Around £125

Positives: the easiest way to control a socket almost anywhere on the planet.

Negatives: numeric control codes can be fairly cryptic.

Home automation is big business in the United States but it's a concept that has never really taken off this side of the Atlantic. Despite the potential benefits of being able to control every mains-powered gadget in your home from your sofa, the cost and complexity of setting up such a system puts most people off.

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