Can you really wake up to HOT coffee a smart home automation? If you have ever wanted to wake up to a hot coffee without doing anything, here is a step-by-step guide to setup your very own kettle. All you need is your smart plugs, smart home LED lights and your kettle, of course. Smart home light switches can also be added to enhance your experience.
Now you might scoff at this automation but we’re making this “How-to” video to show you what can be done with smart home automations. We’re venturing into new territory with all these smart home gadgets so if you find an automation that works, let us know! Check out some of the other Smart Home Tips & Tricks that we’ve done!
At SmartHome Reviews Eh!, we base our reviews and videos on actual usage. So we’ll leave it all the marketing fluff and focus on using the product in our own homes. And we’ll add the smart home gadgets to other smart home platforms such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home. We do all this to answer the question “How do we get the MOST out of our homes?”.
Step #1 – Setup your smart plug
The first thing you need to do is to setup your smart plug. In this smart home automation, we’d chose a smart plug with a larger power button like the iDevices Switch or iHome iSP8 since the kettle might be something you use multiple times during a day and trying to press the small power button on other products will get annoying. If you need other options, check out all the reviews we’ve done for Alexa smart plugs or Apple Home smart plugs.
NOTE: Make sure the smart plug is plugged in and added to your Apple Home app. Plug the kettle into your smart plug making sure that the plug is off and the kettle is on.
Get the iHome iSP8 on Amazon (CA/UK/DE) or on eBay!
Or get the next best smart plug, the iDevices Switch on Amazon (CA/UK/DE) or on eBay!
Step #2 – Setup your smart LED light or switch
The next thing you’ll need is either a smart light bulb or smart light switch. If you’re planning on using the smart light bulb to wake you up, we’d stick with a Philips Hue Ambiance since it integrates well with other apps like Sleep Cycle. The Nanoleaf Aurora might be another option if you have one installed in your bedroom.
Another way for this automation to work is to have a smart list switch installed in your bedroom or bathroom. You can set the automation to trigger the moment the light comes on. Both these setups will work and well depend on what your morning routine is.
Step #3 – Setting up the Apple Home Automation
Setting up this smart home automation in Apple Home is quite simple. You’ll need to use the “An Accessory is Controlled” trigger.
- Select the smart home LED or light switch you are triggering the automation with. Press Next.
- Select “Turns On”. Press Next.
- Select the smart plug that controls your kettle. Press Next.
- On the next screen, make sure to have the smart plug turn on.
That’s it! On the last screen, there is an option to only have the automation trigger after sunset. Use this option only if you wake up before the sunrise for each day.
If you need more info about setting up Apple Home Automations, check out this intro!
Potential Issues
The downside of this automation is the fact that you have to set it up at night. You have to fill the kettle, make sure it is on and making sure the smart plug is turned off. In the grand scheme of boiling water, using an Apple Home automation doesn’t require any more steps, it just requires you to perform the steps at a different time.
The second downside of this automation is the fact that the kettle will fire anytime you turn on your bed lamp. This is actually a pretty big downside and highlights the shortcomings that the current Apple Home app has since you can’t specify a time with this type of automation.
BUT it can be done if you have patience to work around it. You’ll have to turn on your bed lamp first, set the kettle and then go to sleep. To be doubly sure, you can have another home automation that shuts the smart plug off at 2 in the morning to ensure everything is set properly for the morning.
Again, you might scoff at this home automation but it is something we were unable to do before. What other appliances in your home could you apply this automation to? You could do the same with toast?
Do you have any questions about how to wake up to HOT coffee using a Smart Home Automation?? Ask them below. If this post was helpful to you, consider getting your smart home gadgets through our links!
