Great for Curious, Energy-conscious Minds
He has used it on various appliances throughout the house. It has given us a better insight as to how much energy our devices use. It has not changed our habits based on the results, but we are pretty good about out usage anyway. The longer you keep this device plugged in, the more accurate the usage results. It is interesting, and made a good gift. It wasn’t life-changing, but is fun. It may also be a good way to teach kids power use.
This is a very simple product. It adds an on/off switch to your outlet. This is particularly important if you are dealing with anyone who is paranoid about appliance fires. This could also fall under adaptive equipment. This was purchased for a blind person who can’t see to plug in the toaster oven and will not leave it plugged in due to a prior toaster oven fire. This solved the problem because they were able to find the outlet by following the toaster oven cord which was plugged into the outlet unit. They don’t need to try and plug it in because it is already plugged in and they just need to flip a switch. Now the toaster oven is a two step on and off but the outlet provides peace of mind which is easily as important as it’s purported purpose of saving electricity.
Green fluorescent light is very distinct and would remind one when it time to turn it off if necessary.
However, its just what we wanted, and does exactly what it should. We use it to turn on a light that does not have its own on/off switch. The button is pretty easy to reach and operate.
You just plug it in, plug your item into it, pick a time on the side (1/2 hour, 3 hours, or 6 hours), and press the button on top to activate the timer. Once the time is up, it shuts off. The socket and whatever item you have plugged in don’t draw any power either, so it cuts down on “ghost” power. Awesome!
I don’t want to leave it running too long so the Conserve socket does just what I need. It plugs into your wall outlet, then serves as a socket to plug your appliance into. It has three timing setings: 30 min., 3 hrs. and 6 hrs. It shuts off after the time you select. I also use it for my coffee pot so I can leave the pot on, and it shuts off automatically in 30 min. (selection I set). The socket can handle a load of up to 1800 watts.
Although, some would just think-unplug it. Because the electric oulet only has a small amount of clearance from the file cabinet, it’s much easier to just reach in and flip the switch.
While basically a simple device, it has done a great job designing an exquisite product – small, sleek, and stylish. The illuminated on/off switch is a very nice added feature, allowing you to check its status from a distance. (It also verifies that the electrical outlet is energized.) It would be nice if it were possible to rotate the unit so the switch could be repositioned to the left, top, or bottom, but I realize doing so would probably increase the purchase price. Nevertheless, I still award it 5 stars.