[DebF_EONNext]

Evening Community 👋

A bit of a random one 🙈 I was wondering if anyone has smart plugs in their home that enable you to manage things like lamps etc from an app?

I was thinking about getting some for security when we are out, especially at this time of year. I know you can get the timer plugs but I wanted something I can have a bit more control over and wondered if they are worth the price.

I would love to hear your experience with them or if you have any other recommendations for me I'm all ears 😊

[geoffers]

TP-link Tapo P100 currently on offer from Prime @ £8.95 - or for a bit more the P110 has energy usage monitoring too.

Absolutely brilliant - you can set multiple schedules; timers; random on/off; control them from anywhere in the world via "Hey Google" "Alexa" etc commands

[retrotecchie]

@DebF_EONNext

Personally, I prefer plug in timers. If you have anything that uses an app that you can access from outside the home, then by default it punches a hole in your internet security between the home network and the outside world.

If you do go for such a thing, then for heavens sake please make sure you never use the default passwords and make sure any password protection you use for access uses at least 16 characters, made up of letters, numbers and special symbols.

[WizzyWigg]

@DebF_EONNext

I would agree with @geoffers. I've got them for the purpose you want them for. They work perfectly. Yes as @retrotecchie says make sure the password you use is very strong 💪. Don't forget Black Friday is the 24th of November.

[DebF_EONNext]

@retrotecchie I never use default passwords I usually pick something random and forget what it was so have to reset each time I want to log on, so good luck to anyone else trying to crack them 🤣 I like the idea of being able to put things on at different times so it's like someone is home. I worry that timers can be a bit predictable. I mean we live in the middle of nowhere so I would imagine we would be pretty safe anyway but you can never be too safe!

@geoffers thanks for sharing those I will take a look this evening, how does the energy usage monitoring work is it a separate device or just from the same plug?

[geoffers]

Originally Posted by DebF_EONNext

@geoffers , how does the energy usage monitoring work is it a separate device or just from the same plug?

Just one of the options within the Tapo app for that plug

[Beki]

I have smart bulbs throughout the house and they're not very energy efficient. However, I can turn all the lights off when the kids leave them on so I actually save a lot of energy through the 3rd floor lights being off 😂

[retrotecchie]

Originally Posted by Beki_EONNext

I have smart bulbs throughout the house and they're not very energy efficient. However, I can turn all the lights off when the kids leave them on so I actually save a lot of energy through the 3rd floor lights being off 😂

When I had teenogres, I found that flipping the breaker for their lighting and power circuits did pretty much the same thing 🤣🤣🤣

[Beki]

@retrotecchie 😂 My other half threatens to do that all the time!

[Connor_EONNext]

@retrotecchie this is the one thing putting me off from smart bulbs/plugs etc, something just feels off being able to connect outside the home, especially if its just a simple app download and connect. @DebF_EONNext The amount of accounts I get locked out of because I forget the passwords -I feel you there 🤣