I’m Gary, a homeowner on the Suffolk and Cambridgeshire border. I started SwitchedOnHome to share the real experience of making our UK home smarter and more energy efficient, while also managing a second home in Normandy.
I’m not presenting myself as an expert. I’m a curious homeowner who enjoys testing technology, understanding the numbers and working out whether a clever solution genuinely improves everyday life.
Why SwitchedOnHome exists
Product pages tell you what something should do. Short reviews tell you what it feels like on day one. I wanted a place that showed what happens after the installation team leaves and the novelty wears off.
That means publishing the wins, the mistakes, the unexpected costs, the awkward integrations and the data that only becomes useful after living with a system for months.
The homes behind the articles
Our UK setup includes a 7.6kW solar array, a Tesla Powerwall 3, a Mitsubishi Ecodan air source heat pump, two Peugeot electric cars and a Hypervolt Pro 3 charger. We use EDF for import, export and smart EV charging.
Home Assistant is becoming the central layer that connects energy, charging and household automations. Apple Home still handles much of the everyday control, alongside Philips Hue, Aqara, Meross and Eufy devices.
The network runs on UniFi equipment, with the UK and French homes connected through VPNs. That gives us plenty of real-world material across energy, networking, security, automation and remote-property management.
Our editorial standard
Every verdict must be based on something we genuinely use, have tested properly or have researched with enough care to explain honestly. We will say when something is excellent, but we will also say when it is expensive, awkward or simply unnecessary.
Real reviews. Real homes. Real advice.
Some pages contain affiliate or referral links. They may earn SwitchedOnHome a small commission at no additional cost to you. Those links never buy a positive verdict, and every commercial relationship will be disclosed clearly.
What you will find here
The site covers home energy, smart-home technology, EV ownership and charging, networking, Apple Home, Home Assistant and the financial decisions behind it all. The aim is always practical usefulness, whether you are considering your first smart device or refining a complex connected-home setup.