Smart devices, appliances and solutions such as Smart Lighting are becoming more and more popular in Essex homes. Now you can make your old plug-in appliances ‘Smart’ with Smart Plugs.
A Smart Plug plugs-in to your traditional sockets you then plug-in a traditional appliance such as a lamp into your Smart Plug.
Your lamp can now be controlled by an app on your phone, a smart hub or a voice control device.
Now you can turn your lamp on and off from anywhere and set times to turn it on or off; Smart Plugs can be used with virtually any plug-in appliance. Used correctly, they will make your day to day living and energy consumption more efficient.
For example, before you go to bed, fill the kettle and put some bread in the toaster, make sure the smart plugs are off, and both devices are in the on position. You then set the kettle and toaster to switch on as soon as you wake up, by the time you get down stairs the water’s boiled and the toast is ready, so you can make your cup of tea and butter your toast instantly.
Plug-in lamps can be set to come on as soon as it gets dark, you have lights ready when you come in from work, and have lights when you’re on holiday increasing the security of your home, Smart Plugs work with outdoor lighting also. The possibilities with Smart Plugs are endless as they can be used with any plug-in device; you just need to use your imagination.
Some Smart Plugs even track energy usage so you can single out expensive to run appliances and change for more energy-efficient ones if necessary.
Buying Smart Plugs and using with your traditional appliances is a cheaper and more environmentally friendly option than throwing out your old devices and replacing with new smart devices. They are relatively inexpensive starting at around £12.99 for a Basic Smart Plug that doesn’t require a hub and connects with wi-fi and is compatible with Alexa, Google Home, IOS and Android.
There are more expensive versions available that go up to around £50 many of these require a hub these do however provide more options and versatility.
Some Smart Plugs are available with remote control; Smart Extension leads are on the market also so you can run and control multiple appliances off of a single socket.
You can buy Smart Plugs from most Electrical Stores, DIY Stores and Amazon who make and sell their own Smart Plug that’s compatible with Alexa which allows voice control.