Uses for smart plugs have evolved with the rising demand for other smart home features. These convenient gadgets allow you to remotely regulate the electricity flowing from your outlets to your appliances. You may also use some of these adapters to save energy to monitor power usage, which can help you save money.
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Smart plugs are the first step long before internet access, home networks, or device-enabled remote control. They are also the foundation of every intelligent dwelling. You may get smart plugs and Wi-Fi outlets in various sizes and pricing points.
Discover the ins and outs of smart plugs and how they may enhance your smart home experience in this brief guide.
Benefits of Smart plugs / Wi-Fi outlet
When it comes to creating a smart home system, smart plugs are a must-have. Small, simple, and adaptable, smart plugs work to turn almost regular electronic devices, from kitchen appliances to air purifiers, into smart devices.
Plugging in a Wi-Fi smart plug is as easy as plugging it into any regular wall outlet. Further steps include downloading an app and linking the plug to your home Wi-Fi network and your smart home assistant, either Alexa or Google Home.
A Smart plug enables you to remotely control any gadget hooked into it through the smart plug’s app. Other advantages include scheduling and automating tasks, utilizing hands-free and voice commands, and reducing your energy cost.
In addition to bridging the gap between your smart home’s traditional and futuristic components, smart plugs are notable because of their increased control over standard electrical appliances or non-smart gadgets.
Note!
If you’re looking for the best smart plugs, look for one equipped with surge protection, energy usage monitoring to help with energy-hungry devices, and scheduling features. This will help you to save energy and money while also making your home smarter. The plug’s app must also support smart home assistant capabilities like Google or Alexa. You’ll be able to control it with your voice. This is a great way to make your home even more convenient.
Here are 10 great uses for smart plugs in your household.
1. Automating your Christmas Holidays
Those who get into the Christmas spirit by decorating our homes with lights confront the age-old challenge of knowing when to turn off the lights. Keeping them on for a few hours after dark while folks are still out is a must so that they may appreciate them.
The last thing you wish to do is walk outside at 10 or 11 o’clock at night to turn them off when you’d much rather stay inside and relax.
And then there’s the issue of turning them on; after all, if you go to the trouble of installing them but forget to activate them more than twice a week, what was the point?
So, using Smart Plugs or Wi-Fi outlets come to the rescue to keep the Christmas lights on and off when you need them the most. Connect some of your light fixtures to a single power strip, and then plug that power strip into a smart plug. Alternatively, you can use a smart power strip if it makes better sense.
Then, at the right time in the evening, you may schedule your lights to automatically turn on and stay on for a certain amount of time. Just think how much time you’d save if you had a smart plug that took care of all your Christmas purchases! You’ll have maximized your holiday spirit!
2. Turn off any TV with your voice.
If you use a smart plug to connect your TV, you can operate it just by using voice commands, eliminating the need to get up from the sofa to look for the remote.
Just ask Siri, Alexa, or Google Assistant to power on or off your smart plug to activate or deactivate a device plugged into it. This also works if you need to turn the TV off so you can bring the kids to the table, you can do it discreetly with a smartphone.
3. Pre-heat your room
A smart plug or a Wi-Fi outlet is an excellent method remotely controls your essential appliances. Such as space heaters to warm a garage or other areas of your home. You can turn the space heater on and off from anywhere, ensuring that the place is comfortable when you arrive and that it isn’t left on unintentionally.
A sophisticated temperature sensor (Thermostat) is required to achieve a certain level of automation, such as guaranteeing a constant temperature. For instance, You may use the thermometer included within the Samsung Smart Things multifunctional sensor to automate the switching on and off a heater based on the ambient temperature.
4. Set Limits for your Children’s screen time
These days, it’s not uncommon to have a TV and video game console in a kid’s bedroom or playtime in the average American home. You may even have access to a computer with parental control software installed for added peace of mind. What about the TV and game system, though? Who knew you could use a smart plug to help with parenting?
The good news is that smart plugs once again save the day. Placing the timer between the appliance and the Wi-Fi outlet will automatically cause the device to turn off at the specified time.
If your kids have been good about earning gaming time, you may want to think about getting a smart plug app. That establishes a connection that a smartphone app may use to manage the game console remotely.
Establish clear screen time limits and expectations with your children in advance, so they’ve had a chance to save their gaming progress!
5. Enjoy the ideal temperature indoors every time it’s hot out.
Have you ever had a scorching day and hoped your air conditioner would turn on automatically? The house would be lovely and cold when you get home, right?
Hello, the future, where you may relax in your comfortable home whenever you choose, whether after a long day at the office, first thing in the morning, or late at night. A smart plug allows you to switch appliances on and off at predetermined periods. That means you may control the start of your air conditioner remotely.
6. Turn on the outdoor lights.
Why not do the same for your outside space when you’ve beautified your inside area? However, you’ll want to use only the best outdoor smart plug for your outdoor needs to ensure your devices stay powered through any weather.
You can control one of these to turn on and off your porch lights, string lights, and garden lights at certain times. To aid in finding your way home or deter potential intruders. Some of the greatest solar lights might be worth checking out if you’re interested in saving money in the yard.
7. Improve the humidity and air quality in your home.
Too much humidity encourages mold formation, while too little may cause respiratory problems and dry skin. Strive for a humidity level of 45% with the help of smart plugs.
Note!
You do not want it to go beyond 50% or below 30%. For better indoor air quality and if you or your loved ones are seasonal allergy sufferers, you can opt for air purifiers paired with smart plugs.
You may use a humidifier or dehumidifier to adjust the relative humidity in a room. An example use case is activating a humidifier when the relative humidity dips below 35% and turning it off when it rises over 45%. You may set your dehumidifier to start at 50% relative humidity and switch it off at 40%.
Therefore, you’ll be able to exert the ideal amount of control.
8. Use smart plugs with your Kettle & Coffee Maker
Smart plug uses are not limited to big appliances. Do you routinely begin your day with a cup of tea or coffee? Do you want hot water for tea or coffee before leaving bed in the morning? A smart plug can make it happen with a couple of twists.
You may pre-load your tea kettle or coffee machine with water the night before and then activate them with voice control or a smartphone in the morning. Configuring the smart plug to start at a specific time would further automate this process, if you’re having trouble try these smart plug troubleshooting tips. In any case, you’ll have coffee waiting for you whenever you need it.
9. Never forget to feed your pet again.
If you have an automatic pet feeder, you can use a smart plug to make it even smarter. By plugging the feeder into a smart plug, you can set and forget it. You can also set a schedule for the feeder, so it will only turn on during certain times of the day.
This is a great way to make sure your pet is always getting the food when they need it, without you having to worry about it. You can use smart plugs with most automatic pet feeders.
10. Increase Home security
One of the best smart plug uses is to increase home security while you’re away or on vacation. By using smart plugs, you can turn on lamps in your bedrooms or even the TV on a schedule to deter burglars. This will make it look like someone is home even when you’re not.
Conclusion
Using a Smart Plug and WIFI Outlets give you more control over your home devices than ever. If you want to save money, monitor energy usage, and the hassle of figuring out which switches you turned on that day, you can let the Smart Plug do the work to concentrate on more critical things. Now, watch the power usage falls as you enjoy your smart plugs.
I hope that reading about these many uses for smart plugs has given you some ideas for how you may begin to use smart plugs in your home.
Thanks for reading to the End!
FAQS
How much energy Do smart plugs use? Does it use a lot of electricity?
Smart plugs don’t use a lot of electricity, but the device plugged in might. For example, if you have a lamp plugged into a smart plug, and the light is drawing 500 watts of power, the smart plug will only use 2-3 watts of power. This is a great way to save energy and money.
However, it’s essential to be aware that not all devices are created equal. Some devices, like LCD TVs, use a lot more power than others. If you’re looking to save energy, it’s crucial to find a smart plug with power monitoring. This way, you’ll be able to see how much energy usage each device is using and eliminate vampire power.
Do smart plugs need Wi-Fi?
No, you have the option to purchase a Wi-Fi/Bluetooth smart plug or a 2.4 GHz and 5ghz Wi-Fi-only smart plug. When looking to buy, be sure that the one you choose supports Bluetooth
Can you plug a fridge into a smart plug?
Yes, smart plugs on the market today are rated for 120 Volts or more. Most refrigerators will require a 20 amp outlet, and the voltage for a 20 amp outlet is 120 volts.
