LocalBytes
LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome)
- Native integration
- Local control
- Wi-Fi
Prices verified September 2026
See more smart plugs & energy picks on our Amazon storefront →Our verdict
A small UK reseller's plug that ships pre-flashed with ESPHome (or Tasmota), so it lands in HA with zero cloud dependency, zero vendor app, and OTA firmware you control end to end — nothing bricks if the seller vanishes tomorrow. That's the tinkerer's dream at under £15: no subscription, no forced updates, full local ownership. The tradeoff is a small, largely unknown brand rather than an established name — LocalBytes itself admits its factory power calibration "is not perfect," so budget time to calibrate against a known load. Best suited to privacy-conscious, offline-first households already running HA who don't mind setup friction in exchange for never phoning home.
What can Home Assistant control on the LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome)?
| Control | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Switch | Toggle | Turn the plug on/off |
| Power / Voltage / Current / Energy | Sensor | Live and cumulative readings |
| Calibrate power/current/voltage | Button (x3) | Correct sensor drift against a known reference load |
As an ESPHome-native device it exposes a switch plus power, voltage, current and energy sensors directly, with no cloud round-trip — and uniquely for a plug at this price, it also exposes calibrate_power/current/voltage as HA-callable actions, so BL0937 drift can be corrected periodically against a known reference load (e.g. a kettle) rather than only at first setup. It's a community-maintained ESPHome package rather than an official vendor profile, so check the repo's recent activity before relying on it for anything critical.
Specs
| mcu | ESP8266 (ESP8285N08) |
|---|---|
| weight | approx. 69g (per independent third-party review) |
| firmware | ESPHome (Tasmota variant available) |
| max load | 13A (UK variant; EU version rated 16A) |
| plug type | BS1363 Type G |
| dimensions | approx. 57 x 57 x 32mm (per independent third-party review; not published on LocalBytes' own spec sheet) |
| hub required | false |
| voltage range | AC 100-240V, 50Hz |
| energy monitoring | true |
| power monitoring chip | BL0937 + HLWBL — LocalBytes states factory calibration is approximate, not guaranteed-accurate out of the box |
How does the LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) compare?
| Product | From | Protocol | Local control | Integration |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) (this product) | £14.95 | Wi-Fi | Yes | Native |
| Aqara Power Plug H2 UK (RGB) | £32.99 | Zigbee, Thread, Matter, Bluetooth | Yes | Works with HA |
| Aqara Wall Outlet H2 UK | £67.99 | Matter, Thread, Zigbee | Yes | Native |
| Eve Energy (Matter) UK Smart Plug | £39.95 | Thread, Matter, Bluetooth | Yes | Works with HA |
Frequently asked questions
- Does the LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) work with Home Assistant locally?
- Yes. The LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) is controlled locally in Home Assistant through a built-in Home Assistant core integration (esphome), so it keeps working if your internet connection or the LocalBytes cloud goes down. Control and state updates stay on your own network.
- Which protocol does the LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) use, and do I need a hub?
- The LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) uses Wi-Fi. To pair it with Home Assistant you need no hub — it joins your Wi-Fi network directly. LocalBytes's own hub is not required when you integrate through a built-in Home Assistant core integration (esphome).
- How much does the LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) cost in the UK?
- The lowest price we have listed for the LocalBytes Power Monitoring Smart Plug (ESPHome) is £14.95 at Amazon UK. Prices were last checked in September 2026 and change often, so confirm on the retailer's page before buying.