6 Smart Home Devices That Turn Outlets On and Off When You're Away
It’s a universally acknowledged fact that no one likes coming home to a dark house. This is especially true if you live in a city with frequent outages or power outages. But what if your lights were turned off automatically as soon as you walked out the door? That’s where smart home devices come in. These gadgets are designed to automate tasks you would normally do yourself, and some of them can even monitor your home while you’re away. Here are six smart home devices that will help control your electricity bill and make sure your house is always lit up when you get back.
What Are Smart Home Devices?
Smart home devices are anything that connects to the internet and can be controlled remotely. They’re mostly gadgets that take care of tasks you would normally do yourself, like turning on lights and monitoring your home. Some of them have sensors that make them intelligent enough to do things like turn on and off lights or adjust the temperature in your house while you’re away. These devices are usually connected to the Internet through Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, and they communicate with each other through a number of different protocols.
6 Smart Home Devices That Turn Outlets On and Off When You're Away
1. Belkin WeMo Insight Switch
The Belkin WeMo Insight Switch is a device that plugs into any outlet, and it comes with a WeMo app for easy control over your electronics from anywhere. The switch is designed to automate tasks in your home so you don’t have to worry about forgetting to turn things off when you leave, but it also has features that will help monitor your home while you’re away. You can set the switch to turn off automatically when no one is at home, or set timers so you can tell the switch to turn off at a certain time every day. The switch also has a motion sensor that can tell when you’re nearby, and it will turn on your electronics when you enter the room. Like other WeMo devices, the switch is compatible with IFTTT (If This Then That), so you can set it to react to certain triggers. If a leak is detected in your home, for example, you can have the switch shut off your water supply and alert you via text or email.
2. Philips Hue
Philips Hue is one of the most popular smart home systems on the market today, and it allows users to control their lights from anywhere using an app on their smartphone or tablet. The system includes several types of bulbs that are all compatible with each other—including standard light bulbs, lamps, and ceiling lights—so you don’t have to worry about replacing everything in your house to make it smart. The bulbs are also energy-efficient and dimmable, so they can help you save on your energy bills. With the Hue app, you can adjust the brightness of your lights and change the color of each bulb. The app also allows you to control multiple lights at once, so it’s easy to turn off all of your lights if you’re going out for the night or set a specific color for a party. Hue is compatible with several IFTTT triggers, including weather (if it rains outside or gets too hot or cold) and location (if you leave work). You can also create your own recipes with IFTTT to make Hue do whatever you want. A recipe might have Hue turn on at sunset when you enter a certain area, for example.
3. Nest Learning Thermostat
Nest is another hugely popular smart home system that allows users to monitor and control their home from anywhere using an app on their smartphone. The Nest Learning Thermostat can help you save energy by learning your patterns and automatically adjusting to them. It’s compatible with most systems, including Android, iOS, and Apple HomeKit. The thermostat can also sync with other devices in your home—like the Nest Protect smoke detector—to keep the temperature consistent throughout your house.
4. Amazon Echo Dot (2nd Generation)
The Amazon Echo is a hands-free speaker that uses voice control to play music, read audiobooks, answer questions, and control compatible smart home devices. It’s compatible with Alexa Skills for all kinds of different functions, including connecting to other smart home devices and getting news updates from all over the world. Alexa Skills are available for almost anything you can think of – from ordering pizza to playing trivia games to asking about the weather forecast in another country. You can even add custom skills using the API or web services provided by Amazon.
5. TP-Link HS100 Smart Wi-Fi Plug
The TP-Link HS100 Smart Wi-Fi Plug is a smart plug that you can use to control any electrical device in your home. You can set timers, get notifications when you leave your home, and control it all from a smartphone or tablet. This is a great way to add some automation to your home without having to do much work at all. All you need to do is plug it in and connect it to the internet! It’s also compatible with other smart home devices like Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, and Google Assistant.
6. Google Home
The Google Home is a voice-activated smart speaker that comes in a variety of different colors and sizes. It’s basically a smart speaker with a screen for you to check the weather, get news updates, and more. It’s also compatible with all kinds of different devices, like the Amazon Alexa Voice Service and Apple HomeKit. The Google Home is also one of the best ways to control your home from your phone or tablet – just say "OK Google" to start controlling your home using just your voice!
Final Thoughts
There are a ton of smart home devices out there, and it can be hard to pick the one that’s right for you. The best thing to do is to go with something that fits your needs and budget. Some of these products can be a bit pricey, but they can also make life much easier and more convenient. Smart home devices are a great way to make your life easier. They can help you monitor your home, do things like control your thermostat, even get notifications when someone is at home or when there’s an issue, and turn on your lights, outlets, and other devices when you walk in the door or leave for work.
