Had to laugh at the fridge story—my brother did something similar with a smart camera in his pantry, just to mess with his wife’s shopping list.
I totally get the frustration—resetting smart bulbs with a flashlight is not my idea of progress. I’ve got an old house, so I’m always weighing “smart” upgrades vs. keeping things simple. The thermostat’s been a win here too, but I’m curious: has anyone tried integrating smart stuff into homes with old wiring or weird layouts? Sometimes I wonder if the tech is more trouble in quirky houses like mine, or if there’s a trick to making it work without losing your mind.
I’ve got an old house, so I’m always weighing “smart” upgrades vs. keeping things simple.
I hear you on the “resetting smart bulbs with a flashlight is not my idea of progress.” That’s the kind of thing that makes me question if we’re actually making life easier or just adding new headaches. I’ve worked on a lot of older homes, and honestly, integrating smart tech can be a mixed bag. Sometimes it’s smooth, but other times you’re fighting with knob-and-tube wiring or weird switch placements that just don’t play nice with modern gadgets.
One thing I’ve noticed: smart thermostats tend to be the least painful upgrade, probably because they usually only need a C-wire (which, granted, isn’t always there in old houses). But when it comes to smart switches or outlets? That’s where things get dicey. Half the time, you open up a switch box and there’s barely enough room for the original wiring, let alone a chunky new device.
Have you run into issues with WiFi coverage too? Some of these old houses have walls that eat signals for breakfast. I’ve seen folks try mesh networks or even powerline adapters, but it’s hit or miss depending on how the house is wired.
I’m curious if anyone’s found clever workarounds for three-way switches or those old push-button light switches. Sometimes I wonder if it’s worth retrofitting everything or just picking a few “smart” battles and leaving the rest alone. There’s something to be said for not overcomplicating things—especially when you’re dealing with 80-year-old plaster and lath.
Anyway, I get where you’re coming from. It feels like every time I try to make something “smarter,” I end up learning more about my house than I bargained for... and not always in a good way.
Yeah, I totally get what you mean about learning more about your house than you ever wanted to. Every time I open up a wall or a switch box, it’s like a time capsule—sometimes cool, sometimes just confusing. I’ve run into the same thing with smart switches, especially in those shallow metal boxes from the 40s. There’s barely room for the wires, let alone a big plastic switch that needs a neutral.
WiFi is another beast. My place has plaster walls with wire mesh, and it’s basically a Faraday cage in some rooms. Mesh WiFi helped a bit, but honestly, I still have dead zones. Powerline adapters were a bust for me—my circuits are too old and weirdly split up.
As for three-way switches, I tried those Lutron Caseta ones that don’t need a neutral and use their own remote for the second location. Not perfect, but less hassle than rewiring everything. At this point, I’m just picking my battles. Some stuff is better left “dumb,” especially if it works fine as-is. Sometimes simple really is smarter.
