10 ideas on how to use smart plugs

Smart plugs are some of the cheapest and most popular devices to build a smart home, but most end up spending their entire lives turning lights on or off. Sure, they're great for the job, but they have so much more potential. In this article, we will offer you some good uses of smart plugs, one of the most convenient and easy-to-use gadgets in your smart home.

Smart plugs can control any device that plugs into an outlet. They just need a little thought and a little tweaking so they can do fun and useful things like warm your house before you come home or turn on your security cameras when you leave your home.

Before we begin, a few things are worth noting.

First. Smart plugs only work with devices that have physical on/off switches. For example, if you want the fan to turn on or off, you need a physical switch on the fan so that it only runs when there is power.

Second.You have to choose the best smart socket that allows control in a different way. Smart socket features include voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant, IFTTT integration, HomeKit integration and an option to track electricity consumption.

Third Make sure it will be compatible with your existing smart home system. If you manage your home with Thuya/Smart life it must support WiFi, ZiBee or Bluetooth. For SmartThings, it will need to be a Z-Wave or Zigbee socket, for HomeKit it will most likely be Bluetooth.

There are many smart plugs on the market that use their own apps. Through them you can set schedules and control everything that is included in your contact.

1. Control your smart cameras. Smart cameras for security are a brilliant way to monitor your home, but it can be difficult to manage exactly when they're recording. With the smart socket, you can record and turn on the power again when you need monitoring. For best results, consider how you can control the contact You have a camera in the office connected to SMILE SOCKET. When SMILE ALARM START ​turned off and the camera turns off; when you leave the office and the alarm goes off, the camera turns on again.
    
   Amazon Alexa is another great control method. Add the smart socket to which your camera is connected and trigger automatic on and off by voice commands to Alexa or Google Assistant. If you prefer to use geofencing, use the IFTTT applet or the Tuya / Smart life app to turn your cameras on when you go out and turn them off when you get home.
   Why not put a button in the bedroom and by pressing it in the evening turn on the cameras on the first floor and turn them off in the morning?
2. Preheat a room. If you use a heater to heat a garage or outbuilding, a smart socket is the perfect way to control it, allowing you to always have the room warm when you need it and you can be sure it's not running while you're away. If you want a degree of automation, say maintaining a minimum temperature, all you need is a smart temperature sensor. For example, the multifunctional sensors SMILE THS and SMILE THS PRO, they have a thermometer that you can use to program automation to turn off the heating when it reaches a set temperature and turn it on when the air drops below a minimum temperature. With the smart contact SMILE AIR WIFI you can quickly and easily control the air conditioner from anywhere in the world, through your phone. It gives you the ability to turn on/off the air conditioner connected to it, adjust the temperature, the strength of the air stream, through the Tuya/Smart Life app. You have the option of setting several timers: turn on/off at certain times or how long it should be on. You can also manually turn the contact on/off through the app. Besides through the application you have the opportunity to manage Smile AIR with voice commands, via Alexa or Google Home.
3. Control the humidity in your home. If your home is too humid, mold can grow. If the humidity is low, you can get breathing problems and cracked skin. With smart plugs, you can control the environment by aiming for a relative humidity level of 45% - you don't want to go above 50% and not drop below 30%. Use a dehumidifier to reduce humidity or a humidifier to add moisture to the air. To run both, you'll need it SMILE THS или SMILE THS PRO. ​They monitor the level of humidity in the room and when certain levels are reached, by creating intelligent scenarios, you can control the device turned on in SMILE SOCKET. For example, turning on a humidifier when the humidity drops below 35%, but turning it off when it reaches 45%. If you have a dehumidifier, you can turn it on when the humidity rises above 50% and turn it off when it reaches 40%. This way you can have the perfect level of control.
4. ​Make the hot water jug ​​smart. Wi-Fi and their own Alexa voice control, but they tend to be quite expensive. If you have an electric kettle and a smart plug, just make your own. Plug the jug into the SMILE SOCKET PRO or in SMILE SOCKET PRO or in SMILE POWER STRIP, fill the kettle with water and turn on the kettle switch. When you're ready to boil water, just ask Alexa to take care of it for you and you're good to go.
   You can also set a schedule in the smart socket app or via Alexa or Google Assistant so you can wake up and have boiling water ready for your morning hot drink. Similarly, smart sockets can also be used for a coffee machine with a physical switch, providing a hot cup of coffee as soon as you wake up.
5. Protection against thieves If you have smart plugs and when SMILE ALARM START is in Away mode - you can make them turn on and off randomly while you are away. Plug a few lights into them and program them to turn on and off automatically, pretending someone is home. You could also try a similar trick with a good old fashioned radio to make it sound like people are inside.
6. Turn off the TV with a voice command. Plug your TV into a smart socket and you'll get instant voice control - you'll never have to get up from the sofa to look for the remote again. Turn it on or off using Siri, Alexa, or Google.
7. Find out when the washing machine is done. The smart contact SMILE SOCKET PRO with built-in consumption monitoring, it will send you a notification when the power consumption drops below the point you set. It's a convenient way to monitor what's going on.
8. Keep your battery charged If you have cordless DIY or garden tools, chances are they aren't charged right when you need them. A smart contact can help. Plug in the charger and leave the outlet off. When you know you'll need the tool, just plug in the smart plug a few hours before and you'll have a fully charged battery. If you just want to keep your batteries charged then you can set a scheduled schedule to turn the battery charger on, say once a week and turn it off again after a few hours. Then your tools will be ready when you want to use them.
9. Automating your Christmas holidays If you're still turning your Christmas lights on and off by hand or relying on old-fashioned timers, then you really should be on Santa's naughty list. We are in the second decade of the 21st century. Keep up with the times! Plug all those holiday lights into smart outlets or power strips. Create several groups – maybe differentiate between indoor and outdoor lights, and have a common group. That way, a simple "OK Google, turn on the Christmas lights" or "Alexa, turn on the outdoor holiday lights" will create instant "magic" and save you time walking around the house. However, don't just settle for smart lighting. Think big. A toy train in a Lapland scene? A giant inflatable snowman for the front lawn? The possibilities are endless.
10. Cook your dinner If you're not yet part of the cooker revolution and still rely on the old stove, then the good news is that you can make things a little more automated by using a smart socket. Most traditional ovens have a high/low/hold temperature setting and an on button. So, it is enough to just add a smart socket and then your stove will turn on at the desired time. simply turn the knob on the stove to the desired setting and turn the switch on, but leave the outlet off before leaving for work. A few hours before you get home from work, turn on the smart socket and turn it off after a pre-set time that is needed to prepare your meal.

Smart plugs have a very wide range of applications, all of which can add convenience, save energy and generally help around the house - what more could you ask for?