A few decades ago, smart gadgets would have been considered expensive science-fiction toys reserved for the elite. However, in the past few years, cool smart gadgets have steadily made their way into consumer markets at affordable prices. Besides being conversation pieces, smart gadgets can also serve many practical purposes. If someone from your family forgot to lock the front door, you can remedy that by locking the door with your smartphone. Your yard can be monitored and watered while you are on vacation. Smart technology is just plain cool, and we all enjoy playing with cool new gadgets. Here are just a few that have entered the marketplace.

Smartphone-Controlled Sprinklers

A third of US households have already adopted some form of smart home technology. For example, a smartphone-controlled sprinkler system is one of the most practical smart gadgets to integrate into your home. Not only can it help you save on your water bill, but it can also streamline the watering of your yard. Some sprinkler systems allow the separation of your yard into zones, and you can regulate the watering frequency of each zone. In addition, some systems will also factor in the forecast and give you alerts if rain or extreme heat may necessitate changes from your usual watering frequency.

Smart Fridge

Smart fridges are still in their infancy, but the existing models have interesting features. Most current smart refrigerator models feature a touchscreen and a voice assistant to help track inventory, the location of items, grocery lists, bar code scans, recipes and expiration dates. The next generation of smart fridges is expected to have even more personalized interactive features.

Smart Thermostat

A smart thermostat can be a great energy-saver. You can control your cooling and heating settings remotely and save on your utility bill. If you had activated economy mode during the night and forgot to turn it off during the day, you can shut it off remotely. You can even set vacation modes, so you don't lose your preset settings. Many systems will send you data reports each month so that you can analyze your usage. You can also request a comparison of your usage compared to the average of other users in your region.

Smart Security System

A smart security system can leave you feeling safer while on vacation, at work or at night. From basic to optional features, a smart security system can be integrated with other features to thoroughly monitor your home from the interior to the exterior. If your smart security system is integrated with your gates, you can open, close, lock and unlock gates remotely. If your doorbell is merged into your system, you can see, hear and speak to your visitors through it. Smart locks allow you to lock or unlock your door remotely.

Smart gadgets are great additions to your home. They can make your home more cost-efficient, secure and convenient. While certain devices are currently more developed than others, you can bet more and better technology is coming.