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Enter the time of day you would like your smart plug to perform the specific action. Note: You can set it up to perform this action as repeatedly as you want. Another point to note is that the MiHome Wi-Fi Smart Plug supports 13 amp devices, whereas some of the cheaper offerings are limited to 10 amps – or less.
The Hive Active Plug is also relatively small, making it one of the most discreet (if not stylish) options available. However, we did run into some initial hiccups during set up[, so you may need to persevere. There’s even an ‘away mode’ which will turn a light on and off randomly, to make it look like you’re still at home. There’s also a button on the plug if you want to use it manually. The plug is really designed as an accessory to add lamps to your Wiz smart lighting setup – and the app has a circadian rhythm feature where you can set all your Wiz lights to help you relax or wakeup. But you can put anything you want into this compact smart plug and turn it on or off, set a schedule for it or create a scene. There’s also a vacation mode that will simulate presence for you.
Some smart plugs connect to your smartphone using Bluetooth, but that means you’ll only be able to control them if you’re close by. However if you’re the forgetful type that struggles to remember to turn devices off, a model with Wi-Fi built-in or that uses a bridge to connect to the internet and relay instructions from the cloud, will ensure it can be switched on or off even if you’re no longer at the property. This very simple routine will now automatically turn on your bedroom light when you say “Alexa, good morning”, and then one hour later the lights will automatically turn off. You can easily add other devices and actions to this routine, like getting a weather report or turning on your coffee machine. You can even chain a few wait commands in there to have an ongoing routine that turns things on and off according to the timers that you’ve set up. The Kasa smart home lineup has cameras and smart light bulbs too, so you can kit out a decent smart home with these products. This will let you group multiple devices together, use Scenes to tell different devices to do different things with one tap, and create Automations so your lamp can turn on when your camera senses motion.
Tap on When This Happens, and choose how you want to trigger the Routine. This could be a set time, or a voice. command like “Alexa, good morning.” One way is to use the IFTTT(If This Then That) service, which lets you pair restrictive smart home devices with some third-party apps. RingFor Alexa and Google Assistant-based smart homes, the TP-Link Kasa KP303 smart power strip is a worthy choice if you need several smart plugs in one location. It’s easy to use and even has a handy Away mode that will turn the plug on and off at random time. That's ideal if a radio or lamp is connected to one of the outlets, and you want to to help deter unwanted intruders. There are plenty of smart plug models from different brands available. It goes without saying that not all smart plug models come with a timer. Only certain models do and these include but are not limited to the following; Wyze It offers almost all of the functions we’d expect, such as being able to set schedules and even create automations where other TP-Link branded products work in tandem alongside the smart plug. There are also two USB ports on the power strip. Although these aren’t smart, these are still handy if you need an extra outlet to charge your devices, for example.
Importantly, its compact design means it won’t obstruct neighbouring plug points. It also features an on/off switch and status light, so it can be turned off without the app. It’s easy to set up and use as well. Pros: Reliable app with good features; easy to set up Cons: Quite large; energy monitoring costs more Routines are generally set to operate at a specific time, but they’re actually pretty flexible if you want to do something more in depth, like turning things off after they’ve been on for a specific time. For example, if you know that you’re always out of the house within an hour of waking up, you can set your Routine so that everything that has been switched on is turned off again an hour later. That way, you don’t need to worry about shutting things down before you head off to work. As you might expect, there’s integration with Alexa and Google Assistant so you can control power to the connected device using your voice instead of opening up the app each time. It also works with IFTTT. Rather than using Wi-Fi, the switch uses Bluetooth. This makes it easy to set up and also means you don’t need to have a hub connected to your router. However, it does limit the range over which it can be controlled. It will work in most UK homes, but if you want to control it when away from home, you’ll need an Apple TV (3rd generation or later) or a spare home-based iPad (newer than iPad 2) running at least iOS 8.1.Storage & organisation Furniture Textiles Kitchenware & tableware Kitchens Lighting Decoration Rugs, mats & flooring Beds & mattresses Baby & children Smart home Bathroom products Laundry & cleaning Plants & plant pots Home electronics Home improvement Outdoor living Food & beverages Christmas Shop Shop by room It can’t monitor how much electricity is being used, but it does support Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT, which are more useful features for a lot of people. It’s just a shame that the instructions aren’t particularly clear on how to set this up. Eve energy is the best plug for anyone who has Apple products in their lives. It’s a well-built, highly effective gadget which works brilliantly with Apple HomeKit and its Siri personal assistant. To control the plug when you’re not at home you need an Apple Home Hub, in the form of either a HomePod or Apple TV, and you need an iPhone to use it. Thread compatibility has arrived recently with this latest version – thread technology is designed for smart home applications to improve connectivity so they are more robust and more responsive. It means that there’s no need for a central hub. Instead, compatible devices work together as a mesh network (the more Thread devices, the stronger the network). It connects to an existing power outlet and can be used with any appliance that has a standard plug on it - the possibilities are endless. Smart plugs can also be useful for monitoring how much energy an appliance is using. The figure, which is usually in Kwh can be viewed in the companion app. However, some smart plugs also allow you to add the energy cost and work out a monetary value for this energy usage too. Do smart plugs help you save energy?
We tested the Meross plug by hooking it up to a television and connecting it to all three voice assistants. We were able to turn the TV on and off with voice using Alexa, Google or Siri, which is very useful in our test household, where we’re eternally confused as to who controls what. The perils of life as a smart home tech reviewer. You also have the option to automate by weather conditions and device status or to set up a one-tap system that has your plug switch on at the same time as other smart products (so you can, for example, turn on all your lights at once). Smart plugs can save you money, but only if you’re the sort of person that forgets to turn off electrical devices. For example, if you leave your laptop constantly on charge, even when the battery is full it will continue to use energy, or perhaps you regularly forget to lights, side lamps, or the radio off when you leave the room? If so, then using a smart plug could be the answer. Do smart plugs work with Alexa (and other voice assistants) While it can be a little fiddly getting it set up, once you’ve got your Routines going, they can really make your life easier and save you a lot of time. You’ll never have to worry about whether you’ve left the oven on again, as you can be sure that you’ve already told Alexa to turn it off for you (though you don’t need to tell whoever you’re using it as an excuse that, of course!). Enter the time of day you would like your smart plug to turn off. Plus, you can set it up to have this schedule repeated as much as you want.
How Does It All Work?
You can turn the switch on and off via the Apple Home app in iOS 10, or using the Eve app. There’s a button on top for manual control as well.
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