Homes today are getting smarter and smarter. This is greatly attributed to the fact that many home appliances such as the TV and refrigerator are getting internet connectivity. However, there are other appliances that do not have built in Wi-Fi connectors and therefore need the help on a smart plug.
There are a lot of smart plugs out there all compatible with different operating system. The Belkin’s WeMo is one of the best smart plugs in the market today. The WeMo Insight is even better as it is the newer version of the WeMo series.
The WeMo Insight is slightly more expensive than the WeMo switch and it is not difficult to see why. It has a lot of capabilities including: remote device power control, IFTTT support, allows programmability with a better physical design and ability to provide reports and analytics of any devices plugged into it.
The WeMo Insight uses Wi-Fi to connect to your smartphone. It is small and does not block the other outlets from use when connected. It has a maximum energy limit of appliances with up to 1800 Watts.
Reasons to get the WeMo Insight Smart Plug
The WeMo Insight is great and can be used for lamps, heaters, fans, refrigerator and more. It connects fast and east to your home WiFi network and eliminates the need for a hub.
This smart plug allows you to turn on the lights in your home from your work place. It also allows you to check whether all devices are switched off and allows management of the home appliances using voice command. You also get a chance to monitor the energy usage in real time.
Belkin’s WeMo Insight is known for its versatility in compatibility and this is what is most impressive about it. It can be integrated with almost all platforms including Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, Apple Home Kit and IFTTT. This plug is guaranteed to work no matter what platform you are on.
This is what makes the WeMo Insight such as a great purchase. Another great defining feature of the WeMo Insight is the fact that it delivers smart home services for free. Most smart hub devices need you to pay a subscription fee to use their services. The Insight is free and all you need to do is by the plug for just fifty bucks.
Many home owners tend to forget that their electric appliances consume energy. Using the WeMo Insight plug, you will be able to monitor in detail the energy consumption of various devices The information is accurate and well-presented through graphs and charts.
How to install the WeMo Insight Smart Plug
After you have bought the WeMo Insight plug, download the WeMo app on to your phone to use the plug.
But before you launch the app, ensure that the plug is plugged in and on. To know whether it is on, there is an indicator light. There is also an alternating lash light that indicates a Wi-Fi signal.
Connect your plug to you home networks and relaunch the app. Follow the step by step instructions on the screen and finish the installation process. The process should take 5 minutes, max. If the plug needs to update its firmware first, allow it to do so before use. The installation process is easy and straight forwar which is a great plus.
Features of the WeMo Insight Smart Plug
At the most basic level, a smart plug should be able to allow you to turn appliances and devices either on or off. Also, many home owners tend to forget that their electric appliances consume energy.
Using the WeMo Insight plug, you will be able to monitor in detail the energy consumption of various devices. The information is accurate and well-presented through graphs and charts.
The Belkin’s WeMo Insight is also known for its versatility in compatibility and this is what is most impressive about it. It can be integrated with almost all platforms including Amazon’s Alexa, Google’s Assistant, Apple Home Kit and IFTTT. This plug is guaranteed to work no matter what platform you are on.
This is what makes the WeMo Insight such as a great purchase. The WeMo Insight smart plug also allows the home owner to create schedules for your home appliances.
Schedules allow you set a time when you want an appliance to activate or deactivate. For instance, you can set your heater to always come on every morning at 7am. This is what is referred to as a schedule.
There is also a Home mode that turns on certain appliances when you are home and an Away mode that does the same when you’re not home. The WeMo Insight has the ability to work with Nest, so you can sync it with Nest and setup your thermostat in home or away mode.
This works a great way to save energy and the costs that come along with it. Another great feature of the WeMo Insight smart plug is the sunrise and sunset mode. What this mode does is syncs the plug with the day’s start and end respectively. It is a very convenient feature as you will not have to schedule the plugs.
This mode allows automatic sync of sunrise and sunset. It also works to save energy and the costs that come along with it. The major downside with WeMo Insight smart plug is that it does not allow the home owner to create scenes for your home appliances.
Scenes allow you to put a set of activities you want the plug to do without controlling each of the devices. Say you create a bedtime scene. In the scene, you set activities that take place when you going to bed.
You can set that every day at 9pm, the lights go off, the blinds close and the doors lock. This is what is referred to as a scene. This means that you will not be able to control multiple appliances at once and you will have to do it manually.
The WeMo Smart App and how it works
After setting up this smart plug, there is not much else you can do with it as the app is what controls everything. The app is the link between you, the plug and the home appliances connected.
Download the app on whatever smartphone you have since they are compatible with both Apple and Android OS. The app has mixed rating and reviews with a 4.4 rating on Apple Store and 3.1 on Google’s Play Store.
Unfortunately, this means that the app works better for Apple users although not many Android users have complained. Download the app after setting up the plug and launch it.
Follow the step by step instructions regarding installation. The instructions are easy to follow and straight forward and the whole installation process takes a maximum of 10 minutes and you’re good to go.
The WeMo app works with all major home assistants including Amazon Alexa, Nest, Apple Home Kit, and IFTTT.
What smart devices can I add to the WeMo Insight Plug?
The WeMo Insight is built to support all home appliances. The following are a few of the top devices connected by majority of users.
Smart Cameras
Home security is the number one priority when it comes to smart plugs. Being able to monitor and surveil your home when you’re not around is important.
Using smart surveillance cameras, you will be able to keep your home safe from burglars and intruders. The cameras are able to tell the difference between residents and intruders and this is what makes them ‘smart’.
When an intruder is spotted, the camera alerts you of the intruders and calls the local authorities
Smart Lamps and Lights
Smart lights mainly consist of LED lights and this saves a lot of energy and electricity costs. Using the smart plug, you will be able to save energy by turning off lights that are not in use.
You can also access the lights when you’re not home and turn them on at will to prevent intruders and burglars from breaking into your empty apartment.
Smart Speaker
The smart speaker is mainly available on Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. Instead of using the controls on the app to control the speakers, you can create and use voice commands to either change the song, go to the next one or turn the volume up or down.
Smart speakers are great since they have in-built microphones. This is why they are great for scheduling dates, ordering food and showing the weather predictions or forecasts.
Locks
A smart lock will allow a lot more functionalities compared to traditional locks. They allow users who are not home residents to create temporary passes.
They also allow you to see who’s at the door by working together with the smart cameras mentioned above. You can also configure the lights to turn on when you enter your house. And all this is made possible using a smart lock.
WeMo Insight Smart Plug Design
When you first buy the WeMo plug, you will notice its design. It may be bigger than you saw in the pictures and for some this may be an issue. In a vertical dual power outlet, the plug blocks the upper power outlet when placed on the bottom outlet.
It however does not block the bottom one when placed on top. For some, this may be an issue that you might have to consider before buying it. This does not mean that the plug has a bad design.
On the contrary, it has a wonderful design and is quite catching to the eye. It looks good and regal for its cost. At the top, there is a power button that is touch sensitive (no need to press) alongside a small reset button that you may miss. When the plug is on, the touch sensitive power button lights up in green.
There is also a microUSB port at the top. However, many people say that it is almost useless as the instruction guide does not mention its use and there are no answers online. On the front, the design is pretty plain and simple. The WeMo logo is imbibed on the face on top of the three prong connectors.
It is also available in only white. If you want a smart plug that will get some heads turning, this may not be the one for you as it is very simple in its design. However, it looks like a very modern piece of hardware.
Other than these, the WeMo Insight is a great improvement from its predecessor. First, it is way smaller than the original plug that blocked other outlets from use.
It also features a green light located at the top when on contrary to the previous version that was blue. It generally has a cleaner cut look which is great. With this said, we are going to look at the benefits and downsides of this smart plug and see whether or not you should buy it.
Pros
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- It is small and does not block other sockets from use
- The WeMo Insight is compatible with all major home assistants including Amazon’s Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Home Kit and IFTTT
- It is also compatible with the two major operating systems: Android and iOS
- It features a schedule mode that allows the home owner to create schedules for your home appliances. Schedules allow you set a time when you want an appliance to activate or deactivate
- It is easy and straight forward to install
- It is quite affordable and offers great value for money
- It provides clear and raw reports on the energy usage and costs associated with them on an hourly, daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis.
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Cons:
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- It could be a lot smaller as it sometimes blocks the lower socket from use
- The app has a low rating among Android users as it is not fully optimized for them
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Conclusion
The WeMo Insight smart plug is a great way to make your home modern and smart.
It is fast to install and use and features a very responsive app. If you want detailed reports on your energy consumption, this is a great choice for you. If you’re also looking for a versatile plug that works with all platforms, we recommend the WeMo Insight smart plug.
