What uses have you found for smart plugs?

[DoubleFlyaway]

I’m getting really into this HomeKit thing. I’ve got one smart plug on my Christmas tree and also a bunch of smart bulbs for my lights. And I’m thinking that in the summer, smart plugs would be good for window air conditioning units, so I can turn on the AC shortly before I come home. (I’m not going to do anything techie and try to do something with the thermostat for the heater— plus I doubt my landlord would want that.) What other ways do you guys use smart plugs?

One thing I’ve thought would be cool is setting up an automation to open the garage door when I get home and shut it when I leave. But just cutting on/off the power to the garage door opener wouldn’t do that.

 

[jljue]

Turning off the heater in my son’s room in the morning, in case we forget when taking him to school in the morning.

 

[cynics]

I have a USB charging station that works perfectly however it makes a very faint but insanely annoying buzz when all the devices are completely charged.

So I have the USB charging station plug into an iHome smart plug. When I turn on the office light (smart switch) it activates a trigger to turn off the smart plug which shuts off the USB charging hub and the buzzing doesn't drive me insane. When the light turns back off it turns the plug back on.

So ya, a smart plug is my solution to a problem that shouldn't exist.

I use one for a coffee maker at a specific time.

And I used to use one for an ex's hair straightener because she would often forget to turn it off. That was set to turn off when no one was home.

OP: Make sure you are using smart plugs that can carry 15amp/1800watts for those Air Conditioners. That isn't typically a supervised device and it when they fail (compressor pulling lock rotor amps) can easily max out the circuit. Anything less then the breakers rating becomes a potential point of failure (melted, burned up outlet).

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

I have a USB charging station that works perfectly however it makes a very faint but insanely annoying buzz when all the devices are completely charged.

So I have the USB charging station plug into an iHome smart plug. When I turn on the office light (smart switch) it activates a trigger to turn off the smart plug which shuts off the USB charging hub and the buzzing doesn't drive me insane. When the light turns back off it turns the plug back on.

So ya, a smart plug is my solution to a problem that shouldn't exist.

I use one for a coffee maker at a specific time.

And I used to use one for an ex's hair straightener because she would often forget to turn it off. That was set to turn off when no one was home.

OP: Make sure you are using smart plugs that can carry 15amp/1800watts for those Air Conditioners. That isn't typically a supervised device and it when they fail (compressor pulling lock rotor amps) can easily max out the circuit. Anything less then the breakers rating becomes a potential point of failure (melted, burned up outlet).

I have an iHome one and it mentions air conditioners on it. I'll look more closely at it to make sure.
[doublepost=1512757360][/doublepost]Btw that's funny about the USB thing. I know what you mean. My wireless charging pad does that, but only when nothing is on it.

 

[cynics]

I have an iHome one and it mentions air conditioners on it. I'll look more closely at it to make sure.
[doublepost=1512757360][/doublepost]Btw that's funny about the USB thing. I know what you mean. My wireless charging pad does that, but only when nothing is on it.

iHome is rated to 1800 watt (15 amp @ 120volt).

I forgot to mention my most used smart plug. My living room is inherently dark so I have a smart switch for a lamp set to trigger another lamp on the other side of the room so I don’t need to run an extension cord.

 

[mk313]

My favorite use is for window candles over the holidays. We have 11 front windows and my wife puts electric candles in all of them over the holidays. They look nice, but it was a pain to turn off 11 candles every night and then turn them back on the next day. I bought some wemos (this was back when they were the only game in town & before home kit) and set them up in a group, so that they all turn on together at sunset & then turn off at midnight. We added a couple more last year to do the same thing with the Christmas trees.

 

[eyeseeyou]

We have our living room lights(lamps) attached to a smart plug.

"Alexa turn on living room lights".

 

[cynics]

We have our living room lights(lamps) attached to a smart plug.

"Alexa turn on living room lights".

"Ordering you living room lights"

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

I’m not sure I understand the point of smart plugs for lamps, when smart bulbs are cheaper than plugs. At least if you have enough of them to offset the cost of the bridge.

 

[cynics]

I’m not sure I understand the point of smart plugs for lamps, when smart bulbs are cheaper than plugs. At least if you have enough of them to offset the cost of the bridge.

That is a good point and you are right plus smart bulb does offer a wider range of features like dimming and colors. However I already had them and don't care enough to upgrade the LED bulbs yet. However I may get on that I've been selling my Philips Hue bulbs as I replace the switches with smart switches.

Although he doesn't use HomeKit smart plugs I have a friend that uses them on his washer and dryer. They have manual dials that activates when the dials are pulled out as soon it gets power. He signed up with peak hours with the utility company so he has it set to come on at 9pm and off at 8am when utility cost is the lowest for him. So he'll "prep" the loads of laundry, turn on the machines and walk away. A little after 9pm they will come on, and if he has too he'll swap them out before work in the morning around 5am or so.

My washer and dryer have timers plus he has a gas dryer that runs on 120volt outlet, where I have an electric that runs on 240volt and uses too much power for a smart switch anyway.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

Yeah— Phillips hue are the ones I have. They are BRIGHT, so I actually keep them dimmed a bit most of the time. But it’s nice to have them all the way up when cooking or reading an actual physical book or something.

 

[eyeseeyou]

I’m not sure I understand the point of smart plugs for lamps, when smart bulbs are cheaper than plugs. At least if you have enough of them to offset the cost of the bridge.

I got my smart plug for $20 but after your post I've found some smart bulbs for around $11 each. I have 2 lamps connected to 1 smart plug so for my situation it's cheaper to get 1 smart plug.

 

[DoubleFlyaway]

Gotcha, that’s true. You could put a power strip onto a smart plug to power multiple things.

 

[FunnelDog]

We're expecting our first born in a couple weeks and I'm spending last and this week putting final touches on bedroom. It is dry and gets super cold in winter (3rd floor apartment) so beyond philips hue (fun) I'll have smart plugs that automate based off of humidity and temperature in the room. One will be solely for humidity and the other will be a heater. We have central air but this is a back up and should be better to isolate.

Also - I found Motorla's humidifier to be efficient as it connects to baby monitor via hubble, but I'm trying to not have multiple ecosystems... so I bought a "basic" humidifier to attach to the smart plug.

 

[BillGates1969]

My favourite use is on a WeMo that monitors energy.

Plugged into my Washing Machine, spent a bit of time monitoring the wattage on different stages of the cycle. Now I get a Telegram alert "Your Laundry is ready"

I also get it to alert me when the hot tub is ready (monitors the power draw when heating and when goes to pump only then a Telegram message).

I use HomeAssistant.io and a few Raspberry Pis around the house with an Alexa emulator and HomeBridge (Siri) emulator on.

Perfect way to make a dumb appliance slightly smart

 

[boston04and07]

Also - I found Motorla's humidifier to be efficient as it connects to baby monitor via hubble, but I'm trying to not have multiple ecosystems... so I bought a "basic" humidifier to attach to the smart plug.

May I ask which humidifier you found? I’ve been having trouble finding one that has a manual on/off switch that stays in the “on” position, so that the unit can be controlled via the smart plug. All the ones I’ve found need a button pushed in order to turn on, which means they wouldn’t turn on via the smart plug...if that makes sense...