Why Even Use Smart Home System(s)?
When I was watching one of sci-fi’s arguably most iconic pop culture movies, I envied Marty Mcfly’s opportunity to ride on a hoverboard, control his home with his voice, and even communicate with loved ones far away over video call. Today, some of these things can already be done, but very few households have embraced the possibilities of a truly smart home. When my wife and I bought our HDB flat in Singapore, I wanted to try installing some of these home ‘smarts’ to improve our lives. It started small, but now I have seamlessly integrated our home for a lifetime of convenience.
Some of our friends who visited us, have marvelled at how sophisticatedly things were set up. I’d always tell them that it wasn’t that difficult to start, but they’d replied that they didn’t know where to start. YouTube videos were either too complicated, or not informative enough to inform their process of setting up a dream smart home system. So for these friends, this one’s for you. And I assure you, it is incredibly affordable.
Now, some of you at this point might even start to wonder, “What is a smart home?” To break it down, a smart home means automating your home to work for you – it involves a trigger, and an action. So essentially a smart home would enable you to send a voice command (trigger) through your phone or a smart speaker, while a light switch can turn your lights on (action). The smart home system generally revolves around two kinds of triggers – remote switch, or voice. Let me walk you through the two types.
Remote Switches/Sensors-based: Xiaomi Home
Now, at the moment, the most prominent player in the sensor-based platform is actually Samsung’s SmartThings Hub and its supported devices, but it can get incredibly expensive for anyone who dares to buy their products, so let me introduce you to the incredibly reliable underdog – Xiaomi, or rather Mi Home. In China, Xiaomi is the biggest player in smart home devices. You name it, they have it. Smart bulbs, fans, light switches, door and motion sensors, heck they even have smart kettles and rice cookers.
Screenshots of the Xiaomi Home ‘Add Device’ page 
They even have a smart toilet range!
It’s very easy to set up – generally the smart home devices will be connected to a hub. This acts as the brain of your smart home “body”, interpreting your input and corresponding with an action (example: turn on the bathroom lights when the door sensors detect the bathroom doors are closed). Once you’ve added your WiFi details to your Xiaomi smart hub, then you can add your devices one by one.
You can start with a smart light switch, then expand your array of smart switches/lights/fans as you move along. In fact, any smart home system is easily modular and expandable. I have a few of these remote switches on the opposite side of the room from where the light switches would be, so I can easily turn them on when I’m on the couch, or at the kitchen sink doing dishes.(insert photos). There are a few third party brand manufacturers that have also developed smart devices like the Yeelight smart bulbs and the Zigbee smart switches to work with Mi Home.
Disclaimer: Singapore’s official stores currently sell the remote switches, door and motion sensors, smart bulbs, smart plugs, and robot vacuums and mops. But not the smart light switches. If you want the light switches (read at the bottom on TIP) you’d need to make sure you’d buy everything from a third-party retailer and that they work with the Mainland China servers. You can mix and match the two separate servers although I don’t recommend it.
Voice Controlled: Google Home (BroadLink)
Now, similar to Xiaomi Home, Google Home takes in a trigger and performs an action. However, what’s different is that there are many brand manufacturers that design products to work with the Google Assistant.
Screenshots from BroadLink ‘Add Device’ page 
You can even create a ‘virtual button’!
One such ‘sub-platform’ is Broadlink’s suite of smart home devices. They mostly have light switches, and IR blasters (good for ACs, TVs and fans that use IR remotes). And similar to the Xiaomi Home platform, it also usually requires a hub of sorts to be the brain of the smart home, although some devices can connect to the internet directly and be controlled via voice through the Google Assistant (in that case Google Assistant acts as a virtual hub).
You may also control these devices, especially if you have devices from other manufacturers that work with Google Assistant, on the Google Home app, or via Google Assistant on your phone if you don’t have a smart speaker. But, you should totally get one – the Nest Mini at least, it’s less than S$50.
Let’s Compare The Two
Why BroadLink is better than Xiaomi Home?
In Singapore especially, BroadLink’s devices range covers light switches, which is maybe the only reason I might go for BroadLink instead of Mi Home. To use Mi Home’s light switches, I need to get light switches that works with the Mainland China servers instead of the Singapore one. You’d also get more support directly from the manufacturer if you face any problem.
On the other hand, I bought a Singapore Server smart bulb from Xiaomi Singapore, thinking it would work with the rest of the Mainland China ones via the hub, but I was wrong. I brought it back to the store and asked the staff if they could help with either a refund or exchange for something else and they just totally ignored me.
Why Xiaomi Home is better than Google Home (BroadLink)?
Remote switches and sensors! As mentioned above, I have a remote switch under my coffee table that I can press to turn on my living room light and fan. My bathrooms also have door sensors that have been programmed to turn on the lights when the doors are closed, and turn them off when the doors are opened.
I used to have motion sensors to turn on the lights but I quickly realised they were turning on too frequently, even when I just popped in to wash my hands, and I would have to turn the lights off after. In contrast, my dining area is fitted with BroadLink smart light switches and IR blaster and I have to keep talking to Google Assistant to activate them. I programmed a phrase to turn on both fans at my dining area so that’s worth it.
Which One Should You Pick?
Xiaomi Home or Google Home (BroadLink)?
By now, you would have an inkling of which you prefer – Would you rather order a virtual smart assistant like JARVIS (P.S. I love you 3000, Tony), or prefer to have discreet remote switches around your house?
The way I see it:
if you’re an extrovert, go for the voice input.
– Linus
If you’re an introvert, go for the remote switches/sensors
– (your inner voice)
Choose Google Home (BroadLink): If you don’t mind talking to your google assistant/use your smartphone app
BroadLink app Home Screen 
Smart Switches on BroadLink app 
Google Home ‘home’ screen 
Smart Bulb control on Google Home app
If you have a smart speaker like the Nest Hub or Lenovo Smart Display, you can activate your smart home devices by speaking to them. You could also use your smartphone’s voice assistant to activate them, or use the smartphone app(s) to activate them.
If you prefer tactile buttons, or really ‘set it and forget it’ automation, use Xiaomi Home
One of my favourite smart home device under the Xiaomi Home is the remote switch.
One of the main reasons to have a smart home system is to have your home “work” for you, make things convenient. But most of the time, having a way to quickly turn on your light switch across the room just does it for most people.
You could also set up a sensor to activate the bathroom lights, which I find the one most useful smart home feature that anyone should take up.
You’ve chosen the platform, how to start?
No matter which platform you choose –
Start small, then expand slowly.
This is too much! I just want 1-2 smart plugs.
Go for the ‘WiFi’ smart devices! You don’t need a hub and they can connect to the WiFi directly. You can then either control them via the Google Home/BroadLink app or corresponding app. The BroadLink IR blaster(s) works independently without a hub and control multiple devices.
TL;DR: RAPID FIRE 🔥 Q&As
Q: Can I set it up on my own? Or do I need to hire a ‘smart home expert’?
Yes you can totally set it up on your own if you’re decently tech-savvy! My take on it is this – if you know to restart your router (or even set it up in the first place), you can totally do it on your own. Save your money! Unless you have a lot of it, then don’t do it on your own. Call me.
Q: Where do I get them smart home accesories?
Online shopping platforms like Shopee have them in the multitudes. I have bought multiple items from this seller PasiongHome.sg and they have got incredible customer service. I’ve had trouble with some of the items I bought and they have helped me resolve them, or in one scenario they sent a new replacement for a light switch.
Q: Is it okay to mix the two platforms? Does it mean I have to use many smartphone apps to control my smart home?
Check for ‘Works with Google’ 
You can even link Xiaomi Home into the app
A: Yes! Totally. Try to consolidate them into one app like the Google Home if you like to use a smartphone app to activate them. Xiaomi also works with Google Home now, although not all of them are supported (like the light switches). Look out for keywords ‘Works with Google Assistant’ on the boxes or listings of new smart home products.
Q: What do you use?
A: I use both platforms, and collate them on Google Home.
Although I prefer to set-it-and-forget-it and tactile buttons like remote switches under my table to trigger the light switch, something that hasn’t been working out for me is the water heater switch. The Xiaomi water heater switch (with neutral cable) only works with 20L water heater or lower, maximum 25A. So I had to use an alternative that only works with Google Home – the SwitchBot. And since then I’ve been adding smart switches that work with Google Assistant. So, don’t limit yourself! I also bought an inexpensive Wifi smart plug for our Christmas lights, it only costs about S$10 and it works with Google Home without the need for a hub!
Q: Do I need a smart speaker to make the smart home work?
A: No. I’m sure some of you appreciate your privacy, aka no smart speaker or cameras monitoring you at home. Use your smartphone as your ‘smart speaker’. Invoke your virtual assistant (either Siri or Google Assistant) via your smartphone.
Q: Should I be concerned about privacy or Google/Xiaomi having my data?
A: Yes you should be concerned, but only as much as you are about the things you post online. Most smart display have a shutter to close off the camera or the mic, otherwise you can unplug them whenever you’re not using them. If you’re not so particular, you can choose for Google not to save your voice recordings via the Google Home settings.
Q: What about Alexa and the Echo(s)?
A: I personally have used only one echo speaker, and I didn’t like how few smart devices that work with Alexa are sold in Singapore. But the same rules apply if you do start with Alexa – start small and then expand.
CHERRY ON TOP THE SIDE🍒: EXTRA TIPS
TIP: For Xiaomi Home, use the Mainland China Server instead of the Singapore server
As mentioned in my disclaimer in the section explaining what Xiaomi Home is, Xiaomi Singapore hasn’t officially started selling smart light switches to be used in Singapore’s server. So the workaround is to get devices (including the hub) that works with the Mainland China server – Xiaomi sells smart light switches under sister brand Yeelight that works with Xiaomi Home smart devices.
TIP: If-this-then-that Automation
On Xiaomi Home and on the BroadLink app, they’re called scenes. It’s very similar to Routines on Google Home. What are they? You can set some things to trigger on their own without any input, whether voice or a remote trigger. In programming, they call ‘if-this-then-that’. Essentially ‘this’ refers to trigger inputs from sensors, and ‘that’ refers to one of your smart devices being activated, or deactivated.
TIP: Google Home (BroadLink) AND Xiaomi Home also work via Siri on iOS
Ever since Shortcuts came onto iOS, you could start adding specific app commands to Siri. This seems to include BroadLink and even Xiaomi Home on iOS. All you have to do is navigate to your ‘scenes’(from previous tip) and look for this small keywords ‘Add to Siri’. Just type in the key phrase you’d like Siri to recognise to trigger the scene to activate and press ‘Save Shortcut’. Unfortunately Google Home doesn’t support Siri Shortcuts, but there is a way to invoke the Google Assistant via Siri.
- YOU can build your own smart home with this Guide - March 30, 2021
- The Gadgets You Need For Phase 2 - July 14, 2020
- SELL EVERYTHING: 5 Reasons Why I Use Carousell Everyday - June 26, 2020
