If we lived in an ideal world, today all outlets would be smart. Light bulbs do it! But, alas, everything is not so simple.
One of the simple and obvious reasons why smart plugs have not become popular, at least at the same level as smart light bulbs, is the very principle of their operation. Almost all solutions on the market look the same: it is a large adapter attachment that fits into a regular outlet.
These adapters take up a lot of space and stick out unattractively from the wall, which is of no importance in interiors. It is not always possible to install them at all – for example, for sockets behind a sofa or, say, behind a microwave in the kitchen, because there is not enough free space.
It’s a shame, because smart plugs aren’t that useful. And amenities too. Akara agreed, so the company released its first smart plug. Aqara H2 socket (EU) integrates into the Aqara Home ecosystem using the Zigbee protocol and solves all of the above problems at once.
Sales in Russia are already problematic. We installed such houses and protested. We share the process, opportunities and impressions.
Unpacking Aqara Wall Outlet H2, what’s included
Socket, fasteners, installation rules.
I know it’s incredible. But I wrote it down just in case.
What the Aqara H2 wall socket can do
Universal compatibility. The Aqara smart socket is 55mm in size and easily fits into most standard electrical circuit boards in Russia. There is no need to pick or finish anything if you find a regular outlet in place.
Load up to 16A. The socket is designed to connect powerful electrical appliances with power up to 16 amperes. This is already the maximum for household (non-industrial) sockets, instead of which you will store the Aqara H2 wall socket. That is, you will not lose anything in the compatibility of parts.
Electricity consumption statistics. The device provides accurate data on energy consumption and a graph of their changes over time, which allows you to know exactly how much a particular electrical appliance in the house will consume. A special useful topic that pays at a differentiated rate.
Automation based on energy consumption. Energy consumption data can be used to create automations in the Akara smart home. For example, after charging the electric scooter, you can receive or activate other smart home devices (as an option, start blinking the LED strip in the kitchen or work area).
Grounding. The socket has a grounding contact, ensuring safe use. In general, it’s a small thing, but many sockets already have power, including those installed by developers. Still a plus.
Power status memory. If the power goes out, then after turning it back on, the outlet remains in the same state (on/off). It may seem fragile to some, but most smart adapter sockets do not retain their state after losing power, but Akara does.
Zigbee relay. The smart plug is used as a Zigbee signal repeater to increase its coverage area and stabilize it.
Easy to install. Installing a smart socket is no different from a regular one, as you can now see for yourself.
How to store the Aqara Wall Outlet H2 smart socket
The installation process, as noted above, is really no different from any modern and ordinary outlet. You will need the fasteners included in the Phillips screwdriver kit. For everything about everything, taking into account the twisting, it is already assumed that 5 minutes will be enough.
There is no performance in design due to the “smartness” of the outlet. Just be careful. Turn off the outlet on your home circuit breaker, or better yet, turn off the entire power supply to the apartment. And if you don’t know where to connect, call any electrician.
The installed socket looks no different from a regular one, and rightly so. The only thing is that for some, the white case may not fit the interior. Therefore, we hope that Akara will subsequently release models in other popular colors.
To use the socket, you must have one of the following Aqara smart home “hubs”:
▪ Camera-hub Aqara G3
▪ Camera-hub Aqara G2H Pro
▪ Akara M1S Gen2
▪ Akara Hub M1S
▪ Akara Hub E1
▪ Akara Hub M2
After installation, just open the Aqara Home application and add a “home” to the socket, following the instructions on the screen.
What are your impressions of the Aqara Wall Outlet H2 smart socket?
In our case, the use of keys for such a socket is charging an electric scooter.
For a restful sleep and additional fire safety, electric scooters should be disconnected from the power supply after the charging process is completed. Even if you have an expensive and modern model with all sorts of protections and active cooling of the battery, it is better to be safe than to take risks.
And here Aqara Wall Outlet H2 (EU) shows itself perfectly. Reportedly, when the electric scooter is charging, it shows the energy consumption during the entire process and, if necessary and ensuring automation, turns itself off. Pull out the plug later when it is convenient.
You can monitor the operation, energy consumption and manage the status of the outlet through the proprietary Aqara Home application. Also, the outlet is correctly recognized in the Yandex smart home with Alice, including showing energy consumption.
Universal design, ease of installation, convenient remote control, easy integration into a smart home, useful statistics and automation – this is all about Aqara Wall Outlet H2. There are no complaints about it; the advantages compared to plug-in sockets are obvious. Hopefully some more colors will appear later.
You can already buy this built-in socket in Russia for 4990 rubles.
📸 All photos in the article:
Source: Iphones RU
I am a professional journalist and content creator with extensive experience writing for news websites. I currently work as an author at Gadget Onus, where I specialize in covering hot news topics. My written pieces have been published on some of the biggest media outlets around the world, including The Guardian and BBC News.
