Building a smart home? Having Internet-enabled smart plugs gives your project a good head start. Not only do smart plugs give you better control of the appliances you own, but they also save you money on your electric bills. They do so by turning off any unused devices and consequently reducing passive power consumption.
With such handy innovations like smart plugs at your disposal, you can turn household appliances on/off from anywhere using the Internet, monitor power consumption in real-time, and even set automation rules/schedules so such smart gadgets can adapt to your lifestyle. It’s a big help to anyone who has to deal with skyrocketing utility bills.
If the idea intrigues you but you’re not so sure where to begin your search, here are a few of the best ones on the market today:
iHome iSP5 Wi-Fi SmartPlug ($38)
Using the iHome SmartPlug with your iOS device is frankly easy and fun! It allows you to organize your home into zones and rooms for better management. Additionally, the SmartPlug runs a broad platform support that allows it to work well with a variety of smart home solutions such as Echo, Wink, Amazon, Nest, and Apple HomeKit.
TP-Link Smart Plug ($30)
If you’re constantly traveling and you don’t want people to know that you’re not around, this smart plug will be a godsend. Simply switch to TP-Link Smart Plug’s away mode so any connected devices can randomly turn on/off. This functionality may give the impression that somebody is home, which could keep crooks at bay while you’re on vacation.
Wemo Switch ($35)
Because it works in conjunction with Amazon Echo, you could easily command Alexa to turn this smart plug and the appliance attached to it on/off. Quite useful when you’re the type who loves to multi-task with the household chores. You can control fans, lights, and appliances using WeMo Switch through your smartphone anytime, anywhere. Plus, you can set the system up in just minutes!
Panasonic KX-HNA101W Smart Plug ($35)
The Panasonic Smart Plug has unique DECT technology to create a hub that can control up to 50 plugs simultaneously. You could make your home or apartment smarter in just one go! As long as you’re within 1000 ft of the plug, you can remotely trigger all your plugged electronics.
D-Link DSP-W215 Wi-Fi Smart Plug ($26)
The novelty of going to your phone to control every plugged gadget will eventually wear off. You want something that allows you to put your gadgets on a daily schedule. That way each of them will automatically turn on/off at an assigned timeframe. This is pretty much what you can do with a D-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug. In addition to its ability to make your plugged devices adapt to your lifestyle, it also has an integrated heat sensor that turns off any machine you forgot to turn off.
Whether you’re a fan of the whole smart home trend or not, getting a few of the smart plugs we’ve listed for your humble abode is an undeniably sensible decision. Not only do they bring comfort and convenience to your living space, they’ll help you save on electricity.
Interested in knowing what other smart appliances you can get for the house? Here are some of the best smart home products for every part of the house.
