It’s officially Christmas decoration season, and if you’re looking for a smart plug so your Christmas lights can be controlled from your iPhone, iPad Apple Watch, or from Siri (even remotely), the Meross Smart Dimmer Plug is a great option. It’s easy to set up and works with HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant as well. The plug itself is designed with a sleek, compact design and has an LED indicator light that will let you know when it’s powered on. You can also use customize the schedule in the Home app so it automatically turns on at different times of the day. Let’s look at the Meross Outdoor Plug with HomeKit.
HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything to do with Apple’s smart home framework.
The Meross Smart Dimmer Plug
A smart plug is a convenient way to control your indoor or outdoor Christmas lights. It’s perfect for people who don’t want to spend an entire evening manually flicking on and off their Christmas lights, or those who don’t have an easy way to access the power supply of their Christmas lights.
The Meross Smart Dimmer Plug has a few features that make it stand out from other outdoor smart plugs on the market, including:
- It works with all three of the major smart home platforms: Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant. If you’re interested in voice control over your Christmas decorations from HomeKit and Alexa – this will be a great option for your home.
- The IP44 waterproof housing and sockets cover help to protect your dimmer plug against splashes of water, dust, and other small particles.
- The outdoor plug can adjust the brightness of its bulbs from 1 to 100% with either an app or voice commands like “Hey Siri, set my outdoor lights to 50%.”
Why Meross for outdoor lights?
Smart plugs are one of the most versatile smart home accessories. They’re basically a physical outlet that you can use to control anything plugged into them through your smartphone and some sort of connected hub or app. They work with all kinds of products, and they can be used in ways you may never have thought possible. They’re a great way to get started with smart home technology without having to make any permanent changes. You can turn your lights on and off remotely, as well as dim them up or down. Some models have separate switches so you can control multiple devices at once without needing an app or hub. If you want to get really fancy, some models even have timers that allow you to set specific times for certain things. One thing to note about Meross‘s outdoor plug, the schedules will run even if your internet/Wi-Fi is out as they’re stored locally on the device.
However, not every smart plug is created equal – some are better than others depending on your needs. Meross Smart Dimmer Plug is an option I recommend for people who want something simple and affordable. Especially for outdoor use with Christmas lights, it’s a great option.
Adding to HomeKit
Meross Smart Dimmer Plug is the perfect way to control outdoor Christmas lights. The plug comes with an extension cord, so you can place your Christmas lights wherever they need to be. And if you don’t have an outlet near where your Christmas lights are, no worries! The Meross Smart Dimmer Plug has a built-in battery that will last about six hours on its own.
You’ll be able to control your Christmas lights using Siri, HomeKit (the app), or the Meross app itself. You can also use Siri with other HomeKit devices such as a thermostat or door lock, so it’s great for making sure all of those things are in sync and working together flawlessly!
The adaptor includes the HomeKit code on the underside of the switch, so you’ll plug it in, and then scan it in the Home app. Because it’s an outdoor-based product, I would highly reccomend making a backup copy of the code in case it wears off due to weather. If so, you’d be able to manually re-add it in the future. You could also use an app like Homepass to store it as well. Once it’s installed, you’ll add it to a room and then be up and running.
The dimmer functionality is going to vary based on the type of lights you use. In my experience (and confirmed in other reviews), some lights show the dim better than others. Either way, it’s still a great product at a great price when you consider it’s meant to work outdoors.
Wrap-up on Meross outdoor plug
If you have a HomeKit setup, there’s no better way to control your holiday decorations than with the Meross outdoor plug. It works perfectly with Siri, the Home app, as well as the Meross app, so you can operate it from anywhere in your house. Getting all of your Christmas lights on HomeKit, in my opinion, is one of the best examples of how a smart home can improve your life. For indoor options, check out the Meross outdoor plug with HomeKit support from Amazon or directly from Meross.
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