Smart Energy Meters

Discover the Best Energy Meters for Your Smart Home.

A smart energy meter is a sophisticated device that measures and records electricity consumption. Moreover, smart meters help you understand your energy usage patterns and obtain valuable insights to optimize your energy consumption. With Homey Energy and the Homey Energy Dongle, this becomes an even easier and more seamless task.

Of course, you can measure the energy usage of a connected appliance with a smart plug. However, using a dedicated energy meter is typically the best way to monitor the overall consumption of the entire household.

Are you interested in getting detailed usage data for more efficient energy management? Read on to find the best energy meters that work great with Homey and Homey Energy.

Choosing a Smart Energy Meter

Energy meters come in various shapes, sizes, and installation methods. For instance, some require wiring into the main switch box, whereas others are simply plug-and-play. Consider the following factors when choosing a smart energy meter:

Compatibility

Ensure the energy meter is compatible with your home’s wiring setup and can interface with your utility company’s meter. Check the type of installation it supports (wired, clamp, pulse, P1) to match your specific requirements.

Ease of Installation

Choose a meter you can easily install and use out of the box. Some smart meters are installed by clamping onto the main phases, while others require professional installation.

Measuring Range and Accuracy

Verify that the meter’s measuring range can accommodate your household’s total energy consumption, including any high-demand appliances. Furthermore, ensure the meter provides high-accuracy measurements for reliable data and insights.

Additional Features

Consider the importance of any additional features the smart meter offers. Remote control, alerts for unusual usage patterns, or integration with renewable energy sources are all valuable features.

Price

Evaluate the cost of the energy meter and ensure it fits within your budget while meeting your requirements for functionality and quality.

Brand	Model	Protocol	Type	Homey Energy	Price
Homey	Energy Dongle	Wi-Fi	P1		€39.00
Aeotec	Home Energy Meter Gen5	Z-Wave	CT		€129.99
Emporia	Vue Energy Monitor	Wi-Fi	CT		€99.99
frient	Electricity Meter Interface2	Zigbee	HAN/Optical/P1		€79.95
HomeWizard	3-Phase kWh Meter	Wi-Fi	Wired		€129.95
HomeWizard	Wi-Fi P1 Meter	Wi-Fi	P1		€29.95
Plugwise	Smile P1	Wi-Fi	P1		€119.00
Powerfox	Poweropti	Wi-Fi	Optical		€89.95
Shelly	Pro 3EM	Wi-Fi	CT		€119,90
Tibber	Pulse	Wi-Fi	HAN/CT/KM/P1		€89.95

Our new P1-compatible Homey Energy Dongle connects to any utility meter with a P1 port, giving you detailed, real-time insights into your home's energy consumption. Furthermore, if your smart meter links to gas and water meters, the Homey Energy Dongle also displays those usage readings.

The Homey Energy Dongle offers a simple plug-and-play setup, which makes installation quick and effortless. It includes the latest Wi-Fi 6 and Bluetooth 5 LE radio, ensuring a reliable and stable connection, easy onboarding, and seamless pairing with Homey Cloud and Homey Pro.

Most utility meters typically have only one P1 port. However, the clever splitter design of the Homey Energy Dongle allows you to connect a second P1 accessory. For example, many EV chargers have P1 input, enabling you to monitor their real-time electricity consumption. This feature allows the charger to adjust its output power intelligently, preventing the main fuse from overloading.

Newer smart meters (e.g., DSMR5) supply enough power for the Homey Energy Dongle to operate without an external power source. The package includes a USB cable for older meters to power the dongle externally. Learn more about the Homey Energy Dongle.

The Aeotec Home Energy Meter Gen5 is a versatile and efficient clamp meter designed for easy installation without complex wiring. It can handle a maximum load of 200 A, making it suitable for large, energy-intensive homes. 

This meter is cleverly designed to fit all wiring systems worldwide. Europeans can use either one or three clamps to monitor their energy consumption. In comparison, people in the US can use two clamps to accommodate their country’s split-phase system.

The Aeotec Home Energy Meter Gen5 is sleek and compact, measuring just 99 x 66 x 34 millimeters. Its small size allows easy installation in different-sized circuit boxes. Furthermore, its IP44 rating protects it against dust and water splashes, making it durable and reliable in various environments.

In addition to measuring household energy consumption, the Home Energy Meter can also track energy production from renewable sources. It can measure the energy production of solar panels, wind turbines, or other generators in a home grid. This feature is particularly beneficial for users with PV stations, as it provides insights into both energy consumption and production.

The Home Energy Meter Gen5 uses Z-Wave to communicate with Homey Bridge and Homey Pro. Once integrated, it can monitor current, voltage, power, and total electricity consumption in real time. This capability helps users optimize energy use and reduce utility bills. Additionally, you can also reset the total energy sum through Homey if needed.

It’s worth noting that some users report issues pairing the device in Z-Wave secure mode, which leads to unreliable and inconsistent updates.

The Emporia Vue Home Energy Monitor allows users to track and manage their home’s electricity usage by providing comprehensive, circuit-level energy monitoring. This device tracks both the overall home energy consumption and individual circuit usage per device using CT (current transformer) clamps.

The Emporia Vue Home Energy Monitor actively monitors both energy consumption and production, giving a complete picture of home energy dynamics. For example, it identifies when your solar system generates more power than your household uses. This feature allows you to pinpoint energy-wasting appliances and optimize overall energy efficiency.

The Vue Energy Meter connects to your home network via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. It collects granular, 1-second energy data and uploads it to Homey Pro. Once integrated through the Emporia App, you can use it with Homey Energy and monitor real-time energy data, gaining valuable insights into your consumption patterns.

The Emporia Vue Energy Meter functions as a powerful tool for understanding energy usage. However, it’s worth noting that installation is very involved and requires a professional.

The frient Electricity Meter Interface 2 is a highly efficient LED pulse meter designed to work with any electronic meter that indicates power consumption via a pulsating light. Likewise, frient also produces a P1 port version of this meter for people in the Netherlands, Belgium, or Luxembourg and a HAN variant for Norway.

This meter requires no wiring, as it operates on two AA batteries with a battery life of approximately two years. It is straightforward to install and set up, making it a convenient choice for monitoring home energy usage.

The unit has an IP22 ingress rating, offering basic protection against dust and vertical water drops. This means the meter is suitable for use in typical indoor environments, but cannot be exposed to the elements. It measures 95 x 65 x 22 millimeters, which is small enough to fit inside most circuit boxes and fuse panels. 

This device is compatible with Homey Bridge and Homey Pro. Moreover, it leverages Zigbee as a communication protocol for reliable data transmission. Users can monitor power consumption in real time and receive alerts for potential errors and alarms, providing comprehensive oversight of their energy use.

Even though installing the frient Electricity Meter Interface 2 LED meter is very simple, it’s worth noting that the device may not work seamlessly with all electronic meters, particularly those without a clear or consistent LED pulse indicator.

The HomeWizard 3-Phase kWh Meter is a sophisticated wired meter designed to provide detailed insights into energy consumption. HomeWizard developed this model as the world’s first MID (Measurement Instruments Directive) approved Wi-Fi kWh Meter, ensuring highly accurate and billable measurements.

It can be installed on a DIN rail next to the electrical circuit in the circuit breaker box. The meter’s dimensions are 72 x 100 x 66 millimeters, making it compact enough to fit in various installation spaces. If space is an issue, it can also be placed next to a converter in the attic, within a charging station, or in a private junction box.

The HomeWizard 3-Phase Meter features an LED display that shows all measurements, making it easy for users to read and interpret their energy data on the spot. It connects to home networks using Wi-Fi and integrates with Homey Pro.

Combining the P1 Meter and a kWh Meter on your solar panels shows you your solar surplus, production, total consumption and how much of your solar power is being consumed directly. While the HomeWizard 3-Phase kWh Meter offers precise monitoring and control, wiring can prove challenging and may require professional assistance.

The HomeWizard P1 Meter is a top choice for P1 port-compatible energy and gas meters. It’s small and affordable, and it can be powered directly from the P1 port of newer meters (DSMR 5.0). However, older energy meters require a separate USB-C power supply.

The HomeWizard P1 Meter is compact and discreet, measuring only 45 x 45 x 15 millimeters. It has an IP51 rating for indoor use, making it resistant to dust and limited moisture and suitable for installation in various indoor environments.

This P1 Meter uses Wi-Fi to connect to a home network and communicate with Homey Pro. Once integrated, users can monitor their electricity or gas meter usage and create Flows for notifications and alerts.

To get the most out of HomeWizard’s P1 meter, combine it with their 1-Phase or 3-Phase kWh meter. These bidirectional meters monitor power plant production and allow users to calculate their net energy usage.

It’s worth noting that the P1 meter’s cord is very short, making it challenging to install in certain electricity or gas meters.

If your electricity meter has a P1 port, consider the Plugwise Smile P1 an excellent choice for full-house energy metering. The Smile P1 is compatible with all Dutch and Belgian P1 meters, from DSMR V2 to DSMR V5, making it a versatile option for monitoring gas and electricity usage. 

The Smile P1 includes features to monitor bidirectional power flow, offering insights into energy consumption and production. It has a mechanical button and bicolor LED lights for easy operation and status indication.

Installation of the Smile P1 is very straightforward. First, you plug the P1 cable into your smart meter. Next, connect the device to your home network via Wi-Fi or Ethernet. Once connected, you can integrate the Smile P1 with Homey Pro and provide real-time and historical data on your energy consumption. Homey Energy lets users view detailed graphs showing energy usage over different periods, helping them understand and optimize their consumption patterns.

The Smile P1 is powered by a Micro-USB (5VDC). Its compact dimensions of 81 x 81 x 25 millimeters make it easy to fit in various setups, including near an electrical circuit or converter. Its IP30 rating offers basic protection against dust and ensures durability in typical indoor environments. Also, the Smile P1 has no hidden subscription costs.

Finally, it’s worth noting that the integrated Wi-Fi antenna has a limited range. Therefore, users may need to pull an Ethernet cable to their installation location to maintain a stable connection to the Smile P1.

The Powerfox Poweropti is a German-made LED pulse smart meter with interesting features. The company primarily markets the Poweropti in Germany. However, the device is designed to be compatible with a wide range of digital utility meters across Europe that utilize an optical pulse interface.

This smart meter uses an optical sensor housed within its coaxial connector to read LED pulses from your utility meter. This design eliminates complex electrical wiring, making installation plug-and-play. It’s powered by a 5V Micro-USB adapter, which also attaches to the front of the device.

The Powerfox Poweropti measures energy flow in two directions. It tracks the energy your home consumes from the grid and the energy it produces and sends back, like from solar panels. This enables users to monitor their total energy usage, showing both consumption and contribution, for a complete view of their energy balance.

The Poweropti transmits collected data wirelessly to the Powerfox cloud platform. Once you connect your account through the Powerfox app, you can access this data through Homey and optimize your electricity consumption by automating your devices.

While the Powerfox Poweropti offers convenient wireless monitoring, its reliance on cloud services limits users' control and risks data access during internet outages or server downtime.

Shelly Pro 3EM is a Wi-Fi-operated, DIN-mountable 3-Phase Energy Meter with Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and LAN connectivity. This device uses current clamps available in 120 A and 400 A variants, making it suitable for various residential and industrial applications.

The Shelly Pro 3EM offers 4-quadrant measurement capabilities, allowing it to measure capacitive and inductive load types of active imported and exported energies. With an active energy measurement accuracy of 1%, Shelly Pro 3EM can also individually monitor the consumption of home appliances, electric circuits, and office equipment.

The meter also supports two-way energy consumption monitoring, enabling users to track produced and used energy for each phase. This functionality is essential for monitoring homes, offices, or factories to avoid additional expenses or voltage drops that could damage appliances and devices. The Shelly Pro 3EM also provides insights into the quality of the electricity network by measuring active power, reactive power, voltage, and power factor.

Another standout feature of the Shelly Pro 3EM is its ability to use Ethernet and Wi-Fi simultaneously. This dual connectivity ensures reliable and stable data transmission and connection. The Shelly Pro 3EM is compatible with Homey and Homey Pro.

Finally, it’s worth explaining that due to the electrical load on the circuit, the Shelly Pro 3EM can sometimes display negative power consumption values, particularly with inductive or capacitive components.

The Tibber Pulse is a real-time energy meter that helps users track and manage their home’s electricity consumption. This meter is available in several market-dependent versions: Tibber Pulse P1, Tibber Pulse HAN, Tibber Pulse KM, and Tibber Pulse CT. Installation is plug-and-play for each variant of the energy meter.

The Tibber Pulse supports load balancing load for EV chargers, preventing overloads by adjusting charging speed based on household consumption. Furthermore, it can monitor both energy consumption and production simultaneously, making it a comprehensive tool for energy management in homes with solar panels.

The Pulse can connect to a home network using Wi-Fi. Once integrated into Homey or Homey Pro, users can monitor the current load per phase or the total household power consumption. With a Tibber subscription, the Pulse can convert energy consumption into actual cost.

The Tibber Pulse can function independently without a Tibber subscription by providing real-time electricity consumption data. However, many of its advanced features, such as tariff and peak usage adjustments, require an active Tibber electricity contract.