Uncommon uses for Smart Devices

7th June 2025

Wallplugs with current sensing can be used to determine when an appliance has finished its cycle, ie wash machine.   The dryer commonly takes 220v so may have to use a vibration sensor there.

Smartplugs and smart lightswitches can be used to turn items off at bedtime or after you leave for work on a schedule.  or if your fam constantly forgets to turn something off, I have an ice maker that turns off at night. 

Put your wake alarm on a Callender so it doesn’t trigger on the weekend.

Put a temperature sensor on the stove to get an alert if it’s left on,  or turn on the fume fan

If you have hard water, you can separate the timer from the coffee pot, as Un-smart pots r cheaper.

Some Chargers don’t shut off automatically, wireless chargers are notorious for this, I have one charger that overheats my smartwatch evey time, it’s an emergency charger now.

Automate sprinklers so you don’t miss your watering schedule.

Motion detector in the garage/shed will alert you of unwelcome wildlife. Motion sensor in the car, alerts between midnight and 6am. If you have pets you can’t use motion in many inside places.

Put a door sensor on the charge door of your electric car, make a bedtime reminder to plug it in.

Fish tanks are natural fit for automation. Invest in the plugs with energy monitoring.

A combination temperature/ motion sensor in the fridge can tell if your food is staying cold and who is creating on their diet.

Put door/window sensors on the toilet lid to keep the pets out even tho the fam can’t remember to close the lid or the door.

Looking for:

A method to use a simple sensor to detect if the water softener is empty

Not Recommended:

Pre-heating cooking things. Too much risk of leaving something on the hot item or it coming on unexpectedly, maybe because that plug has been used for something else or it is scheduled in another app.

Bonus

Use the color of a smart bulb to remind you of something low priority ie garage door open, laundry finished, battery low. I find excessive alerts interrupting me to be v annoying.