For those who expect more from our smart home devices, it can be frustrating when branded apps don’t do as much as you need them to, or when certain smart home devices don’t communicate with other smart home devices. IFTTT solves many of these problems by creating ways for disparate brands, ecosystems, and devices to communicate. If you’re unfamiliar with IFTTT or If This Then That, this technology platform is worth learning about as it can make your life a lot easier, especially as we slowly slide into fall and winter.
With the days getting shorter and schedules busier, now is a great time of year to start using automation in a smart and productive way for you. IFTTT uses applets, which are like technical recipes, to create triggers and outcomes for your devices. The good news is that IFTTT works with almost every technology brand. Here are some of our favorite IFTTT applets for the fall season.
Automate your morning coffee
When your alarm goes off before the sun peeks over the horizon, it can be difficult to start the day. Imagine what your world would be like if you could brew your coffee and have it ready for you before you get up. Even if you don’t have a smart coffee maker, you can create a smart coffee experience with some gimmicks and IFTTT.
If your coffee maker isn’t smart, plug it into a smart socket, e.g Amazon smart plug (which is quite cheap) so you can remotely or automatically control a coffee maker or kettle. There is also a gadget called Switchbot actively pressing a button on almost any device or machine. Pair any of these devices with this coffee automation IFTTT applet, and it can start the brewing or cooking process when you press the snooze button on your alarm clock. magic in the morning.
Here are some other cool suggestions from the minds at IFTTT to kickstart your morning routine.
Turn the lights on at dusk and off at dawn
It’s always nice to have plenty of light when the days get shorter, but leaving the lights on all day isn’t efficient. A better solution is to automate the entire process. This IFTTT lighting applet uses your location to calculate shifting sunrise and sunset times. Use it to turn your smart lights on and off automatically at sunset and sunrise, no matter the time of year.
Get a freeze alert
Around this time of year, we also worry about the coming cold. One of the most pressing needs for those who enjoy gardening is to know when frost is coming so they can pick or protect the vegetables growing in the garden. This handy plant IFTTT applet uses your location in combination with the weather forecast to send you a note or message when frost is forecast for the next day. No more freeze burned tomatoes!
Find out when snow is coming
The further we get into the winter season, the more unexpectedly it can snow. For those of us who don’t have cable TV and don’t follow the local weather report, there’s the magic of IFTTT to notify you when it’s going to snow. You can have IFTTT send you an email or push notification when snow is coming, or (a personal preference) have IFTTT turn your smart lights blue before all white stuff.
Drink water every hour
As the temperature drops and we spend more time indoors, it can be easy to forget some of the healthier habits we’ve developed over the summer, like drinking plenty of water. This applet will send you a push notification from the IFTTT app every hour on the hour to remind you to stay hydrated.
Get out of uncomfortable situations
We’ve all been in those overly long meetings, awkward conversations with the neighbor, or feeling trapped in a meeting with a long talker. With this applet, you can extricate yourself from almost any situation with a perfectly timed phone call. There are also versions for US phone numbers to get you out of awkward situations and an IFTTT applet for international calls. This is the applet you don’t know you need until you do, so trust us; Install today and thank us later.
Fall is a great time to explore new technologies and get organized. Use our suggestions for these handy applets to get ready for the season, or check out some of the best IFTTT applets.
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