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The Zuli Smartplug Presence 3-Pack ($159.99) is a set of three plugs that turn your ordinary devices into smart ones. The Smartplugs let you control lights, televisions, and other appliances using your phone or tablet, and track how long those devices are active, how much carbon and energy they use, and how much that costs you. Using all three plugs via a proprietary mesh network, you can activate a feature that turns connected devices on or off automatically when you enter or leave a room. Unfortunately, the Smartplugs only work with iOS right now, and weren’t able to dim some of the lights we used in testing. In addition, you’re limited to Bluetooth range, so you can’t control devices when you’re out of the house. You’ll get more bang for your buck with the Editors’ Choice Belkin WeMo Insight Switch ($69.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window)
Features
Each Smartplug measures 1.45 by 1.61 by 2.75 inches (HWD), weighs 3.24 ounces, and is made of smooth white plastic. There’s a three-prong outlet on one side, a small manual On/Off button on the other side, and a hexagonal LED that blinks blue during setup and glows a steady blue when paired with your phone. Keep in mind the plug will add some bulk to your outlet, which could become an issue with furniture that is flush against the wall.
The Smartplug fits standard North American outlets, with an input, maximum output, and dimming output of 120V. It isn’t waterproof, so you need to keep it indoors and in dry spaces only. With all three plugs installed, you can use the Presence feature, which lets you automatically turn the lights on or off whenever you enter or leave a room—assuming that you’ve got your phone with you.
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Setup
Currently, the Smartplug only works with Apple devices that run iOS 7.1 or later (Android support is planned, but not yet available). Setup is simple and straightforward. Download the Zuli app from the Apple App Store and it will run you through the process of setting up each plug, one by one.
I installed two Zuli Smartplugs in the living room and one in the bedroom of my apartment. You can then plug in an appliance (like a television, toaster, etc.) or a light bulb. I plugged a lamp into each. The app searched for and found the Smartplugs. After running through a calibration process, my Apple iPhone 6 was paired with each plug in just over five minutes. You can connect the plugs to multiple iPhones, but the first user’s phone takes priority.
App and Performance
The Zuli app is a well-designed digital remote for controlling each Smartplug. You can turn connected electronics on and off, set schedules, and check energy usage all on the same screen. You can also rename plugs and arrange them into groups (such as Living Room, Bedroom, and so on). With all three of the Smartplugs installed, you can use the Presence feature to turn them on and off automatically (more on that in a bit).
The energy usage information is pretty straightforward. It shows how much energy is being used in real-time, an estimated monthly cost, how long that particular Smartplug has been turned on, and the carbon footprint as designated by pounds.
The Schedule feature lets you set the time the Smartplug will turn on. You can set multiple schedules, and have them repeat on different days. You can’t select exact times, but you can choose based on five-minute increments (that is, you can choose 5:45 or 5:50, but not 5:48).
The Smartplug should be able to adjust the brigtness of connected lights whether they’re dimmable or not, but most lights I tried refused to dim. I tested multiple bulbs, including the TikTeck Smart LED Bulb and C by GE ($9.25 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) smart bulbs, as well as standard, non-dimmable lights including a Philips 60W LED. No matter the bulb, each one sputtered and turned into a strobe every time I tried to dim it. Zuli says the strobing effect on some LEDs is caused by a safety feature that helps protect lamps and appliances from over-voltage and surges.
You can also control Philips Hue bulbs natively through the Zuli app, without needing to plug them into a Smartplug. I was able to dim the Hue Go ($124.72 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) and Hue LightStrip Plus ($59.99 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) using the Zuli app. Color changing is not supported via Zuli, howver, you need to use the Philips Hue app for that.
When three (or more) Smartplugs are plugged in, they form a proprietary mesh network that can sense when your phone enters or leaves a room. This is Zuli’s Presence feature, which automatically turns connected devices on or off based on your proximity. This feature worked in testing, but not instantly. There is a marked delay, which is inconvenient when walking into a dark room and waiting for it to light up. You can set how long it takes the Presence feature to kick in (five, 10, or 20 minutes), but without a more instantaneous reaction, it isn’t as helpful as it could be.
That said, you can also add a Nest Learning Thermostat ($193.56 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window) to the app (without needing to plug it into a Smartplug) and use the Presence feature to automatically control temperature when you enter or leave your home. But unlike the Belkin WeMo Insight Switch, the Smartplug doesn’t work with If This Then That (IFTTT), which allows you to program connected devices to respond to various events including social media notifications, sports scores, and weather changes.
Conclusions
The Zuli Smartplug Presence 3-Pack does a fine job telling you how much it costs to keep your gagdets on and letting you set schedules. The proximity-sensing Presence feature is neat, but works better in theory than in practice. If you’re curious about getting started with smart plugs, our Editors’ Choice remains the less-expensive Belkin WeMo Insight Switch. It also tracks power usage and costs, but it uses your home’s Wi-Fi network to turn devices on and off remotely, and integration with IFTTT makes it far more versatile.
3.0
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The Zuli Smartplug Presence 3-Pack lets you turn appliances and lights on and off, track power usage, and program schedules, but its dimming and networking features are underwhelming.
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Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/zuli-smartplug-presence-3-pack