You don't want these smart plugs
Watch this before buying Smart Plugs
Watch this before you buy smart plugs for your home automation setup. Using Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Apple Homekit might not be as easy as you think if you buy the wrong plug!
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Kasa Matter Smart Plug KP125M – https://amzn.to/4f00voy
Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip KP303 – https://amzn.to/3zG5Jpj
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0:00 Will your device even work with smart plugs?
1:43 Do you have the power?
3:35 Small enough?
7:02 How much control do you want?
11:39 Are they easy to setup?
14:17 Which home assistant works?
17:24 Are they secure?
20:27 Monitoring energy usage?
22:20 What about automations?
24:08 What do they cost?
I will NEVER use any "smart" controls because they are all crap!
That screw is still crooked…
Brad if you have not checked out Yolink it’s a very well built product. So far I use mine for water leaks, temp and there are many other devices. the important things are very well built and great pricing too Oh great video thanks
Can u use this on a power strip???
14:17 You forgot the best Home Assistant of them all: Home Assistant! Also, if you’re concerned about security: go local control–all the way. And make sure that anything with an IP stack in it is completely firewalled from the Internet, incoming & outgoing. Anything that reaches out to the cloud for its basic functionality is a risk, no matter how well it’s maintained.
Yes! That bothers me!
The sockets are upside down. Ground pin should be on top…
Great info!
The other problem i found is that the devices don’t have arevolving prong. So, while a big one (the wireless switch one style) might fit in the lower plug, hanging below, you can’t put another one on the to because the ground prong forces that ones orientation. I ended using the smart outlets. And require a 3 or 4 wire house connection, so check that.
I also found a powerstrip with wider plug spacing. Ugly, but that allows for multiple oversized smart sockets.
I have 150+ devices, every single brand. I use the native apps for timed automation. Home Kit for personal automation and Alexa for family automation
I put my plate screws in the horizontal position… always.
Very interesting thank you. Im into reptile keeping, and an unexpected portion of learning about how to keep them…. Is electrical stuff so you don’t start a fire. A common thing reptile keepers use is smart device’s like smart plugs and thermometers/hygrometers. I will make sure to double check the smart plug with the equipment. They are very handy for turning on and off UVB bulbs (i use something else for temp control).
Well! Proof there’s always something you can learn. I am exceptionally qualified in electrical matters, yet I was completely ignorant about “smart plugs.” I didn’t even know they existed. That’s probably because I’m a bit old-fashioned; I even miss the telephone dial, and still use a hand-held calculator and write things on paper.
I wanted to say, smart plugs/home automation is an excellent topic for people with disabilities. My eyes have been opened up now that I am in a wheelchair. As time goes on, I am looking at more and more ways to control items that I can no longer reach. Blinds is one example. A Ring from door camera is another. It takes me longer to get to the front door now. Ring allows me to interact with the person at the door to determine if I need to make my way over there. I’d love to see you do a vlog on home automation for people with disabilities.
All of the smart plugs on your thumbnail look pretty worried that you’re dissin’ them out
Most 15A-rated devices can’t deal with motors, because of the inrush current. You need to find one with a relay, rather than a triac, if you want to control things like exhaust fans and pool pumps.
I find lack of co-planer position between the receptacle and the cover plate far more vexing than the position of the screw. At 32 threads per inch, not all screws can be positioned so as to avoid this lack and still be perfectly vertical.
1:45…”other uses like turning on a shop vac in your shop.” The average joes, that I know, don’t keep a shop vac plugged in all the time; they only plug it in when they need it. Most average joes, that I know, don’t even have a shop. I guess you’re speaking to a specific audience and not most people? 16:09…”matter is kinda like the dalai lama”…If “matter” is like the dalai lama, then you’re saying it’s a fraud and they only want your money. Otherwise, this was a very good and detailed video.
"The Dali Lama himself, so I got that going for me, which is nice"
I noticed the screw before you zoomed 🙂 FYI when you adjusted it, it was 2deg right off 000 🙁
i use a cheap set of these for my server PCs and desktop PC if I ever need to reboot them remotely, like if they stop responding due to the OS freezing or whatnot xD
I prefer smart switches to smart plugs.
I would love to get one for my pool pump, but i can’t get a 20 amp smart plug anywhere, and im not tearing into my electrical to put in a dumb pool pump timer.
TP-LINK = CHINA SPYWARE
I use the govey pucks to run some LED grow lights. Also used it for a fish tank light and a white noise machine. Anything automatic like that is nice.
For the large size of the smart outlets, I use 1 inch extension cables normally used to offset wall warts.
No accounting for looking good though.
Screw goes horizontal by the way. I will die on that hill.
These are useless they are US power points.
Great explanation of smart plugs. I’ve run into the size issues between the round and rectangular receptical problem. But the biggest thing I noticed is that you have the cleanest shop I’ve ever seen. I’m totally impressed! I can’t see one piece of sawdust around your miter saw. It looks like it just came out of the box. Everything is labeled and organized. I thought I was the king of labels, but you have taken my crown away. Oh, and I noticed the orientation of the face plate screw right away, I was so happy to find screwless face plates. I don’t have to even think about that nightmare!!
Isn’t Kasa made by TP-Link?
Even dumb plug switches can melt, "what’s that smell" is never a fun one.
The outlet plate screw must be facing horizontally to look right. 😊
A hair dryer would be a weird thing to put into a smart plug, however, a toaster or a heater might be a good idea. Some of them will power on and off based on the temperature in the room, and others will shut off when the power drops below a certain level. A hair dryer though, seems like an odd use as those are usually in areas that are a bit wetter and you’re probably best unplugging it so you don’t have the trip hazard in an area that’s likely to have wet floors.
The screw was still not oriented straight. That bothered me 🙂
We’re just going to ignore Sonoff?
i was praying you were talking about the screw and not the ground bring on the bottom
My late husband was an electrician. I’ve moved twice since he passed. All of my outlets in my apartment have the screw in a near-perfect vertical position. I wouldn’t tolerate it any other way. 😂
I have the Smart Life plugs, they work perfectly, anft the app is easy to program.
The screw not turned vertical really pissed me off.thks for fixing
The example of using the round smart plug and and then using a regular three prong grounded plug can be used if you put the round smart plug on top that will allow you to use the regular three prong grounded plug
It is a RF remote. Kind of confusing when you say "Mechanical remote"
Thank you for not triggering my alexa 😂😅
It bothered me.
The button on the plug is really convenient when you want to be able to cut power to a multi plug outlet but the actual switch on the outlet is in an awful position. I used to do it for my PC setup because my multi plug was tucked behind my computer but the outlet was much more accessible and half of the stuff has lights even when it is off so it was nice to be able to press a button and turn it all off.
Thanks for fixing the screw. That got my blood pressure up instantly
5:44 why didn’t you try to swap them…
I’m not sure how this got on my feed, but I’m glad it did. I’ve never heard of Matter. And I am in the kasa smart plug line. I’ll be sure to switch to the matter version for any new purchases. Thanks!
An important feature rarely spoken about is the ability to set the plugs ‘default’ state after a power outage…
Please don’t buy those, they don’t sponsor us, buy these, they do.
Not bothered either way!
I’ve "fixed" outlet and light switch screws at other peoples houses before. They can thank me later.
absolutely love the Kasa Power strips. one setup (he showed 11 screens for kasa…but takes about two minutes, even with the ‘complicated’ switching of your network). Each plug can be labeled and controlled individually. perfect for the rooms like my kids with tons of crap, some which needs to stay on and other stuff that needs to switch on and off
7 out of 10