a review by Tom Piper
Home automation has become all the rage for many of us, and there is a wide variety of controllers available. Early to the market were remote-control light bulbs and outlet inserts, many of which were simply on/off switches for lamps and such. There is now an amazing appliance switch that does much more.
The Eve Energy is a smart plug and power meter that inserts into any outlet so that I can switch appliances on and off from anywhere. Not only that, it also tells me how much power they’re using, and allows them to come to life on their own. This can be done with a simple tap, Siri voice command, or a press of the onboard button. And activate the child lock to prevent unwanted operation.
Setup of the unit actually took about 5 minutes. Simply using my iPhone to scan the included QR code set me up immediately after plugging the unit into a wall socket. The heater fan I plugged into it is now voice-controlled by. Siri, or controlled by an icon in my Home app, or manually turned on/off with a lighted button on the front. I can also set a timer or schedule for autonomous control through my Eve app.
My home hub (AppleTV and HomePod) keeps me connected to my home whether I’m strolling around the block, or exploring the world. I can use this device to set schedules for lights, humidifiers, fans, and other vital devices. My appliances can now respond to occupancy by communicating with other Eve devices about where I am, such as using my Eve motion sensor.
As for energy, my curiosity, sense of economy, and need for conservation are good reasons to monitor power consumption and projected cost are aplenty. Eve Energy gives me the information needed to meet these needs. In the Eve app, I can see that the heater is using 708 watts of energy (the unit can handle up to 1,800 watts) with a projected cost per year, and a graph showing when and how it was used.
Because I already have a number of HomeKit accessories, they all work in concert with this device. I can create a “scene” in which my Eve Energy switches the appliance on/off based on occupancy, or time of day, or motion, or many other programmable factors. It doesn’t matter where I am at any time since my Apple TV (and HomePod) makes all this possible. It’s easy to set scenes quickly using Siri, my Control Center, or Apple Watch.
I can engage accessories using the Home app on my iPhone, iPads, or iPod touch. Not only that, but I can see concise records, gain insights, and enjoy full control of my connected home, all with the free Eve app. And, all data is end-to-end encrypted and stored on my iPhone or iPad. It is comforting to know that, equipped with Bluetooth low energy technology, Eve accessories ensure reliable operation independently of bridges.
More information about the Eve Energy unit is available at https://www.evehome.com/en-us/eve-energy. The regular purchase price is $39.95 (USD), and a 25% discount is available if you are an Apple user group member. Like all Eve devices, this is a dependable, high-quality, durable product at a reasonable price that will bring you great satisfaction, just as it has for me!
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