This plug lets you remotely control the power supply to an appliance, monitor its consumption in real time, program it to turn on or off, or switch it on and off at random.
Included in the box are instructions for use and the connected plug.
It accepts a maximum of 3880 W, which will suit most appliances.
To operate it, you’ll need a Wi-Fi network and the Tapo app available on iOS or Android.
Connecting the plug to your Wi-Fi network is very simple, all done from the app – child’s play.
Once connected, you’ll have access to your device’s real-time consumption, as well as its kWh consumption over the week, month or year.
It’s a great way to keep track of what your appliance is consuming.
You can program time slots during which the appliance will be switched on or off.
As an example, we use a similar timer for our hot water tank. It only runs for part of the day, so you can have hot water while consuming as little as possible.
There’s a timer to switch the plug on or off after a certain length of time, for example, to switch off an appliance automatically after you’ve fallen asleep.
There’s also an absentee mode that lets you randomly turn your device on or off while you’re away.
This is very useful for a lamp, for example, where you can program it to switch on randomly in the evening to make it look as if you’re at home. You can also do the same with a radio or TV, for example, to have sound too.
Of course, the number 1 function is that you can switch the socket on or off remotely, even away from home, for example, to turn on the heating before you get home.
Another advantage too is that you can pair the socket with a connected speaker like Google Home or Alexa to control it directly by voice. But you can also cut off or let through the power using a button on the side of the connected socket.
There’s an LED on the socket that tells you when it’s connected or not to the Wi-Fi network, and when it cuts or lets go of the power.
In short, if you’re looking for an inexpensive connected socket to monitor the consumption of some of your appliances or to control them remotely, this is the socket for you, especially as they are sold individually or in a kit of two or four sockets.
There are also connected sockets from the same brand that offer remote control only, without consumption monitoring.
If you’re interested in these plugs, here’s an Amazon affiliate link to find them easily.
Thank you for watching my test, and see you in the next article.
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