ThinkEco Modlets Reviewed
By now we are starting to realize that energy costs are not going down, and as such, many households and businesses are trying to find creative ways to save. ThinkEco has responded to this call for energy savings in homes and offices with a product called Modlets.
Modlets are an extension of your normal power outlets that are plugged directly into the outlet, acting as a surge protector. A “gatekeeper” of sorts, when it comes to when, and how, power is used in your home or office.
Design
The Modlet has a cool design and are somewhat heavy due to the components inside.
Technology
The Modlets work by forming a mesh network inside your home and then communicating back to ThinkEco's servers by connecting to a USB device attached to your Internet connected PC or laptop. The ThinkEco Modlet software now only works on Windows and Mac OSX which to me was sad since I use Ubuntu and a totally cross-platform option would have been better.
The Modlets analyze your power usage for the first few days by seeing when and where you use power and then suggest a “power schedule” which you can tweak to meet your needs and by implementing this power schedule you will be able to prevent appliances or office equipment even from using “phantom load” when the device is not in use.
Price
The Modlet Office Starter Kit, which comes with five modlets and a USB receiver, starts at $365 for offices. ThinkEco also produces a kit for homes that includes one modlet, USB receiver, and software for just $50. Both of these options seem relatively affordable for their targeted market and the company states that the devices pay for themselves within the first year.
The Bottom Line I really enjoyed using the Modlets, however, I think the Windows Software could use some improvements, as I did notice some glitches, although the product does work exactly as advertised. I hope that ThinkEco considers support for Linux. The product is a great investment for both offices and homes, although the Modlets may not be affordable for all households. In the long run the upfront cost is surely worth the long term gains of automation and energy savings.
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