The #1 alternative to Smart Plugs you're not using

About this video

Smart plugs are everywhere in smart homes — but they're bulky, block adjacent outlets, and can be accidentally unplugged. The Eve Energy Outlet solves all three of those problems by replacing your existing wall receptacle with a permanently installed, individually controllable, energy-monitored outlet. In this review I cover what makes it different (Matter over Thread, two independently controllable outlets, per-outlet energy monitoring, fully local data), walk through the installation process step by step, pair it with Home Assistant, and break down the real-world use cases where per-outlet energy monitoring changes how you automate.

Key takeaways

• The Eve Energy Outlet is the clean version of a smart plug — permanently installed, flush with the wall, no blocking adjacent outlets, no accidental unplugging.
• Two independently controllable outlets on a single receptacle gives granular control and monitoring for two separate devices.
• Per-outlet energy monitoring is more useful than whole-panel monitoring for identifying which specific device is consuming abnormally — circuit-level monitoring can't provide that granularity.
• Wago connectors are better than wire nuts for stranded-to-solid wire splices. Use them.
• At ~$50 vs. $20–$30 per smart plug, the cost is roughly equivalent per outlet — but the install is permanent, cleaner, and includes energy monitoring on both outlets.
• 15A only, no GFCI model available. Don't use where code requires GFCI (bathrooms, kitchens, outdoor) and verify your circuit isn't a high-amperage one.

Video walkthrough

1. Understand what you're installing — The Eve Energy Outlet replaces a standard duplex outlet entirely. Both top and bottom outlets are independently controllable via physical buttons and your smart home platform. It monitors current, wattage, voltage, and historical kWh. Matter over Thread means local-only data and no proprietary hub.
2. Check your wiring before purchasing — The outlet requires line, neutral, and ground. Verify these are present in your existing box. Note: Eve uses pigtail stranded wires (not screw terminals), so you'll be splicing to solid house wiring. Wago connectors make this cleaner than wire nuts.
3. Kill power at the breaker and verify — Use an outlet tester or non-contact voltage tester before touching anything. Test the outlet itself, not just the breaker label.
4. Install the outlet — Remove the face plate and mounting screws, pull out the old receptacle. Match line (black), neutral (white), and ground (green/bare). Splice stranded pigtails to solid house wires using Wago connectors — one separate connector per wire type. Push wires into the box, mount the outlet level and centered, snap the face plate. Test with an outlet tester before moving on.
5. Pair with Home Assistant via Matter — QR code is under the face plate and on the box. Common pairing issues: Matter server not installed, Thread border router not configured, IPv6 or mDNS not enabled on the device VLAN. Easiest fix: put Home Assistant and Thread devices on the same VLAN.
6. Build energy-based automations — Monitor per-outlet consumption to find high-draw devices. Automate shutdown when a charging device reaches a target battery percentage. Use wattage spike on plug-in as an automation trigger (CPAP machine on → trigger bedtime routine). Alert when consumption is abnormally high for a device that should be idle.