Best Home Energy Monitors UK 2026
You cannot cut what you cannot see. A home energy monitor helps because it turns your electricity use into a live number, in watts now or pounds this month. This guide sits in our home energy monitors hub.
There are three broad types, although they differ a lot in effort and cost. Below we rank a pick in each, starting with the free in-home display that comes with a smart meter. We choose from published specifications and have not tested these products (see how we choose).
Since a monitor helps you size a battery, read the power station guide and the solar generators and power stations hub next. For phone charging off-grid, see the solar power bank guide and portable solar chargers. For garden lights, see the solar garden lights guide and solar garden lighting.
The verdict
Start with the in-home display that comes with your smart meter, because Ofgem says it shows your energy use during the day. If you want circuit-level detail, a clamp-on monitor such as the Shelly EM Gen3 suits single-phase UK homes. For one appliance, a plug-in meter needs no fitting at all.
Our picks by role
Your smart meter's in-home display
Ofgem says the meter's in-home display shows how much energy you are using during the day, while it also says you can contact your supplier to get a smart meter for free.
- No extra purchase
- Shows data straight from the meter
- No fitting
- Less detail than a clamp-on monitor
- Needs a smart meter
Shelly EM Gen3 (clamp-on, single-phase)
Shelly lists two current-transformer channels, with one 50A clamp included. Because it works over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, it can run standalone on a local network or through the cloud.
- Supports MQTT, HTTP, WebSocket and RPC
- Stores up to 10 days of minute data on the device
- Shelly lists a 110 to 240V supply range
- Fitting means working near the consumer unit, so use a qualified electrician
- Two channels only, not a full board
OWL Intuition range (clamp-on)
OWL's site lists UK retailers, UK mainland installers and a help desk. However, it warns that products differ for single-phase and three-phase supplies, and some may not work with solar panels.
- UK retailer and installer lists
- Separate solar PV monitoring range
- Check phase and solar compatibility on each product page
- We did not review individual spec sheets
Plug-in power meter
Plug it between the socket and the appliance, then read watts and kilowatt-hours. It is the cheapest way to answer 'what does this appliance use?', since it needs no fitting.
- No fitting
- Good for spot checks
- One appliance at a time
- No whole-home picture
The three types, and who each suits
- Smart meter display: a single always-on figure. Start here, because it costs nothing extra and Ofgem confirms it shows your daily use.
- Clamp-on monitors: total and per-circuit use for anyone serious about finding waste. Fitting means working near the consumer unit.
- Plug-in meters: measure one appliance with no wiring. Best for spot-checking suspects.
A note on US monitors such as the Emporia Vue
Some popular monitors target North American supplies. For example, Emporia's own shop describes its flexible sensors as designed for 'split phase 120/240V North American Homes or 240V single phase power'. We found no UK-specific Emporia Vue listing.
For that reason we no longer recommend the Emporia Vue for UK homes. It may still work electrically on some supplies. However, we cannot confirm UK availability, safety marking or support. Check the maker's guidance before you import any monitor, and read our monitor hub for the products we do cover.
Fitting and safety
Plug-in meters need no fitting. Clamp-on monitors, however, work at or near the consumer unit. We recommend a qualified electrician for that work unless you are competent to do it safely.
Check that any monitor suits a UK single-phase supply before you buy, because supplies differ. Shelly publishes a UK PSTI Act statement of compliance on its knowledge-base page for the EM Gen3. OWL asks you to confirm single-phase or three-phase supply first.
What savings look like
A monitor does not save energy on its own. It shows you where to act. We give no pounds-a-year savings figure, because it depends on your tariff and habits.
You can work out the cost yourself. Multiply kilowatt-hours by the unit rate on your bill. For example, a 100W device left on all year uses 876kWh (0.1kW multiplied by 8,760 hours).
Who it's for
- Households that want to find always-on waste
- Smart-home users automating on real power data
- Renters and quick-fixers who just need a plug-in meter
- Anyone whose supplier display is faulty (contact your supplier)
How we chose these picks
We compared manufacturers' published specifications with independent sources. We have not physically tested these products. Every figure here is therefore a published claim or a sum we show. Read the full method on how we choose.
Sources
- Get help with your smart meter (in-home display, free smart meter, faults) — Ofgem
- Shelly EM Gen3 knowledge base: channels, 110 to 240V supply, protocols, UK PSTI statement — Shelly Europe
- Energy monitors: single-phase and three-phase compatibility notes — OWL (theowl.com)
- Pair of 200A Flexible Sensors for Vue 3: 'designed for split phase 120/240V North American Homes' — Emporia Energy
Disclosure: We don't use affiliate or sponsored links and we don't run ads, so we earn nothing from the products we mention. Our picks are chosen on published specifications, not payments.