At PlugInSolarEnergy, we believe in one thing: control over your own energy.
No guessing. No estimating. But seeing what's really happening in your home.
A P1 meter is one of the most underrated, yet most valuable tools you can have.
What is a P1 meter?
Simply put: a P1 meter is a small device that you plug into the P1 port of your smart meter.
From that moment on, you see in real-time how much electricity you:
- consume
- generate
- feed back into the grid
Not tomorrow. Not afterwards. Now. Every second.
At our home, we've been using a P1 meter for years and honestly: it has completely changed our perspective on energy.
Why a P1 meter makes such a difference
For many people, energy consumption is something abstract. You receive a bill once a month (or year) and that's it.
With a P1 meter, energy becomes visible.
You see, for example:
- when the washing machine is done (consumption suddenly drops)
- when the refrigerator turns on
- how much your house consumes at night even though "everything seems off"
Many households have 150 to 300 watts of standby consumption. You only really see that when you monitor it live.
What's in it for you as a consumer?
A P1 meter doesn't automatically save energy — but it makes you aware. And that's where the real gain lies.
1️⃣ Insight into standby consumption
Old printers, coffee makers, smart TVs…
Many devices constantly consume energy without you noticing.
With a P1 meter, you see it immediately.
2️⃣ Direct insight per appliance
You quickly learn what appliances really consume:
- Oven: ± 2500–3000 W
- Air fryer: ± 1200 W
- Washing machine: 500–2000 W
- Tumble dryer: 2000–3000 W
That makes choices suddenly very concrete.
3️⃣ Perfect in combination with solar panels
For those with Plug & Play solar panels, a P1 meter is almost indispensable.
You see live:
- how much you generate
- how much you consume yourself
- when you have a surplus
This way you know exactly when it's smart to:
- turn on the dishwasher
- do the laundry
- plan extra consumption
👉 That's maximum self-consumption, and that's what it's all about today.
Practical: what do we use a P1 meter for daily?
After years of use, we find that we mainly use the P1 meter for:
- ✔️ quickly checking if a device is ready
- ✔️ consciously dealing with solar energy
- ✔️ comparing consumption between devices
- ✔️ gaining insight into peaks and troughs
It quickly becomes something you look at for a moment daily, like your mobile phone.
What do we like about a P1 meter?
- You gain control over your energy
- Installation takes 5 minutes
- No subscription
- Works independently of energy suppliers
- Perfect to combine with solar panels and home batteries
And the disadvantages?
Fair is fair:
- You need a smart meter (almost all households have them by now)
- Apps can sometimes be a bit slow with a lot of data
But for us, that doesn't outweigh the benefits.
Which P1 meter do we recommend?
There are many P1 meters, from cheap to advanced.
For those who simply want reliable insight without hassle, we recommend starting with:
HomeWizard or Shelly P1 meter
Simple, stable, clear app and immediately usable.
For most people, that is more than enough.
Pay attention to your smart meter
Older smart meters (before ± 2016) sometimes do not supply power via the P1 port.
In that case, you need a P1 meter with an external power supply (e.g., via USB).
Newer meters work without problems.
Conclusion
A P1 meter is not a gadget.
It is a basic instrument for anyone who:
- has solar panels
- wants to increase self-consumption
- wants to control their energy bill
For a relatively small investment, you get insights that your energy supplier will never give you.
At PlugInSolarEnergy, we therefore see a P1 meter as the perfect complement to Plug & Play solar energy.