Den Automation launches new range of smart home light switches and sockets

One of the issues with adding smart lighting and smart home plugs into your home is the integration of existing plugs and switches. I have installed Philips Hue lighting and smart plugs in my home but then I had to train myfamily to not use the old light switches.

This is where Den Automation’s new light switches and sockets come in. They look like traditional light switches and power sockets but they are smart switches. You can use the switch on the wall, use your phone or control via Alexa / Google Home. The actual switches flick up and down when controlled remotely, so you get the best of both world.

You can also track energy usage. Light switches are priced at £39.95 and the have smart sockets, remotes, sensors and a hub.

Lookout for a review soon, here is the press release:

London, UK – 21st January 2019: Den, the startup reinventing the common switch, has today launched a range of Smart Home products to change the way we control and monitor power usage at home.

The first suite of products includes a Smart Light Switch, Smart Socket Outlet, Motion Sensor, Smart Remote and the Smart Home Hub. All can be controlled and monitored via a smartphone app, and integrate with Amazon Alexa and Google Home.

According to MoneySuperMarket, devices left on standby costs British consumers £87 per year on average and according to consumer group Which?, faulty electronics account for 60 fires per week in the UK. By allowing the monitoring and switching off of all appliances that are not in use, Den can drastically reduce the risk of electrical fires and faults going unnoticed.

Den is the only firm in the world with the patent for truly smart switches and plugs that fit seamlessly into the home – deliberately identical to the plugs and switches the UK is most used to. Den deliberately adds modern tech driven functionality without changing the habits and rules of the household. The clean design means users can still turn sockets and lights on or off as normal, but the switch can automatically flick itself in either direction via the Den smartphone application. Den users have the ability to turn off the entire home in one go when leaving or going to sleep, or, groups of appliances, rooms, or anything else they chose to combine as well as individual sockets or appliances.

Aside from its range of smart sockets, switches and sensors, Den has also created the ‘Smart Tag’. Fitted over the plug of everyday devices,  users can monitor which appliances are using the most energy – or in the case of irons and hair straighteners, be sent alerts to the Den app if they have failed to switch off the appliance, if the user does not respond, then Den will switch the device off automatically.

Den is differentiated from its competitors because the plug of the appliance is tagged, whereas other smart sockets only allow users to ‘label’ a socket, meaning users could accidentally have hair-straighteners plugged in when the app thinks it is a desk lamp – opening the door to potentially devastating accidents.

The Smart Tag also brings added peace of mind for carers, who can monitor energy usage and motion within a home, providing new ways to keep an eye on someone in need of care. This is just one of many potential use cases.

Den’s app also allows users to set lights on as a timer for security. When on holiday, lights can be set to turn on and off at times giving the impression of a lived in home or office.

Yasser Khattak, Founder and Chairman, who created the concept of Den when he was just 15-years-old, commented: “I saw an opportunity to build something that adds helpful modern technology in a place that is important to us all – our home. At Den we wanted to reinvent the light switch and socket outlet to provide a vast number of benefits that can come from remotely monitoring and controlling devices, but in a way that works for everyone and that is super easy to use. Our switches still look and work just like normal switches, you can continue to control them manually like always, however when controlled via our smartphone app they actually move/flick themselves. This allows people to benefit from all the wireless benefits, without taking anything away from what the already understand.”

“We believe in inclusive design so we made a solution that can work for everyone. Offering life-changing technology to simplify tasks for those with impairments or disabilities, and new ways for everyone to keep an eye on their energy usage. Our products can help people monitor and manage their bills, and do some good for the global push for a greener world. We’re excited to launch our products to the UK market this week and will have more and more devices coming available over the next year.”

Den products are available to buy online at getden.co.uk and from some of the country’s most reputable hardware shops including CEF, YESSS, BEW, and Edmundsons Electric Centre. Amazon.co.uk is due to follow at the end of the month.