Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug, The Ultimate Guide to Energy Savings and Home Automation

As the ‘smart home’ becomes less of a novelty and increasingly mainstream, many of those once-far-fetched TV and movie depictions are finally within striking distance. One of the pillars of this modern tech-infused home is the ‘connected’ home – in other words, automation. The rise of the smart home has seen a huge increase in the number of devices there are to connect and control. In this influx, one particular gadget has blossomed into one of the most important and standout pieces of hardware on the market; the smart plug. The Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug is up there with the best of them, offering a great degree of convenience, energy efficiency and smart home ‘smarts’. In this guide, we are going to take a deep dive into this Wemo feature, to find out exactly what it is, how it works, and if this plug is the right fit for you and your connected home.

Beyond the Basics: What Makes the Wemo Insight Special?

So the appeal of a smart plug might seem made smart. But the insight in this Wemo Insight is that it’s not just about ‘if this then that’ control logic. It’s about seeing how much energy your fridge or plane has used, or is using right now. It’s about real insight into your consumption. Giving users the ability to see energy use could empower them to save money on their utility bills.

Unveiling the Power of Insight: Key Features Explained

• Total remote control: you can turn off your coffee maker before you leave for work in the morning, or set a lamp to turn on at sunset – all while lounging on your couch, or even if you have left the house.
• Unleashing Energy Awareness: Real-Time Monitoring: The Wemo Insight is not just a remote control; it’s an energy monitoring awesomeness that shows real-time energy usage of any plugged-in device. Talk about a live feed on what’s drawing current and allowing you to fine-tune not just your appliances, but also your power usage at home.
• Cost cut easy: Running in the background, the Wemo Insight shows you which appliances are drawing too much power and why. If your space heater is on for too long, if your chest freezer is constantly drawing power, if your bread machine – God forbid – is always on, then you can make informed decisions about your energy use. Over time, that could mean saving lots of dough. Peace of mind? This one has a safety feature that shuts off power after an overcurrent or an over-temperature protection event, safeguarding your appliances from the risk of burning up (from trying to tie into a fuse/breaker) and from overheating. Yes, this safe smart plug will make sure that your appliance doesn’t burn up and catches a fire after you’ve left town.
• Works with: A Lot of Things: The Wemo Insight works with everything from lamps and ceiling fans to coffee-makers and space heaters. It can be used to control and monitor almost any appliance connected to a standard electrical outlet – expanding the scope of your smart home beyond just lights and electronics. Seamless Smart Home Integration:
• Turn Your Home into a Connected Wonderland: The Wemo Insight also integrates with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and IFTTT, so you can create applet automations, integrate it into your other smart devices, and control your home from anywhere. You can set up a routine so your coffee maker turns on every morning at a set time, and your lights dim when you say goodnight through Alexa or Google Assistant.

Unlocking the Benefits: A Smarter and More Efficient Home

• Convenience redefined: but now, no need to pick up a switch, or even a physical plug. Anything can come on, or go off, no matter where you are as long as it’s connected to the internet. These appliances could make your daily life easier, or free up precious hours. 
• Energy Efficiency Your Fingertips: Track and monitor your energy usage to reduce your carbon footprint and make your home more cost-efficient.Wemo makes it easier for you to make the most out of your energy use with insight into your energy expenses. With the Insight, “you can gain visibility into your energy use to better see where you can reduce usage to save money and be more energy efficient” and “halt unnecessary waste to save money and the planet”.
• Safer at Home: Overcurrent and over-temperature protection improve the safety of your devices. Don’t worry about electrical surges or overheating in your home. Your smart devices are safe. Even if you’re away, with SADECA to help prevent any damage you’ll have more peace of mind.
• Make it Smart: With Wemo, work with other ‘Works with Nest’ and/or ‘Works with Amazon Alexa’ smart home devices to create routines and automate your home. Make your home work the way you want it to. Create your own personal routines that automate your life and make things easier, more comfortable, and more efficient. Set your lights on an automatic lighting schedule. Control your home’s temperature when away.

Getting Started with the Wemo Insight: A Step-by-Step Guide

1. Setting Up Your Wemo Insight: Download the Wemo app from the App Store or Google Play store and the system will walk you through simple set-up instructions to connect your Wemo Insight to your Wi-Fi network. Anyone – even a Luddite – can set this up in minutes, merely by following the app’s instructions.
2. Take Control: Switch your devices on/off and set schedules and control settings for plugged-in devices in the Wemo app or via voice! Alexa and Google Assistant. Control your home your way.
3. Monitor Energy Use Get instant feedback: keep track of watts used in real time, and then see changes from day to day so you can keep an eye on energy usage. The Wemo Insight lets you know how much energy the appliances plugged into it are using and how much that costs you. If you can make smarter energy choices, you can actually reduce your costs.
4. Scheduling for efficiency: Use just-in-time schedules to turn devices on at certain times. Give your devices schedules based on your routine so they’re only on when you need them. This can be useful for setting up coffee-makers, lamps or space heaters you use on a regular schedule.
5. Integration: Bringing Home To Life With Custom Automations – Use the Wemo Insight with other smart home devices and ecosystems to add custom automations. The Insight can be added to any smart home ecosystem you currently use, including Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant for voice controls, or IFTTT for applet automation, creating more possibilities for connected home automation and customised comfort around the house. Be in control of a smart home ecosystem that is suitable for you and customised to your requirements.

Beyond the Basics: Exploring Advanced Uses

By sharing the WiFi connection of another device – another smart plug, say, that you want to use to monitor the status of another electrical device – the Wemo Insight can open up a whole universe of more sophisticated uses, going way beyond being just a smart plug: a couple of examples:

• Remote Control Beyond Limits: Remotely turn on and off, and check the status of appliances regardless of your location. You can turn off your coffee maker if you forgot to on the way out the door, or check if your space heater is running while you’re on vacation.
• Automate: Programs that act according to a schedule can turn them on or off automatically at certain times. These devices are handy for turning lights, fans or appliances on or off at intervals you choose; for instance, a lamp could be set to turn on when the sun goes down, or a coffeemaker to begin brewing your daily morning cup of joe.
• Gas and electric meter reading: Might not be fascinating, but a crucial part of keeping an eye on your budget!
• Energy monitor: Tell you which appliances are adults in need of a sensible power diet.
• Customise Your Own Smart Home: Create your own saved routines and custom automations directly from the Wemo app or IFTTT. Using the Wemo Insight with other popular smart home devices and platforms allows you to make your home truly responsive to your needs. Wemo easily integrates with other smart home devices and platforms, such as Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest, SmartThings, Hub, Hue, and many others. Create intricate routines that complete multiple actions involving multiple devices.

Clearing Up Common Questions: FAQ

• Is the Wemo Insight Smart Plug compatible with Alexa and Google assistant? Yes, the Wemo Insight is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant so that you can control it with the device of your choice. This makes it a safe bet for upgrading your home without having to invest in a single ecosystem. How do I add the Wemo Insight to my Wi-Fi network? The Wemo Insight attaches to your Wi-Fi network through the Wemo app. The app guides you through the process of connecting to your network step-by-step, making configuration self-explanatory and easy, even if you are not technically knowledgeable
• Do I need a special hub to use the Wemo Insight? No, the Wemo Insight does not require a special hub. When paired with a Wemo Mini or a Wemo Switch, your phone becomes the smart home hub. You can connect through your home Wi-Fi network or use the state-of-the-art Bluetooth, giving you freedom and convenience. The Wemo Insight keeps track of how much energy your Wemo Mini or Wemo Switch is using.
• How many amps can the Wemo Insight record? The Wemo Insight operates at a draw of 15 amps maximum, which should record energy for almost every appliance you have. It will perform admirably for a good home energy-monitoring system. Does it work with IFTTT? Yes, the Wemo Insight is compatible with IFTTT, one of the most influential automation services worldwide, meaning you can create automations or use it with other compatible smart home devices and services, creating new routines and options to automate your home life.

Making the Decision: Why the Wemo Insight is a Smart Choice

If you’re looking for a powerful way to upgrade your home-automation experiences while also reducing energy consumption, the Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug is your plug. It offers remote control of appliances and electronics, as well as the ability to provide live and historical energy monitoring. Better yet, it fits easily into your existing wired and wireless smart-home system. The Wemo Insight is friendly to use, smart, and inexpensive. It’s a home-automation upgrade that we all should have.

Embracing a Smarter Future: The Benefits of Smart Plugs

Whether you want to reduce your energy bills, make your home more comfortable and convenient to live in, or want to embrace cutting-edge smart home technology, the Belkin Wemo Insight Smart Plug is a must-have. Smart plugs can expand the range of options you have to make your home smarter and more energy-efficient, giving you greater control over its operation and helping you make the most of it. When it comes to the Wemo Insight, you’re not buying a product, you’re making your home smarter.