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I've become a fan too. at home with the kids it's just practical when my hands are full and i can turn the lights off via app or voice. especially at night when i'm breastfeeding or whatever and don't wanna get up lol. regulating the heating also saves real money if you use it properly and don't just play around with it.
but yeah, you gotta know what helps you personally. for me it's really just the basics - lights, heating, maybe a smart doorbell sometimes. i don't need all that other stuff, some things are just gimmicks anyway. and security matters too, not all systems are equally well protected.
if you're out a lot or at home and have practical things like a dryer or heating, a small setup probably makes sense. just start with one thing and see if you need it instead of spending hundreds right away. in 2026 the prices are way better than they were a few years ago anyway.
It depends on whether you become too reliant on the automation later on - I've already seen people go blind to actual problems (leaky windows, broken heating) because the app "takes care of" everything and they don't even notice anymore when something goes wrong.
At my place you really notice the difference mainly when it comes to saving energy - I've networked my devices so they automatically turn off at night, and that actually saves something on the electricity bill.
What nobody mentions: if you need different routines for different rooms (some lights dimming while others turn off completely), that really saves you time with the programming.
But honestly, in the end I mostly just use the heating and a couple of lights - all the rest is really overkill.
I think it really depends on your situation. As someone who's on the move a lot for work, I can relate to that - when I get home after a long day at work, it's just nice to have the heating already set to the right temperature or the lights turning on automatically. It saves me time and energy that I'd rather use for other things, like my hobby, baking. I'm grateful for every moment I save there.
But I wouldn't say it's just a gimmick if you use it sensibly. The thing is simply: not everything needs to be smart. Automating lights and heating is actually pretty practical, especially if you're away from home for long periods or have routines that repeat regularly. It actually does save electricity and adds to comfort too. Where it gets annoying is when you start connecting everything possible just because you can - and I agree with you on that. Ultimately you have to decide for yourself what features you're actually missing in your daily life and whether the investment is worth it. If you have two or three specific problems that smart home could solve, then it makes sense. Otherwise I'd skip it.
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