The idea of a smart home was once only a science-fiction dream. But the hard work of manufacturers and tech enthusiasm has brought it firmly to reality, with some caveats. As the idea and execution of a smart home matured, implementation remained costly and complicated, reserved only for those with a wealth of knowledge, or regular wealth to shell out for retrofitting of an existing living space.

Thankfully times have changed and, because of Xiaomi, the smart home dream is more achievable than ever before. Xiaomi’s smart appliance range, available in South Africa, offers a huge variety of upgraded home items that can either be used on their own to improve whatever appliance you have already, or joined together to form one networked solution for all your needs.

Let’s take the kitchen, for example. Old money would have a butler or chef to prepare drinks and food as they please, waking up and coming home to refreshments made for them. You too can have that experience thanks to Xiaomi smart appliances. For drinks, look no further than the Xiaomi smart blender which can be set on a schedule to make fresh drinks at a time of your choosing.

With support for both hot and cold drinks, thanks to the heating plate and high borosilicate glass jar, you’re sorted for shakes, soups, cocktails, smoothies and more.

If you’re a fan of iced coffee, as we are, we’re dying to get one of these blenders with a recommended retail price of just R2 499. Waking up to a freshly blended cold coffee drink sounds amazing and it’s a lot cheaper than hiring a butler to do it or stopping by a coffee shop every day on the way to work.

Drinks are good but for some actual food, you can also smarten up your air fryer. The Xiaomi smart air fryer 4L and Xiaomi smart air fryer 3.5L offer semi-automated cooking along with functions you wouldn’t expect from a regular air fryer. Think yogurt making, defrosting, dehydrating fruit and even baking.

Like the smart blender, these air fryers can be set to a schedule to intelligently cook and prepare your meals ahead of time, serving up hot, fresh food for your return from work, school, the gym or wherever else, as this time-saving tool gives you more space to live life.

Cloud recipes

The more than hundred smart cloud recipes act as a great way to introduce you to your new smart air fryer and all its features with options for beginners all the way up to pros.

Having someone else cook for you is sometimes a great idea when you don’t know what you’re doing in the kitchen, but Xiaomi again has that covered with this feature.

With a RRP of R2 899 for the Xiaomi smart air fryer 4L and R2 399 for the Xiaomi smart air fryer 3.5L, you will find these priced the same as regular air fryers which don’t even have any of this smart functionality.

Leaving the kitchen, you will find Xiaomi offering more for the lounge, bedroom, home office and any other room you can think of. Heat up in this colder than usual South African winter with the Xiaomi smart tower heater lite at R2 199, while keeping the air from going dry thanks to the Xiaomi humidifier 2 lite at R999.

This combo works wonders for keeping the cold away while avoiding the irritations that can come from heating the air. The Xiaomi humidifier 2 lite even comes with silver ion antibacterial technology to ensure clean water storage and keep you healthy, which is a real boon for the flu season where any edge against getting sick is a bonus.

All Xiaomi smart appliances can be controlled on your phone through an app, so you can take care of house matters from afar

Xiaomi has gone even further with its options for smart control over your home, even down to the air itself. The Xiaomi smart air purifier 4 compact, at a recommended price of just R1 999, is a small but powerful solution to air cleaning in your living space. Mount this smart air purifier on the table or floor and watch it go to work with its 3-in-1 filter that catches particles as small as 0.3 microns.

Dust, smoke, fire ash, and even pollen are all caught. Allergen sufferers will find relief here with that least feature, even while asleep as the low operational sound of just 20 decibels is hardly noticeable.

Animal lovers can also use the Xiaomi smart air purifier 4 compact to catch pet hair, dander and odours to keep their homes healthier for everyone. This also means that friends and family who are allergic to your beloved pets can visit with less struggle.

Air purifiers of different sizes are also available in the form of the Xiaomi smart air purifier 4 lite for R3 599, and the Xiaomi smart air purifier 4 for R4 899. There is an air purifier to fit your budget and home size so you can perfectly suit your living situation to your air needs.

All Xiaomi smart appliances can be controlled on your phone through an app, so you can take care of house matters from afar, even when you’re not home. Your journey towards a single smart appliance to enhance your living space, or an entirely smart home, all starts on your phone too. Shop the range of Xiaomi smart appliances from Takealot and Tafelberg today.