In search of good HomeKit smart plugs that not only look phenomenal but can control all of your home appliances with ease, the iU9 Smart Power Outlet by Taiwan-based company Opro9 may be one of the best plugs I’ve used in a very long time.
Being able to turn on the lights simply by using your voice is something that can be done easily now with the Opro9 by simply connecting the device to your iPhone or iPad’s “Home” app via HomeKit code. Compared to other smart plugs on the market, it is admittedly a bit larger in overall size, especially to only have one input for your lights or gadgets, so if form factor is a big deal for you, or you are limited in space (such as placing this behind furniture, or having an accessible outlet underneath you might come up with a few problems.
If you can get beyond that, the iU9 Smart Outlet will enable anything that you connect to it, allowing you to set scenes all from the Apple Home App, or Opro’s own third party “Opro Home” application. For my setup I actually have the iU9 connected to my Bourbon Light in the guest bedroom and have a command set up that every day when I arrive home (or in the general area), that the lamp comes on, signifying that I am home. This comes in handy even if you are out of town and you do not want people suspecting that there is no one home. Having that scene set helps a lot, but you can go the extra mile and even have complex automations set up with companion HomeKit products as well.
For example, I have an automation set to when there’s is any motion detected in our guest bedroom that our standing desk turns on, (which in this case turns on the printer as well since I do not like having it on 24/7 for air quality purposes) as well as the guest bedroom lamp. This setting works for when either of us is home or not.
Being able to control my home from anywhere remotely is awesome, but of course, this is only possible if you have a HomeKit hub such as a spare iPad, or a connected Apple TV. If you do, the Opro9 is great for doing everything from setting scenes, customizing schedules, and controlling anything you connect to it. Just make sure that the outlet that you place below or above it is a tad bit smaller since it is rather large.
Despite that, if you are interested in picking up an iU9 but Pro, head over to their site today for more information.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review unit
What I Like: Seamless connectively; Relies on your WiFi with an included WiFi notifier on the plug itself; App is iPhone X Ready
What Needs Improvement: Plug is a bit bulky
