Smart Plugs make life better
What are Smart Plugs?
Smart plugs are a special type of external wall outlet that plugs into and replaces an existing electrical outlet with one offering a variety of smart control options. For instance, smart plugs may be controlled via a smart phone and the specific plug manufacturer’s dedicated app. This gives users the ability to turn the power to that plug on or off from virtually anywhere in the world where their phone can receive an Internet signal. Thus, users can easily manipulate things like lamps and other electronic devices with nothing more than their smart phone—which is extremely convenient.
How do Smart Plugs work?
Smart plugs work just like standard wall outlets, only better. Not only do they provide power to whatever electronic devices are plugged into them, but they also provide additional enhancements such as the ability to turn the power on or off without coming into physical contact with the plug. Instead, you simply toggle the power on or off via an icon on your smart device. Additionally, you can set timers for when you want certain electronics to come on or go off. This allows you to turn something as basic as a table lamp into a smart lamp simply by plugging it into a smart plug. This feature can also be used to make it look as though someone is at home even when nobody is, which is a great deterrent against potential trespassers and burglars.
Smart Plug integration and compatibility
Smart plugs are compatible with any electronic devices that use a standard wall outlet. They may also work with other smart home products for enhanced control. For instance, most smart plugs today can pair with smart speakers or displays to add voice based commands to the mix of control options. Thus, a Google Assistant enabled device allows you to simply say “Hey Google, turn off the hall lamp” when you wish to turn it off. This will not only save you the trouble of getting up to manipulate it physically, but it will also prevent you from having to hunt down your smart phone every time you wish to make a change.
Key benefits of Smart Plugs
The major benefits of smart plugs are convenience and energy savings, with a dash of security on the side. The convenience aspect is obvious—you don’t have to get up and walk across the room to turn on the power to a device you wish to use. However, another key feature of smart plugs comes from the fact that you can more precisely control when the outlet is drawing power. Simply use the timer function in your smart plug’s app to set specific times for devices such as lamps to be on or off. As people sometimes forget to turn electronics off before going to bed, users can easily save a bundle on their power bill simply by having things turn off automatically at preset times.
Learn more about how you can integrate smart plugs into your home.
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