This single power plug can be plugged into any three-prong outlet and controlled from your Android or iOS device using the e-Control app. It’s smooth sailing once you get the plug setup.
Setting Up the WiFi Smart Power Plug
Once you’ve downloaded the required e-Control app (linked above), you’ll also need to make sure that the device you’re using is connected to your home’s WiFi network. Note: only 2.4G networks are supported; 5G isn’t supported. When you open the e-Control app, you’ll need to create a BroadLink account. (It’s quick and painless.) Once you’re done, you’ll be directed to the “Control” screen. Click on + in the top right corner, and tap “Add device.” You’ll be prompted to enter your WiFi password so that you can configure the plug. It should only take a few seconds for it to connect. You will see “SmartPlug” listed, and it should say “Configuration success …” at the top. Now you can select it to set it up. By default, it’s turned off, but you can tap on “OFF” to turn it on. You can also set up timers from here and see the device’s time at the bottom-right. (It should be the same as your home time since it uses your WiFi.) When you turn it on, the light on the plug turns red. It remains red even when you plug something into it. This lets you know that it’s connected and working properly. The light can also indicate issues, though. For instance, if the light flashes once a second, it means that the configuration failed, and it needs to be done again.
Using the WiFi Smart Power Plug
This is just like any other outlet in your home, so all you have to do is plug something into it to use it. You can keep it on at all times or just whenever you need to. The best feature of the plug is the timer feature. There are three different types to choose from:
Scheduled Timer – You can choose when the plug will turn on and/or off along with how often to repeat it (once, daily, or the same day(s) each week).Countdown Timer – This allows you to either set a countdown timer to turn the plug on or off. For instance, you can have it turn off after 2.5 hours so that your phone isn’t overcharged.Cycled Timer – Here you can set a total period and how long the on and off repeated timers will last. During this period the plug will be turned on during different times. For instance, you can have a lamp turn on and off throughout the day when you’re away so that it looks like someone is at home.
There are a few other features in Settings such as device locking (so that no one else in your network can find the plug), push messages, firmware update, and charging protection. Not much explanation is given for these features, so you are forced to figure things out yourself. If you ever want to reset the plug, just press and hold the On/Off key in the app until the light on the plug flashes quickly. This is great if you want to give it away to someone else so that they can connect it to their own home network and mobile device.
Final Thoughts
The WiFi Smart Power Plug works great, but you do have to remember that the app only works when connected to your home network. You won’t be able to turn the plug on or off when away from home. That’s where the timers come into play – they can be extremely useful. Even a simple timer to have the plug go off at the same time each day (e.g. the time you leave for work) would be really smart to have enabled. The plug responds quickly to the app, and I found no delay when tapping on/off. I tried out a scheduled timer and countdown timer and both were right on time. If you need an affordable, basic smart plug, this could be the perfect solution for you. If you’re not very tech-savvy, this would also be great since it doesn’t require much effort, and the simple on/off button is a no-brainer. Amake WiFi Smart Power Plug
