The Best Energy-Saving Smart Home Devices to Keep Your Utility Bills Down – CNET [CNET]

Over the last two years during the coronavirus pandemic, we’ve spent more time at home than ever before. Though switching to a hybrid or fully remote work schedule cuts down on gas money and commuting times, you’ll also see inflated home bills. Depending on how much time you would usually spend at the office or out of the house, your utilities could double or even triple. 

Chances are that while you’re working remotely, your lights are on most of the day, your family is connected to the internet and your air conditioning is running. All that adds up to higher expenses. The average household could spend up to $5 extra a day, or around $100 a month, on additional energy use. 

But we have some solutions. Whether it’s a smart light bulb, a smart thermostat or a water-saving, low-flow smart sprinkler, there are plenty of devices on the market that can help you save money on your utilities. Plus, if you use these devices in addition to turning off lights when you leave the room, setting your thermostat to the ideal temperature, spending less time in the shower and unplugging appliances, you will start to see real savings on your monthly bills. 

Here are a few devices we think you should try out. 

Read also: Want to Save On Your Gas, Electric and Water Bills? Read This

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Smart thermostats

If this were Family Feud, smart thermostats would be the number one answer on the board when it comes to energy savings — and for good reason. These connected thermostats manage your HVAC system with several extra features you won’t get in an unconnected model.

You can set temperature thresholds appropriate for the season, as well as Home and Away temperatures that adjust automatically based on whether your mobile device is present via location data. If you can only do one thing to make your home smarter and more energy conscious, a thermostat is a great choice.

Read more: High Electric Bill? Your Thermostat Is Probably on the Wrong Wall

Lights

With or without the smarts, LED bulbs are far more efficient than old-school incandescents. If you want to save big on your electric bill, LED bulbs are a great place to start. If you’re ready to jump into smart bulbs, there are plenty of affordable options out there these days. 

Use a schedule to make sure the right lights are on or off during the day. If you don’t need a schedule, you can still use Alexa and Google Assistant integrations to turn off that kitchen light you forgot about from your phone or smart speaker from anywhere in your house or where you have an internet connection. 

Smart plugs 

Like smart lights, smart plugs can automatically turn on and off on a schedule, monitor energy consumption and create scenes. Plug in any gadget or small appliance you’d normally use in a wall outlet, and a smart plug will bring it online. If you’re specifically interested in conserving power, not just automation, be sure to select a plug that includes energy monitoring. 

Eufy Smart Plug Mini

Chris Monroe/CNET

Many smart plugs don’t offer true energy monitoring. The Eufy Smart Plug Mini brings your daily and monthly reports on energy consumption for whatever device it’s powering. There are also scheduling, timing and customization options through a companion app. 

The app is easy to set up, simple to use and comes with every feature you would need to control a gadget or small appliance. You won’t need a hub or bridge to get started, just a solid 2.4GHz wireless connection. However, you also won’t get the additional side USB charger some plugs offer, and it doesn’t work with HomeKit.

This isn’t CNET’s favorite smart plug, but it has great energy consumption settings. For anyone who can live without energy consumption details, we’d recommend the smaller TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini.

Read our Eufy Smart Plug Mini review.

 

Motion sensors

If you already own smart lights or are ready to set up your first bulbs, consider adding a compatible motion sensor. A good motion sensor, like the options below, can turn lights on or off. You’ll be able to turn on a hallway or bathroom light when someone walks by at night or turn off all the living room lights when no motion has been detected. 

Smart sprinklers

Spring is coming upon us quickly and that means lawn care is probably back to the top of your to do list. Smart sprinklers are one way to save water when your grass gets thirsty. With connectivity and management apps you can schedule watering and even automatically delay it if rain is in the forecast. If water consumption in your home has gone up now that there are more people there during the day, putting some smarts around your lawn watering is a great way to help minimize usage.

Smart home products make our lives easier, more automated and in the case of these devices more energy efficient. Adding just a smart thermostat can make a big difference. Smart lights and plugs are a great way to go, too. No matter how you start your energy-saving smart home, the benefits are sure to add up.