Smart appliances offer voice control, smartphone apps, and powerful automations. But why spend hundreds of dollars on the latest models? With some inexpensive smart plugs, you can give your dumb devices the same features for a fraction of the cost.
Dumb Devices Are Best
Smart plugs work on a pretty simple principle. You insert one into an outlet and plug in something. It cuts power to turn off devices and restores it to turn them back on. If you control any outlets in your home with a light switch, the principle is essentially the same. But that same principle also limits the types of appliances a smart plug can control.
Appliances and fixtures either have a mechanical or electronic switch. A mechanical switch physically cuts power. An electronic switch stores the current state and toggles to the opposite state when you push the power button.
The latter presents a problem because the “current state” is stored using power. If you lose power in your home, the device defaults to “off” with the next toggle set to “on.”
Mechanical switches tend to be a toggle or rocker switch, while electronic switches tend to be a soft push button. If you aren’t sure if your fixture has a mechanical or electrical switch, you can test it in just a few seconds. First, turn the device on, and then unplug it. Count to five, and then plug it back in. If the fixture turns on, it’s compatible with a smart plug. If you had to press a button to turn it on after plugging it in, a smart plug won’t work with that device.
Smart plugs are an excellent option for some window or portable A/C units, fans and heaters, curling irons and straighteners, Christmas lights, lamps, humidifiers and dehumidifiers, and more.
What You’ll Need
To get started, you need a smart plug. They come in many shapes and sizes, and prices vary. Some have extra features, like energy monitoring, but most offer compatibility with Alexa, Google Home, or both. Unless you have a specific need for energy monitoring, you can skip that feature and save money.
Smart plugs come in Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, ZigBee, and even Bluetooth formats. We don’t recommend Bluetooth because of range issues, though. If you own a smart hub, a Z-Wave or ZigBee plug is a good choice because they offer faster local control. Otherwise, Wi-Fi smart plugs are the most accessible option.
Belkin makes a relatively inexpensive Wi-Fi smart plug for around $20. If you’re willing to wait, Wyze is releasing a Wi-Fi smart plug two-pack for $15 later this year (September 2019). Our sister site, Review Geek, has several other recommendations you might want to consider.
Unfortunately, Europeans have far fewer options. Ikea might be the most reliable, well-known European supplier of smart plugs; they offer a version for France and Great Britain. But you’ll need to buy additional items, like a hub.
If you own an Echo or Google Home device, make sure the smart plug you buy is compatible with it (most work with at least one, if not both). If a smart plug doesn’t work with a voice assistant, you should skip it.
You also need a smartphone or tablet and an app to set up your smart plug. Depending on which plug you chose, you need a way to connect it. For Wi-Fi smart plugs, you need a Wi-Fi router, and for Z-Wave or ZigBee plugs, you need a smart hub.
How to Set It Up
To get your smart plug up and running, plug it into an outlet. If it’s brand new, it should enter pairing mode immediately. If not (or you need to repair), most smart plugs have a physical button you press and hold to enter pairing mode. Typically, smart plugs also include an LED that indicates when it’s on, off, or pairing.
When the smart plug is in pairing mode, open the related app on your smartphone or tablet and look for “add device” or a similar option. When the device is paired, give it a memorable name. It’s usually a good idea to name it after whatever it controls, like “curling iron” or “lamp.” If you choose good names for your smart plugs, it helps with voice control.
Now, plug in whatever you want the smart plug to control, and test it to make sure everything works.
How to Control Smart Plugs with Your Voice and Smartphone
Most smart plugs include voice control with either Alexa, Google Home, or both. If you want voice control, you need to add the device to your voice assistant.
For Alexa, open the app, tap the hamburger menu in the top left, and then tap Add Device. Choose the plug category. Select its manufacturer, and then follow the prompts to link your accounts.
The process is similar with Google Home. Open the Home app and tap the add button. Tap “set up device,” and then tap “Works with Google.” The Google Home app presents you with a list of manufacturers. Find the right one and follow the linking process.
After you connect your smart plug to Google or Alexa, add it to a Google room or Alexa group. Voice control works best when you group your devices properly.
If you’re not using a voice assistant, your smart plug’s app is the best way to control it. You’ll find on, off, and other features in the app. If you use a voice assistant, you should control your device with the Google Home or Alexa app.
Both apps have similar on and off options. If you use Google Home or Alexa as your single app instead of the smart plug’s app, you can also control other smart devices easily (even smart plugs from other manufacturers). This also means you won’t have to try to remember which app controls what.
How to Configure Schedules and Automations
You can now set up your smart plug to perform actions automatically. For example, you can set it to turn on an old, non-smart lamp at sunset or run a dehumidifier for specific hours each day.
If you don’t own a Google Home or Echo device, you can create schedules in the smart plug app, or your Hub app if it’s Z-Wave or ZigBee. Every app is a little different but just look for a feature called timer, routine, or schedule. Typically, you can add one or more plugs to a routine. You specify a “turn on” and “turn off” time, and which days to run the routine. You can also set a smart plug to turn off but not on, and vice versa.
You should create your routines in the Google or Alexa app if you do own a Google Home or Echo device. Again, you select which plug(s) you want to create a routine for, and then choose an “on” time, an “off” time, and which days to run the routine.
When you create your routines in the Google or Alexa app instead of the plug app, it allows you to include other smart things in your routines. For example, you can create a schedule that turns off all the smart plugs and smart lights, and locks the door every day at 10:30 p.m. Unless you use a smart hub, your smart plug app can’t do all that.
If you use a single app to control everything, it also makes it much easier to remember where to go when you need to adjust something or change a routine.
The tech equivalent of a Harvard degree
You hear and read a lot about smart home tech, but it’s not always the right fit. After all, a lot of the technology tends to lean toward a more futuristic appearance, but you might not be willing to give up that heirloom lamp your family has kept in the living room for generations.
Thankfully, it’s not an either/or situation. You can get all the benefits of smart home technology without giving up a classic and/or rustic look. The key is turning your “dumb” appliances smart.
This article will walk you through several low-cost ways to give your classic lamp the tech equivalent of a Harvard degree. Devices like smart plugs, smart batteries, and others like them can give you control of your run-of-the-mill appliances over Wi-Fi without the need to change the look and feel of your entire home.
Install Smart Batteries To Smarten Up a Dumb Smoke Detector
One of the most beneficial aspects of a smart smoke detector is the push notifications that come when the battery is low. It completely eliminates the irritating beeping that always seems to happen in the dead of night.
While a smart battery might not give you the same level of data analysis and or vocal announcements that a smart smoke detector will, it can send push notifications to your phone when the battery is low. Smart batteries are less common than other smart devices, but you can find them from companies like Roost. They’re also much less expensive.
Smart Lights Grant Smart Home Control Even In Older Appliances
Most smart lights are nothing more than a bulb – and maybe a Wi-Fi hub. One low-cost way to get smart control over nearly any lamp simply by screwing in a smart light and setting it up. The “smart” feature comes from the bulb itself, not what it’s plugged into.
The only catch is that smart bulbs require a constant flow of power to operate. Smart bulbs use less energy than traditional light bulbs, but make sure the wiring in your lamp, especially if it’s older, is intact before you leave a current running through it for an extended period of time.
Smart Light Switches Can Turn All Your Lights On & Off At Once
While smart bulbs can be useful for individual lamps, if you want to take control of your entire room’s lighting without investing in a lot of bulbs, you have to go to the source: the light switch.
An inexpensive smart light switch is basically a Wi-Fi on and off switch for your lights. Some include the ability to dim the lights, too. You can control the switch through a smart assistant like Google Home or Amazon Alexa, or with your phone.
Use a Smart Plug To Schedule Devices & Control The Power From Afar
Have you ever wanted to wake up to a freshly-brewed pot of coffee, but you never invested in a programmable pot? A smart plug can help.
Smart plugs let you control the power to any device plugged into them, and some even provide you with detailed usage statistics like the amount of power the appliance used, the number of times it is turned on or off, etc.
Smart plugs are great for plugging a coffee pot into and scheduling it to come on at a set time each morning. You can also plug in risky appliances, like an iron or a space heater, and set a timer to ensure it goes off and you don’t accidentally leave something plugged in that might start a fire.
Use a Streaming Device & HDMI Settings To Turn a Dumb TV Smart
Devices like Chromecast, Roku, and the Amazon Fire Stick are low-cost and can do nearly anything a smart TV can. Most “smart” TVs are nothing more than regular TVs with certain streaming services built-in. If you plug a streaming device into a TV and activate HDMI-CEC, you can gain almost the same level of control in a normal TV that you would with a smart TV.
HDMI-CEC allows turning on a connected device (like a streaming stick) to also turn on the television and shift it to the proper input. Just turn the power on to your Chromecast and the TV will turn on to exactly where you want it.
Throw all of these devices together and you have a smart home for much less than if you purchased a brand-new suite of devices and appliances. Smart homes can seem expensive and limited in color choice, but they’re possible on any budget and any style—you just have to know where to look.
Patrick is an Atlanta-based technology writer with a background in programming and smart home technology. When he isn’t writing, nose to the grindstone, he can be found keeping up with the latest developments in the tech world and upping his coffee game. Read Patrick’s Full Bio
Our editors independently selected these items because we think you will enjoy them and might like them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY.
If you’re spending a lot more time at home thanks to Covid-19, the ability to control your appliances with your phone (or your voice) has likely become a lot more appealing. But you don’t necessarily have to replace all your gadgets with expensive smart versions to get those enhanced features — you might be able to retrofit them with affordable smart bridges — and while useful, that applies to much more than the ubiquitous smart plug. Here are a few ways to make your old tech smarter.
Related
Shopping Smart home tech on a budget? Here’s what to know about Wyze
Intelligently toggle any plug-in gadget with the TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug
If you have a device that plugs into the wall and uses a physical switch to turn on and off, you might be able to control it with a simple adapter like the Kasa Smart Plug Mini. (To see whether your device will work with a smart plug, just turn it on, unplug it, and plug it back in — if it turns back on without you touching the switch, you’re good to go).
The possibilities are nearly endless: You can set your coffee maker to turn on at a specific time, automate your humidifier or tell Alexa to turn on your box fan when it gets too hot. Kasa’s outdoor plug is great for things like backyard fountains and their power strip can control multiple devices from one outlet.
Our editors independently selected these items because we think you will enjoy them and might like them at these prices. If you purchase something through our links, we may earn a commission. Pricing and availability are accurate as of publish time. Learn more about Shop TODAY.
If you’re spending a lot more time at home thanks to Covid-19, the ability to control your appliances with your phone (or your voice) has likely become a lot more appealing. But you don’t necessarily have to replace all your gadgets with expensive smart versions to get those enhanced features — you might be able to retrofit them with affordable smart bridges — and while useful, that applies to much more than the ubiquitous smart plug. Here are a few ways to make your old tech smarter.
Related
Shopping Smart home tech on a budget? Here’s what to know about Wyze
Intelligently toggle any plug-in gadget with the TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug
If you have a device that plugs into the wall and uses a physical switch to turn on and off, you might be able to control it with a simple adapter like the Kasa Smart Plug Mini. (To see whether your device will work with a smart plug, just turn it on, unplug it, and plug it back in — if it turns back on without you touching the switch, you’re good to go).
The possibilities are nearly endless: You can set your coffee maker to turn on at a specific time, automate your humidifier or tell Alexa to turn on your box fan when it gets too hot. Kasa’s outdoor plug is great for things like backyard fountains and their power strip can control multiple devices from one outlet.
智能家电提供语音控制，智能手机应用和强大的自动化功能。 但为什么要在最新型号上花费数百美元？ 使用一些便宜的智能插头，您可以为您的哑设备提供相同的功能，而成本只是其中的一小部分。
哑设备是最好的
智能插头的工作原理非常简单。 您将一个插入socket并插入一些东西。 它会切断电源以关闭设备并恢复设备以重新打开设备。 如果您使用电灯开关控制家中的任何socket，原则基本相同。 但同样的原则也限制了智能插头可以控制的设备类型 。
器具和固定装置要么具有机械或电子开关。 机械开关可以切断电源。 当您按下电源按钮时，电子开关会存储当前状态并切换到相反状态。
机械开关往往是拨动开关或摇臂开关，而电子开关往往是软按钮。 如果您不确定您的夹具是否有机械或电气开关，您可以在几秒钟内进行测试。 首先，打开设备，然后拔下插头。 数到五，然后重新插入。如果灯具打开，它与智能插头兼容。 如果您在插入后按下按钮将其打开，则智能插头将无法使用该设备。
你需要什么
要开始使用，您需要一个智能插头。 它们有多种形状和尺寸，价格也各不相同。 有些还具有额外的功能，如能源监控，但大多数都提供与Alexa，Google Home或两者的兼容性。 除非您特别需要能源监控，否则您可以跳过该功能并节省资金。
智能插头有Wi-Fi，Z-Wave，ZigBee甚至蓝牙格式。 但是，由于范围问题，我们不建议使用蓝牙。 如果您拥有智能集线器， Z-Wave或ZigBee插头是一个不错的选择，因为它们提供更快的本地控制。 否则，Wi-Fi智能插头是最容易接近的选择。
Belkin以20美元左右的价格制造出相对便宜的Wi-Fi智能插头。 如果您愿意等待，Wyze将在今年晚些时候（2019年9月）以15美元的价格推出一款Wi-Fi智能插头双包装 。 我们的姐妹网站Review Geek还提供了其他一些您可能需要考虑的建议 。
不幸的是，欧洲人的选择要少得多。 宜家可能是欧洲最可靠，最知名的智能插头供应商; 他们为法国和英国提供版本。 但是你需要购买额外的物品，比如集线器。
如果您拥有Echo或Google Home设备，请确保您购买的智能插头与之兼容（大多数工作至少有一个，如果不是两个）。 如果智能插头不能与语音助手一起使用，则应跳过它。
您还需要一个智能手机或平板电脑和一个应用程序来设置您的智能插头。 根据您选择的插头，您需要一种连接方式。 对于Wi-Fi智能插头，您需要一个Wi-Fi路由器，对于Z-Wave或ZigBee插头，您需要一个智能集线器。
要使智能插头正常运行，请将其插入socket。 如果它是全新的，它应该立即进入配对模式。 如果没有（或者您需要修理），大多数智能插头都有一个按住物理按钮进入配对模式。 通常，智能插头还包括一个指示灯何时开启，关闭或配对的LED。
当智能插头处于配对模式时，请打开智能手机或平板电脑上的相关应用程序，然后查找“添加设备”或类似选项。 设备配对后，请给它一个令人难忘的名称。 在它控制的任何东西之后命名它通常是一个好主意，比如“卷发器”或“灯”。如果你为智能插头选择好名字，它有助于语音控制 。
如何使用语音和智能手机控制智能插头
大多数智能插头包括Alexa，Google Home或两者的语音控制。 如果您需要语音控制，则需要将设备添加到语音助手。
对于Alexa ，打开应用程序，点击左上方的汉堡包菜单，然后点击添加设备。 选择插头类别。 选择其制造商，然后按照提示链接您的帐户。
该过程与Google Home类似。 打开Home应用程序，然后点击添加按钮。 点按“设置设备”，然后点按“与Google合作”.Google Home应用程序会向您显示制造商列表。 找到合适的并遵循链接过程。
如果您没有使用语音助手，您的智能插件应用程序是控制它的最佳方式。 您可以在应用中找到开启，关闭和其他功能。 如果您使用语音助手，则应使用Google Home或Alexa应用控制您的设备。
两个应用程序都有类似的开关选项。 如果您使用Google Home或Alexa作为单个应用程序而不是智能插件应用程序，您还可以轻松控制其他智能设备（甚至是其他制造商的智能插件）。 这也意味着您不必尝试记住哪个应用程序控制了什么。
如何配置计划和自动化
如果您没有Google Home或Echo设备，则可以在智能插件应用程序或Hub应用程序（如Z-Wave或ZigBee）中创建计划。 每个应用程序都有一点不同，只是寻找一个称为计时器，例程或计划的功能。 通常，您可以将一个或多个插头添加到例程中。 您指定“开启”和“关闭”时间，以及运行例程的日期。 您也可以将智能插头设置为关闭但不能打开，反之亦然。
如果您拥有Google Home或Echo设备，则应在Google或Alexa应用中创建例程。 再次，您选择要为其创建例程的插件，然后选择“开启”时间，“关闭”时间以及运行例程的日期。
GE’s Smart Plug, horizontal
For all the talk about the energy-saving promise of smart meters, which allow two-way energy data communication between ratepayers and their utility providers, it’s still just mostly potential. In hopes of getting more consumers engaged in tracking and managing their home energy use, GE this week announced a raft of new products, launched under GE’s Brillion home-energy-management-system brand.
The new products build on a device called the Nucleus, a home energy management device. When GE launched the Nucleus in mid-2010, it anticipated that consumers would use the device to collect, save and relay cost and energy-use data from their smart meters to the Internet. (The Nucleus does this communication via a set of ZigBee and WiFi radios.)
However, explains Michael Beyerle, GE’s innovation marketing manager, in many cases the smart meters are still missing from that equation. “There is a difference between the speed at which utilities and companies like GE are bringing solutions to market,” he says. “Some people have asked for solutions in places where smart meters haven’t been rolled out yet. And even in communities where smart meters have been rolled out, utilities aren’t always ready” to start working with consumers on energy management.
With the Whole-House Sensor, one of three products GE unveiled this week, users can still collect energy-use data and upload it to the Nucleus device. The Whole-House Sensor effectively acts like a smart meter, in terms of its ability to make energy-use data available to users. If a user already has a smart meter, the Whole-House Sensor can be mounted on any 240-volt device, such as a pool pump or clothes dryer.
GE also launched Smart Plugs, which users can plug into standard 120-volt outlets. They act as sensors for electronics and appliances, communicating energy-usage data to the Nucleus energy manager. Users can then tap into this data via online software in order to track how much energy each of their appliances or home electronic devices use. (GE also sells appliances — under its Profile brand — that come with integrated sensors that communicate with the Nucleus, so users who own these appliances would not need the Smart Plugs.)
GE also recently introduced the GeoSpring water heater, which can also communicate with the Nucleus and change its energy settings based on the users’ setting or on demand signals from a utility. “I’ll be able to change temperature settings, from a cell phone – if, say, I’m going on vacation for 10 days. All of this communication is enabled via the Nucleus,” Beyerle says.
To test the effectiveness of GE’s Brillion home-energy-management system and its ability to help homeowners without smart meters lower their energy consumption and expenses, the company has partnered with Georgia-based Flint Energies on a two-year pilot program. Flint Energies will send signals to the Nucleus device in each of 10 homes. Whenever the utility anticipates high power demand on the grid, it will transmit this information to the Nucleus, which will in turn transmit the signal to the thermostat and other home appliances to reduce their energy use. In return, the homeowners will receive a 87-cent-per-kilowatt-hour rebate. (Homeowners will still be able to override the signals and continue without lowering their power use.)
Best Buy was slated to bring the GE-developed Nucleus to market in early 2012, but the retailer is not yet carrying the item, Beyerle says. He could not comment on when the retailer might begin to offer the Nucleus.
Beyerle expects the Whole-House Sensor, Nucleus and Smart Plugs all to be available in the next two months, and says GE is in discussions with a few retailers that he couldn’t yet name. The estimated retail costs of the Whole-House Sensor, Nucleus and Smart Plugs are $199, $149, and $99, respectively.
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You’ll sound smarter if you can write in a clear and direct style.
Business writing has a sound all its own. Nothing else you read sounds quite like this:
Managers have the responsibility to coach teams that stretch priorities should be aspirational and difficult to accomplish–but that enhanced performance toward these high targets will be recognized and not held against employees.
This program drives transformation by creating, in leaders and staff up and down the organization, new ways of thinking how to be effective in change, and the ability to apply the critical few success factors and skills that will enhance one’s own performance, and deliver value to others and the business as a whole.
It’s probably a good thing that nothing else sounds like this, right? Because it’s impenetrable and it’s silly. What on earth would make people want to write this way? It appears that somewhere along the line business people got the idea that writing unnecessarily dense prose laced with buzzwords will make them sound smart and insightful. Somewhere we got the idea that if you express yourself simply and clearly, no one will think your ideas are any good. In effect, many business people are writing with the goal of making their messages less clear, not more.
Let’s look at what the writers quoted above were really trying to get across and how they managed to muddy their messages.
Managers have the responsibility to coach teams that stretch priorities should be aspirational and difficult to accomplish–but that enhanced performance toward these high targets will be recognized and not held against employees.
probably means something like:
Managers must help teams understand that they should set ambitious goals to help them grow, and that they won’t be penalized if they don’t fully reach these goals.
The rewrite isn’t exact, but it’s close enough, and it’s very easy to follow. What this writer has done is to take a rather simple message and make it dense by using unnecessarily complex language. “Have the responsibility” simply means “must.” “Stretch priorities” is a way of making the simple “ambitious goals,” sound fancier. Once you use the word “ambitious,” you can drop “aspirational and difficult” because that’s what “ambitious” means. The writer has made the end of the original sentence more complicated by using the passive voice. The use of the passive also makes the message sound distant and impersonal, which is too bad, since it really means, “don’t worry, you’ll get credit for trying, and no one will hold it against you if you don’t get all the way there.”
Now let’s look at the second example:
This program drives transformation by creating, in leaders and staff up and down the organization, new ways of thinking how to be effective in change, and the ability to apply the critical few success factors and skills that will enhance one’s own performance, and deliver value to others and the business as a whole.
probably means something like this:
This program helps all leaders and staff think differently about change and apply critical tools to drive change and improve performance and value.
Again, it’s quite a simple and clear message. In this case, the writer has “smartened” it up by adding a bunch of language that expands the word count but not the meaning or the value: “up and down the organization,” “ways of thinking how to be effective in change,” “critical few success factors and skills,” “deliver value to others and the business as a whole.” The tone is self-important, and perhaps that impresses some readers. Everyone else is just struggling to figure out what’s being said. And attentive readers will realize that the emperor is not wearing any clothes.
At this point, you might be wondering what the big deal is. Lots of people write this way—business writing just sounds like this. If everyone writes this way, then everyone will understand you, right? So what’s the problem?
There are two problems. The first is that not everyone will understand you. It’s possible to get your head so deeply into jargon and convoluted language that you’re actually quite hard to understand.
The second problem with this kind of writing is that it can make you look bad. Most people start writing this way to sound smarter; then it takes over their brains, and they start sounding dumber and sillier. It turns out there’s research to support this conclusion. Carnegie Mellon psychologist Daniel Oppenheimer, in a paper called “Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using Long Words Needlessly,” found that writers who use long words unnecessarily are perceived by readers as less intelligent than those who use simpler vocabulary. In accepting the 2006 Ig Nobel Prize for Literature, Professor Oppenheimer explained: “It’s important to point out that this research is not about problems with using long words but about using long words needlessly.” He concluded: “One thing seems certain: write as simply and plainly as possible and it’s more likely you’ll be thought of as intelligent.”
It seems likely that writing this way does more than make you sound dumb: it’s likely that it actually makes you dumber. If you’re spending your energy tarting up simple ideas to make them sound fancy, how much actual thinking are you doing? By accepting the challenge to write simply and clearly, you’ll challenge yourself to do better thinking.
When it seems like everyone else writes this way, it’s natural to want to fit in, and we unconsciously adopt the style that our colleagues are using. There’s nothing wrong with wanting to fit in; what’s wrong is the “unconscious” part of it. So you fit in, and then eventually you sound like everyone else, and your writing is muddy and unclear. If you can find the courage to start sounding like yourself and saying what you mean, you’ll stand out in the organization. A distinctive and clear voice in writing will become an asset for you. People will see that your writing is clear and infer that your thinking must be clear, too. You don’t have to write in businessese to sound smart. You’ll sound even smarter if you can get rid of the inflated language and write in a simple and direct voice.
The smart home revolution definitely isn’t happening overnight. Even with a flood of new devices and platforms available, most of us are still only inching toward fully automated homes. Still, you can take matters into your own hands and speed up the rate of progress with these DIY smart home systems. They’re easy to build and most can be up and running in under an hour.
1) Raspberry Pi-powered security camera
If you’ve got a Raspberry Pi to hand at home, you can build all kinds of smart devices with it, including a security camera system to meet your exact requirements. YouTuber JackkTutorials explains how you can use the Pi to set up a DIY security camera that keeps an eye on your property, even when the lights are off.
To get started, you’ll need a Raspberry Pi, the official Pi camera accessory, and a few other bits and pieces to get started, as well as the free MotionPie software that lets you access your new device through any web browser. It includes some of the features you’ll find on the best security cams on the market including motion detection, image uploads, and FTP support.
2) Hands-free garage door opener
What represents our automated future better than a garage door that slides open whenever you ask it to out loud? You could get a proper system professionally installed, but you’ll probably be much happier using this DIY solution on Hackster.io . A Particle Photon or a Particle Spark Core is used as the hub of the whole operation, and there’s some added IFTTT commands as well.
It’s not a difficult project to complete by any means, even if you’re a beginner as far as hardware hacking goes. Step-by-step instructions and pictures are provided, and when you’re finished you’ll be able to use your voice to get your garage door opened and closed. There’s even the option to check up on the current status of the door whenever you like.
3) Upgrade your AC unit with Sensibo
If you want a smart home hack with huge benefits and very little effort, then pick up a Sensibo to stick on the front of your current air conditioner. The intelligent add-on works with most AC units to allow you to control it with your phone, set timers for heating and cooling, and hopefully saves you money on your energy bills along the way.
It’s one of the easiest smart home hacks you’ll come across, with Sensibo’s makers promising you can be up and running in just a couple of minutes. IFTTT integration is also supported to enable even more possibilities, and just like Google’s Nest thermostat, the device learns your schedule and habits over time, so it should get easier to operate as time goes on.
Don’t buy a new dryer to get high-tech sensors. Stick the SmartDry sensor inside your old dryer’s drum and get notifications when your clothes are dry.
Freelance Contributor, TechHive |
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SmartDry
Modern clothes dryers are outfitted with such nifty high-tech features as steam drying, Wi-Fi connectivity, and moisture sensors to prevent energy waste—and possible clothing damage—from over drying. That all sounds great, but my dryer dates back to the 1990s. Is dropping $1,000 or more on a new model the only option that will smarten things up for me?
SmartDry offers one easy hack: A smart moisture sensor that mounts inside the drum, alerting you via an app when your clothes are warm and dry, so you don’t accidentally fry them.
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SmartDry comes in a slim box containing three hardware components. The SmartDry sensor itself is about the size of a skinny mint tin, and it adheres magnetically to the inside of the dryer drum. It communicates with the SmartDry hub, a tiny USB-powered device, via Bluetooth serves as a bridge to your Wi-Fi network. Finally, a simple USB power adapter lets you connect the SmartDry hub to wall power; this must be permanently plugged in within 10 to 15 feet of the dryer in order for the system to work.
To get started, you pull the paper tab out from beneath the coin cell battery in the SmartDry sensor unit to activate it. This slip was jammed in so tight in my test unit that the paper ripped completely. Ultimately, I had to unscrew the four screws on the battery cover to dig out the remaining shard so the battery would connect. Fortunately, a tiny screwdriver is included in the box, as is a replacement battery; you’ll need both down the line, as the manufacturer says the cell should last 6 to 12 months under normal use.
Christopher Null / IDG
Three components come in the SmartDry box. Combining the hub with its power adapter would streamline things.
After this, you use the SmartDry app to connect to the components and bridge to your Wi-Fi network. While SmartDry’s app is hardly polished, it’s intuitive enough, and I ran into no headaches at all during the setup.
From there, the fun begins. SmartDry offers little hand-holding in its app and nothing by way of a manual, but it isn’t tough to figure things out. Essentially the system offers four different alerts, each of which you can turn on or off separately: An alarm that goes off after a preset length of time, one that goes off if the dryer stops, a “delicate load” alert that notifies you if the temperature rises above 125 degrees Fahrenheit, and a moisture-based alert that lets you specify whether you want clothes “less dry,” “dry,” or “very dry.”
Christopher Null / IDG
It ain’t pretty, but the SmartDry app does cover the basics.
You don’t need to open the SmartDry app with each load of laundry. Once you set your preferences, it remembers them for future loads, so any time your laundry’s done, the app sends a “Clothes Are Dry” notification to your phone and a notification chime to Alexa (Alexa won’t announce anything, though, until you ask what your notifications are. If you forget to check the app before starting up the dryer, your clothes are still covered. You only need to visit the app if you want to make changes to the settings.
How well does it work? The proof, as they say, is in the laundering, and I had only a few operational hiccups with SmartDry during my testing (which spanned nearly a dozen loads of laundry). The main issue seemed to be that the sensor would sometimes lose its connection with the hub, and the app would sometimes indicate “Dryer is Idle/Load Clothes” even when it was actively running. Force quits and refreshes would generally fix it so that “Dryer is Running” would display, but often only after it had been tumbling for some time.
My only other major complaint revolves around the general immaturity of the app. The biggest head-scratcher is the timer system. After you punch in your running time, the countdown time never changes within the app, so there’s no easy way to see how long the dryer has been running. Tap in 45 minutes and the display remains at 45 minutes until you get a push notification that the time is up, or you manually stop the load. Even my 25-year-old dryer has a countdown timer; this seems like an incredibly basic feature that any app built in 2020 should include. Alexa is supported, letting you ask if your laundry is done, for example, but setup is more convoluted than you’ll find with more mature devices, so be sure to follow the configuration instructions exactly.
Christopher Null / IDG
The SmartDry sensor adheres magnetically inside your dryer’s drum.
Beyond that, SmartDry works fairly well. If you’re drying a reasonably sized load of clothes, most of its alerts are effective. (I recommend setting alerts to “permanent” so you don’t miss them.) The timer does push a notification to your phone—countdown or no—when it’s finished running, as does the “dryer stopped” alert. I never got any of the heat-related “delicates” alerts, oddly, though the app did show a live view of my laundry’s temperature.
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Dryness notifications worked better: The “less dry” notification gave me clothes that were still a bit damp, while the “dry” and “very dry” notifications indeed corresponded to laundry that was ready to retrieve. Sure, if your teenage daughter overstuffs the dryer completely with two weeks’ worth of attire, SmartDry won’t be able to tell that the core of her densely-packed clothes spheroid isn’t dry, but this is really a question of user error. While it also struggles with items like extra-thick towels, all told, SmartDry did fulfill its promise of saving save my clothes from damage by letting me shut off the dryer sooner than I otherwise would have.
Of course, SmartDry also offers another final benefit for users even if you don’t care if your t-shirts get scorched: Per the company, users typically save around 15 minutes of unnecessary drying time per load, saving energy and reducing your home’s environmental footprint.
