8 Awesome Things You Can Do With Smart Plugs

Smart Plugs are a great way to automate your not-so-smart devices like kettles, lamps, fans, and air purifiers, but beyond the basic on/off commands, smart plugs can offer a whole host of other benefits. What are they? Let’s take a look. 

Save energy from vampire appliances

While the easiest way to save energy is to unplug your devices when not in use, that’s not always practical. High-power devices like cable boxes, DVRs, video game consoles, and others consume a lot of energy even when they’re not in use. These devices are called Vampire Appliances. But if you put them into a smart plug, you can shut off the plug to help reduce your energy bill, and the device will pay for itself in no time.

Automatically turn off your A/C when leaving home

If you have a window air conditioning unit, you can use a smart plug to shut it off automatically when you leave and turn it back on before you even get home. Just set a geofence scene, and when your phone gets to the end of the block, your AC will turn off. Heading back down the street? It’ll turn back on and set your living room to a comfortable 73 degrees. 

Deter burglars with lighting when you’re away

Homes that look occupied are one of the key deterrents for would-be burglars. Smart plugs make your home feel like someone’s there, even when you’re on vacation. Set lights to turn on in a way that reflects your normal routine. For most of us, this will mean bringing lights on in the kitchen, living area, and bedrooms when it gets dark, then timed to go off one by one throughout the night.

Make your mornings easier

With just two smart plugs, you can get your morning off to a good start every day. Use one to fade up your bedroom lamp to wake you gently, and have another plugged into the coffee pot set to brew while you’re still in the shower. Want to go one further? If you need to warm up the iron, activate it from your phone. After all, an easy morning sets you up right for the day ahead. 

Prevent injuries

Seriously. Did you ever tweak your back or shoulder, reaching for something you couldn’t quite get to? Not all electrical appliances have remote controls, and you’ll often find some plugged into hard-to-reach places like behind sofas or bookshelves. Add a smart plug to turn those on with a tap, or use your voice. Either way, you’re all but guaranteed to be pain-free afterward.

Set screen limits for your kids

A smart plug is ideal for managing your children’s TV screen time, internet access, or console gaming session—and it doesn’t have to be a tiresome battle, either. Just set a scene that automatically turns off the TV or the Wi-Fi access point at an agreed-upon time.  And if they complain they’re in the middle of a game, tell them you’ll turn it back on when their homework is done.

Automate your holiday lights

Use your smart plugs to add a bit of holiday spirit to your home. Just plug your holiday lights into a smart plug and set them to turn on each night at sunset. Want to take it a step further? Link the Christmas lights with a geofence trigger so they automatically turn on when you turn into your driveway.

Make almost any device smart and connected

Not all appliances and devices were made smart. Maybe your trusty pedestal fan is still doing its job, and your garden lighting works great, just as it is. You can still bring them into the modern era by plugging them into a smart plug that lets you control them with your voice or make them part of your smart home scenes. 

As you can see, smart plugs have many benefits beyond the ability to turn things on and off. To truly get the most out of them, they need to be connected to a broader smart home setup. Often, this involves a separate control hub. Unless, of course, you’re talking about the Ezlo PlugHub Energy, which combines the features of a smart plug with the capabilities of a hub. In other words, not only can you use it to control whatever device is plugged into it, but it also enables control of other smart plugs, lights, sensors, thermostats, and more—either through a single app or by using your voice. It’s like a smart home starter kit all by itself. Learn more about Ezlo PlugHub Energy.