Everything on this page is something we genuinely use and rely on. These aren't random picks — they're the kit, services, and tools that actually power our home. Where referral links exist, we've included them because we believe in the products enough to put our names behind them. You'll never see anything here that we haven't used ourselves.

Energy

Octopus Energy (Intelligent Octopus Go tariff)
Our electricity supplier, chosen specifically for the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff. It offers cheap overnight rates (we pay 8p / kWh) and works well alongside solar, battery storage, and EV charging. It's saved us a a fair bit even in the couple of months we've had it so far (installed end of January 2026), and the app is intuitive and easy to use.

Tesla Powerwall 3
Paired with our solar panels, the Powerwall stores excess daytime generation (and cheap overnight electric) for evening, or overcast day usage. It's a fairly significant upfront cost, so it's worth weighing carefully against your own needs — but for us, the combination of self-consumption and backup power made it worthwhile (and we were lucky enough to get an interest free loan through Lendology).

Solar

16 × 475W Aiko Solar Panels (7.6kW System)
Installed by Contact Solar along with our Powerwall 3, our 7.6kW array covers the majority of our non-EV needs. On good days, we're generating more than we use (but haven't got an MPAN to be paid to export yet - more on that when it comes through). The real win is matching your system size to your roof space and energy usage rather than chasing brand names.

Heating

Mitsubishi Ecodan R32 Air Source Heat Pump
Our primary heating and hot water system. It's performed well across all seasons, even in colder months, and is efficient at part-load operation. We're currently exploring better control options via Home Assistant rather than relying on the Nest integration.

EV Charging

Hypervolt Pro 3
Our home EV charger, chosen after replacing a PodPoint 3 that had connectivity issues (despite having the PCB replaced - and being the other side of the wall from our router). The Hypervolt has been far more reliable for daily charging and integrates well with Home Assistant and Intelligent Octopus Go for smart scheduling.

Smart Home

Home Assistant
The hub that ties everything together. It's free, open source, and runs locally (for us on a Home Assistant Green standalone unit) — no reliance on cloud services. It connects our Tesla system, Octopus tariff, Hypervolt charger, and a growing list of sensors and devices. There's a learning curve, but it's the most capable smart home platform we've found.

Philips Hue Lights
Reliable colour-capable lighting throughout our UK and France homes. Not the cheapest option, but the integration support and reliability have been worth it for us. We're planning to expand into occupancy simulation and scene automations.

Meross Smart Plugs
Compact, responsive, and they give you real-time power monitoring. We use them to automate high-load appliances around cheap energy windows. They work well with both HomeKit and Home Assistant.

Aqara Temperature Sensors
Small Zigbee sensors scattered across rooms feeding into Home Assistant. Cheap, reliable, and the batteries last ages. We use them for granular climate monitoring.

Aqara Doorbell
Smart video doorbell with no monthly subscription. Local processing, decent video quality, and it integrates with both our Aqara ecosystem and Apple HomeKit.

Eufy Cameras
Deployed at both our UK and France properties. Local storage, no subscription, and they've been dependable in all weather conditions. Good picture quality and they respect your privacy.

Networking

Vodafone 1Gb FTTP with Ultra Hub (WiFi 7)
A fast, reliable connection is the foundation everything else sits on — Home Assistant, cameras, EV charger, streaming. We're on Vodafone's 1Gb full fibre with their WiFi 7 Ultra Hub. We tried their expanders but they didn't work well for our layout, so running the hub standalone for now. If you're building a smart home, sort your internet first.

Financial Tools

BA American Express Premium Plus
Our primary spending card for Avios collection. The points add up quickly on everyday purchases. Currently offering 31,000 bonus points when you sign up through our link (you need to spend £6,000 in the first 3 months).

Virgin Atlantic Reward+ Card
Our backup card for places that don't accept Amex, and another route to collect reward points. Currently offering 7,000 reward points when signing up through our referral (spend £3,000 in the first 3 months). Referral code: 92SPGIjRKBYaZORRmepx0Q==

Quidco
Our go-to cashback platform for online shopping, insurance, energy switches, and subscriptions. We check it before buying anything online — it's become second nature. Rates are competitive, payouts are reliable, and it adds up to meaningful savings over the year. Currently offering £20 for new sign-ups through our referral.

This page is a living document. As we test new devices and services, we'll update it with our real-world impressions. If you have questions about anything here, or recommendations for things we should try, we'd love to hear from you.