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Starting with the packaging itself, it’s fairly standard for a HomeKit product that you come to expect these days, with all the main details across the four panels of the box in English, and (I assume) Canadian French. The one thing to always look out for if you’re new to the HomeKit scene is the ‘Works with HomeKit’ stamp, which this displays at the front. As a side note, it would seem that Incipio’s HomeKit compatible products all come with the ‘CommandKit’ moniker. There’s nothing to this I suspect, but don’t let it confuse you into thinking it’s a different ecosystem that you haven’t heard of! Besides the basic name and details on the front, you do get to see the product itself. The rear of the packaging is more of the same, with a few bullet points along with descriptions, letting you know what it’s capable of.

Onto the sides of the box and you have details about what kind of bulbs it’s suitable for and how powerful the bulbs you use can be – even in the world of LED bulbs, there is a lot of choice these days, but this device will also work with CFL, Incandescent and Halogen bulbs if you are planning on using any of these. The other side of the side panel gives very basic instructions on how to install the device with their own app. Many people don’t really need these kinds of things on the box, but if you’re new to the smart home world and happen to see this on the shelf in a Best Buy or Costco, then it’s these very details that can help you know if it’s suitable for you, so I think it’s a good idea.

Upon opening the packaging, we’re straight into the product itself. No frills here, just the product itself and some further details on the inside of the lid. The product itself is tightly held in place with a moulded plastic tray, so there’s no chance of the device rattling around in the box, which gives you peace of mind.

Onto the device itself. It’s really pretty nondescript, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing, as you may well have this hidden by a lamp shade or similar, so this isn’t a product that’s on display as such. On one side of the device we have an indented Incipio logo along with a reset hole. another face simply comes with the HomeKit code (there’s another in the box too), and then there’s a physical button to turn the light on and off as well as a largish LED that both serves to guide you through a reset or as an on/off indicator.

If you’re not at all familiar with a Smart Socket, then in essence this makes the standard bulb you place into it, smart – but only is as much as you can turn it on or off, or dim the bulb (more on that soon). The smart socket, of which there are currently about 4 makes on the market, simply act as a smart go-between with your regular bulb and the power coming from the socket of your lampshade. That really is it in essence, and as it’s only designed for bulbs, it’s a little more limited than a smart plug, which can be used for anything – including lamps. So what’s the appeal? Not a great amount, but there may be times when you want to use it with a floor lamp, but you don’t want a smart plug protruding from your wall for example, or maybe you want to use it in a ceiling lamp, where a smart plug isn’t an option. These are really its simple strengths.

The socket communicates via WiFi, so the range is fairly decent. This particular Smart socket does have the ability to dim the bulb you have inserted, from 100% to 1% brightness, but you do need a bulb that is suitable for dimming, otherwise it just doesn’t work. Having had this for quite a while now, can say that it’s been reliable to a fault, having to reset the device only once so far. I personally have mine inside a glass floor lamp from Ikea, which then sits inside an Ikea coffee/side table to give some moderate mood lighting, and as it’s HomeKit compatible, you can create automations that trigger it from other smart devices. In my case, as it’s at floor level and housed in the coffee table, meaning it’s not too bright, I use it to turn on at night if movement triggers one of my motion sensors for people on their way to the kitchen, illuminating the immediate area as well as the floor.

Wrapping up, I’d say there are definite use cases for these types of devices, but as mentioned in a previous review of the equivalent iDevices socket, you do have to contend with the extra height this adaptor adds to lampshades. However, it’s cheap enough at this point to buy and figure out where to put it, so I say buy!

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Anyway, let’s have a look at this device.

So, as it’s an iDevices ‘device’, you know you’re going to get decent, protective packaging, and so there’s absolutely no disappointment in that area. The socket is housed in a tough little box, with a plastic inner to hold the device securely. The packaging, as with other iDevices products, comes with their distinct purple ‘livery’, the product image on the front, along with the all important ‘works with HomeKit’ stamp on the front, with a fair bit of detailed information on the back. besides the socket itself, there are also an instruction manual that also contains one of two instances of the HomeKit code, along with a smaller manual for non-HomeKit/Android users.

Onto the device itself, and whilst it’s fairly small, this socket will add some height to any lighting fixture you add it to, which we’ll touch on a bit later. The second instance of the HomeKit code appears on the side of the socket itself, which while a guaranteed way to not lose it, may also present a problem for scanning the code, should you need to reinstall the device in the future, but it’s set into a high ceiling fixture for example – so make sure you keep the other code! The iDevices logo is printed on another part of the body, along with the physical switch. So, the same possible issues mentioned regarding scanning the code on the device also exist with the physical switch, located on the side of the device. This isn’t an issue if you have it in a floor lamp or if you exclusively control it via the iPhone or perhaps even use iDevices’ very own Instant Switch, but if like me, you have it in a ceiling light, you may eventually get a step-ladder out eventually. No one said Home Automation would always be easy…

What sets the iDevices Socket apart from other smart sockets is hidden in the top of the device, namely a set of full colour LEDs, so, just like it’s smart switch brother, this comes with a night-light. This LED ‘ring’ also appears as a separate controllable device in the ‘Home’ app. Having tested this in a white lamp shade, I can say with certainty that not only is it a great night-light, but it’s also nearly as powerful enough to give a genuine colour bulb a run for its money, depending on the colour you choose. As with most decent colour bulbs, iDevices claim the night-light is capable of up to 16 million colours. I won’t be counting…

So, we should really address the issue of the product adding ‘height’ to your light fitting. While this and other sockets allow a ‘dumb’ bulb to become ‘smart’, it also adds height to an area that’s mostly already limited in terms of space. It isn’t always a problem, but it’s wise to make sure you know where it’s going to go and make sure you have the headroom to begin with. I’ve got one of these, along with the Incipio model, and luckily I’ve managed to use them with lamp shades that are large enough to accommodate the additional height. However, that might not be the case with an enclosed bathroom fitting, so you really have to make sure this will fit before spending your hard-earned cash.

Onto the final point in regards to making your bulb ‘smart’, this socket does allow you to adjust the brightness of the LED light you have plugged into it, which is fantastic, but you must ensure the bulb you’re using is in fact capable of being used for dimming, as not all bulbs, LED or otherwise, are. The brightness levels can be controlled in the Home app, iDevices’ own app of course, but you can tell Siri to also set the brightness, and if like me, you are using the iDevices Instant Switch, you can physically control the brightness this way too.

All in all, this is a product that can really provide a lot of uses, in very certain circumstances, which may seem limiting, but you do get the addition of a really colourful night-light that could almost be considered a colour bulb, but you also get dimming capabilities too, so for me, it’s definitely the best of a (very small) bunch!

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Incipio® CommandKit was designed with a simplistic setup in mind. With virtually zero configuration required, users simply connect their Incipio® CommandKit product to power and then to their home WiFi network. It’s that simple!

The dimming feature allows you to dim the lights to your preference. Energy efficient, dimming a halogen bulb by 20% can save up to 18% of energy costs. Additionally, dimming can extend the lifetime of your lightbulbs from five or six months to three or four years. *Must be used with dimmable light bulbs.

When combined with an iOS 8 or higher device, such as the iPhone 6, users can experience full device control utilizing simple voice commands using Siri. Giving a command such as, “Turn on the lights”, instantly turns a dark home into a bright, lit environment. Using the Incipio® CommandKit App, users can uniquely name rooms and devices, allowing for specific voice commands, such as, “Siri, turn on the kitchen lights”.

One of the many advantages of Incipio CommandKit products are the use of a WiFi connection. This gives users the ability to remotely access* their home automation devices from anywhere in the world with an internet connection. Want your porch light on while you’re gone on vacation? Control this feature and more using Incipio CommandKit.

• Allows you to set various moods in your home
• Remotely access your home automation devices from anywhere
• With the CommandKit app, you can use Siri voice control to command your outlets
• Set accessories to turn on or off automatically as you arrive or depart your home

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• REMOTE ACCESS: Control and monitor your lights with the iDevices Socket from anywhere, no hub required
• DIMMING CAPABILITY: Works with standard Edison style bulbs up to 60 watts. Supports LED, CFL, incandescent and halogen bulbs. Dimming feature requires dimmable bulb. Socket is compatible with all standard light bulbs with a minimum lamp harp size of 8.5 inches
• SCHEDULING: Create unlimited schedules to turn on an off your electronics based on your daily routine. Create a Scene to turn on multiple devices with one command
• EASY SETUP: Download the iDevices Connected app, screw in the Socket, scan the unique code. No need to enter Wi-Fi network information.

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Easy setup & app control
After installing your smart socket, configure it from the koogeek home app with just a few simple steps

Monitor power consumption
Check the working status and monitor real-time, daily and monthly power consumption via the koogeek app

Remote Control
You can set up your Apple TV (4th generation or later with tvOS 10 or later) or iPad (running iOS 10 or later) as a home hub and control Koogeek Smart Socket even when you’re away from home.

Create “scenes”
Create scenes to control multiple accessories at the same time. Turn a scene on or off by tapping it, setting a schedule/timer or just asking siri

System Requirements
HomeKit requires an iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple Watch with iOS 8.1 or later

Certifications
ETL, FCC, CE, RoHS, Wi-Fi

Power input
90~250VAC, 50/60Hz

Power output
90~250VAC

Max Load
25W

Home Wi-Fi
2.4Ghz (802.11 b/g/n)

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