More than eight in 10 American homes now contain smart tech, including refrigerators, doorbells and robot vacuums

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More than eight in 10 American homes now contain smart tech, including refrigerators, doorbells and robot vacuums

More than 8 in 10 American homes now contain smart tech — including refrigerators, doorbells, and robot vacuums, according to a OnePoll survey of 5,000 American homeowners conducted from Oct. 1 to 6.

The research found they’ve spent, on average, more than $2,000 on gadgets and appliances that connect to the internet during the past five years.

Fifty-five percent are keen to add to what they already have during the next 12 months.

As many as 58 percent have smart TVs, while 35 percent have doorbells that inform them of visitors, and 14 percent have fridges that notify them when supplies are low.

Smart speakers (36 percent), robot vacuum cleaners (22 percent), and smart locks (15 percent) are also common.

The research, commissioned by Vivint, found that 18 percent can't imagine a world without their favorite tech.

And 1 in 10 upgrade or replace their smart home tech annually, with 37 percent doing so every two to five years.

Real-time alerts or notifications (38 percent), battery backup or power-fail safety (36 percent), and voice or app control from anywhere (33 percent) are the top things they want from their devices.

Twenty-two percent feel there is room for more convenience, customization, and personalization in their current smart device setup.

A similar number (21 percent) said more devices designed around these factors, as well as protection, would significantly improve their day-to-day lives.

The study found that of those who own smart tech, 17 percent are early adopters of new products on the market — purchasing such devices early in their release cycle.

However, 52 percent prefer to purchase smart home gadgets once they already have a proven track record.

And of those intending to invest further during the next 12 months or so, smart lighting (22 percent) is at the top of their list.

Door locks or keyless entry (17 percent), indoor and outdoor security cameras (14 percent and 20 percent), and water leak or flood sensors (eight percent) are also on wish lists.

The study identified the biggest barriers to acquiring smart home devices — either for the first time or as additional purchases.

Cost (53 percent) is the most significant hurdle, followed by privacy and security concerns (33 percent), and how susceptible a gadget might be to glitches (23 percent).

And with 60 percent reporting their utility bills have increased during the past year, 32 percent of smart tech owners cited energy efficiency, monitoring, or reporting as one of their biggest considerations when purchasing such goods.

Sixty-four percent took energy efficiency and the potential financial benefits of this into account, specifically when considering the expense of new devices.

But it’s not just smart tech adopters who value energy efficiency in their electricals.

Four in 10 (40 percent) of those who don’t own any smart tech said energy efficiency would be a key consideration if they were to purchase smart home devices in the future.

While 31 percent of all research participants revealed they’re looking for “smarter” ways to track and manage their home’s energy usage.

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