In recent years, there’s been one real winner in the bricks & mortar retail scene. Who would have thought that humble old Kmart, where your mum bought your Dunlop Volleys for primary school would earn a reputation for on-trend homewares & cult budget clothing buys?
Whilst you might be comfortable picking up a new $29 rug on your next trip, it probably seems like the last place you’d find quality smart home solutions.
Well you’d be surprised…
Kmart now stocks a wide range of smart home products, catering for every budget.
The Kmart Smart Home range includes the usual Google & Amazon options but also includes some under-popular lower-budget brands: Anko & Mirabella.
In fact, if you’ve been reading my other articles or smart home guide, and waiting for the right moment to dabble in smart home tech, Kmart may be a cost-effective, low-risk way you can jump in.
What’s the Kmart Smart Home Range like?
Smart Assistants
Both the Google Nest Mini & the Amazon Echo Dot are available at Kmart. These are always my recommended starter smart assistants as they offer the best value & easiest setup. If you’re looking for something more premium, Kmart also stocks the Google Home Hub, which offers the benefit of a screen. Check out Kmart’s range of Smart Voice Assistants Here
Kmart’s Smart Lighting
Kmart has a HUGE range of smart bulbs, which should suit almost any outlet or existing lamp. Also, Kmart’s smart home range has are both indoor & outdoor lighting options.
The Anko & Mirabella Genio are two well-known brand names in the affordable electronics space (think regular light bulbs, power boards etc. We’ve been using Mirabella-branded bulbs in our house for years albeit the non-smart kind. See Kmart’s range of Mirabella Genio Smart Lighting.
Plus, the benefit of Kmart is that if you need a new, affordable & on-trend lamp – it’s just a few aisles over from the smart tech!
Smart Plugs & Smart Power boards
Smart plugs & smart power boards make it easy to control a bunch of items from the one (smart) source. Kmart has two main options to integrate into your existing electronics. The Mirabella Genio Wi-Fi Adapter & the Mirabella Genio Wi-Fi Powerboard – Check them out here
Security Cameras & Smart Video Doorbells
Kmart smart home range includes a few security cameras & smart video doorbells. They are quite affordable compared to other solutions on the market. In the interest of full disclosure, at the time of writing, I’ve not tried these, but the reviews on the Kmart website look good.
See Kmart’s Range of Wifi Cameras here.
Audio & Visual Products
Google Chromecasts are one of the easiest ways to upgrade your TV watching experience and are readily available at Kmart.
We recently bought a Google Chromecast Ultra for my parents and they love it – an affordable way to make any TV smart.
An interesting item in this category, is the Mirabella Genio Wi-Fi Smart IR Universal Remote Controller (details here). I bought this little device & I’ve currently got it connected to Alexa, so allow me to control my TV using my voice.
So far it’s going well. Theoretically, this device can be configured to control most any infrared-controlled devices. This includes many AC’s, fans, TV’s and more.
Kmart Smart Home’s Quality & Performance
With industry-leading smart assistant brands and streaming options, there are no concerns there – you’re getting great quality for (sometimes) a few dollars cheaper at Kmart.
The lighting options they provide are extensive. The few we’ve used have performed reliably, especially for the price. Same goes for the smart power boards and plugs, affordable & so far reliable.
As a side note, we control all of our devices via a smart speaker, using voice & routines. What does that mean in this context? It means, after the initial setup, I don’t use the provided phone applications. So just take that into account, when reading this article.
Kmart Smart Home: Any Downside?
The only one is the level of help you’re likely to get from the Kmart sales associates. Whilst most of them are very well versed in helping you find stock levels or processing returns; they’re not likely to be experts in smart home technology.
If you’re adding to an existing (complicated) set-up or have a lot of questions, it might be best to start at a more specialised retailer like JB Hi-Fi.
However, if you’ve read a few of my blog articles, have a good idea of your desired set-up or just want to add a few smarts to your home (such as a new smart lamp) – then swinging by your local Kmart for your smart home tech will likely save you some money.
