Online plug

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I am looking to purchase a plug that is accessible over the internet and via an app. I would like to be able to plug a lamp, kettle, etc. into it.

I can see that there are lots on the market with many different features. I’m unsure on what I should be looking for and would appreciate your advice and suggestions.

Thanks in advance.
 
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How will you know it is safe for the plug to be turned ON if you cannot see the appliance that is plugged into it ?

Suppose some has unplugged the intended device and plugged in a different appliance

If is was a remote controlled switch permanently wired to a safe appliance then the risk would be small.

A timer switching ON a fan heater has caused a fire when the heater had been moved close to furniture.
 
Kettles are large loads so a smart plug may not be suitable? You can buy "smart" kettles but they are expensive.
Loads of different smart plugs about, amazon make one now. Personally I don't like the "Chinese" (TUYA) ones as they could be sending lots of data back with the app.. but all apps probably do this anyway!

For lamps I would use a shelly 1 inline with a shelly button. Then you can switch it on off via the button or via google/app. Shame they dont currently do a UK smart plug! https://shop.shelly.cloud/
 
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How will you know it is safe for the plug to be turned ON if you cannot see the appliance that is plugged into it ?

I will initially use this for a lamp (Probably only a lamp) but may at some point switch it to a kettle. Just another use case that came to mind. I wouldn’t risk not remembering what is plugged into it.
 
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Yes I use them, all same make Energenie MiHome, three different types, I use a socket to control outside light, it means I can switch it one from the car, three more double sockets and to be frank more of a nuisance than benefit when they turn off without my wanting them to, but also have an extension lead with 4 outlets I use for display cabinet lights, with both the sockets and extension I can also use a remote control although can't set times without a hub, but in the main switch them on/off either direct or with remote control, means I can turn on fan or lights without leaving my chair. The last one however will not work with a remote control, only with hub and phone, tablet or PC, but it unlike the others measures the power, so with my AC plugged into it, I can switch on the AC and see if just fan running or if actually cooling.

However I have to admit they are really toys, they were first bought with a problem in mind that needed fixing, my late mother would go for a wander, and we were not permitted to lock the doors to stop her, unless sectioned it is her human right it seems to go for a wander if she wishes, yet every home she stopped in to give us rest bite is seems had locked doors, but social services said we were not allowed to lock the door, so an alarm was fitted, the sounder was upstairs, so it would wake us in the night, so if we got a visitor then we had to run upstairs and turn it off before opening the door, however it transpired if we removed the back-up battery, we could turn it off at the socket, so first we tried a remote switch we got a pack of 4 from Lidi, 2 dimmers and 2 simple on/off, however we had no way to know if on or off, and a few times it was off when should have been on, so tried a time clock set for times when carers due, but they would arrive early or late or we would get other visitors, so the remote controlled socket combined the time controller and remote control together, and worked very well, three times a day it auto switched on.

When we wanted a forth event we found IFTTT allowed the forth event, and we had all sorts of ideas as to how we could automate so after mothers death HomeBase stopped selling the units so we bought a load cheap, I have 20 things I can control or monitor, some switches, some thermostats (TRV heads) some energy monitors, but they have not really worked that well in practice.

We also have Nest Gen 3 thermostat and Nest Mini's and again they don't work as well as expected, the Nest Gen 3 was claimed to link with Energenie well it does of sorts, but not in a usable way, and yes I can ask google the temperature of living room and it tells me, it can read the temperature from the TRV. But as to control it is like a mischievous boy, switching off lights when I wanted it to stop playing music.

The
PL13029-40.jpg
extension lead works well, and so does the socket adaptor, but the sockets are really a failure
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the problem is both socket outlets are controlled, so any power cut even for a few seconds and it switches off, the adaptor
PL14996-40.jpg
is far better, there are three units that look nearly the same, one switches on/off only, one monitors only, and one does both, the latter will not work with a remote control, you have to use phone, tablet or PC, and the hub is not cheap.
 

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