Months later review: I've been using these now for a while, in a family of 'power' users, meaning our pg&e bill can get high. With these I can monitor what is running and for how long, and have the option to turn things off if needed (like my fridge).
A few handy things for me are:
1) I can track our refrigerator's usage over days/weeks, its not all bad until it turns on the defrost cycle!
2) I've used a few to turn on / off AC grid tie inverters (with battery packs) to mitigate our power usage during high-use times. And I can see the reduction on our rainforest smart meter monitor, confirming the power reading on these smart plugs which is a great feature to have.
3) I like the app, its fairly straightforward, and has triggered power on/off functions which I like. I use that to turn off chargers once they fall below a watt level where they are no longer providing much charge. I've inadvertently had the 'new trigger' turn off when power exceeds ___W, and they would instantly turn back off. I initially thought I had a problem, but the notification told me otherwise, cluing me on my error...
Some things I think would be helpful:
1) wifi access but no internet (you know, just in case it goes down LOL) the app can still access the smart plugs if my local wifi network is still alive and my phone is connected to it. (internet hasn't died just yet, but don't want to find out with working wifi, the smart plugs no longer work)
2) work with the Stringify app. Stringify needed a public API to be able to use Etekcity's smart plugs. This makes both a powerful tool when it comes to monitoring things. For example, if my smart meter goes over a preset power setting, I could tell it to turn on/off certain smart plugs. Alexa is nice to have, but its short lived. Alexa doesn't have the same monitoring Vesync has or any app pass-through feature which would allow other apps to use Alexa as a control or host.
3) if #2 is simply impossible, create a new function in the "new trigger action" menu to turn on or off other smart outlets in my menu. For example, if outlet 1 power drops below xxx watts, turn on outlet 2. This would allow you to cascade functions to accomplish doing more with them.
4) notifications don't show up on my cell, only within the Vesync app. email works, but it lags by minutes/hours.
5) for some reason, if I'm in a monitor menu and I press the super button to get me back the phone, when I reopen Vesync, there is a different smart plug picture and none of the readings work. Hitting back a few times gets me to the smart plug menu, guessing that's a bug.
You might be wondering, why all this? PG&E and deregulation (which hasn't happened). I pay rates 2-3x higher than someone who lives a few miles down the road. Does solar help? sure, but PG&E's payback is a nickel per kWh, and charge you 20c per kWh used and then there's the penalty stage if you go over the baseline which seems to be based on nobody at home from 8-5, m-f.
My bill is lower because I can see / manage my power usage better, thanks to Etekcity's smart plugs. Yeah, I've tried Dlink, range is worse, their update bricked one that actually measured power, and their cost is higher. And they were constantly losing connection even in line of sight (50') to wifi. So Etekcity's have better range (I have 4 smart plugs in another garage on my lot), better reliability (yeah i got 3 customer returns -poorly packed was the clue- that I returned, lost some hours I wont get back) but overall, better performance for your money.
Pointers:
Check the monitor watts menu to see you're within its power rating too. I'm working these fairly good, 2-3x / day up to 1000W for hours at a time, varying locations on my lot and with noisy equipment. So mine are seeing a fair amount of use.
Problems with initial connection? Closing the app and restarting helps. I've checked to see how many things were on my network and if it was full, there was no indication that it was...
I paid for all my smart plugs, received nothing for this review other than the (replacements for duds) and satisfaction using them. Hope that helps someone deciding to buy or not.
| Operation Mode | ON-OFF |
|---|---|
| Current Rating | 8 Amps |
| Operating Voltage | 120 Volts (AC) |
| Contact Type | Normally Open |
| Connector Type | Plug In |
| Brand | Etekcity |
| Terminal | Spst |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 2.4 x 1.18 x 2.2 inches |
| Actuator Type | Push Button |
| Contact Material | Phosphor Bronze |
| International Protection Rating | IP00 |
| Number of Positions | 2 |
| Upper Temperature Rating | 104 Degrees Fahrenheit |
| Controller Type | IFTTT, Google Assistant, vera, Amazon Alexa |
| Control Method | Voice |
| Connectivity Protocol | Wi-Fi |
| Color | White |
| Wattage | 960 watts |
| Unit Count | 2.00 Count |
| Manufacturer | Etekcity |
| Part Number | ESW01-USA |
| Item Weight | 3.2 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 2.4 x 1.18 x 2.2 inches |
| Item model number | 817915020586 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Size | 2 Pack |
| Voltage | 120 Volts |
| Item Package Quantity | 1 |
| Number Of Pieces | 2 |
| Included Components | Smart Plug *2 |
| Batteries Included? | No |
| Batteries Required? | No |
