There are two levels. The first is power control: if an appliance can safely start when it receives power, such as a fan or a heater, a smart plug or relay can switch it from your phone or on a schedule. The second is full control, such as choosing a wash cycle or a temperature, which needs an appliance with smart features built in.

Vaety. studies what you want each appliance to do and picks the simplest way to do it. For some, a relay is enough. For others, such as a robot vacuum or a compatible AC, we use the appliance’s own control. Everything is paired so it behaves as one space.

Some appliances should never be switched at the power source, such as those that need a safe shutdown or that carry a very heavy load. We say so clearly and recommend leaving them as they are.