Incipio is primarily known for its cases and accessories of which I have no experience, but they also offer a range of power and charging solutions.  I first came across this device while rummaging through my local MacStore, I live in Mexico, as I was searching for smarter home devices in my quest to automate as much of my home as possible.  Since these types of devices are relatively rare here in Mexico, I was immediately intrigued when I saw the “Works with Apple HomeKit” label and almost without mulling it over or having a plan how I would use it, decided to pick one up and go from there.  This was my first legitimate HomeKit device, although I did have a smattering of Phillips Hue lights running off of the 1st generation bridge.

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Features

• Energy metering and monitoring
• Physical on/off button on the device 
• LED indicator

Need to Knows

• requires a 2.4 gHz WiFi network
• 1800W maximum

Pros

• Energy Monitoring: Honestly, at this point, this is a feature I haven’t really used much and so, I can’t say that it’s extremely useful.  As far as I know, most all HomeKit certified smart outlets provide some sort of energy consumption monitoring, but as of now, this must be done through the CommandKit app, more on this in the app review section.
• WiFi:  This means no hub is required.  This also means that you don’t have to be concerned about Bluetooth range.  As long as this plug has a decent enough WiFI signal, you’re good to go.
• Installation: It’s a HomeKit product so installation was pretty straight-forward and I didn’t really bother reading the accompanying set-up guide.  You plug it into an outlet, download the CommandKit app, tap ‘Next’ a few times, name the device, and you’re basically done. Setup was a breeze.  Check out our setup guide for the accessory here.
• Aesthetics: Admittedly, this is definitely something I consider.  In my humble opinion, this device doesn’t look bad at all, especially when compared to other smart outlet designs.  Of course, I would like it to protrude a bit less from the wall outlet, but it does bring a bit of a modern update to an otherwise run-of-the-mill wall socket.
• On/Off Switch: Of course, I prefer to use Siri or an automation whenever possible, but this button gets a fair amount of usage out of my significant other as she hasn’t quite jumped on the 

Cons

• WiFi Connectivity: I own a few different brands of smart outlets, more reviews coming soon, and this is the only one that has given me “trouble”.  Mind you, this “trouble” was short-lived and easily remedied by removing the outlet from the Home and CommandKit apps, resetting the device, and setting it up again like new.  I don’t know why this was happening and only happened two or three times.  The problem now seems to be solved perhaps through a firmware update and has stayed connected to the network for several months now without fail.
• LED indicator: This was a bit of a shock to me and almost led to me pulling out the duct tape.  For the first few weeks after purchasing this device, an obnoxiously bright blue LED indicator would  beacon, perhaps to remind me that it was still connected to the network, or to signal low flying aircraft, or to ensure that seafaring vessels didn’t get too close to shore.  Whatever the reason, it was bright… I mean glaring; with menace and resentment.  To the device’s defense, it has since fixed itself via a firmware update, but I now live in constant fear of planes crashing into my living room.  The price we pay.

The App

I won’t mince words here.  This app is pretty useless.  I primarily use my phone for Siri voice commands and on-demand interactions with my home accessories which means I have a number of home automation-related apps installed, but I’ve relegated this one to my iPad for storage concerns.  

So what does the app actually do?  One thing it does that the Home app doesn’t is monitor energy consumption and it doesn’t really do that very well.  While it tells you current wattage, voltage, and amperage being used, it lacks a timeline to analyze energy use over time.  It also doesn’t estimate potential cost like other devices, though who really trusts this feature anyway?  Thankfully, as I mentioned earlier, this is not something I am overly concerned with.  Though I might be interested in this if I was able to set a trigger for the device to turn off or to trigger another accessory to do something once a set amount of energy is reached.

You can put different devices into “groups”, or rooms or zones, to control several devices at once.  The Home app is better at this.  You can create scenes that trigger different devices to perform certain activities based on a single command.  The Home app is better at this.  You can set schedules to have scenes, yes, only scenes, triggered on or off at specific times of the day.  The Home app is better at this.  The Home app is better.

The app uses a color scheme that makes it difficult, at least for me, to read the text and it lacks icons aside from the menu stretched across the bottom to allow you to switch between the different tabs for setting up accessories, groups, scenes, schedules, and settings.

I mentioned earlier that this app now lives on my iPad.  This is for the second thing you can do with the CommandKit app that you can’t do with the Home app, firmware updates.  For now, your devices are probably safe with the strict HomeKit security requirements, but don’t be a dummy.  Keep your devices’ firmware up-to-date. 

Final Thoughts

Simply stated, this is a fine accessory.  It does what it advertises and does it fairly well.  It lacks some other features that other similar devices boast, but if you are looking for a way to control “dumb” electronics, the Incipio Smart Outlet is a good choice.  The app could use some reworking, but there are a host of alternatives to address this. The Eve and ConnectSense apps are good if energy monitoring is your bag.  Other than that, just use Apple’s Home app which you probably already have installed anyway if you’re reading this. I use it in conjunction with an Elgato Eve Room to automatically trigger a fan once a certain temperature threshold is passed and it has worked flawlessly.  Since my initial thoughts on this product, I’ve purchased another one and there haven’t been any problems.  This device also sits at roughly the same price point as other similar HomeKit-enabled smart plugs and it also, in my opinion, looks better than some others in the market.

Did I forget something?  Having troubles with your device?  Leave a comment below and don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @myhomekithome.

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Links & Resources

https://www.incipio.com/accessories/commandkit-accessories/commandkit-wireless-smart-outlet-metering.html

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