Wind back in time to a year ago and smart Wi-Fi controllable power plugs sold in Australia cost $50-$60 each – it was hard to justify when you might want to buy several of them.
Today, Bunnings is trying to make a name for itself as the go-to retailer for smart home products, first cutting the price of a Google Home Mini to $36 on sale and then permanently discounting its Brilliant Smart Wifi Plug and USB Charger to $15.
There are several Wi-Fi controllable smart switch options at various Australian retailers in the $15-$30 range. All of the plugs I’ve seen can be controlled via Google, Alexa and IFTT. Many use the same underlying TUYA smart software so you should probably be able to use the Tuya Smart app to control a mixture of these brands plugs if you’ve bought them over time from different retailers.
Bunnings is not necessarily the cheapest option for home automation, but it definitely has a big range of smart electrical, lighting, locks and more. It’s a great option if you want to look at the product and packaging before purchasing, and sometimes the price works out as well.
Found a good price on smart home automation devices? Let us know in the comments, or send us a tip!
I went into a Bunnings yesterday and they could find absolutely nothing about the Google Home Mini discount although they checked everything. A bit disappointed.
I have got a power brick which has connected my tv PS4, Xbox and switch.
Will these things all turn on vire voice as have never gotten a wifi power plug before and looking into my rooms to be more smart voice area
They likely won’t turn on. All the smart switch does is turn the power to the device on and off. If you turn your TV, PS4, Xbox and Switch off at the power point, and then back on, do they power up, or just go straight to standby? I find smart switches work well with lamps and electric bankets.
Bunnings was the surprisingly cheapest provider of Ring video doorbells too for a while there. I was looking at the Ring 2 and it was about $80 cheaper there than JBHifi and other places.
I’ve since noticed the price has returned to parity with other places – so I’m suspecting it was an early mistake, but I’m happy I got a bargain. Goes to show they’re trying though!