The Best Home Energy Monitor (2023)

The term “best” varies from individual to individual when it comes to home energy monitors. For example, I personally use the Sense Home Energy Monitor in my home, but I would recommend the Generac PWRview W2 to others.

One important thing for me was that the interface was excellent and easy for data analysis because I was using the data for studying and reporting on our home. However, this might not be the need of others. So let’s go through the key features that might make the best home energy monitor for you.

Here are some key features that contribute to making a home energy monitor the best. Then I will discuss how each monitor performs in these categories in their individual sections below:

1. Accuracy: The monitor should provide accurate measurements of energy consumption for individual appliances, circuits, or the entire home. Precision is essential for understanding where your energy is being used and how to make effective changes. Generally, all of the home energy monitors are very accurate, but if you are looking for exact numbers on one appliance then the monitors with machine learning may have limitations.

2. Real-time Monitoring: The monitor should offer real-time data, allowing you to see immediate changes in energy usage when you turn on and off appliances, or adjust settings.

3. User-Friendly Interface: The monitor’s interface should be intuitive and easy to understand. It should display data in multiple ways, each that is clear to users of all tech-savviness levels.

4. Remote Access: The ability to access data remotely for monitoring usage for emergencies when you are on vacation, or even for bumbling around the house flicking on and off switches like a mad person to find that huge energy vampire of a crockpot.

5. Appliance-Level Monitoring: The best monitors allow you to monitor the energy consumption of individual appliances. Usually, this comes in the form of machine learning or extra cables to hook directly from your devices to the monitor.

6. Historical Data: The monitor should store historical data, enabling you to track trends and patterns in your energy usage over time. This information is valuable for making long-term energy-saving strategies, seeing the environmental and economic changes you have made, and understanding trends.

7. Alerts and Notifications: A good energy monitor can set up alerts and notifications based on predefined energy usage thresholds. This can help you avoid energy wastage or abnormal usage that might indicate a malfunction, or shoot to use big energy users at times when energy costs are lower.

8. Integration with Smart Home Systems: Compatibility with smart home platforms like Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Apple HomeKit can enhance the monitor’s functionality and make it easier to integrate energy management into your daily routine.

9. Data Export and Analysis: The ability to export energy usage data in various formats (CSV, Excel, etc.) can be valuable for those who want to perform in-depth analysis or integrate the data with other tools.

10. Energy-Saving Recommendations: Some monitors go beyond just displaying data and offer personalized energy-saving recommendations based on your usage patterns. These recommendations can help you take specific actions to reduce consumption.

11. Easy Installation: A simple and straightforward installation process is crucial. Monitors that require minimal wiring or professional installation tend to be more user-friendly. However, you will be working with big power outputs! Make sure to read the instructions carefully, consider consulting an electrician for safety or insurance purposes, and BE SAFE! See our article on what a home energy monitor is for a general description of installation.

12. Compatibility: Ensure the monitor is compatible with your electrical system, whether you have a single-phase or three-phase electrical setup.

13. Data Security: Since the monitor collects sensitive data about your home’s energy usage, it’s important to choose a product that takes data security seriously and employs encryption and other security measures.

14. Support and Updates: Opt for a monitor from a reputable manufacturer that offers good customer support and regular software updates to ensure the device remains functional and up to date. All of the best home energy monitors recommended in this article are at the top of the list for support.

15. Cost: I put cost last here because I think you want to prioritize the other features first and then consider the cost. A home energy monitor is likely to save you money. Ideally, you want one that provides you with the features you want, so you can then effectively recoup the cost by having it work with you.