“Alexa! Come outside and dance with me!”
Do you sometimes wonder if smart assistants could do anything for us? Sadly, technology has not reached that level yet.
But it has become so advanced that you can switch equipment in your house on or off from anywhere. So, if you’re thinking, I don’t have many smart devices at home. Well, be happy to hear that you don’t need one!
A smart plug device can turn any typical electronic device into a smart one. All you have to do is plug in and play to automate your appliances. And the best part is, while you are getting control of all of your devices, you might be saving a lot more electricity. How? Let’s discover this in the article below.
What Is a Smart Plug?
Smart plugs are the devices that make it possible for us to sit anywhere in the house and control our wired devices without getting up. Instead, it receives signals from the app and controls the devices accordingly. Plug the device’s wire into the smart plug, and you can control it through your phone or a smart assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant
You can also schedule when you want the device turned on or off through smart plugs. However, it can only work with devices with a separate turn-on/off switch. You can leave it open and let the smart plug do its job.
Here are some ways you can use Smart Plugs and save time with electricity:
- Schedule your coffee maker at your chosen time in the morning so you can enjoy a cup of coffee with your breakfast without hassle.
- Schedule your water heater just before getting out of bed to enjoy a hot shower without wasting time.
- Turn on the heater or AC just a few minutes before you get back home to enjoy the cosy temperature at home.
How Much Energy Do Smart Plugs Use?
Smart plugs typically consume around 0.3-0.4 watts a day on average, and the consumption can go up to a maximum of 2 watts a day. This is a minimal consumption and doesn’t affect your electricity bill significantly. The energy consumption also depends upon the type of smart plug you use.
For example, wifi-based smart plugs consume a little more energy than Z-Wave standard-based smart plugs. However, both types of smart plugs consume less energy than the devices we connect them to.
How Can Smart Plugs Help Us Save Money?
Initially, you will have to make a one-time investment to purchase a smart plug. Research by National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) and CLEAResult shows that smart plugs can save between 1- 4.58% of electricity annually. That is about 500-1000 kilowatts per year.
Smart plugs save energy by turning off the devices when not in use. Some devices like TV or home theatres might be a little tough to turn off completely. These devices can consume a significant amount of energy; this is called “phantom load”. They also keep track of your regular electricity usage and try to optimise that.
People often forget to switch the appliances off before leaving the house, like a steam iron, or hair straighteners, or even the coffee maker. By having an opportunity to control your devices remotely, you can avoid leaving any switches on and save energy.
There are many models of smart plugs available in the market, some can help you track your electricity consumption, some can help you optimise your bills, and some can make you aware of where and how you can save money on electric bills.
Do Smart Plugs Really Save Energy?
Yes, smart plugs can help us in cutting down energy consumption significantly if you use it appropriately. However, just installing smart plugs is not going to save you money.
You have to set it up according to your usage of appliances, find out the optimum way to use less electricity, and ultimately cut down your electricity bills.
Here are 3 ways to save money with smart plugs:
- Tracking your energy usage
- Scheduling turning on and off of devices
- Turning off unnecessarily turned on devices
Disadvantages of Smart Plugs
With all devices connected, the chances of a hacker breaking through the system can destroy everything. So make sure you buy smart plugs from a reputed company so that the encryption is strong and secure. Other than this, there aren’t any significant disadvantages.
Do you like the idea of a smart home? Start with Smart Plugs. Control all your appliances with a click.
FAQs
Smart plugs typically consume around 0.3-0.4 watts a day on average, and the consumption can go up to a maximum of 2 watts a day. This is a minimal consumption and doesn't affect your electricity bill significantly. The energy consumption also depends upon the type of smart plug you use.
Do smart plugs actually save energy? ›
When used correctly, smart plugs can help you save energy and, ultimately, utility costs in the long run. Some smart plugs also provide energy consumption data which you can use to make your household more energy efficient. Some of these energy statistics also let you know where you are spending the most money.
What are the disadvantages of smart plugs? ›
Moreover, some smart outlets and plugs may not support high-wattage appliances, such as heaters, air conditioners, or hair dryers, and may pose a fire hazard if overloaded. Another disadvantage of using smart outlets and plugs for home security is that they may compromise your privacy and data security.
How accurate is smart plug energy monitoring? ›
For steady-state loads (0Hz), the energy error is small. As the load becomes more variable (0.01-1 Hz), energy error increases, indicating that the smart plugs are not able to accurately follow the changes in power consumption.
Do plug in energy savers work? ›
The fact is, there is nothing that you can plug in that will reduce your electricity usage and lower your household power bill. The problem with these scams is that they often rely on a grain of truth, which is why they come across as believable.
Are smart plugs better than timers? ›
A smart plug is more convenient than manual light timers because many smart plugs can automatically turn things on or off at sunset and sunrise—and adjust those times based on where you live.
Are smart plugs worth the money? ›
It's simple, really. Smart plugs help reduce wasted energy while consuming a negligible amount of energy themselves. Any and all of the five tips listed below can help you cut energy consumption with a smart plug, but they're not the only way to lower your electricity bill.
How much money can you save with a smart plug? ›
Smart plugs typically consume around 0.3-0.4 watts a day on average, and the consumption can go up to a maximum of 2 watts a day. This is a minimal consumption and doesn't affect your electricity bill significantly. The energy consumption also depends upon the type of smart plug you use.
What is the lifespan of a smart plug? ›
There is no fixed service period for smart plugs, and their lasting time vary depending on how you use them and the actual environment (humidity, temperature, etc.).
What are the security risks of smart plugs? ›
Smart plugs can be hacked through weak passwords, unsecured Wi-Fi networks, vulnerable firmware, and phishing attacks. To protect your smart plugs from hacking, use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, keep your firmware up to date, and beware of phishing attacks.
I saw a post on this the other day, yes they do make them sick. They can emit intense high frequencies we can't hear and it causes fear and discomfort in dogs. Someone I know tested the frequency after their dog was so stressed it stopped eating, and found it high.
What are the drawbacks of smart energy meter? ›
From the above discussion, we can conclude that smart energy meters offer benefits in terms of efficiency and energy utilization management, but they have several cons like lower consumer acceptance, higher cost of installation, cybersecurity issues, and more.
What is dirty electricity? ›
Dirty electricity, also called electrical pollution, is high-frequency voltage transients riding along the 50 or 60 Hz electricity provided by the electric utilities. It is generated by arcing, by sparking and by any device that interrupts current flow, especially switching power supplies.
What saves most electricity? ›
Turn off lights when you leave a room. Use energy-efficient LED light bulbs. Use natural light, especially in winter, when you also get the benefit of heat. Choose LED holiday lights and put them on timers so they don't stay on all night.
Which device uses the most energy in homes? ›
The largest electricity consumer in the average household is your heating and cooling appliance. By a long shot. Central air conditioners and heaters use tons of energy in order to keep your home set to the right temperature.
Do smart devices save electricity? ›
It can also help you manage and reduce your energy consumption. Smart home energy management systems perform certain actions automatically, in a way that is designed to reduce energy costs while being tailored to meet your specific lifestyle needs.
Does unplugging plugs save money? ›
When your devices are plugged in but not in use, they consume electricity, known as the phantom effect. As a result, unplugging those devices can save electricity. Do not worry about unplugging every gadget; simply plug what you can into a power strip so you can unplug less.
Do plug timers use a lot of electricity? ›
Power consumption of timers
A mechanical timer consumes about 1 Watt per hour. That means 24 Watt per day. A digital timer usually consumes a little bit more power. Here, the power consumption is about 2 Watt per hour.
Does a smart switch save energy? ›
Cutting Power to Idle Devices
Smart switches enable you to cut power to devices when they're not in use. For example, you can plug your entertainment center into a smart switch and turn it off completely when you're done watching TV or gaming. This prevents these devices from drawing power while in standby mode.
