I have an unrelated question.. I actually just got done watching your video on smart bulbs before watching this one. You said in this video that you will need a hub in order to use a smart plug on the HomeKit. I don't recall you saying that you will need a hub in HomeKit to use a smart bulb, am I correct? Specifically, Philips Hue with the Philips Bridge. Apparently Philips said Godspeed and good luck to us after the release of iOS 16? After installing iOS 16 the Hue app is no longer working as it should. All set up instructions were followed, all lights are blue but it's still not connecting. Im stuck 😵💫😵💫😵💫 I'm in the process of moving from Pennsylvania to South Carolina and have already packed up my Apple HomePod and would rather not need to bring it back out in order to be able to turn on/ off my dang lights for the next week and a half. Any help is appreciated! 💕💕💕💕
I committed to Wemo think it was the best product/price. However, the poor reliability has sent me searching. When you're away from home and HomeKit says "outlet not responding." "Switch not responding." there is nothing you can do to fix it. This is a regular occurrence and so frustrating. I think Meross is the solution for me starting today.
I’ve been getting Meross. The low price almost stopped me from getting it, but I’ve been happy enough with the company that I’ve added their light switches and outdoor plugs for Christmas lights.
I was looking for a smart plug just the other day for my Christmas tree and picked up a $10 TP Link one at Best Buy because it worked with Matter, though I was skeptical because I knew of Eve’s good reputation but those go for $40. I was very glad to find the TP Link reliable every time it gets used!
I purchased nine of the Wemo Thread plugs and they constantly go offline. I would have to unplug/replug them in. Some are in hard to get to places. I had enough and replaced them all with Eve Thread plugs. Best decision I've ever made. They have been rock solid.
@@AdamsTechLife agreed. Wemo with Thread is a nightmare on Automation Street. I'm a little afraid of Thread at this point, even though I have the right Apple TV version......maybe I'll try Eve soon. Right now, I'm TP-Link. Thanks Adam!
Thank you for your comparison. I use Fibaro Z-wave Plus 2500W so I can monitor the energy consumption of my washing machine and dishwasher. Also, with Homey Pro I can make flows so it registers the costs and notifies me when all's done.
I have the following: Meross Smart Mini (x3), Meross Smart Outdoor (x1), Eve Energy (x8), Eve Energy Strip (x2), Aqara Smart Plug (x3), ConnectSense In-wall Smart Outlet (x5), Lutron Caseta Smart Plug-in Dimmer Switch (x3), and Lutron Caseta Smart Outdoor Plug (x1). My favorites are Lutron and Eve, with ConnectSense coming in Third.
I came across this video because we've bought a lot of smart plugs in the last few years. In the past few months, these plugs have been discontinued for some reason, such as iHome, and they were some of the best that supported all the big brands like HomeKit and Amazon. I really don't want to see these plugs get discontinued for the few years you own them... It's a kick in the balls, for sure.
iHome was very popular for a couple years then shut down. I completely feel you for sure, it's annoying when you invest in a company and it shuts down. I'd say any of these products in this video will last for many years to come. Thanks for watching! 😊
The biggest problem that I have with all of the reviewed products is that you can only plug a device in on the front to the smart plug, thus creating an issue with wall space behind a piece of furniture. I use Insteon plugs in general with a plugin on my indigo software running on my iMac to make it compatible with HomeKit. The Insteon plug has the outlet on the bottom. It is much larger so if you need to use the other outlet in the wall you must plug the Insteon into the bottom outlet. Insteon is MUCh more expensive thus my search for other brands that work with HomeKit. Thanks for the review.
I'm just venturing into the world of smart plugs etc. having recently purchased an Echo Dot. I bought a twin pack of Meross plugs to link to the Dot and operate via Alexa. All went well, but it would not sync with my WiFi. I'm beginning to think that's because they only operate on a 2.4 ghz band? Mine is 5 and it's quite a palaver to switch. So, I sent them straight back and order the Amazon one. That set itself up perfectly, with no need for having to go through another App first. That said, it's pretty bulky, by comparison. Having searched, high and low, I've not been able to find a single Smart Plug that doesn't have the same issues as the Meross. That is, they're all set up to work with 2.4 ghz!
That's great! Most smart devices connect over 2.4ghz..ideally you'd want a router that does simultaneous 2.4 and 5g broadcasts and not separate..that way your smart device can auto choose the proper channel. Thanks for watching! 😊
I like the Kasa because ease of use with Python as they provide a Python library. I use them with $22 DFROBOT voice module with Raspberry Pi to control smart plugs and Philips Hue lighting with voice commands as there is also a Python library for Philips Hue lighting. All very easy to implement.
For smart plugs Meross has worked well for me. I use them for turning on and off a light in a wall clock, and I have another setup to turn on and off a lava lamp. I have them setup on a schedule to turn on and off automatically. I have a third upstairs in my home office that powers a fan. Sometimes I forget to turn the fan off when I'm done working for the day so having the fan connected through a smart plug allows me to turn it off without going up stairs again. I also have two Meross smart power strips. They work well too but they were a pain in the @ss to setup!!! I bought some extra smart plugs to keep on hand just in case I need more of them.
I've had alot of issues with the Aqara plugs... Once I switched off the aqara hub for Zigbee 2 MQTT, I found that not quite half of my plugs were not functioning as routers/repeaters resulting in a very unstable zigbee network. I have since switched to sonoff zigbee plugs and those have been flawless in operation.
The wemo thread plugs are great I’ve never had an issue with them. Maybe it was bad then but now it’s great eve is also definitely go for thread if you have HomeKit.
Hi, I am one of your new subscribers and truly enjoy your honest opinions about the product featured on your videos! I wanted what are the NFC tags that you would recommend buying that works well with iPhones? Thanks.😃👍🏻
I use mostly Meross plugs. But I was unaware that they supported timers (my mistake), and so I bought the Kasa plugs to restart my routers weekly, one in each of my smart homes. After about a month of reliable operation, first one and then the other failed to turn back on after the off timer had fired. Thus, my router was off and I lost all functionality. Now that I know Meross plugs do have timers, I've now swapped in the Meross plug (at my local home) and will see how that works out.
Great idea for automating your router. My concern would be -- is there a way to set a "wait" action for give the router time to boot up before auto turning on the smart plug. I don't think the smart plug could auto turn itself on/off if it's disconnected from the internet (goes for any brand) but i could be wrong and haven't tested it.
@@AdamsTechLife Actually, both the Meross and Kasa plugs can run their timers without Internet connectivity. The timers are stored in the plug. (The time of day is also stored in the plug, and if it is wrong, all bets are off.) So when the "off" timer runs, the power to the router is shut off, and then when the "on" timer's time comes around, the timer will run, and power will be restored to the router. But only if they work properly. The Kasa worked properly for about a month and then failed to turn back on after the off timer ran. I have replaced the Kasa with a Meross in my primary home, and we'll see if it is more reliable. At my other home, I had someone go to the house and eliminate the Kasa plug to get me back online. When I visit there next, I will possibly install a Meross plug, or maybe I will leave it without the reboot capability due to the fact that I don't live there and might possibility get cut off again for several months until I return.
Great round up Adam! I am also very confused about why a car is smart plug is so big. My go to at this point is the Eve Energy. I can’t really justify Wi-Fi smart plugs anymore.
Hello Dustin, glad to hear you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Eve is good as well, little too pricey for me but a good option. Thanks for watching! 😊
Yes the Aqara smart plugs are big. But, they use Zigbee rather than wifi which can be important or advantageous in some situations. To wit: In my second home I ended up with VZ Home internet as my IP for budgetary reasons. The VZ Home router is limited to 5 wifi connections. I didn't want to spend money or have the additional failure point of putting a separate router in. So, I finagled a lot more than five devices by going with an Aqara hub and Aqara devices. The VZ route only "sees" a single device; the Aqara hub.
@@tharais I absolutely agree and I use it as a signal repeater throughout my house. I have several of them that do just that. I still think it is unnecessarily large and can be reduced with a simple redesign, but I don't think it's a priority considering their current roadmap map
The Meross plugs have been a nightmare for me. They worked for about 4 months straight without any problems but all of a sudden they started disconnecting constantly. I've wasted so much time trying to troubleshoot them now I wish I would have just bought a different brand.
Same thing here. It may be related to dual band WiFi routers with 2.4GHz & 5GHz support. Meross operates on 2.4GHz (most WiFi smart devices do) and it seems to have an issue if you have the same SSID running for 2.4GHz & 5GHz bands. I have Orbi router setup, which runs both bands on the same SSID and Meross plugs keep having issue of becoming unresponsive, even after the Firmware updates Meross released that was supposed to fix this. :/
I use a very old Wemo and three TP-Link Tapo plugs, the Kasa ones not being available for Australia/New Zealand power points. Neither is HomeKit compatible but I use Home Bridge to link them to HomeKit. I do find that the Tapo plugs can be a little slow to appear in Home but I put that down to the old iMac I run Home Bridge on being a little slow to respond. Using Home Bridge has given my more flexibility with the smart devices I can choose as there is a huge range of plugins for it.
2:14 I still see thread benefit over wifi as it won’t putting too much load on your wifi router if you ended up having too many smart plugs at home. I see if a person is fully committed into smart home would definitely have a thread border router
That's the idea, but not all thread devices are reliable (aka Belkin), Eve is known to be good though. This is all from personal experience. Thanks for watching! 😊
I have 2 Meross plugs that I use with my Homekit that regularly loose their connections. I have to remove them completely and re-install every time and set them up. This also requires me to connect to my 2.4 GHZ WiFi to do this each time. Not recommended.
No, it doesn’t actually answers the question. You’ve been using Meross for a long time, so that’s what you use. The question was if you had no smart plugs, and you were starting a HomeKit smart home today, would you choose Meross HomeKit smart plugs or TP-Link Tapo/Kasa. Matter smart plugs?
I want to know what the smart plug manufacturers think is valuable in putting the QR code and Homekit ID numbers on the BACK of the plug is? They have to be plugged in to add them to Homekit and, one can't scan or read the numbers when they are.
maybe for protection? once you scan the QR code, you can save the code in an app called homepass to store codes and never have to worry about the physical sticker. Thanks for watching! 😊
I bought the tp link plugs a few days ago but they won’t connect to HomeKit. They work perfectly in the kasa app and even google home but HomeKit gives errors saying plug isn’t available. Can someone help? Tp link support isn’t responding.
If someone decide to buy the switchbot plug, It usually suddenly turn off then back on. Do not use it with sensitive device like PC or NAS etc... (I was sold back 2 pieces due to this problem)
I've found several devices that are fully or partially integrated with HomeKit out of the box, but they aren't advertised as such which makes them harder to find. Question: Could you do a video on lesser-known HomeKit products and devices?
Hmm, I tend to want to avoid zigbee now and wait for thread to be affordable… because despite it being really good, but since thread is a standard for matter, it’s more future proof. Ofc we can have a proxy for zigbee to thread with aqara hub but that means I have 2 different protocols that don’t talk to each other directly which if they do, it will strengthen the connection. Exception is Aqara never make thread direct accessories or nobody else ended up commit into making affordable thread devices which I doubt that’s the case
Thread is future proof, I personally have had better experience with Aqara but that's just me. Aqara is releasing new thread products soon. Thanks for watching! 😊
Been using iDevices for couple years now w/o problem. But, thanks to your video, the next one will either be from TP Link or Meross as iDevice ones tend to be pricey.
Can I use one Smart Power Plug and connect a None-smart power strip on it and which the None-power strip has smart appliances connected on it? will it work?
For the TP-Link EP25, Is the "In Use" exposed to Homekit? I am currently using Homebridge with their KP115 so that I can create automation based on "In Use" only (not consumption). Very informative video and thanks for spending the time and effort.
Hello. Tp link does not have outlet in use exposed to HomeKit or even 3rd party apps like Home+5. Aqara is exposed, Meross is not (is in h+5). Glad I could help! Thanks so much for watching! 😊
Do you not have to press a button to start making coffee on your coffee maker? How do you push the button with the plug? I can turn the power on and off to the coffee maker but still can't start coffee because I still need to press the start button. How do you resolve that? I use Gosund. The ap is great and they stay connected all the time and they just work. The plugs that they sell that replace the wall receptacle have energy monitoring but the puck plug in versions don't. All work great though. I tie them in with my Yolink system
Nah, I manually press the button. The SwitchBot button is great for this and anything that requires a manual press, though it doesn’t fit on everything like my coffee machine.
@@AdamsTechLife but can't you just leave the coffee maker plugged into the wall? If you still have to press the start button, what is it accomplishing? I bought 2 of the switchbots on Amazon and neither would link to wifi. Horrible product
I'd like to be notified (Kasa app?) when a plug power changes suddenly or exceeds my set limit. I don't have a HomeKit, nor a Aqara Hub. Of the the energy-monitoring plugs (SwitchBot, TP-Link, Meross MSS110, Sense, Emporia , Vue Smart).. do any email or make a sound when power usage changes?
Just replaced 2 Meross outlets. Simply were not reliable. Got tired of Home app just not responding. Drops connection more often than Ronald Acuna steals bases.
Very informative video. Do you have any recommendations for smart plug-in dimmers that are compatible with Homekit? I currently have a number of plug-in dimmers controlling lights inside and outside our home. They use Insteon technology, which was cutting-edge in the early 2000s but is now a dead platform. I could simply use smart bulbs in all those lamps, but I have more than one lamp connected to some of the smart dimmers, and some of the lamps use more than one bulb. So, switching to smart bulbs would require a lot more smart devices.
Glad I could help :) I haven’t used any plug in dimmer but I will say I see Leviton makes an indoor one that works with HomeKit so based on my experience with their non dimmer switch, I’d say Leviton would be a good choice.
Do you like the Métis’s ones even more than the TP Link EP10 which is their non HomeKit basic plug without energy monitoring? I like that EP10 doesn’t HAVE to connect to HomeKit bc I use echo dots. But I would consider Meross instead
How do you make the switbot plug to work when it's only uses 2.5g wifi and I only got 5g??? Bought 3 and I can't turn my wifi down in order to use them. Very very dissappinting
A mesh WiFi system that broadcasts 2.5g and 5hz is the best option. Most smart devices connect to 2.4, router broadcasts both at the same and the device picks up the right one automatically
I've had two EVE smart plug devices fail. One was warranted, the other they won't. Not a reliable device, in my opinion. Also, I agree the EVE devices seem overly expensive and I don't see a way to export the energy monitoring data to a spreadsheet (though I can't really see a need for that). One thing that you need to be careful of, is the power rating capability of these devices. I've had one that wasn't rated high enough to run a dehumidifier. The EVE device was okay for that load though.
Yes, I use smart bulbs to control lamps. if you want to control the brightness or color of a lamp, use a smart bulb, if you just want to control light on/off, use a smart plug. there's pros and cons to each, just depends what you want to be able to do. Thanks for watching! 😊
@@AdamsTechLife Thanks for great video. I'm new to this. Plug or bulb? if I want to voice control lamp. Do you voice control directly or through iPhone?
Google Home app: "Could not reach Wemo. Please try again". Constant problems. Devices do not work. Would avoid Wemo products if you are a Google Home household.
0:38 “…keep in mind that with any smart plug you’ll need a homekit hub…” But then you go on to say some of these don’t require a hub ? 🫤 I’m not a tech guy, I just want to automate some lighting without bring a “virtual assistant” into my home. Does the Meross require a pod or apple tv or not?
Home hub is required for using in automation and controlling remotely from the Apple home app. If you don’t want this feature in the Apple home app, you can use the manufacturer app to create automations without requiring a hub (except for aqara). Keep in mind this is a HomeKit focused video ;)
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What HomeKit Smart Plugs do you use in your smart home?
Meross have been rock solid for me
Great to hear! Meross is awesome. Thanks for watching! 😊
I have an unrelated question.. I actually just got done watching your video on smart bulbs before watching this one. You said in this video that you will need a hub in order to use a smart plug on the HomeKit. I don't recall you saying that you will need a hub in HomeKit to use a smart bulb, am I correct? Specifically, Philips Hue with the Philips Bridge. Apparently Philips said Godspeed and good luck to us after the release of iOS 16? After installing iOS 16 the Hue app is no longer working as it should. All set up instructions were followed, all lights are blue but it's still not connecting. Im stuck 😵💫😵💫😵💫 I'm in the process of moving from Pennsylvania to South Carolina and have already packed up my Apple HomePod and would rather not need to bring it back out in order to be able to turn on/ off my dang lights for the next week and a half. Any help is appreciated! 💕💕💕💕
So, does this mean I can turn off and on my mini fridge in the home app? 😃😃
I committed to Wemo think it was the best product/price. However, the poor reliability has sent me searching. When you're away from home and HomeKit says "outlet not responding." "Switch not responding." there is nothing you can do to fix it. This is a regular occurrence and so frustrating. I think Meross is the solution for me starting today.
I’ve been getting Meross. The low price almost stopped me from getting it, but I’ve been happy enough with the company that I’ve added their light switches and outdoor plugs for Christmas lights.
Good to hear. I use their outdoor plugs as well and have been impressed. Thanks for watching! 😊
I was looking for a smart plug just the other day for my Christmas tree and picked up a $10 TP Link one at Best Buy because it worked with Matter, though I was skeptical because I knew of Eve’s good reputation but those go for $40. I was very glad to find the TP Link reliable every time it gets used!
TP-Link is great! I can't say I've had a good experience with Eve products 😳
I purchased nine of the Wemo Thread plugs and they constantly go offline. I would have to unplug/replug them in. Some are in hard to get to places. I had enough and replaced them all with Eve Thread plugs. Best decision I've ever made. They have been rock solid.
Eve is awesome! I had issues with Belkin as well. Thanks for watching! 😊
@@AdamsTechLife agreed. Wemo with Thread is a nightmare on Automation Street. I'm a little afraid of Thread at this point, even though I have the right Apple TV version......maybe I'll try Eve soon. Right now, I'm TP-Link. Thanks Adam!
I too, replaced my Wemo “smart” plugs, with the Thread enabled Eve plugs. The Wemo plugs, were constantly going off line.
Should have watched this before buying the WeMo „smart“ plug. An atrocity to name it smart..
For real!! Thanks for watching! 😊
Thank you for your comparison. I use Fibaro Z-wave Plus 2500W so I can monitor the energy consumption of my washing machine and dishwasher. Also, with Homey Pro I can make flows so it registers the costs and notifies me when all's done.
That’s a good setup! Thanks for watching! 😊
I have the following: Meross Smart Mini (x3), Meross Smart Outdoor (x1), Eve Energy (x8), Eve Energy Strip (x2), Aqara Smart Plug (x3), ConnectSense In-wall Smart Outlet (x5), Lutron Caseta Smart Plug-in Dimmer Switch (x3), and Lutron Caseta Smart Outdoor Plug (x1).
My favorites are Lutron and Eve, with ConnectSense coming in Third.
What a setup!! 🔥 Thanks for watching! 😊
I came across this video because we've bought a lot of smart plugs in the last few years. In the past few months, these plugs have been discontinued for some reason, such as iHome, and they were some of the best that supported all the big brands like HomeKit and Amazon. I really don't want to see these plugs get discontinued for the few years you own them... It's a kick in the balls, for sure.
iHome was very popular for a couple years then shut down. I completely feel you for sure, it's annoying when you invest in a company and it shuts down. I'd say any of these products in this video will last for many years to come. Thanks for watching! 😊
I love smart plugs they have changed my life.
They’re great! Thanks for watching! 😊
The biggest problem that I have with all of the reviewed products is that you can only plug a device in on the front to the smart plug, thus creating an issue with wall space behind a piece of furniture. I use Insteon plugs in general with a plugin on my indigo software running on my iMac to make it compatible with HomeKit. The Insteon plug has the outlet on the bottom. It is much larger so if you need to use the other outlet in the wall you must plug the Insteon into the bottom outlet. Insteon is MUCh more expensive thus my search for other brands that work with HomeKit. Thanks for the review.
yeah that is a common issue. there are smart wall outlets that would help with this and work with apple home like one by leviton
Very informative. I'd like to see a separate review of the apps for people not using HomeKit or for accessing app only settings.
Thanks for watching! 😊
I'm just venturing into the world of smart plugs etc. having recently purchased an Echo Dot.
I bought a twin pack of Meross plugs to link to the Dot and operate via Alexa. All went well, but it would not sync with my WiFi. I'm beginning to think that's because they only operate on a 2.4 ghz band?
Mine is 5 and it's quite a palaver to switch.
So, I sent them straight back and order the Amazon one.
That set itself up perfectly, with no need for having to go through another App first. That said, it's pretty bulky, by comparison.
Having searched, high and low, I've not been able to find a single Smart Plug that doesn't have the same issues as the Meross. That is, they're all set up to work with 2.4 ghz!
That's great! Most smart devices connect over 2.4ghz..ideally you'd want a router that does simultaneous 2.4 and 5g broadcasts and not separate..that way your smart device can auto choose the proper channel. Thanks for watching! 😊
I love the TP-Link ones- definitely a good bang for your buck.
Those are great, especially for energy monitoring. Thanks for watching! 😊
I like the Kasa because ease of use with Python as they provide a Python library. I use them with $22 DFROBOT voice module with Raspberry Pi to control smart plugs and Philips Hue lighting with voice commands as there is also a Python library for Philips Hue lighting. All very easy to implement.
That's so cool!! 🔥
WOW! You nailed this video bud! Very informative! Thank you!
Thanks for watching! 😊 glad i could help!
For smart plugs Meross has worked well for me. I use them for turning on and off a light in a wall clock, and I have another setup to turn on and off a lava lamp. I have them setup on a schedule to turn on and off automatically. I have a third upstairs in my home office that powers a fan. Sometimes I forget to turn the fan off when I'm done working for the day so having the fan connected through a smart plug allows me to turn it off without going up stairs again. I also have two Meross smart power strips. They work well too but they were a pain in the @ss to setup!!! I bought some extra smart plugs to keep on hand just in case I need more of them.
Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching! :)
I've had alot of issues with the Aqara plugs... Once I switched off the aqara hub for Zigbee 2 MQTT, I found that not quite half of my plugs were not functioning as routers/repeaters resulting in a very unstable zigbee network. I have since switched to sonoff zigbee plugs and those have been flawless in operation.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience :) that is interesting
The wemo thread plugs are great I’ve never had an issue with them. Maybe it was bad then but now it’s great eve is also definitely go for thread if you have HomeKit.
Thanks for sharing your experience :)
Hi, I am one of your new subscribers and truly enjoy your honest opinions about the product featured on your videos! I wanted what are the NFC tags that you would recommend buying that works well with iPhones? Thanks.😃👍🏻
Hello, thanks for subbing and supporting the channel! Glad I could help. I made a full video a while back on nfc tags :)
I use mostly Meross plugs. But I was unaware that they supported timers (my mistake), and so I bought the Kasa plugs to restart my routers weekly, one in each of my smart homes. After about a month of reliable operation, first one and then the other failed to turn back on after the off timer had fired. Thus, my router was off and I lost all functionality. Now that I know Meross plugs do have timers, I've now swapped in the Meross plug (at my local home) and will see how that works out.
Great idea for automating your router. My concern would be -- is there a way to set a "wait" action for give the router time to boot up before auto turning on the smart plug. I don't think the smart plug could auto turn itself on/off if it's disconnected from the internet (goes for any brand) but i could be wrong and haven't tested it.
@@AdamsTechLife Actually, both the Meross and Kasa plugs can run their timers without Internet connectivity. The timers are stored in the plug. (The time of day is also stored in the plug, and if it is wrong, all bets are off.) So when the "off" timer runs, the power to the router is shut off, and then when the "on" timer's time comes around, the timer will run, and power will be restored to the router. But only if they work properly. The Kasa worked properly for about a month and then failed to turn back on after the off timer ran.
I have replaced the Kasa with a Meross in my primary home, and we'll see if it is more reliable. At my other home, I had someone go to the house and eliminate the Kasa plug to get me back online. When I visit there next, I will possibly install a Meross plug, or maybe I will leave it without the reboot capability due to the fact that I don't live there and might possibility get cut off again for several months until I return.
To be honest with you, this video was really good! Keep it up!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Thanks for watching! 😊
Great round up Adam! I am also very confused about why a car is smart plug is so big. My go to at this point is the Eve Energy. I can’t really justify Wi-Fi smart plugs anymore.
Hello Dustin, glad to hear you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Eve is good as well, little too pricey for me but a good option. Thanks for watching! 😊
Yes the Aqara smart plugs are big. But, they use Zigbee rather than wifi which can be important or advantageous in some situations.
To wit: In my second home I ended up with VZ Home internet as my IP for budgetary reasons. The VZ Home router is limited to 5 wifi connections. I didn't want to spend money or have the additional failure point of putting a separate router in. So, I finagled a lot more than five devices by going with an Aqara hub and Aqara devices. The VZ route only "sees" a single device; the Aqara hub.
@@tharais I absolutely agree and I use it as a signal repeater throughout my house. I have several of them that do just that. I still think it is unnecessarily large and can be reduced with a simple redesign, but I don't think it's a priority considering their current roadmap map
The Meross plugs have been a nightmare for me. They worked for about 4 months straight without any problems but all of a sudden they started disconnecting constantly. I've wasted so much time trying to troubleshoot them now I wish I would have just bought a different brand.
Oh man, that’s crazy. This video is based on personal experience and I haven’t had that issue so that’s interesting! Thanks for watching! 😊
Same thing here. It may be related to dual band WiFi routers with 2.4GHz & 5GHz support. Meross operates on 2.4GHz (most WiFi smart devices do) and it seems to have an issue if you have the same SSID running for 2.4GHz & 5GHz bands. I have Orbi router setup, which runs both bands on the same SSID and Meross plugs keep having issue of becoming unresponsive, even after the Firmware updates Meross released that was supposed to fix this. :/
I have gotten multiple Meross products. And regret it every time connection is horrible
Thanks for the sharing your experience and for watching
I use a very old Wemo and three TP-Link Tapo plugs, the Kasa ones not being available for Australia/New Zealand power points. Neither is HomeKit compatible but I use Home Bridge to link them to HomeKit. I do find that the Tapo plugs can be a little slow to appear in Home but I put that down to the old iMac I run Home Bridge on being a little slow to respond. Using Home Bridge has given my more flexibility with the smart devices I can choose as there is a huge range of plugins for it.
That works too! Thanks for watching! 😊
I bought the Meross plugs and I haven’t been able to add them to Homekit at all. It’s been incredibly frustrating.
Oh man that stinks. Could be a router issue? Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching! 😊
Thanks I ordered the switchbot for my 3d printer
Glad to hear you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Thanks for watching! 😊
i am looking for a smart plug that has a 168 hour countdown turn off mode. recommendations?
I’m not sure tbh. Thanks for watching! 😊
2:14 I still see thread benefit over wifi as it won’t putting too much load on your wifi router if you ended up having too many smart plugs at home. I see if a person is fully committed into smart home would definitely have a thread border router
That's the idea, but not all thread devices are reliable (aka Belkin), Eve is known to be good though. This is all from personal experience. Thanks for watching! 😊
NFC Tag memory error is the Switchbot App, not related to the NFC Tag. I haven't tried it, but I believe now (10 months later) it may have been fixed.
thanks for sharing!
No Eve? I know not cheap but you can catch them on sell and the new ones support Thread. Even the older Bluetooth versions are rock solid.
I talked about Eve in the video :)
@@AdamsTechLife I know you talked about them I was hoping it was in the line up with the other 5 plugs
I have 2 Meross plugs that I use with my Homekit that regularly loose their connections. I have to remove them completely and re-install every time and set them up. This also requires me to connect to my 2.4 GHZ WiFi to do this each time. Not recommended.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience :)
If you were starting a smart home today, would you still buy this HomeKit meross smart plug or the new tp-link tappo matter one?
check out the video i made on "what homekit products i actually use", that'll answer your question :)
No, it doesn’t actually answers the question. You’ve been using Meross for a long time, so that’s what you use. The question was if you had no smart plugs, and you were starting a HomeKit smart home today, would you choose Meross HomeKit smart plugs or TP-Link Tapo/Kasa. Matter smart plugs?
I want to know what the smart plug manufacturers think is valuable in putting the QR code and Homekit ID numbers on the BACK of the plug is? They have to be plugged in to add them to Homekit and, one can't scan or read the numbers when they are.
maybe for protection? once you scan the QR code, you can save the code in an app called homepass to store codes and never have to worry about the physical sticker. Thanks for watching! 😊
I bought the tp link plugs a few days ago but they won’t connect to HomeKit. They work perfectly in the kasa app and even google home but HomeKit gives errors saying plug isn’t available.
Can someone help? Tp link support isn’t responding.
maybe try factory resetting the plug and setting up in the tp link app then adding it to HomeKit
If someone decide to buy the switchbot plug, It usually suddenly turn off then back on. Do not use it with sensitive device like PC or NAS etc... (I was sold back 2 pieces due to this problem)
Thanks for sharing your experience :)
I've found several devices that are fully or partially integrated with HomeKit out of the box, but they aren't advertised as such which makes them harder to find.
Question: Could you do a video on lesser-known HomeKit products and devices?
Usually lesser known HomeKit brands are very unreliable and often have issues, at least from my experience and from what I hear
@@AdamsTechLife Good to know thank you :)
Hmm, I tend to want to avoid zigbee now and wait for thread to be affordable… because despite it being really good, but since thread is a standard for matter, it’s more future proof. Ofc we can have a proxy for zigbee to thread with aqara hub but that means I have 2 different protocols that don’t talk to each other directly which if they do, it will strengthen the connection. Exception is Aqara never make thread direct accessories or nobody else ended up commit into making affordable thread devices which I doubt that’s the case
Thread is future proof, I personally have had better experience with Aqara but that's just me. Aqara is releasing new thread products soon. Thanks for watching! 😊
I would avoid Meross like the plague. Constantly losing connection
thanks for sharing your experience :)
Been using iDevices for couple years now w/o problem. But, thanks to your video, the next one will either be from TP Link or Meross as iDevice ones tend to be pricey.
You’ll like tp link or meross! Thanks for watching! 😊
Can I use one Smart Power Plug and connect a None-smart power strip on it and which the None-power strip has smart appliances connected on it? will it work?
yes, but once that smart power plug turns off, anything connected to it will go offline fyi
Glad to hear that! Thank you.
Hi Adam, good video. When you look at the specs which one would support a heater?
All of them can I believe up to a certain amount of amps varying by the brand. Thanks for watching! 😊
I use Gosund for a heater in my garage. Works fine
For the TP-Link EP25, Is the "In Use" exposed to Homekit? I am currently using Homebridge with their KP115 so that I can create automation based on "In Use" only (not consumption). Very informative video and thanks for spending the time and effort.
Hello. Tp link does not have outlet in use exposed to HomeKit or even 3rd party apps like Home+5. Aqara is exposed, Meross is not (is in h+5). Glad I could help! Thanks so much for watching! 😊
My meross plug broke after 1 yr and it losses connection how is that your favorite 😟
that stinks! my favorite is determined what's worked the best from my personal experience 🤷🏼♂️
Do you not have to press a button to start making coffee on your coffee maker? How do you push the button with the plug? I can turn the power on and off to the coffee maker but still can't start coffee because I still need to press the start button. How do you resolve that?
I use Gosund. The ap is great and they stay connected all the time and they just work. The plugs that they sell that replace the wall receptacle have energy monitoring but the puck plug in versions don't. All work great though. I tie them in with my Yolink system
Nah, I manually press the button. The SwitchBot button is great for this and anything that requires a manual press, though it doesn’t fit on everything like my coffee machine.
@@AdamsTechLife but can't you just leave the coffee maker plugged into the wall? If you still have to press the start button, what is it accomplishing? I bought 2 of the switchbots on Amazon and neither would link to wifi. Horrible product
I'd like to be notified (Kasa app?) when a plug power changes suddenly or exceeds my set limit. I don't have a HomeKit, nor a Aqara Hub.
Of the the energy-monitoring plugs (SwitchBot, TP-Link, Meross MSS110, Sense, Emporia , Vue Smart).. do any email or make a sound when power usage changes?
I'm afraid that's not possible :/ Thanks for watching! 😊
Just replaced 2 Meross outlets. Simply were not reliable. Got tired of Home app just not responding. Drops connection more often than Ronald Acuna steals bases.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I suppose everybody's experience is different.
I had problems with Amazon smart plug. When I say command to Alexa it will turn on the smart plug. I have had smart plug not committed with Alexa.
Thanks for sharing your experience and for watching :)
Aloha! Which ones can you plug a heavy duty appliance in - such as a window AC?
Depends on the wattage really. Thanks for watching! 😊
Very informative video. Do you have any recommendations for smart plug-in dimmers that are compatible with Homekit? I currently have a number of plug-in dimmers controlling lights inside and outside our home. They use Insteon technology, which was cutting-edge in the early 2000s but is now a dead platform. I could simply use smart bulbs in all those lamps, but I have more than one lamp connected to some of the smart dimmers, and some of the lamps use more than one bulb. So, switching to smart bulbs would require a lot more smart devices.
Glad I could help :) I haven’t used any plug in dimmer but I will say I see Leviton makes an indoor one that works with HomeKit so based on my experience with their non dimmer switch, I’d say Leviton would be a good choice.
*non dimmer plug
Do you like the Métis’s ones even more than the TP Link EP10 which is their non HomeKit basic plug without energy monitoring? I like that EP10 doesn’t HAVE to connect to HomeKit bc I use echo dots. But I would consider Meross instead
I only use HomeKit compatible smart plugs tbh
How do you make the switbot plug to work when it's only uses 2.5g wifi and I only got 5g??? Bought 3 and I can't turn my wifi down in order to use them. Very very dissappinting
A mesh WiFi system that broadcasts 2.5g and 5hz is the best option. Most smart devices connect to 2.4, router broadcasts both at the same and the device picks up the right one automatically
Do you have a video on power monitoring strips
i don't, but i have considered making that. thanks for the idea!
Great video thank you so much!
So glad to hear you enjoyed the video and found it helpful, happy to help. Thanks for watching! 😊
I've had two EVE smart plug devices fail. One was warranted, the other they won't. Not a reliable device, in my opinion. Also, I agree the EVE devices seem overly expensive and I don't see a way to export the energy monitoring data to a spreadsheet (though I can't really see a need for that).
One thing that you need to be careful of, is the power rating capability of these devices. I've had one that wasn't rated high enough to run a dehumidifier. The EVE device was okay for that load though.
Thanks for sharing your experience, I've been hearing mixed reviews about Eve. Personally, I'm not a fan. Thanks for watching! 😊
Any smart plug an smart switch that you know it can work for 220 volts?
I'm not sure tbh
You got to be careful with switch bot not to buy the one that is not homekit compatible, they look very similar
Yep! Look for that HomeKit logo :)
Any particular reason why you skipped the very popular FEIT smart plugs?
Are they HomeKit compatible? Hence the video title :)
Do any of these require their app to work, or will the Home App be enough?
Home app can work for most of them, manuf app gives more features the home app doesn't provide as well as software updates. Thanks for watching! 😊
Meross not working as expected 😢, maybe I received a defective one or two
that's odd, could be a defective or you could contact meross support
How about Phillips Hue’s new smart plug?
Decent, requires a philips hue hub. There are better options available with more features.
can I use smart plugs on my garage door opener?
Certainly possible. Thanks for watching! 😊
Can I use it with android and without wifi?
i think some of these support android so yes and no all require wifi
@@AdamsTechLife ok thx.
Why no Vocolinc?
i've reviewed them in a different video
Avoid Belkin WEMO like the plague. It is the worst device out there. Also do all the test plugs only connect to 2.4 internet?
Agreed! and i believe so, only a few might support 5g
Awesome videos sorry I’m so late
Thanks for watching! 😊
I hope these are "avatable" on Amazon...
Links in description! 🙂
Thanks!
Hello Steve, glad to hear you enjoyed the video and found it helpful. Thanks for watching and for the super thanks, truly appreciate your support!! 😊
Eve is the best brand no contest
Eve is well known! Too pricey for me and can’t say I’ve had a good experience with them, imo. Thanks for watching! 😊
Do you use your smart plugs to control lamps? Do you think that’s better than a smart bulb?
Yes, I use smart bulbs to control lamps. if you want to control the brightness or color of a lamp, use a smart bulb, if you just want to control light on/off, use a smart plug. there's pros and cons to each, just depends what you want to be able to do. Thanks for watching! 😊
@@AdamsTechLife thank you Adam. Love your videos!
@@AdamsTechLife Thanks for great video. I'm new to this. Plug or bulb? if I want to voice control lamp. Do you voice control directly or through iPhone?
I’ll never buy Meross again. I couldn’t get a firmware update to work and their tech support was worse than useless.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
If you need to monitor your energy at the plug level - then you need to rethink your career and life choices.
I forgot ...Go Green! 🤣
Hahahaha Thanks for watching! 😊
Good, video
Glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for watching! 😊
Google Home app: "Could not reach Wemo. Please try again". Constant problems. Devices do not work.
Would avoid Wemo products if you are a Google Home household.
That’s certainly a common issue lol Thanks for watching! 😊
You seem to have an issue with LED lights. Have you ever heard of electrical tape, or whatever tape you have?
Get over it!
Thanks for watching! 😊
Meross suck can never get them to connect.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experience :)
These are all 15A. Does anyone make a 20A smart plug?
I’m not sure
I really like the TP Link ones and bought 4 of them.
They're great! Thanks for watching! 😊
meross does require a hub
Nope, no hub required to use them per Meross website ;)
@@AdamsTechLife sorry, I saw it wrong. Alexa speaker for voice activation
SLOW DOWN, YOU CAN HAVE ALL THE INFO IN THE WORLD BUT IF YOU TALK SO FAST THAT THE LISTENER CANT FOLLOW ITS WORTHLESS!!
Thank you for your feedback and for watching :)
Paid advertisement?
Nope. I would legally have to say if it was
The all look like the scream. 😱
US plugs are funny. And stupid. I believe you can touch the contacts?
Hahah! yes you can touch the contacts.
0:38 “…keep in mind that with any smart plug you’ll need a homekit hub…”
But then you go on to say some of these don’t require a hub ? 🫤
I’m not a tech guy, I just want to automate some lighting without bring a “virtual assistant” into my home.
Does the Meross require a pod or apple tv or not?
Home hub is required for using in automation and controlling remotely from the Apple home app.
If you don’t want this feature in the Apple home app, you can use the manufacturer app to create automations without requiring a hub (except for aqara).
Keep in mind this is a HomeKit focused video ;)