Gadget review: Wattson Silverlining Personal Energy Monitor
Whilst its novelty value has long since disappeared, it has provided me with almost telepathic powers of energy appliance usage; 300W - that'll be the girlfriend's hair straighteners or 100W - that'll be the dishwasher.
Such a party trick has limited mileage, so I was eager to see if Wattson could re-energize my energy saving and justify the princely sum of 129.
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Hide AdThe Wattson resembles what can only be described as a cross between a futuristic Lego brick and a motorway crossing.
It's quite shiny and has a very cool embedded LCD display which appears to hover below the top surface.
This sprang to life with rapidly cycling red digits as soon as I had clipped the wireless transmitter to my fuse box. Unlike the digit-festooned EON monitor, Wattson have gone for a minimalist approach - gradually glowing from blue to purple to red to signify ever greater levels of energy use.
The digits displayed alternate between energy usage, cost for the year and a clock; changed by simply tilting the unit towards you.
Wattson includes a USB cable allowing up to four weeks of energy-use history to be examined.
I've got mixed opinions on Wattson and even if I didn't have my EON freebie, I'm not sure I'd be tempted.
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Hide AdClaims that it could save you up to 25 per cent off your energy bill are a bit optimistic, especially as you start off at negative 129. That said, as a funky interactive gadget ornament, the Wattson combines Tron-esque retro looks and eco-functionality with aplomb.
It glows from blue to red to signify greater levels of energy usage
Wattson Silverlining Personal Energy Monitor129, available from http://shop.diykyoto.com and www.amazon.co.uk
This article was first published in The Scotsman, 2 April, 2011