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Which Appliances Do Smart Plugs Work With

January 19, 2024
By Lahari V

Your biggest nightmare is leaving your home without turning off a home appliance. Before venturing out, you may have panicked mid-way towards your destination about the kettle or the oven you were using.

You probably have hurried back countless times due to such thoughts and have sighed in relief as you found the appliance was turned off and the plug was disconnected from the power outlet. But, returning home and again going to your destination is retiring and wastes your valuable time. So, why not use a smart plug?

You already use smart home appliances, so why not invest in a smart plug. This plug will allow you to turn off the appliance even if you are away. These are absolute lifesavers. You do not need to worry about the safety of your home.

Continue reading to know more about the smart plugs and how these can be your triumph card in home safety and home management.

Outline

Working of a Smart Plug

A smart plug looks just like the regular plug you use to power the home appliances. But, it is more than the basic plugs. Connecting your home appliances with the smart plug transforms the machine into a smart device.

Modern smart plugs also work on voice commands and can be controlled remotely. That means you can use voice commands to turn off or turn on the power supply of the appliance. On top of that, you can also schedule the working time of the smart plug. It will disconnect itself automatically after the time ends.

Many smart plug models also come with apps that you can use. Using the app, you can easily turn the plug and electric supply on or off. ‘Some smart plugs even take things a bit higher.

These plugs collect data, including electricity consumption and energy consumption, machine heating patterns, etc., to understand the pattern and offer you the collected data through a weekly or monthly tabular form.

Most modern smart plugs are connected to wifi to work. Some models also work independently as smart hubs inside your home. You first need to download the companion app of the smart plug you are using. Next, connect the plug with wifi and pair it with your app through Bluetooth or any other method. After that, you are ready to use the smart plug.

Do you Need Smart Appliances for Smart Plugs?

Well, smart plugs do not require a smart appliance. You can use it with any modern device that works on electricity.

It, in turn, converts any connected appliance into a smart appliance.

Which Appliances may not be compatible with Smart Plugs?

To ensure you can control the appliances remotely through the smart plug, it needs to be turned on all the time. Hence, the plugs are ideal for light appliances that do not overheat or consume a lot of electricity in one go.

For example, lights, hair styling tools, fans, and kettles are excellent for smart plugs. But, there are a few limitations regarding the machines compatible with smart plugs.

In other words, appliances with mechanical switches are ideal for smart plugs. A machine with an electronic switch may not always be compatible with a smart plug.

1. Mechanical vs. Electronic Switch

But what is a mechanical switch or electronic switch? Well, these two are different.

Mechanical switches are regular switches that you must manually turn on and off. If you use an appliance with a mechanical switch, you can turn it on or off using the smart plug. Then when you again use the smart plug, you can again turn it off or on as per your wish.

On the other hand, electronic switches or toggle switches turn the appliance into the opposite state of how you left it. If you leave a machine on, the electronic switch will turn it off.

Suppose you turn on or off a machine with an electrical switch through the smart plug. You will have to turn it off or on manually because the smart plug will not be compatible with the electronic switch.

2. Power/Wattage Consumption

Most smart plugs do not consume a lot of electricity. These work fairly well with smaller appliances that consume less amount of electricity. But, before you buy a smart plug, check out the wattage of the electric appliances you intend to use with that plug. It is better to buy a plug with at least higher or the same wattage than the machines.

Are Smart Plugs compatible With TVs?

Yes, smart plugs do work with televisions and even computers. But that depends on the switch compatibility and the wattage consumption of your TV model.

TV models that require a remote control to turn it on may not work with the smart plug. On the other hand, a TV will only work with a smart plug if the plug has the same or higher wattage consumption compared to the TV model.

With a smart plug, you can turn on or off a TV automatically. On top of that, you can also schedule idle times to cut down unnecessary electricity consumption.

Do Smart Plugs work with a Kettle?

Smaller home appliances, especially electric kettles with mechanical switches, work wonderfully with smart plugs. It should also be turned on when you turn off the kettle through the smart plug.

Attaching a smart plug with a kettle offers you much flexibility in the morning. You can turn the machine on after you wake up, and it will know your favorite cup of tea or coffee without any manual interference. You can also remotely turn it off after you use it.

Various Uses of Smart Plugs

Smart plugs have a wide range of benefits and uses. Here are some examples-

You can use smart lights with smart plugs to remotely turn on or off the As you enter the home, you will find a well-lit home. On the contrary, you can easily turn off the lights outside. Smart plugs work well with both indoor and outdoor lights. With a smart plug, you can schedule the timings of your outdoor lights at your convenience.
As it has been said, you can use smart plugs with TV or computers. You can turn off the machine automatically and schedule ideal times to curb energy wastage.
Smart plugs also work with radios and speakers. You can turn the audio on voice command or remotely to enjoy some good music. Similarly, you can also turn the appliances off when you do not need them.
Do you love gaming? Then you can use a smart plug with your gaming console. Most consoles are compatible with smart plugs and can be turned on or off remotely per your preference.
Do you forget to charge your smartphone or smart watch? Or do you forget to disconnect the cable after your device has completely charged? With a smart plug, you can turn on or off a device charger or even schedule the charger to turn off as your device reaches 100%.
Modern fans are also compatible with smart plugs. You can turn on or off the fans through the smart plugs and schedule the fan’s operating time.
Room heaters are compatible with smart plugs. In winter, you can schedule the heaters or turn them on or off through the smart plug.
Advanced models of smart plugs work well with washing machines or washers and dryers. You can easily turn your old washer into a smart washer through the smart plug and turn it on or off remotely as per your
Modern refrigerators are also compatible with smart plugs, allowing you to turn off or on the appliances if you are away. But, you need advanced plugs with higher wattage.
Smart plugs with high wattage compatibility will also help you turn your MAC on or off You can also schedule the AC working hours by turning off the AC as the room temperature reaches the desired level.
With smart plugs, you can remotely control the air purifiers, humidifiers, and dehumidifiers.
Small home appliances like electric kettles or coffee makers can be controlled remotely with the help of smart plugs. You can even program the smart plug to turn off the kettle or coffee maker after a fixed iteration to avoid electricity wastage.
Electric cookers, especially slow cookers, work well with smart You can program the smart plugs for the fixed iteration, which will turn the cooker off after a fixed cooking time.
Pool pumps and lawn sprinklers with mechanical switches can also be turned into smart appliances using a smart With the smart plug, you can turn the lawn sprinkler or pool pump remotely and even turn them off after a few hours.
Do you know that smart plugs also work with pet feeders? With a smart plug, you can ensure your pet gets food and water on time, even if you are away from home. You can program fixed schedules on the plug, which will turn on and off the feeder at the pre-set time to provide your pet with food and water.
If your home has outlets that are difficult to reach, you can use smart plugs for those outlets to control the switches remotely.

Top Smart Plugs at this Moment

As you can see, most smart plugs have a lot of benefits and allow you to automatically control your home appliances remotely through your smartphone or by using voice commands (through Alexa, Google Assistant, or even Siri). On top of that, modern smart plugs come with advanced programming options like countdown timers, run time schedule, away mode, run mode, etc., to ensure your home is safe.

But which smart plugs are ideal for your home? Well, you need to choose depending on the appliance type, appliance wattage consumption, and how you intend to use the smart plug. Here are some suggestions for you-

1. Kasa Smart Plug HS103P4

It is a modern smart plug with loads of features that allow you to control your home appliances efficiently with smart commands.

Features

Supports voice control and allows you to control the connected appliances through Alexa, Google assistant remotely
By seeing the app remotely, you can turn on or off the electronic appliances through these smart plugs.
It has advanced programming options like countdown schedules, way mode, Run mode, and Automated remotely turning on or off appliances.

2. ConnectSense CS-SO-2 Smart Outlet Plug

This smart plug from ConnectSense is a great option as it has two sockets and lets you connect two appliances simultaneously. It can be controlled through the app and is compatible with android and iOS.