Nyrius Smart Outlet review

The conversion of everything in the home to be part of a wireless network is not all about the ‘cool factor.’ Home automation makes for convenient and cost-efficient living. Items will activate and shutdown when necessary rather than being turned on manually and staying on for an infinite amount of time. The Nyrius Smart Outlet works manually, with timers, or by proximity to control electronics in the home with a smartphone app. Each Smart Outlet costs less than $40, making home automation with Nyrius relatively affordable.

Hit the break for the review.

The design of the Nyrius Smart Outlet is plain and that does not matter because of where it will reside. In fact, being so plain actually helps the Nyrius Smart Outlet because of where it will be used. There are not any colors, oversized logos, or even buttons to be found. What you see is what you get. The device is completely white with the Nyrius logo embedded into the front. Below the logo sits a small light indicator. Around the curved sides are the reset clicker and the outlet itself. The Nyrius Smart Outlet will look fine regardless of location because of its look.

The placement of the outlet on the bottom could pose a problem for some users but should not be considered a deal-breaker. The Nyrius Smart Outlet’s footprint will not allow for it to connect the top outlet of a stacked setup; therefore, connecting to the bottom would would be ideal and preferred. Or connecting to an outlet with a side-by-side setup will work because the Nyrius Smart Outlet is not very wide. The outlet on the device is turned ninety degrees and that will help with certain fitting issues. Although it really depends upon the outlet, I found the Nyrius Smart Outlet to fit tightly and securely.

Choose an outlet and a home electronic and the Nyrius Smart Outlet is almost ready to work.

Aside from having the appropriate hardware, the Nyrius Smart Outlet app is necessary to start automating electronics in the home. The app takes users through the quick setup process and then offers some controls. Launching the app will display the available Nyrius Smart Outlets ready for syncing. Of course, a Bluetooth connection is required for everything to start working. The app will then offer a list of outlets.

Each individual outlet has its own settings so that nothing is bound by any other outlet. Want the bedroom lights to turn on when you enter the room? Or do you want the living room lights to remain on from 7:30PM to 11:59PM? Do both with the Nyrius Smart Outlet. They are both self-explanatory. The proximity feature waits for someone with the app to be nearby and the timer provides schedules so users can forget about managing outlets closely. And, if those options are too automated for you, the app has a manual selection to turn outlets on and off. The settings area has options for device naming and security enhancement.

The uses for products in the home automation space really vary. I gravitated towards lamps and other light fixtures in my home the moment I took the Nyrius Smart Outlet out of its box. However, I asked around and wanted to know what others would use it for. Most, as Nyrius suggests, said they would use it for items such as space heaters and fans. No matter where or how it will used, the Nyrius Smart Outlet saves money. The proximity and timer features ensure that electronics are used when they must be used.

Remember, though, that Nyrius’ solution for home automation is a simple one. Aside from this one, Nyrius only sells one other product for home automation (in the form of a light bulb). The company’s competitors have a slew of devices to really automate everything in the home. The Nyrius Smart Outlet performs well for what it does, but the company does not have anything else to go beyond that right now. Nyrius wrapped a decent feature set and a simple design in a package that undercuts its competition by nearly $20 all while keeping things simple.

The Nyrius Smart Outlet is currently available through a Kickstarter campaign that ends in a few weeks. It will then be sold to the masses in May.

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