Smart Plugs for Beginners
What is a smart plug and how can I use it?
If you are looking to add some ‘Smart’ features to your house that are practical to use & easy to add, start with a Smart Plug. A Smart plug is a power adapter that fits between your power socket & the appliance you wish to plug in. You can actually turn appliances On or Off right from your phone, even if you aren’t at home!
The plug requires no electrical work or nor complex set up of devices. Just plug it into your socket, set up the app in a few easy steps & plug in the appliance.
Let’s look at some possible scenarios.
Limit the amount of time your family spends watching TV or using the smartphones?
Your router or regular TV can be plugged in to a smart plug instead of the regular one. Now set up the smartphone app in a few easy steps to be able to switch off the plug from anywhere in the world. Even if you are at work, you can turn Wi-Fi off, so children will go play outdoors! A great way to have the whole family off their devices at meal times too!
Set up a security system at home while you travel?
This could be the cheapest way to add security to your home. With just a few smart plugs, you can create an illusion of being at home even when no one’s home!
Plug in some lamps, your TV or the music player and schedule them to switch on & off at random times through the day.
Would you like to have your tea or meal ready as you drive home from work?
Connecting one simple thing like your regular electric cooker to a smart plug can make a huge difference to how you do things & give you precious extra time.
If you already use an electric cooker, you probably will start it when you leave for work, so dinner is ready when you return. An electric cooker running all day can add up in electric bills. Or you turn it on once you get home, which means you have to wait while the meal gets cooked.
With a smart plug, you can
- Set up timers, eg. to switch on your cooker at a set time on set days, say Sunday to Thursday at 6.30pm.
- Schedule your cooker/kettle to switch on automatically at 6.30 am every morning
- Switch it on from your smartphone as you get out of bed!
Peace of mind, all day long!
If you are one of those people who wonder all day whether or not you turned the iron off, this plug is for you! You can switch it off from anywhere via the app.
In short, a smart plug could save energy use, cut your electric bills as well as give you peace of mind.
You can order your smart plug here.
Explore more smart home products here
What would you use a smart plug for? Share below in the comments section.