The digital age has profoundly transformed our morning rituals, especially when it comes to making coffee. By connecting your coffee machine to a connected socket, you benefit not only from unrivalled convenience, but also optimized safety. The adoption of this intelligent technology in our daily lives makes your routine both simpler and more personalized. Imagine waking up every morning with your E61 machine already pre-heated and ready to use, or leaving your home in complete peace of mind, without the slightest worry of having forgotten to switch off your La Pavoni machine.
This article provides step-by-step instructions for connecting your coffee machine to a smart plug, reinventing your morning experience with a modern, efficient touch.
What are the advantages of connecting your coffee machine?
Enhanced safety
Some espresso machines, such as La Pavoni, require special attention, as they do not switch off automatically after a certain period of time. If left unattended, they can remain active until all the water in the boiler has evaporated, risking damage or, in the worst case, fire.
A connected socket offers an effective solution to this problem. By configuring it to automatically switch off the machine after a set time, you considerably reduce the risk of overheating or fire, while prolonging the life of your espresso machine.
This way, you can leave your home with complete peace of mind, knowing that you can check on your phone whether the machine is switched off or still running.
Energy savings with a connected plug
The use of connected sockets offers a significant ecological advantage. They cut power to appliances in standby mode, limiting the energy wasted by power supplies that are constantly on. It’s a simple but effective way of reducing your carbon footprint and saving money on your electricity bills. Personally, I’ve connected my grinder and coffee machine to a connected power strip.
In this way, I can activate them simultaneously either by time programming, or by a voice command such as “Alexa, turn on my coffee machine”. Thanks to this configuration, the power supply of my Lelit Mara X V2 coffee machine and my electric coffee grinder is not powered when I’m not using them.
How to choose your connected socket outlet?
In my café area, I chose to use a Meross connected power strip, which has 4 sockets and 4 USB ports. Each outlet, as well as the USB block, can be controlled independently of each other. What’s more, this power strip is compatible with Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit, so I can easily control it via these platforms.
What particularly appealed to me about this Meross plug is the ease of installation and the ergonomics of the app (available on Android and iOS), which is very intuitive to use. What’s more, I like the ability to choose whether the LEDs, indicating power to the sockets, remain lit or not, offering further customization to suit my preferences.
Tutorial: installing a Meross connected power strip (Click here to view detailed steps)
Tutorial: installing a Meross connected power strip
Prerequisites
- Meross connected power strip.
- Smartphone or tablet.
- Wi-Fi connection.
- On your smartphone or tablet, download the Meross app from theApp Store or Google Play Store.
- Open the application once installed.
- Launch the Meross application.
- Create a new account by following the on-screen instructions (or log in if you already have an account).
- Follow the steps as shown in the images below
Linking a power strip to Alexa
To link the Meross power strip to Alexa, go to :
- User
- Amazon Alexa
For a simple connected plug, opt for theAmazon Smart Plug or Tapo P110, both of which are economical and feature energy consumption monitoring. Personally, I use the Tapo P110 connected plug to control various devices, and I’m fully satisfied. This plug is compatible with Alexa and Google Home.
Tutorial: installing a Tapo P110 connected socket (Click here to view detailed steps)
Tapo P110 Connected Outlet Installation Tutorial
Equipment required :
- Tapo P110 connected socket.
- Smartphone or tablet.
- Wi-Fi connection.
- Plug it into a wall outlet of your choice.
- On your smartphone or tablet, download the Tapo application from theApp Store or Google Play Store.
- Open the application once installed.
- Create a new account by following the on-screen instructions (or log in if you already have an account).
- Follow the steps as shown in the images below
Control your outlets with a connected speaker
Connected speakers, such as Amazon Echo and Google Home, sync easily with smart plugs, enabling direct and intuitive voice control.
My experience with an Amazon Echo Dot Alexa connected speaker is a perfect example. I created a “Routine” that activates my coffee machine before I wake up, ensuring that my Lelit is preheated as soon as I arrive in the kitchen. I’ve also set up other routines such as “le flash info de France Info” followed by “la météo”, allowing me to listen to the news while eating breakfast. In short, lots of features available. You can even find Podcats on coffee.
How do I link a connected socket to Alexa?
Associating a connected outlet with Alexa couldn’t be easier. Follow the steps below in the Alexa application (available on the Google Play Store andApp Store.
Thanks to Alexa, I can control my equipment by voice to turn it on or off. Without this integration, the use of voice commands is impossible, and control of connected equipment is limited to the smartphone application.
First, you need to install the Skill corresponding to your socket. See the tutorials above.
Conclusion
You now have a connected coffee machine. If you have any questions, please feel free to comment.
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