Which wattmeter should you choose: classic or wi-fi? Model recommendations

Hello, I would like to buy a wattmeter inserted into the socket to measure the current consumption of individual equipment in the house. I want to measure it out of pure curiosity, I don`t care about laboratory accuracy, but I know that the more accurate it is, the better

There are two types of such wattmeters available on the Internet: "classic" and wi-fi, which require an application on a smartphone (prices are similar).

What type of device will be more accurate and what specific model do you recommend?

Below are photos of sample devices

Xamil wrote:

I would like to buy a wattmeter inserted into the socket to measure the power consumption of individual equipment in the house.

I know you`re not an electrician. Do you want to buy a wattmeter (W) to measure current consumption (A)? Without delving into the suggestions, buy a meter that will tell you how much electricity you have consumed (Wh or kWh), because that`s what you pay for, i.e. an energy meter. And if your program includes the device`s current consumption (A) or power measurement (W), you will be able to obtain more information.

Buy one that reports and takes into account power factor (PF).

tzok wrote:

Buy one that reports and takes into account power factor (PF). If he has a private plant, they charge him (ZE) for passive energy, and in a block of flats, there is probably no payment for the consumption/supply of passive energy, so the "average" Kowalski does not know what it is.

On the contrary, those that do not specify PF usually measure apparent power, not active power.

Hello, what wattmeter do you recommend for metering electronic equipment? Specific models?

Let me tell you that these wattmeters placed on the socket suck - sorry for the expression, but there is no other way to call it.
They work well, but consume 2-3 LR44 batteries, which they usually use. I already have the third one and after a month of lying in the drawer, even though the LCD is OFF, the batteries are completely exhausted. Three pieces from different manufacturers and with different functions.
Maybe someone who doesn`t have this condition will advise me and I will buy it. Maybe electronic ones for smartphones will be better here. Although you need to have your phone nearby to use it.
For now, when I don`t need to store data, I take out the battery, although it`s quite inconvenient.

^ToM^ wrote:

Let me tell you that these wattmeters placed on the socket suck - sorry for the expression, but there is no other way to call it.
They work well, but consume 2-3 LR44 batteries, which they usually use. I already have the third one and after a month of lying in the drawer, even though the LCD is OFF, the batteries are completely exhausted. Three pieces from different manufacturers and with different functions.
Maybe someone who doesn`t have this condition will advise me and I will buy it. Maybe electronic ones for smartphones will be better here. Although you need to have your phone nearby to use it.
For now, when I don`t need to store data, I take out the battery, although it`s quite inconvenient.

I ordered one and the seller writes that the battery will last for years.

dariusz2021 wrote:

I ordered one and the seller writes that the battery will last for years.

Great, thank you for the tip, but in the description above. I did not find any information about the operating time on a set of batteries.
I understand that the LCD turns off after use, but after two months if you take it out of the drawer and press one of the buttons, everything starts up without the need to connect it to a power socket?
How long have you been using it?

^ToM^ wrote:

dariusz2021 wrote:

I ordered one and the seller writes that the battery will last for years.

Great, thank you for the tip, but in the description above. I did not find any information about the operating time on a set of batteries.
I understand that the LCD turns off after use, but after two months if you take it out of the drawer and press one of the buttons, everything starts up without the need to connect it to a power socket?
How long have you been using it?

Turns off automatically.

Added after 36 [seconds]:

^ToM^ wrote:

dariusz2021 wrote:

I ordered one and the seller writes that the battery will last for years.

Great, thank you for the tip, but in the description above. I did not find any information about the operating time on a set of batteries.
I understand that the LCD turns off after use, but after two months if you take it out of the drawer and press one of the buttons, everything starts up without the need to connect it to a power socket?
How long have you been using it?

Turns off automatically. ORNO wattmeter.

Someone confirms my words about these meters.
Example: from the comment on Allegro to "Watmeter GreenBlue GB202 16 A 3600 W":

“Just Chad the batteries last for 2 weeks of continuous operation . I thought that after plugging in the display was powered from the socket and not constantly from the battery."

Added after 3 [minutes]:

dariusz2021 wrote:

I understand that the LCD turns off after use, but after two months if you take it out of the drawer and press one of the buttons, everything starts up without the need to connect it to a power socket?
How long have you been using it?

Turns off automatically.

I know about that. Everyone turns off automatically. The only thing is that if you take it out of the drawer after a few weeks or a month, you won`t turn it on anymore because the battery will run out. Yes, it will work after inserting it into the socket, but it does not maintain the entered settings and clock.

dariusz2021 wrote:

Turns off automatically. ORNO wattmeter.

After all, is this ORNO or LTC, which you indicated earlier? These are different devices!

Moreover, it would be nice if it had a twistable plug, because it cannot be connected to many sockets.

I borrowed ORNO from an electrician

dariusz2021 wrote:

I borrowed ORNO from an electrician

I see. However, did you order one like the one on your slide in post #8?

^ToM^ wrote:

dariusz2021 wrote:

I borrowed ORNO from an electrician

I see. However, did you order one like the one on your slide in post #8?

Yes. After the tests, I will write to you

I have GB202 - it works without batteries, so it only uses them when it is disconnected from the power supply.

tzok wrote:

I have GB202 - it works without batteries, so it only uses them when it is disconnected from the power supply.

I have one too. Works forever. Even if it lies in a drawer and doesn`t work, it still works - I haven`t replaced the battery since I bought it, i.e. for several years.

Xamil wrote:

What type of device will be more accurate and what specific model do you recommend?

The meter should measure power below 1 W - the device`s power consumption in stand-by mode.

spy wrote:

I haven`t replaced the battery since purchase, i.e. for several years.

They are discharged, throw them away before they spill.

Mine has been working for a good 10 years. There are no disposable cells, only Ni-MH cells.

Well, cool. However, please provide the models unless you all have GB202?
They all work without batteries. It`s not a problem. The battery is only used to maintain the settings. The point is that you don`t have to set everything you need every time.
Unfortunately, most of these devices, although the LCD turns off after a while after being removed from the socket, drain the batteries (usually 2 or 3 LR44s) very quickly and this is troublesome.
I`m looking for one whose batteries last a year or more.

@^ToM^, maybe the problem is that this device needs to be left in the socket for a while to fully charge the batteries?
I bought one

We`ll see what kind of one it is, it`s supposed to contain a 3.6V Ni-Mh battery, but who knows what exactly (capacity)
V

vorlog wrote:

@^ToM^, maybe the problem is that this device needs to be left in the socket for a while to fully charge the batteries?

You know, I have two different manufacturers and both of them have LR44 tablets (like those from a caliper or a calculator), they are probably not charged. If I install new batteries, after a month or two the batteries are discharged and it only works when plugged into the socket.
First I had one and I realized that it probably had some defect and that`s why the battery drained quickly. I bought another one, completely different, but has exactly the same problem. The battery should only be used to maintain the memory and possibly the LCD. I suspect that models with a CR2032 battery will last longer, but I don`t know which ones have such cells. Most often, this is omitted in the parameters provided in auctions. If anyone has such a version, I hope they will report it here.
Perhaps the problem is solved by the version with a MiMh battery, which can be charged or even replaced with a larger one if necessary. Ultimately, I will buy this version on NiMh.

So wait, when this "equipment" arrives, I will disassemble it and show you what`s going on
V

^ToM^ wrote:

dariusz2021 wrote:

I borrowed ORNO from an electrician

I see. However, did you order one like the one on your slide in post #8?

I tested for 7 hours. After removing it from the socket, it turns off automatically, so the battery cannot die because the wattmeter does not work.

dariusz2021 wrote:

I tested for 7 hours. After removing it from the socket, it turns off automatically, so the battery cannot die because the wattmeter does not work.

Mine also turns off automatically, they all turn off when removed from the socket, but the memory is backed up and all settings are stored. However, over time the battery runs out.

^ToM^ wrote:

dariusz2021 wrote:

I see. However, did you order one like the one on your slide in post #8?

I tested for 7 hours. After removing it from the socket, it turns off automatically, so the battery cannot die because the wattmeter does not work.

Mine also turns off automatically, they all turn off when removed from the socket, but the memory is backed up and all settings are stored. However, over time, the battery drains.[/quote]

They are 2 years old and over and they work.

vorlog wrote:

So wait

crap equipment
And crap - it came and is going back tomorrow - despite the long initial charging in the socket, the display is barely readable at some angle, maybe the battery is dead
V

vorlog wrote:

And crap - it came and is going back tomorrow - despite the long initial charging in the socket, the display is barely readable at some angle, maybe the battery is dead
V

And that`s how futile these devices are. However, I still hope that there is a decent wattmeter in all this junk.

vorlog wrote:

And crap - it came and is going back tomorrow - despite the long initial charging in the socket, the display is barely readable at some angle, maybe the battery is dead

Gosh, go to some Castorama or Leroy and buy such a meter off the rack. Maybe it will be a bit more expensive, but it won`t be a lower quality product taken from some scrap yard in China and sold at an allegro price.

spy wrote:

vorlog wrote:

And damn it - it came and is going back tomorrow - despite the long initial charging in the socket, the display is barely readable at some angle, maybe the battery is dead

Gosh, go to some Castorama or Leroy and buy such a meter off the rack. Maybe it will be a bit more expensive, but it won`t be a lower quality product taken from some scrap yard in China and sold at an allegro price.

Well, I already have one from Aldi, I think, and it sucks. I would prefer to buy a proven one. Because the one from Casto or Leroy may be good, but only if someone has bought it, checked what I`m asking about and can confirm it.

By the way:
LEROY

Three otherwise satisfied customers
1. "There`s something wrong with them, they stop working after about 6 months. A tragedy."
2. "The device started working, I bought a second one and the same thing happened after replacing the battery. Product defect, widely described on the Internet. Money wasted, I do not recommend it."
3. "After two months of use, it stopped working."

You still think that buying a more expensive meter from Leroy or Casto, which - an identical one can be bought cheaper on Allegro - makes no sense.
This is the same crap! No matter where you buy it, as you can see from customer reviews.

I have this one. But that`s all, it`s the same meter in different variations. Anyway, mine has been working for years.