Energenie MiHome Wifi Smart Plug Review

Energenie MiHome is one of the lesser known brands for home automation, their smart home controller and accessories are one of the more affordable options on the market, albeit a proprietary system compared to the open Z-wave options.

Energenie has now expanded its product line-up with something more simple, a Wi-Fi smart plug, which requires no hub and costs £19.99 on Amazon. It is a crowded market place with multiple brands having solutions on Amazon at various price points. The immediate comparison would be the TP-Link Kasa HS100 which is a more established brand and product, and also costs £19.99 on Amazon.  There is one notable advantage of the MiHome plug, and that is the size of it, it is square shaped and relatively small meaning it doesn’t hand over the edges or block two plug sockets.

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Set up

Set-up is either easy or hard, I am not too sure. I had issues the first time I tried getting this plug to work, and I think it was a case of user error, so I am inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and say this is easy to set up.

You will need to download the MiHome from Energenie, don’t get confused with Mi Home by Xiaomi. Once you register, you have the option to set up various devices, including the home hub or the plug. Basically, all you need to do is have Wi-FI on, disable mobile data, and connect to the plug. For some reason, my phone wouldn’t see the plug socket, but if you press its flashing button, it showed up for me, then connected immediately. You will have to pass over the WiFi credentials and then you are all done

Features and performance

The app is easy to use, though maybe not as nicely designed as competing products. It offers the same functionality as most other smart plugs. You can switch it on or off via the app, set up a schedule, use geofencing or link it to Alexa. It will also work with an existing Energenie MiHome system and you can set various triggers via IFTTT. So it ticks all the boxes for a smart plug.

I have multiple smart plugs, and my primary method of controlling them is via a schedule, my daily routine doesn’t deviate much so this is all I need. Using this in my office works perfectly, I have it control a plug extension lead, so I control multiple sockets at once.

I was able to add it to Alexa with no issues, Alexa then discovered it quickly. From there I was able to add it to my office group. When I leave the office at night, if I remember, I tell Alexa to switch everything off. This includes all my lights and plugs. Alternatively, they will auto switch off a couple of hours later.

I don’t personally have much use for geofencing, but I can see how it is useful. My partner could probably do with it for the socket she uses for the hair straightener. You can set triggers for leaving or returning, and you can set the distance. During my brief testing, this worked well.

This will integrate with an existing Energenie MiHome system, so if you already have this, you can use the various sensors as triggers for the plug. This is what will make this more appealing over other brands, as you can set motion-controlled events or whatever other scenarios you can dream up.

Overall

This is a relatively short review as smart plugs don’t have a great deal of functionality to cover. This works well for me, and even though I have smart plugs from multiple brands, if using Alexa or schedules it is seamless.

While there is nothing bad to speak of, pricing will be an issue, it is reasonably priced for around £20, but that matches the Kasa pricing, and it works out more expensive than Kasa if you want a three pack. This has a superior physical dimension to Kasa, but the app isn’t as nicely designed.

If you already have the Energenie MiHome hub and sensors, then this is a no-brainer as it will integrate with that system and offer much more functionality than a single smart plug.

James Smythe( Editor-in-chief )

I am James, a UK-based tech enthusiast and the Editor and Owner of Mighty Gadget, which I’ve proudly run since 2007. Passionate about all things technology, my expertise spans from computers and networking to mobile, wearables, and smart home devices.

As a fitness fanatic who loves running and cycling, I also have a keen interest in fitness-related technology, and I take every opportunity to cover this niche on my blog. My diverse interests allow me to bring a unique perspective to tech blogging, merging lifestyle, fitness, and the latest tech trends.

In my academic pursuits, I earned a BSc in Information Systems Design from UCLAN, before advancing my learning with a Master’s Degree in Computing. This advanced study also included Cisco CCNA accreditation, further demonstrating my commitment to understanding and staying ahead of the technology curve.

I’m proud to share that Vuelio has consistently ranked Mighty Gadget as one of the top technology blogs in the UK. With my dedication to technology and drive to share my insights, I aim to continue providing my readers with engaging and informative content.