Reviews/Suggestions for Smart Power Strips?

In my next phase of making my house a bit more green with smart home tech, I was thinking about using smart powered strips on my entertainment systems, computer setups. Any suggested brands you would recommend?

The zooz model gets good reviews

3 Likes

I use the Zooz Zen20 for just that purpose. One channel controls the TV and Entertainment Amp, another controls internet connected devices (Amazon Fire, Xbox etc), and one is used to control cabinet ventilation fans via a temperature sensor inside the cabinet. In my setup I connect another 3 or 4 outlet basic hardware store power strip to each Zooz outlet to control several items off one channel, being very careful of course, to not exceed any power ratings.

2 Likes

I also use The zooz zen20, but one thing to be aware of is that the orientation and spacing of the sockets makes it difficult for some plugs.

1 Like

I ended up buying a pack of these for some other cases where the plug spacing is tight.
Plusmart Power Extension Cord Cable,1 Foot,Outlet Saver,3 Prong,6 Pack,Flat Plug,16AWG,UL Listed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FTDH346/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_7uHODb8A8VKSX

2 Likes

Interesting… That is a good idea, and much better than having to buy multiple smart power strips for one location. Good advice!

Does anyone have any recommendation for a UK power strip compatible option?

Could you share your thoughts with me please? Do you think a zigbee power strip would be safer or better in any ways than a wifi one? I found a MĂĽller Tint multi socket which is zigbee, also compatible with ST, and are there any pros or cons?
https://www.mueller-licht.de/produktinformationen/artikel/?q=404017
https://www.meross.com/product/19/article/

The first rule of home automation applies: “the model number matters.“

It’s not about zigbee versus Wi-Fi. It’s about the specific engineering quality and safety certifications for each individual device. :thinking:

As I mentioned in another thread on power strips, Meross is inexpensive, well engineered, and has good safety certifications. And they have a manufacturer-provided smartthings integration, so you don’t need any custom code. You can buy them on Amazon, and they frequently have a coupon code/voucher which brings the cost down even further. These are the ones I buy in my own home because I am a wheelchair user and fire safety is a very big concern for me. But there are other Wi-Fi power strips that look very similar, but are poorly engineered and have no safety certifications.

In addition, the load that each device can support safely can vary quite a bit.

So you just need to look at the specifications for each candidate device you are considering.

The big advantage to zigbee over Wi-Fi is that you may be able to run it locally (even if the Internet is down), where in a smartthings environment if the Internet is out, the automations for most Wi-Fi devices won’t work. :disappointed_relieved:

( if you happen to use an iPhone, you can set up HomeKit and use the meRoss devices with that, and then the app and automations will work even if the Internet is out. So this isn’t a Wi-Fi issue specifically, it’s a smartthings issue.)

The other big difference between Wi-Fi and zigbee is that Wi-Fi uses a lot more power. But that’s mostly an issue for battery powered devices, because you almost always will get longer battery life from a Zigbee Device.

So if you have two battery powered open/close sensors and one uses Wi-Fi and one uses Zigbee, it’s likely that you would have to replace the batteries on the Wi-Fi one every two or three months, where the zigbee one with the same features and in the same location might last a year. But that’s not usually a concern for a plug-in device like a power strip.

Thank you for clarifying.

1 Like