Are you about to buy a smart plug? Which smart plug is the best for you? Which smart plug is the best for you? Even if you're not into the whole smart home automation trend, you should still get some smart plugs. They are one of the easiest smart home products to use. Read more ? Do you think they are good for just turning lights on and off remotely or on a schedule? If you still need something convincing, it's worth considering what you can do with these little gadgets.
In addition to saving energy Save energy and money with these smart home devices Save energy and money with these smart home devices One of the biggest benefits of a smart home is the available energy saving technology. In addition to saving money, you'll also be pushing toward a more sustainable and convenient living situation. More information and intelligence from your lights Save energy and money with these smart home devices Save energy and money with these smart home devices One of the biggest benefits of a smart home is the available energy saving technology. In addition to saving money, you'll also be pushing toward a more sustainable and convenient living situation. Read More Here are seven creative and helpful ways to make smart outlets work for you.
With the weather becoming more and more unpredictable, wouldn't it be great to be prepared for it? With smart outlets there are several ways you can be prepared for any type of weather. By using the Weather channel on IFTTT and your choice of smart outlet, you can automatically turn on an extra lamp or two to light up a room when dark clouds bring rain. You can take this one step further with the Belkin WeMo 3 Way Switch The Belkin WeMo System can "Smarten" your regular household lamps in 3 ways The Belkin WeMo Timer can "Smarten" your regular household lamps Regular household lamps into smart lamps. Read More
If the temperature rises above a certain level, you can use the IFTTT automation service to turn on a fan connected to a smart outlet. You could create a reverse recipe, where if the temperature drops below a certain number, turn off the fan. If you get submerged, you can turn on a space heater using a smart plug.
IFTTT-supported smart outlets include the Wemo Switch and the D-Link Smart WiFi Plug.
There are many more scenarios where you can use a smart outlet to automatically turn on your lights. Some of them will require additional appliances, but the automation makes it worth it, and it will eventually pay for itself in energy saved. Instead of having your lights turn on automatically at a certain time of day, why not turn them on based on motion?
If you place a SmartSense Open Closed sensor on your bedroom door, you can connect it to a hallway light, allowing it to turn on automatically. If you get up early in the morning and it's still dark outside, this is a great way to avoid your toes when you trip over the light switch.
The reverse can also be applied using these types of motion sensors. If you put a sensor on your window, you can automatically turn off the air conditioner when someone opens a window.
Some of these sensors, including the SmartSense Sensor Open Closed Sensor, can also function as temperature sensors, which means it's another way to automatically turn on a fan or heater based on a change in temperature.
Motion sensors can also be combined with a plug for your coffee machine. When you get up in the morning and open your bedroom door, your coffee machine can turn on automatically. Any other appliance that needs to be turned on first thing in the morning can also be turned on this way.
If you don't have a motion sensor, there are other devices you may already have that you can pair with a smart outlet. If you have a Jawbone UP, while you wake up, Jawbone can tell your coffee machine or space heater that you are awake. Conversely, you can use the Jawbone to turn things off as you go through the night.
If you have the Amazon Echo remote, you can use a voice command with the remote to get things working. You can get more than one smart outlet and your Amazon Echo by using it for hard-to-reach switches or outlets. Plugging the Echo into a hard-to-reach smart plug means you can use voice commands to turn devices or appliances on and off. This will be especially useful during the holidays, as it is possible to turn the Christmas lights on and off.
Don't have an Amazon Echo? You can still use voice commands with an Outkit Incipio CommandKit Smart Wireless and an iPhone running at least iOS 8, to turn devices or lights on and off. With the Incipio output you can use voice commands to turn your TV on or off.
With the Incipio outlet you can use voice commands to control your TV, or better yet, use the smart outlet to automatically turn off the TV when it's time for your kids to sleep.
If you don't have any of the devices listed above, you can still get a little out of your smart outlet using just your smartphone. With location awareness, you can automatically turn on the heating or air conditioning in your home when you are within a certain distance from home. You can also use this feature to turn on your porch lights at night while driving down the driveway.
Pairing the smart outlet with a water sensor can also prevent some serious accidents. If you use a portable dishwasher or portable washing machine, you can detect water leaks by attaching a water sensor Install a smart valve and stop your basement from flooding Install a smart valve and stop your basement from flooding What if you could prevent flooding in your home or water damage? Installing a single piece of equipment? Of course, I am talking about smart water valves. Read More If the sensor detects a leak, it can automatically turn off the device.
With a combination of IFTTT and the Belkin WeMo switch you can turn items on and off. This is useful with lights connected to the WeMo. There are a wide variety of triggers on IFTTT that you can use with this feature. It can serve as a silent notification when you get an email, or are mentioned on Twitter, or when there's a change in your select stock, or even when an ESPN game starts on TV.
Here are some more interesting IFTTT recipes and gadgets that will come in handy with your smart plugs.
With an email and a D-Link smart plug, you can remotely turn on your lights.
With a video doorbell doorbell, you can turn your lights on or turn them on and off when someone rings the doorbell or there is movement at the door.
One of the main reasons to use a smart outlet is to save energy, so why not automatically turn off the plug after a certain amount of power is consumed?
With the ResetPlug, you can monitor your WiFi and remotely reset your Internet connection.
What creative uses can you think of for smart stores? Let us know in the comments.
