Haha, I totally get the coffee maker mishap—been there myself. Honestly, smart tech is awesome, but sometimes simpler really is better. I've noticed clients often get excited about automating everything, but later realize certain things just don't need it. Maybe the sweet spot is automating repetitive tasks (like lights or thermostats) and leaving appliances that need human prep alone? Just my two cents...
"Maybe the sweet spot is automating repetitive tasks (like lights or thermostats) and leaving appliances that need human prep alone?"
Totally agree with this. When I remodeled my kitchen, I skipped the fancy smart fridge and went for classic appliances instead—zero regrets. Tech's great, but some things just feel better hands-on...
I get where you're coming from, but honestly, I've found some smart appliances surprisingly useful—even the ones I initially thought were gimmicky. For instance, I was skeptical about smart ovens at first (like, how hard is it to preheat an oven?), but after installing one in a rental property, I realized how handy it can be. One tenant told me she loves being able to start preheating remotely on her commute home, so dinner prep is quicker when she walks in the door.
Sure, some tech feels unnecessary or overly complicated, but sometimes the convenience factor sneaks up on you. I guess it depends on your lifestyle and habits. Personally, I wouldn't dismiss all smart appliances outright—some of them can genuinely streamline your daily routine in ways you might not expect.
I mean, I totally get the convenience angle—who doesn't love the idea of dinner practically cooking itself while you're stuck in traffic? But honestly, sometimes these smart gadgets feel like they're solving problems I never even had. Like, do I really need my fridge texting me that I'm low on milk when I can just open the door and see for myself?
Also, I've had clients who went all-in on smart tech, and then ended up frustrated when the Wi-Fi went down or an update glitched out. Suddenly, their fancy smart blinds wouldn't open, or their lights got stuck in "romantic dinner" mode at 8 am (awkward...). I'm not saying smart appliances aren't useful—some definitely are—but there's something to be said for simplicity and reliability. Maybe it's just me, but I prefer tech that makes life easier without turning my home into mission control.
I get your point about simplicity, but from a practical standpoint, it's really about finding that sweet spot between convenience and reliability. I've seen setups where clients opted for hybrid solutions—like smart lighting that's also operable manually, or blinds with physical override switches. That way, if the Wi-Fi goes down or there's a software hiccup (which inevitably happens...), you're not completely stuck. Smart tech is great, but redundancy and manual backups are key to avoiding those awkward "romantic dinner" mornings.
