3 Compelling Reasons to Buy a Smart Power Strip (& 5 Top-Rated Models)

That mess of cables and chargers plugged into a traditional, passive power strip in your home might be convenient, but it comes at a cost, wasting over $100 annually for the average household. Enter the smart power strip – WiFi-enabled strips that give you intelligent, app-based control over individual outlets while helping maximize energy efficiency and lower costs.

Why You Need One: Reducing Energy Waste Saves Real Money

Many modern devices sip power even in standby mode when powered off. For example:

• Gaming consoles use 10-20 watts idling, costing $25/year
• PC monitors average 15-35 watts wasting $30+ yearly
• Cable boxes leech a whopping $130/year unused

These so-called "energy vampires" can silently waste over $100 per household annually according to Energy Star estimates. Smart power strips combat this by cutting idle power draw through:

• Scheduled on/off cycles customized to your usage patterns
• Auto-shutdown thresholds when draws indicate non-use
• Real-time usage alerts that flag unnecessary power waste

Enabling auto shut-off features on just 75% of your home electronics could save $3 billion in annual national energy costs as this NRDC table shows:

You can calculate likely savings based on your electronics and rates using this energy vampire cost calculator:

Smart power strips pay for themselves through AI-driven automation that cuts this idle power waste, saving the average household over $100 annually.

Granular Outlet Control Promotes Convenience

Passive strips grant access to more outlets, but those outlets remain "dumb," lacking any controls. Smart strips change this by giving you app-based control down to the individual outlet level. This enables uses like:

• Remotely cycling aquarium lights off overnight
• Shutting down that distracting kids gaming system from your phone
• Scheduling AV cabinets off during work hours while wall lamps remain active

Alexa and other assistants take this smart convenience even further through expansive voice control options:

"Alexa, shut off the bedroom powerstrip"

Checking surge protector status also becomes easy by querying assistants versus walking over to check indicator lights:

"Hey Google, is my living room power strip protected?"

This expansive voice control provides easier automation alongside the core access-anywhere app controls.

Powerful Usage Insights Reinforce Savings

A bedrock smart power strip benefit beyond scheduling is collecting hard data on exactly what devices are using power and when through:

• Timeline graphs and trends measured down to outlet level
• Configurable real-time usage thresholds & alerts
• Monthly usage reports exported for extended analysis

For example, you might configure alerts to notify anytime a standby entertainment center exceeds 10 watts, indicating it was accidentally left on.

This information enhanced visibility into usage habits empower you to rightsize schedules and settings for maximum efficiency. If that AV center actually hits 40+ watts daily, an auto shut off at 9 PM nightly ensures it never idles overnight.

These compelling reasons support why intelligent power strips should be on your shortlist to reinforce energy savings through automation and control. Now let‘s explore top-rated models spanning needs from expansive outlet capacity to compact footprint.

Smart Strip Recommendations

Detailed recommendations:

Best Overall: Kasa Smart HS300

Kasa‘s HS300 leads smart strips through rock-solid app controls, built-in suppression for connected gear and no hub required for 6 outlet and 3 USB ports. Alexa/Google Assistant voice control round out a stellar package.

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Best for Outdoors: POWRUI AW-41

The rugged, weatherproof POWRUI AW-41 stands up to sun, rain, snow and temperature swings from -22° to 104° F, making it ideal for controlling outdoor lighting, appliances and entertainment centers through the app or included remote.

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Best Budget: Geeni Surge Smart Power Strip

Despite a bargain $25 price, the Geeni smart surge protector still supports robust scheduling, usage tracking and outlet-by-outlet controls. The streamlined app provides the essential controls and automation to start saving power without complexity or cost.

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Best Compact: GHome Mini

Don‘t let the trim size of the GHome Mini fool you – it still packs three smart outlets plus three USB ports. This space-saving design tucks neatly behind furniture but retains voice control, scheduling and tracking for efficient automation, even in tight spots.

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Hopefully this breakdown gives you a clearer picture of the benefits smart power strips provide through automated energy savings, effortless individual outlet control and detailed power usage insights. Consider your device capacity and feature needs, but any of these top rated picks checked all the key boxes, seamlessly upgrading power management. Which one caught your eye? Let me know if you have any other questions!