What Smart Plug to Buy for Apple HomePod?

bobwokeup on 11/05/2020 - 23:27

We've had an Apple HomePod for a few years now, which we bought for playing music to replace the Sonos and we are really happy with it.

Now we are starting to think about using it as a smart hub and use Siri to turn on TV/lights, etc. However, after doing some research all the smart plugs I look at are only suitable for Google or Amazon. The only one I can find is the Eve Energy smart plug at JB Hi-Fi but that is $85 which is a bit high for how we want to use it.

I'm thinking that it might be cheaper in the long run to buy a Google Mini and a $20 smart plug?

Open to any suggestions!!

Electrical & Electronics

Comments

  • jimbobaus on 11/05/2020 - 23:48

    HomeKit is such a farce at the moment.
    Apples ecosystem is so locked down that companies just gave up trying to work with Siri.
    Ring was planning on working with Apple and then just gave up. (Amazon then bought them so that happened too)
    TP Link are on record saying until Apple opens up their HomeKit system to more developers and makes it easy to integrate they won’t bother developing for the platform.

    • bobwokeup on 12/05/2020 - 00:13
      +1

      It sounds the same as their previous position on Apple Pay. Thankfully more banks offer it now but it took years.

      So give up on the HomeKit and just go with Google?

      • jimbobaus on 12/05/2020 - 00:21

        I live completely in the Apple ecosystem. If apple made it we probably have it. Use Apple Music not Spotify, have iPhone, iMac, MacBook Pro, iPad etc.

        Our smart home is amazon Alexa controlled mainly because we have found google to be finicky at best. It really is the worst of the lot.

        Our HomePod is for music and until Apple and manufacturers can play nice it’s probably going to stay that way for a while.

    • ardent11 on 12/05/2020 - 13:22
      +1

      It’s absolutely not locked down, just a lore more secure. Various parts of the SDK are open source (https://developer.apple.com/homekit/).

      Another way to think of it is perhaps other Vendors that get their products to work on Amazon are Google relatively quickly are skimping on security, stability and future-proofing just so they can get their products to market faster with no concern of consequences.

      • jimbobaus on 13/05/2020 - 19:23

        🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️

  • unco on 12/05/2020 - 00:10
    +2

    Cygnett Smart Wifi plug can be had for $24 every now and then.

    • bobwokeup on 12/05/2020 - 00:21

      Oh yes thanks that will do the job!!

  • jv on 12/05/2020 - 00:18
    +2

    cheaper in the long run to buy a Google Mini and a $20 smart plug?

    Google assistant is light years ahead of Siri.

    • jimbobaus on 12/05/2020 - 00:22
      +1

      This I can’t agree with.
      Siri gives me better results almost always.
      I would say

      Alexa
      Siri
      Google

      But that’s just my opinion.

      Alexa and google play nice with others though.
      HomeKit is apples biggest issue and until that’s fixed Siri is a non starter even for Apple users like me.

      • jv on 12/05/2020 - 00:24
        +1

        Siri gives me better results almost always.

        Takes 3 or 4 goes just to get an SMS message done with Siri. It is crap.

        Google assistant gets the words right > 95% of the time.

        • jimbobaus on 12/05/2020 - 00:25
          +1

          I used Siri in my car daily to send texts and she never gets it wrong. Can not say the same thing for google at all. Work phone is android linked to android system in car. Almost never gets it right.
          In my daily use I would choose Siri over google any day and Alexa over both of them.

  • tryingtohelp on 12/05/2020 - 01:34

    I’m in Apple eco system too, since most of the HomeKit smart electrical devices are way over in price, I chose to get amazon/google compatible devices and got them to work with Apple HomeKit using homebridge on Rasperrypi. (Check YouTube videos to understand what I’m talking about)
    Works like a charm, had homepod of 3 days and was able to use all my accessories using voice command as well.
    Didn’t like the sound so sold it for $30 less.

  • hallo123 on 12/05/2020 - 07:36

    I use Hue bridge and lights. There apparently is a Hue power plug now,, but only advertised to switch lights in and off. I’m getting by with old Wemo plugs (no longer sold) via Homebridge.

  • sheamas88 on 12/05/2020 - 07:48

    Instead of locking yourself into a vendor for home automation, I highly recommend you look at HomeAssistant

    It's an open source project that can integrate with hundreds of smart home devices. It works with Google, Apple, and Amazon. It is a little complex to setup still, but is getting much easier by the day.

  • humanator on 12/05/2020 - 09:07
    +1

    There is also the open source HomeBridge project which will integrate many existing smart devices with HomeKit. I am using with my dyson and my tp-link smart plug (HS110)

  • ja72 on 12/05/2020 - 12:18
    +1

    There are smart devices out there that are ‘Siri Shortcut’ compatible but don’t have HomeKit compatibility. Keep an eye out for these as well because they work in a similar fashion.
    Additionally, you can extend the functionality of HomeKit compatible devices with ‘Siri Shortcuts’.

  • ardent11 on 12/05/2020 - 13:20

    As someone mentioned, there is the Cygnett one https://www.kogan.com/au/buy/cygnett-smart-plug-10a-power-mo…

  • chrisburnett on 12/05/2020 - 13:57
    +1

    I’m fully HomeKitted up also and have found it integrates well and securely. I was looking at the Eve smart plug but it was very expensive. I went with a Philips Hue smart plug. They are expensive and not readily available (search the internet for them) but it tied in with my Hue Bridge brilliantly. I’ve just ordered one of the Cygnett ones mentioned above as they seem to be on special everywhere right now and come in at under $30 delivered. They are the cheapest I’ve found that are HomeKit compatible.

    • bobwokeup on 12/05/2020 - 22:28

      Yeah I think that’s what I’m going to do as well. Where did you get it under $30?

      • ja72 on 13/05/2020 - 01:03

        I have one Eve Smart Plug & I found that on occasions it doesn't connect as well with my Philips Hue Switch. I put it down to a comms. issue between bluetooth to zigbee connectivity.

        I also have recently purchased the Cygnett Wifi plug & I found that the Cygnett plug switches close to instantly when prompted either through Siri or the homeKit app, and is yet to fail on connectivity.

        I got a few of the Cygnett Smart Wi-Fi Plug from Big W for $24 last week. Unfortunately, they have gone back up to $34.

        Edit: The Eve plug is also rated at 8 amps (1920W) where the Cygnett plug is 10 amps (2400W)

        • bobwokeup on 13/05/2020 - 16:30

          Nice one, thanks for the detailed response. I'll wait for the Cygnett to go on special again.

      • chrisburnett on 14/05/2020 - 23:48

        It was on eBay from Myer. Can’t see them there now. I’ve got mine delivered today and it works perfectly with Siri. They had them at the Good Guys for even less but not sure how many stores have them.

      • chrisburnett on 01/06/2020 - 15:26
        +1

        Just found this. Great deal if you get two for free postage. https://www.ozbargain.com.au/node/541696

        • bobwokeup on 01/06/2020 - 21:31

          Cheers mate. I saw Big W is doing the same price so ordered one from there ;)

  • ontoastrye on 12/05/2020 - 21:49
    +1

    try aqara (from xiaomi)

    doesn't have all the wiz bang features of monitoring your power usage etc etc.
    make sure it’s the homekit compatible - http://aliexpress.com/ has a lot of crap…

    i can't remember if you need their hub. i have it.
    Philips lights = 100-120. Aqara was maybe 1/4? (obviously not as dim or as bright )… but it served our purpose.
    ^ how dim or how bright or how many different colours of the rainbow do you need?
    smart plug was about ~20.

    I switched from google TPLINK HS101.

  • Cadal on 20/06/2020 - 13:25
    +1

    Philips Hue Smart Plug is also in Australia but is simple (on off no energy monitoring) and expensive not as much as z-wave gear though…

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