble through the dark to get to the loo. Alternatively, installing them on staircases is also a great idea — especially for households with elderly members.
Motion sensing aside, our SPRISE unit also functions as a standard on/off light. These modes are easily toggled via the switch at the base, so you can choose whichever suits your setup best.
Smart Home Video Doorbell
Ever wanted to see who’s at your door without actually opening it? That’s exactly what smart home video doorbells offer — and you can get one for less than RM150. Again, there are plenty of options available on Shopee and Lazada. The unit we chose was the Andoer Wireless Doorbell Camera, which we bought for only RM146.97.
This unit was great for us as it didn’t require any drilling or hacking into the walls. Of course, that’s still an option — the package comes with screws and brackets too. However, you can also install it with a long, thick strip of adhesive tape that’s included in the box.
What makes this particular doorbell great is that it comes with an HD camera that you can sync to the CloudEdge app on your phone. This allows you to see who’s at your door even if you’re not at home — and even talk to them via the intercom feature in the app.
From what we’ve found, other smart doorbell models don’t have app integration, meaning the only way to monitor the doorbell is through a separate screen. These work fine, but you won’t be able to monitor things remotely.
The unit we purchased also comes with a chime, which I must say is really, really loud. Other features worth noting include its night vision camera, a siren alarm (which can be enabled through the app), and real-time alerts whenever someone rings the doorbell.
Automatic Fingerbots / Smart Button Pressers
Have you ever been so comfortably tucked into bed, but you still need to get up to switch off the lights? We’ve been there, and it’s a total joykill. This is where automated fingerbots thrive.
If you didn’t know about these ingenious gadgets, get ready to have your life changed. The beauty of fingerbots is their simplicity. It’s essentially a mechanism with an extended hammer that rotates to push your light switches into the on or off position.
There’s no drilling required, as most units come with strong adhesive tape. You just need to position the fingerbot in the optimal spot to ensure the hammer can flip your switches easily. Then, simply pair it with your phone — usually done via an app — and voila, you can turn your light switches on or off from anywhere.
Fingerbots come in many shapes and sizes. One of the most reliable brands is SwitchBot, which specializes in home automation gadgets to make life easier — like their Smart Button Presser. You can purchase this on Shopee for a little over RM100, and we can say with full assurance that we were more than happy with ours. It uses 3M tape for super strong adhesion, and pairing via the SwitchBot app was easy too.
Alternatively, you can opt for fingerbots with a longer hammer that allows both clockwise and counterclockwise rotation for greater flexibility.
Automatic Curtain Openers
If you’ve ever wanted your curtains drawn without having to scoot off your comfy couch, this is for you. Curtain openers allow you to draw and close your curtains all through your phone, usually via an app. The unit we tested was SwitchBot’s Curtain 3, which is compatible with the SwitchBot app (the same app used for its Smart Button Presser).
Before you get this, though, you will first need to determine your home’s curtain rail. The good thing about the Curtain 3 is that it caters to U Rail, I Rail, and Rod-type rails, all of which are common in Malaysian households. The rail type will determine the attachment mechanism that’s connected to the curtain opener – so make the right decision!
For our home, we opted for the U Rail model. If you’re worried about size, don’t be. The package comes with hooks of five different sizes to suit your rail’s dimensions – all of which are easily detachable. Setting up is easy thanks to the manual, and only took about five minutes.
Once it’s installed and paired with the SwitchBot app, you can easily control the Curtain 3 through your phone. Not only that, you can even schedule when the Curtain 3 should draw or close the curtain, or set it to always open whenever it senses light.
Admittedly, the SwitchBot Curtain 3, while reliable, is quite pricey. It retails between RM399 (for U Rail models) and RM499 (for Rod-type models), though discounts can sometimes see prices drop to RM349. Nevertheless, automated curtain openers will surely appeal to those seeking to automate their homes!
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