Buying an energy meter for your home will allow close monitoring of energy consumption in your home. You can use it for multiple applications such as bill management, real-time energy tracking, monthly energy consumption statistics, and many more. But before you decide to buy an energy monitor, make sure that it has the following features.
Smart Detection: All electricity devices in your home consume electricity differently. While some require negligible power to run, some devices are solely responsible for an expensive electricity bill. If you want a detailed report for the same, make sure that your home energy monitor offers these details regarding every connected electrical device.
Cost Tracking: Along with power consumption tracking, it is also important to get real-time tracking of the cost required to run the electrical devices. This feature is simply not available in all options and allows you to keep a close eye on overall energy monitoring.
Notification System: There is no point in installing an energy monitoring system if you cannot take quick actions to resolve problems related to it. But it is only possible if the monitoring system is capable of notifying you instantly on your smartphone or other options. Thus, the home energy monitor that offers notification is very helpful.
It is not an easy task to install an energy monitor in your home. First of all, you will have to go through multiple choices present in the market and make a decision based on your needs and the performance of the device. We have taken care of the first thing in this article by giving you the best and most popular home energy monitors right here. For any more help, kindly refer to our “Buying Guide” for the same.
Best Home Energy Monitor Chart
Best Home Energy Monitor Reviews
1. Sense Energy Monitor
Sense is one of the most popular brands for home energy monitoring systems. We will be including a couple of whole house energy monitors from Sense. In the 1st place, we have one of the most premium whole house energy monitoring systems in the market. The Sense Energy Monitor will save a lot of energy as well a money for you by offering you detailed statistics of the power consumption in your home. It also supports time of use plans now which are more beneficial for the user. As you can track the electricity consumption in real-time, you can get a detailed analysis based on the time of the day. It also identifies the patterns of electricity usage so that you can understand the power consumption thoroughly. The Sense Energy Monitor also allows remote monitoring via smartphone with the Android and iOS operating systems. Even without that, you can use the web-apps for control via your laptop or computer. The Sense Energy Monitor provides notifications about critical devices which might be using extra power. Apart from that, the Sense Energy Monitor also follows ETL and Intertek standards. Best Features
Whole house energy monitoring system Detailed analytics on energy consumption Supports Android and iOS platform ETL and Intertek standards 1 year warranty period
Pros
Premium energy monitoring system whole house system for best results Follows ETL and Intertek standards
Cons
Not suitable for basic needs
2. Emporia Smart Home Energy Monitor
Emporia is yet another very popular name in the industry when it comes to smart home energy monitoring systems. Even though it offers smart features, it is a comparatively cheaper option. In the 2nd position, we have the Emporia Smart Home Energy Monitor. This unit consists of 16 50 ampere circuit-level sensors. This offers consistent electricity monitoring along with net metering and solar metering. The Emporia Smart Home Energy Monitor can be easily installed on the circuit panel with the help of clamp-on sensors on the 240 VAC line. You can get 24/7 energy monitoring with the Emporia Smart Home Energy Monitor to avoid any potential damage to the electrical circuit as well as appliances. The Emporia Smart Home Energy Monitor is protected by a year of warranty which is great considering you might get into trouble if the meter is damaged due to an electrical power imbalance. The 16 sensors on the Emporia Smart Home Energy Monitor accurately monitor various devices in your home such as refrigerator, air conditioner, water heater, and other heavy appliances. For connectivity, Emporia Smart Home Energy Monitor requires a 2.4 GHz WiFi connection along with internet access so that you can monitor directly via your smartphone. Best Features
24/7 energy monitoring Easy to install 16 50 amperes sensors Works on 2.4 GHz WiFi 1 year warranty period
Pros
Offers remote access to statistics Retains data for a long time Supports Android and iOS platform
Cons
Not suitable for large offices and other commercial installations
3. Eyedro Home Energy Monitor EHEM1-LV
Eyedro is bringing one more cost-efficient home energy monitor to our picks. This device is comparatively cheaper than most other energy monitors with the same specifications. The 3rd option on our list of the best home energy monitors is the Eyedro Home Energy Monitor. It is very easy to install as all you have to do is clip the sensors around the circuits which you wish to monitor. Once the sensors are installed, simply connect the device to the internet via the ethernet cable. You can customize the output of the Eyedro Home Energy Monitor according to your favorable units. For example, you can check the results directly in terms of cost, or electrical consumption in watts or amp units. This way, you will be able to get an approximate estimate of daily, weekly, or even monthly electrical consumption which will be close to your actual bill, if not identical. Eyedro is promising complete confidentiality of your data which will be reported to you via emails. The Eyedro services can also be accessed from a smartphone which makes the access even easier. As for the installation of the device, it is quite easy and you will be done in under 15 minutes. Best Features
Support remote monitoring Easy to install Works over ethernet cable Customizable output 1 year warranty period
Pros
You can set the device according to your preference Comes with a warranty period Comparatively cheaper option
Cons
WiFi connectivity is not available
4. Sense Energy Monitor with Solar
We are back with yet another choice from Sense for the best home energy monitor. It is the most premium offering from Sense as well as the most expensive choice from our list. The Sense Energy Monitor is quite similar to other Sense products mentioned in our picks so far But, it offers extended compatibility of solar energy tracking along with standard electricity monitoring. Thus, it helps you save energy on a daily basis while offering you analytics on multiple sources at once. This will also work as a guide where you can adjust the systems for getting the best economic results. The Sense Energy Monitor also supports time-of-use rate plans. As you can compare solar energy side-by-side with your electrical energy results, you can make necessary changes to bring down your energy expenses easily. And with the continuous monitoring system, you will be able to get precise data based on the occupants and the time frame where the electricity consumption is at peak level. Sense Energy Monitor also sends you notifications if it detects an anomaly in the routine pattern of electricity consumption. As the Sense Energy Monitor is built to last, it is designed to follow the ETL and Intertek norms. Best Features
Whole house energy monitoring system Detailed analytics on energy consumption Supports Android and iOS platform ETL and Intertek standards Offers solar energy monitoring 1 year warranty period
Pros
Side by side energy monitoring for electricity and solar Remote app access Reliable performance
Cons
Very expensive choice
5. Emporia Smart Plug with Energy Monitor
Now that you know most of the best whole house energy monitors, let’s take a look at some decent options for an outlet monitoring system. For that, Emporia is the best brand. If you have been looking for the most affordable solution for energy monitoring, your search ends here. The Emporia Smart Plugs with Energy Monitor will offer you similarly helpful energy monitoring statistics based on the outlets connected to your system. The package contains 4 15 ampere smart outlets that offer WiFi connectivity along with voice access via Alexa and Google Voice Assistant. While monitoring the devices controlled via the smart plugs, you will also be able to control them via voice commands which is pretty smart. Even though it is a cost-effective solution for energy monitoring, it still comes with a year of warranty which should give you a reliable and assuring performance. As the plugs also keep track of the energy being used by connected devices, you can take a closer look at the performance of every individual device and timely disconnect the devices that utilize power even on standby mode. Apart from that, the smart features also include scheduling for connected devices such as ACs and humidifiers which is simply perfect. Best Features
Smart outlet energy monitor 4 outlets included in the package Supports voice commands Scheduling is possible 1 year warranty period
Pros
Great features for the price range Works on 2.4 GHz wireless connection Great monitoring performance
Cons
Only includes 4 plugs in a package
6. Emporia Vue Smart Home Energy Monitor
In the end, we are featuring one more highly affordable choice coming from Emporia. The following device from Emporia is also an outlet-based energy monitor but works via a USB connection. Our last pick for the best home energy monitor is the Emporia Vue Smart Home Energy Monitor. This device is designed to work with AMI smart meters with the help of a USB connection. This will help you lower your electricity bills by allowing you to check real-time details on electricity consumption. It can also monitor energy usage data wirelessly from an AMI smart meter. All you need to do is plug in the device to the outlet and you are good to go. No professional installation is required, neither any tools nor utilities are necessary. The Emporia Vue Smart Home Energy Monitor works on a 2.4 GHz wireless connection to offer direct access via internet connectivity. It also has a backup system where it retains the user data for a significant period of time until you export it to any format you require for future use. The Emporia Vue Smart Home Energy Monitor arrives with a year warranty period which is great considering it is very cheap compared to other home energy monitors. Best Features
Easiest device for installation No professional help is required USB connection with AMI Smart meters Offers wireless access via 2.4 GHz WiFi 1 year warranty period
Pros
Offers 24/7 energy monitoring Comes with a 1-year warranty Offers results directly on the smartphone
Cons
Limited in terms of compatibility
Buying Guide For The Best Home Energy Monitor
If you are noticing a recurring unusually high electricity bill for your home, it is time you install a home energy monitor in your home. While the electricity bill will only show you the total number of electrical units utilized in the past month, the home energy monitor can track the electricity consumption in real-time for a much better perception. With this information, you will be able to understand the power consumption scenario in your home thoroughly and take the necessary steps to prevent over-usage. But, the best performance is only available when the home energy monitor is perfectly suitable for your needs. You will have to check various specifications and the features of the energy monitoring system and consider the options that offer you the best parameters. You can do that by checking our picks for the best home energy monitors. And if you wish to know more about what a home energy monitor can offer you, look at our buying guide for the best home energy monitor right here.
Appliance Detection
Home energy systems are only useful if they offer detailed statistics of the energy consumption in your home. Hence, along with real-time consumption of all units combined, you should also be capable of getting detailed information about every individual unit and its electrical consumption. This will allow you to take necessary steps regarding energy saving and make the installation worthwhile. The home energy monitors can understand the details of specific appliances and track them individually. This also allows the system to offer specific recommendations based on the energy consumption of every individual device. They can notify you based on the same to unplug the devices that consume excessive energy such as hair dryers and microwaves. Also, it will notify you if a certain device is consuming an unusually high amount of electricity, which might indicate a problem with the specific device.
Cost Tracking
Along with real-time energy tracking, you also need real-time cost tracking on your home energy monitor. Basically, the electricity bill you are paying every month is based on the consumption of electricity and the average electricity cost in your region. But, real-time cost tracking saves you the trouble of critical calculations and offers direct costing statistics on the monitoring platform. Therefore, you can track the average daily cost of energy consumptions and take steps to reduce that for good. Even more, you can understand the specific time of the day where the consumption is at peak and focus on the events in that time frame for more realistic results. This will also allow you to check whether the bills you are getting every month are correct or not. Simply, compare the cost tracking results of the energy monitor and compare them with the bills for a better understanding.
Smartphone Application Support
Right now, almost every smart home monitoring device you find in the market supports an identical feature set which includes mobile app support and notifications. Once the system is installed in your home, it will take care of the energy monitoring for you and you won’t need to take a look at the energy meter ever again. But, only if you can check the results and real-time monitoring on your smartphone. This makes the monitoring all too easy and allows you to frequently check the results without needing a lot of effort. Another thing achieved by this system is the instantaneous notification system which will alert you about any anomaly in your house and allow you to take necessary action right away. This acts as a safeguarding system for your devices as well as your home’s electrical circuit.
Solar Energy Tracking
With the increasing prices of electricity, a lot of people are resorting to solar-powered energy generation. Even though the initial installation of solar panels and the whole unit is quite expensive, it offers a lot of benefits in terms of cost-saving in the long term. Even if you do not want to rely completely on solar energy, you can resort to a grid system where you can generate units for the grid and use additional units from the grid. But for that, you will need an energy tracking system that also supports solar energy tracking. Along with your regular electrical circuit, you can also connect your solar energy system with the energy monitoring system for complete statistical control. You can also find side-by-side comparisons of both solar and electrical systems so that you can make necessary changes in both systems for efficient performance.
Type of Energy Monitor
Before you decide to install an energy monitor in your home, you need to consider the type of device required for your home. If you can get the required results via a basic outlet monitoring system, there is no need to go for a premium whole house energy monitor. The key difference in these options is that the outlet monitors provide detailed tracking and statistics for an outlet or a particular set of outlets. But, the complete whole house energy system takes care of each and every power connection in your home. If this is your first time getting an energy monitor, we will suggest trying the outlet monitoring systems first before going with a whole house system. This way, you can confirm whether the outlet monitoring system is sufficient for you or not before investing in an expensive whole house monitoring system.
Conclusion:
If you observe your electricity bill, you will realize that there is very little information provided on the bill. Apart from total consumption, total cost, and cost per unit, you will not find much more information on the bill itself. And if you wish to make some changes in your system, you will have to wait for the arrival of the next bill to see if the changes have a positive impact on your energy consumption. All of these problems can be solved by simply installing a home energy monitor in your home. This monitoring system will provide you instantaneous results as you go on with your daily routine. Hence, you can manage the upcoming electricity bill on a daily basis and expect a much lower expense on electricity every month. In case you haven’t found the ideal home energy monitor, consider getting one out of our top recommendations right here.
If the most power consumed in your home is via plugged devices, you should not need to invest in an expensive home energy monitor. Instead, you can just install the Emporia Smart Plug with an Energy Monitoring system. These plugs are so cheap that you can get enough to cover all plug points in your house without spending half of a complete energy monitoring system. All of these plugs are WiFi-powered and offer WiFi connectivity so that you can monitor the consumption via your smartphone. For the best results, we will recommend installing the Sense Energy Monitor with Solar energy support. This is a complete system capable of tracking your overall electrical as well as solar energy usage. It is also designed to meet Intertek safety standards to offer the best experience to the user. You can also set notifications for critical levels of consumption to avoid any electrical accident. If you do not own a solar system yet, you can avail yet another decent option from Sense. The Sense Energy Monitor will offer you a complete package by offering you total real-time monitoring of electricity usage. You can monitor the stats from anywhere as it supports both Android and iOS devices.
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