Now that I have spent some time with some of the smart plug devices in my house, I thought I would share some feedback.
My original intent was to load up on smart plugs which worked with the Apple HomeKit setup, since it was an easy fit for my iPhone. I know from research that the products which are compatible with the HomeKit are more secure in the setup, which should make them more resistant to the hacker attacks we hear about in the news lately—home devices which connect with home wifi need to be secured or a hacker can take control of them and use them to bring down other computer servers.
Anyway, the first smart plugs I bought were from iHome, both the ISP5 and ISP6 models. I first used the iHome app for iOS to get them set up, and the process couldn’t have been easier. Each device has a unique identifier code, and can be added to one’s home system by simply using the phone’s camera to scan the ID code in the owner’s manual or on the side of the device. The latter concept is clearly Plan B, since it is much easier to add a plug to the system once it is in place in the wall socket.
The difference between the two models seems to be there is an optional wireless remote available for the ISP6 model, and the configuration of the reset button and operational lights is slightly different. Otherwise, they work the same and whichever you can find at the better price would be the better choice.
I have a total of four within my house and all have been rock-solid from the time they were set up and added to my iHome app.
The iHome plugs, though, have a straight-through design which makes the device’s plug (for the lamp, coffee maker, etc) extend that much further from the wall. In many cases, this might not be an issue, but in a few installs for me, it did matter.
For that reason, I tried the iDevices switch, which accepts the device’s plug on the side, instead of straight-through. This means I could hook up a table lamp which was on a piece of furniture which backed up to the wall outlet I needed to use. The iHome smart plug didn’t allow the cabinet to sit closely to the wall, after allowing for the space requirements for the iHome switch and the lamp cord plugged directly into it.
The iDevices switch was a little more trouble in allowing itself to be recognized by the iDevices iOS app. It does have an integrated LED bar on the front of the device, which is adjustable in the iDevices app for both color and brightness. There are some valid applications possible to use the plug as a nightlight in a room, providing just the right amount of color and intensity for the specific application you require.
Unfortunately, the iDevices smart plug plays hard to get and disappears from its own iOS app. When I folded both systems into the Home app on the iPhone, the iDevices plug often becomes invisible to the Home app, just as it does to its own app. The only remedy I have found is waiting, as it sometimes becomes linked again with the app in a matter of a minute or less, or closing an reopening the Home app.
I know this is not a unique problem to the iDevices smart plug I bought because I later bought the iDevices socket, which fits between your light bulb and the lamp socket it would screw into, which allows the iDevice socket to adjust the brightness of your bulb (assuming it is dimmable to begin with), and the color and intensity of a ring of LEDs around the base where the light bulb screws in. This opens the possibility of easy, adjust able mood lighting from the color LEDs, which can work independently of the light bulb one has already screwed in.
The problems with the execution of this concept are two-fold: The size of the device, when placed between the bulb and lamp socket, makes the total height of the bulb such that the lampshade most likely will no longer fit; and the socket plays hard to get with the iDevices app and iOS Home app, in the same way the iDevices smart plug does. This would appear to be an engineering problem for iDevices, though possibly one which might be fixed with a firmware update in the future.
So I was the badass of the house, setting up the timing schedules of the lamps, and turning them on through Siri voice control or simply tapping the button on the Home app. But my wife was frustrated because she couldn’t access the lamps on demand as I could.
Enter Alexa. I bought a Dot at Best Buy (they had a ton, while Amazon is on back order), and brought it home. Now my wife can voice-command the iHome lamps on and off (along with Amazon music—she’s having more fun than I expected).
Just as with the Home app, the iHome smart plugs work flawlessly, but the iDevices plug and lamp socket don’t work at all. Alexa apologizes and says she can’t see them, even though I have added the Skill to Alexa’s setup. Since the lamps I have using the iDevices plug and lamp socket are not mission-critical to the home’s roster of lamps, and does work most of the time with my iPhone’s Home app, I am not worrying about this for now. Again, it is my hope that iDevices gets a firmware update to address the wonkiness of their devices’ connectivity. If you read the reviews—both of the iDevice products on Amazon, and the Alexa boards with people unable to get Alexa to see their iDevice plugs, either, it indicates my situation is neither unique nor isolated.
If you’re intending to go this route, consider this a very strong recommendation for the iHome smart plugs, and a guarded recommendation for the iDevices products, which have very strong feature sets, but fail at their basic mission too easily.
And a big shout out to Alexa. Surprisingly good execution for $40.
| Operating Voltage | 110 Volts |
|---|---|
| Connector Type | Plug In |
| Brand | iHome |
| Item dimensions L x W x H | 7.9 x 5.5 x 2.5 inches |
| Mounting Type | Plug-In Mount |
| International Protection Rating | IP00 |
| Controller Type | homekit, vera, Amazon Alexa, SmartThings, nest |
| Control Method | Voice |
| Connectivity Protocol | Wi-Fi |
| Color | Other |
| Wattage | 1800 |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | SDI Technologies INC |
| Part Number | ISP5 |
| Item Weight | 5.6 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 7.9 x 5.5 x 2.5 inches |
| Item model number | ISP5WW4TC |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Style | iSP5 Smart Plug |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Amperage Capacity | 15 Amps |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Plug Format | Type B |
| Included Components | Home Control Smartplug |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
| Warranty Description | One year warranty. |
