Martin Chambers, 34, a software developer from Bristol, has transformed his two-bedroom flat into what he calls “a fully integrated smart home ecosystem”. His partner calls it “a very expensive way to make the lights flicker”. We sat down with Martin to discuss his seventeen apps, three incompatible hubs, and the flowchart he consults before using his own bathroom.

So Martin, talk us through a typical morning in your smart home.

Well, I wake up when my smart alarm goes off. Or rather, when my phone alarm goes off at 6am to remind me to check why my smart alarm didn’t go off. Usually it’s because the hub updated overnight and now thinks it’s in a different timezone. Sometimes Jakarta. Once, inexplicably, Buenos Aires.

And then?

Then I need to disable the smart lock on the bathroom door, which requires opening the Lockitron app, waiting for it to connect via Bluetooth, realising the battery died, opening the override panel with a physical key I keep on a lanyard, and entering a six-digit code. This is progress.

You’ve mentioned the bathroom light situation.

Right. The bathroom has three Philips Hue bulbs, one IKEA TRÅDFRI bulb I bought by mistake, and one regular bulb because I ran out of money. They’re controlled by two different apps unless I want to use the Hue Dimmer Switch, which only works if I remember to disable the automation routine I set up in 2021. I have literally created a flowchart. It’s laminated.

Your kettle is also smart?

The kettle cost £140. It boils water via WiFi. Except our router is in the living room and the kitchen is apparently just beyond the signal threshold, so I bought a range extender for £45. The extender creates a separate network. The kettle won’t switch networks. I now have a £185 kettle that I operate by walking it into the living room twice daily.

You mentioned Matter was going to solve all this.

Matter is very exciting. It’s a universal standard that will allow all devices to communicate seamlessly. I’ve been reading about how exciting it is since 2019. I attended a webinar about it last month. Very informative. Forty-five minutes about how it’s definitely coming soon and will definitely work this time. I have three Matter-compatible devices. None of them recognise each other.

Would you say this has improved your quality of life?

Absolutely. Last week I managed to turn off all the bedroom lights using only voice commands, two apps, and one manual override when Alexa thought I said “bedlam shites”. The whole process took under four minutes. My girlfriend just gets up and uses the switch, but she doesn’t understand the vision.

She’s not convinced?

Rebecca is Chief Operating Officer at a logistics firm. She manages supply chains across four continents. She cannot turn on our living room lamp without my assistance. She’s started keeping a camping torch in her handbag.

Any regrets?

None whatsoever. I’m actually planning to add smart radiator valves next. There are only two competing standards and five major apps to choose from. Should be straightforward.

Rebecca is moving out, we understand.

Temporarily. She says she’s staying at her sister’s until I “fix the bloody door lock and let her use the toilet like a normal person”. But I’ve just ordered a new bridge that promises full cross-platform integration. Delivery estimate is four to six weeks. She’ll be back.