Smart plugs: that’s all you need to know

Smart plugs (or sockets) can improve the connectivity in your home. They connect to a traditional outlet and allow you to turn a “stupid” device (coffee maker, lamp, fan) into an intelligent one. In addition, some of them are compatible with voice assistants such as Alexa or other devices.

Take advantage and browse here for the best mini fridges on the market, the best cheap drones and the best battery packs.

How do they work?

Using a smart plug is very easy. First you have to connect one to the other traditional. Then you connect another device to it (for example, a lamp or some kind of device). Finally, you connect the plug to your favorite virtual assistant such as Alexa or Google Assistant; You can also connect it to the Smart Plug App. It then turns on and stops powering the item connected to it using commands sent from the app or smart home hub and your Wi-Fi network.

What are they used for?

There are many uses for smart plugs. Here are just a few to let your imagination run wild:

• Turn on the coffee pot before you get out of bed.
• Control your air conditioner or heater without leaving your seat.
• Turn on lights even when you’re not at home to deter potential thieves.
• Turn off the oven, curling iron, or hair straightener that you left at the office.
• Turn on the Christmas lights with your voice command.

What to look for before buying a smart socket?

There are a few things you should consider before buying a smart plug.

Voice Assistant Compatibility: First, make sure it includes the type of command system you prefer to use. For example, it wouldn’t be a good idea to buy a merchant that only uses its own app if you only use Alexa. Not all of them are compatible with Alexa and Google at the same time, so you should make sure that what you buy supports your preferred voice assistant.

Power monitoring: By plugging the device into this type of smart plug, you can find out how much electricity it consumes, which can be especially useful if you want to replace it with a model with lower consumption. The plugin records how much power your device is using and then sends a report to your app. Reports range from Programsbut many allow you to see the hours of peak power usage and the amount of power consumed over time.

Scheduled inclusion: Many smart plugs offer the ability to set a schedule to turn the device on and off automatically to save energy. Some smart plugs that do a good job of monitoring power are the WeMo Insight Switch, Elgato Eve, and the D-Link Wi-Fi smart plug.

Surge protection: If you have a work desk or entertainment center, a smart power strip may be a better option than a power outlet.

Additional sockets: If you don’t have enough outlets in your home, it’s a good idea to get some smart outlets.

Location: Some plugs or sockets are designed for indoor use, while others are designed for outdoor use. Among the latter, our favorites include Maxcio, iDevices and Wasserstein. Indoors, the Satechi Dual Smart Outlet is a great option for HomeKit users. ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 is the world’s most flexible smart outlet. It can be used with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Siri, as well as Google Assistant. Do you like any of these options? It also works without a smart hub.

Lamp dimmer: you can use voice commands or your phone to dim the bulbs if you have a bulb plugged into a smart plug that supports this option. Example? This is the Leviton model.

size considerations

Ome smart plugs are somewhat oversized, which means they take up more space in your home than necessary. The size of these devices is sometimes problematic as it can reduce the number of connectors available, so if you don’t want to be bothered by that, you might want to consider a model like the Wemo Mini.

Prices

Most smart plugs cost between $20 and $50. But production costs have come down, allowing manufacturers to produce better products at a lower price. Of course, the more features smart plugs have, the more expensive they will be.