Staying at home has definitely helped us cut costs on many aspects of our lives; but evidently, our utility bills have been rising since the start of the pandemic. With this, we’re definitely welcoming every tipid tip available. Our latest hack? Installing smart faucets in our kitchens and bathrooms!
Also read: How to Transform Your House Into a Smart Home on a Budget
What are smart faucets?
Smart gadgets are all the rage right now. Adding to the list of automated home items, smart faucets are basically faucets with intelligent features like hands-free functionality, temperature control, and water consumption monitoring.
While smart faucets aren’t a household staple in the Philippines yet, we certainly have access to them as early as now. In fact, you can buy a branded smart faucet online for as low as ₱950!
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Pros of using a smart faucet
1. It helps reduce water consumption
Smart faucets turn off automatically, which help users reduce water consumption. And as you might already know, water conservation is beneficial for both the environment and your wallet.
Do note that different smart faucets offer different sensor types and usage times; some turn off after seconds, others after minutes. The Xiaomi Smart Faucet in particular has two sensors: the side sensor and the bottom sensor. Its side sensor, ideal for cooking or washing dishes, automatically stops water from running after three minutes. Meanwhile, its bottom sensor turns the faucet off as soon as it doesn’t detect movement. This feature helps conserve water while washing your hands or brushing your teeth.
2. It prevents the spread of germs
Hands-free smart faucets are very useful during COVID-19, a time where everyone avoids touching surfaces. With either voice control or motion-activated sensors, smart faucets prevent the spread of germs and bacteria.
Even when you’re living alone, the hands-free feature of smart faucets is useful. For one, it prevents cross-contamination, which can easily happen while you’re cooking. With a smart faucet, you can finally stop touching faucet handles before handling your food!
3. It reduces cleaning time
The touchless feature of smart faucets also means you’ll encounter fewer fingerprints and dirt on them. Hands-free faucets during cooking also mean less grease and residue ending up on faucet levers. Safe to say, with less contact involved, smart faucets remain clean for longer periods of time.
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Cons of using a smart faucet
1. It’s more expensive than the regular faucet
As with all other smart gadgets, the smart faucet is an investment. While it may eventually help you cut costs on your water bill, it can still be costly for most of us.
2. It needs to be charged
If your smart faucet is powered by a battery, you’ll need to charge it from time to time. The good news is that most smart faucets, including the Xiaomi Smart Faucet, last for as long as three months upon charging.
3. It might encounter technical problems
Technology is far from perfect. Installing a smart faucet increases the risk of technical issues, such as sensor malfunctions. Unarguably, this can be cumbersome, especially if you’re not keen on operating devices.
Also read: 7 DIY Home Essentials (Mostly Natural and Low-Waste!)
Right now, we’re seeing limited choices for smart faucets in the Philippines. So sadly, we don’t really have the option to choose the best smart faucet to cater to our needs. However, this budget-friendly smart faucet seems like a good device for us to try out — especially since most of us aren’t used to the device yet.
Want to try out a smart faucet for yourself? Add this to your cart now!
All images credited to Lazada.
