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- The Satechi Dual Smart Outlet is one of only a few dual smart plugs on the market.
- The $60 device is designed to not block neighboring outlets, but only works exclusively with Apple HomeKit.
- The Dual Smart Outlet is the best one to buy if you’re a HomeKit user who wants a well-designed outlet that can be used for multiple devices.
Smart plugs are increasingly common, but the vast majority of them still only offer one outlet, or in other words, all they do is turn your single power outlet into a single smart outlet.
Recently, however, new smart plugs have popped up that allow you to get multiple smart outlets in one device — like the $60 Satechi Dual Smart Outlet.
Here’s what it’s like to use.
Design
The Satechi Dual Smart Outlet is designed a little different than some other dual smart plugs.
Instead of the outlets being aligned vertically, they’re aligned horizontally. That essentially means that the device won’t block the second outlet in a standard two-gang setup, so with the Satechi Dual Smart Outlet, you can connect up to three devices at the same time. You could also plug in two smart outlets for a total of four — which is pretty handy for someone who wants a larger smart home set up.
The Satechi Dual Smart Outlet is made with a white plastic, but still looks pretty good. In our testing, the quality seemed solid, and we never thought that the outlet would break.
On the top of the outlet, you’ll get two buttons to manually control the power outlet, which were responsive and easy to locate.
To get the most out of the plug, you’d need the Apple Home (which you might have already for your other smart devices) or Satechi Home app. The Satechi Home app is a well-designed and easy-to-use app. It also allows you to see things like energy monitoring, which the normal Apple Home app doesn’t have.
That said, if you don’t want yet another app on your device and don’t mind not having energy monitoring, then you don’t have to download the Satechi Home app at all — you can just set up the Dual Smart Power Outlet straight through the Apple Home app and it’ll work perfectly fine.
If we had to nitpick, we would have liked the HomeKit QR logo to be on the bottom or side instead of the top, so it’s out of sight, but the outlet still looks great.
Specs
- Works with Apple HomeKit
- Supports iOS 10.3 or later
- 5.12 x 1.57 x 2.36 inches
- 0.7 lbs
- Offers energy monitoring
Set-up process
Like any Apple HomeKit device, the Satechi Dual Smart Power Outlet is super easy to set up regardless of whether you do it via the Satechi Home or Apple Home app.
First, you’ll plug the device into a standard power outlet. If you’re using the Apple Home app, tap the little plus icon in the top right-hand corner and hit "Add Accessory." Then you can use your camera to scan the HomeKit QR code on the top of the Satechi outlet, which will then automatically be added to your Home set up. From there, you’ll be able to name the outlet and assign it to a room.
Setting up the device in the Satechi Home app is the same — it just visually looks a little different along the way.
Special features
There are plenty of HomeKit-enabled smart outlets out there, and they all work pretty much the same way. That said, there are still a few things that set this outlet apart from others — and most of those things have to do with the device’s design.
Unlike most smart power outlets, this one offers two outlets to control — essentially doubling its versatility. There aren’t all that many dual smart plugs yet, but even if there were, we think this one would still be a top competitor thanks to the thoughtful design that doesn’t block neighboring outlets.
There’s also the fact that the outlet monitors how much energy you’re using, which can be viewed in the Satechi Home app. It’s a nice touch, and we found it helps make you a lot more aware of how much energy you use day to day.
In addition to the fact that this is a dual outlet and offers energy monitoring, the Satechi Dual Smart Outlet is simply a solidly built, reliable power outlet. Once we set it up, it worked perfectly with Apple’s HomeKit, and was easy to control manually too thanks to the buttons on the top of the device.
Cons to consider
The Satechi Dual Smart Power Outlet is nearly perfect for HomeKit users who want something reliable and well-designed. Perhaps the only downside is the fact that it only works with HomeKit — so if you’re a Google Assistant or Alexa user, this outlet definitely isn’t for you.
It’s also a little expensive for a power outlet, but it’s no more expensive than other dual smart outlets that we’ve tested, like the ConnectSense Smart Outlet2 which costs the same.
The bottom line
Ultimately, the Satechi Dual Smart Outlet is a great smart outlet to buy for HomeKit users who want something well-designed and that will work seamlessly with the rest of their smart home ecosystem.
The ConnectSense Smart Outlet2 is still a top contender for those that have Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, but if you’re firmly in the HomeKit ecosystem, then we think that Satechi’s offering is an ideal choice thanks to its refined design that doesn’t block neighboring outlets.
Pros: Well-designed, doesn’t block other outlets, easy to use and set up
Cons: Only works with Apple HomeKit
Buy the Satechi Dual Smart Outlet on Amazon for $59.99
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Source: Business Insider – feedback@businessinsider.com (Christian de Looper)