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Etekcity WiFi Smart Plug, Energy Monitoring Wireless Mini Remote Control Outlet with Timer
By
Published: Feb 28, 2019
Category:
Home
My brother and I moved our 102-year-old mother into Assisted Living and bought her a brilliant tower lamp that, with a smart plug, could be controlled by Alexa.
It turns out you don’t need Alexa.
So says Preston Bealle, who is my guru in all things technological. As you may recall, it was Preston who alerted us to an outdoor speaker that’s both wireless and waterproof.
Now he’s back to praise the Etekcity WiFi Smart Plug, Energy Monitoring Wireless Mini Remote Control Outlet with Timer.
Listen up….
As we wade into the smart home ecosystem — an overused word I don’t like, but there it is — I love these wifi switches for those who may not want to go to Alexa et al. To be clear, they work with Alexa and Google Home, but they don’t need it.
You just plug the Smart Plug into the wall and plug a light into it, and download an app so you control the switch with your phone. I can sit on a couch and turn a light on in the same room while watching TV because it’s easier than getting up. But what it’s better for: it’s a timer, so you can set it for lighting the house when you’re away, and you can either turn it on/off remotely or just adjust the timer.
I have cameras in the house (not Nest, mine are hardwired), so it’s very comforting while away to look in and see the house well lit, with LED bulbs that cost nothing to run. The switch measures the voltage and wattage of the device you’re running, and total hours running and such, if you want that. You can see your blazing light on in the den, and notice it’s using 6 watts, like a night light. [To buy a pack of 2 from Amazon for $18, click here.]
