Smart socket is not so functional as other SMART category gadgets. However, it is she responsible for security in the house.
People who collect "smart home" in parts, as a rule, make smart sockets at the end of the list of planned purchases - or do not include them at all, because they do not understand what benefit From them can get. Although in fact here we should not go about the benefit, but about a more important thing - security.
In this article, we will tell how smart sockets ensure the safety of the house and present the top five models available in Russia.
How does a smart socket work and how does it differ from the usual?
The main function of the smart socket is the same as the usual: to serve electricity to the instruments. At the same time, the SMART socket is a rather massive device. In essence, it can even be considered an adapter, as it is inserted into the usual outlet. Gadget's dimensions just scare potential buyers - especially those who have dwellers dwellers at home.
However, the massiveness of the gadget, as we know is the reverse side of the functionality. The smart socket is stuck with electronics, which greatly facilitates the life of the user. The owner of the wonder sockets can:
- control the supply of electricity remotely. The classic situation - a person forgot, whether the iron turned off before leaving for work. Instead of tormenting yourself an alarm whole working day, he can enter the app and make sure that the supply of electricity is not happening.
- Configure the timer. The outlet is easy to program so that it turns on and turned off at a certain time every day. For example, so that it started to serve electricity to air conditioning in half an hour before the intended return of the user from the stuffy office.
- Control electricity. In an application that works with a smart outlet, you can always see how many hours you worked a particular device for a certain period of time. Some applications also show electricity consumption in kW / h.
In addition, the socket controls the state of the device and the network to avoid short circuit. With an excessive increase in temperature, the gadget will notice the owner using an SMS message and turn off the power supply. It is this feature of smart sockets that ensures home security - even if a person really forgets turn off the iron, it will make a socket for it.
Types of smart sockets
There are several classifications of Smart sockets. The first offers to divide the gadgets on internal and external. As part of this article, we consider external sockets, since the inner is advisable to order only in the complex with other components of the smart home. The inner intelligent socket is mounted in the conversion and embedded in the wiring, so it is simply not visible. In this and the advantage compared to the device of the appearance, which looks nonethetically. However, the inner sockets have a high price and require to attract the involvement of the Wizard-Electrician.
Embedded intelligent socket
The second classification - according to the control method. As part of this classification, the outlets are divided into:
- radio-controlled. The devices of this species work from the command radio signals from the remote control, which comes in the kit. The limit range is from 30 to 40 meters. Alas, such outlets manage, being out of the house, will not work.
- SMS-managed. Equipped with SIM card slots and indicators showing the power of the GSM signal. The user needs to send SMS commands to the SIM card that stands in the outlet. You can manage such a gadget while being out of the house. However, SMS is, firstly, a paid method of control, secondly, not the most convenient.
- Internet-managed. Wi-Fi socket is the most convenient option. It can be controlled by being at all anywhere in the globe - just to connect to the Internet. True, if the user turns out to be in the zone where there is no 3G, it will contact the gadget in other ways (for example, via SMS) can no longer be.
In the article, we speak mainly about Internet controlled sockets, since the overwhelming majority of models in the modern market are exactly this type.
How to choose a smart outlet?
Choosing a smart socket, pay attention to the following characteristics:
- Maximum power. Modern smart sockets have a power limit - from 1.8 to 3.7 kW. When buying needs to be repelled from which the device will power the socket. Of course, the greater the maximum power, the better - however, the prices of powerful sockets above.
- Grounding and protective curtains. Protective curtains must be if you have small children at home. The curtains will not allow a curious baby to shove his fingers into the outlet. Grounding is also a big plus for safety. It provides protection against shock in case of isolation breakdown.
- Dimensions of the device. In Russia, there are double sockets in many homes. The dimensions of the smart device are important because its body can partially overlap the second outlet and actually make it inaccessible. In addition, when a huge adapter sticks out in the outlet, it is simply ugly.
- Support voice assistant. Prefer the sockets that can interact with Alice's voice assistant. This assistant is better than others adapted to work with Russian-language teams.
Top 5 smart sockets
Based on their criteria that we defined as key, we will advise you 5 excellent Smart sockets from well-known manufacturers. All these devices have high marks on the Yandex Market aggregator.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Plug
- Maximum power: 3680 W
- Grounding and protective curtains: there is / yes
- Device dimensions (width / height / depth, mm): 52 × 90 × 73
- Voice Assistant : " Alice, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
Xiaomi MI Smart Plug - the most perfect of all smart sockets present in the market. The device is characterized by increased safety. The housing is made of refractory plastic, which is able to withstand temperatures up to 750 ° C. As soon as the socket starts overheating, it will immediately send an alert to the owner through the application - the built-in temperature sensor corresponds to it.
The product from the Chinese company works at once with 3 voice assistants - in addition to Yandex "Alice" is Google Assistant and Alexa from Amazon. So if you do not have a "Yandex Station", and foreign intelligent column, Xiaomi Mi Smart Plug will suit you more than other smart sockets.
Yandex intelligent socket
- Maximum power: 3680 W
- Grounding and protective curtains: Yes / No
- Device dimensions (width / height / depth, mm): 55 × 55 × 80
- Voice Assistant : "Alice"
On the smart outlet from Yandex Users respondents quite warm, arguing that the gadget works stably and without failures - even if you connect a powerful device like a boiler. In fact, nothing surprising in stable operation is no socket. The product from Yandex, firstly, powerful (gives up to 3.68 kW), secondly, a very poor in functionality is to "harm" here in essence there is nothing.
Note that this intelligent socket, unlike the Xiaomi gadget, cannot be called thought-out to the smallest detail. For example, disable the globe of the activation button when the outlet works, it will not work. Users in reviews claim that too sensitive people this glow can interfere with sleep.
HIPER IOT P01
- Maximum power: 2500 W
- Grounding and protective curtains: There is / there
- Dimensions of the device (width / height / depth, mm): 43 × 43 × 65
- Voice Assistant : "Alice", Google Assistant
HiPer Iot P01 is characterized by compact sizes - the device body will definitely not overlap the second outlet. Hiper gadget looks attractive and supports the timer function, that is, it can turn on and off every day at the same time. In addition, this intelligent socket is one of the most affordable on the market; It should be cheaper thousands of rubles.
It seems that this is an option without flaws, but there is still a trick. The maximum power supported by Hiper IoT P01 is 2.5 kW, while the analogs are on average per 1 kW. In fact, this means that the socket is not designed to connect powerful devices.
ELARI DUAL SMART Socket
- Maximum Power: 3500 W
- Grounding and protective curtains: There is / yes
- Device dimensions (width / height / depth, mm): 105 × 50 × 84
- Voice Assistant : "Alice", "Marusya", Google Assistant
ELARI DUAL SMART Socket is a smart twin, able to work immediately with 3 Russian-speaking voice helpers. The device is ensured by monitoring power consumption, that is, the user will know exactly how much electricity is spent with each of the outlets for a certain period. The price of a double from Elari, of course, is high, but it still costs cheaper than a couple of smart sockets.
TP-LINK HS100
- Maximum power: 3680 W
- Grounding and protective curtains: Yes / is
- Device dimensions (width / height / depth, mm): 40 × 100 × 65
- Voice Assistant : "Alice", Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
TP-LINK HS100 - Cult Wi-Fi Socket, which in 2016 earned the "Product of the Year" award. She has a curious mode, which is called "No Home". The user is recommended to activate this mode before going on vacation or for several days. The socket itself will turn on the electrical appliances at arbitrary time to create the visibility of the presence of the owners of the house and scare away the robbers.
TP-LINK HS100 is a powerful and safe device that works with 3 voice assistants. Its disadvantages can be attributed only to large dimensions. For example, Xiaomi Mi Smart Plug is made approximately in the same form factor, but height is less than a centimeter.
Conclusion
The person who uses smart sockets may not worry about the fact that his house will have a fire due to faulty electrical wiring. The socket reacts to overheating, stopping the flow of electricity. Therefore, the use of smart sockets is also a pledge of the durability of your loved ones and not cheap gadgets.
A clever rosette can be considered a panacea for lazy. No need to get up from the sofa to pull the cable - just switch the toggle switch in the mobile application. However, it is possible to manage remotely not all devices. For example, to warm the water in a regular electric kettle, you need not only to enable the outlet, but also click the button on the instrument itself. So a beautiful fairy tale of a miracle socket is divided into a harsh Russian life, in which the gadget cannot be considered universal. A clever socket manifests itself in all its glory only as part of a smart home.
