How to Use SmartThings to Control Your Coffee Maker with a Smartphone

If you’re like most coffee drinkers, waiting for your machine to brew while you’re half asleep—or forgetting to start it before you leave—is a daily frustration. What if your coffee maker could just know when you’re waking up? Or start on command from your phone? One writer tested exactly that.

Yes, you can use a smart home hub and outlet adapter to make your basic coffee machine turn on automatically—at sunrise, when you're nearby, or from your phone. But it’ll cost extra, and you’ll need the right setup.

Lauren Goode, a writer for Re/Code, set out to automate her coffee routine using smart home devices. Her goal: to have her coffee maker start without her lifting a finger—either at sunrise or via her smartphone. She tried two different smart home systems: SmartThings and Revolv, along with entry-level coffee makers and Wi-Fi-enabled outlets.

What You Actually Need: Hubs, Adapters, and Simple Coffee Machines

Smart home hubs like SmartThings and Revolv don’t work directly with most coffee machines. Instead, they connect to smart plugs or adapters plugged into the wall, which then power your coffee machine on and off. That means you need:

• A compatible smart home hub (SmartThings Hub or Revolv Hub)
• A smart plug or outlet adapter (like GE Jasco or Belkin WeMo)
• A simple coffee maker with just an on/off button—no built-in timers or digital controls

Why? Because smart hubs control electricity flow via the adapter. The coffee machine itself remains unchanged—it’s the outlet that’s “smart.”

Option 1: SmartThings – Cheaper, but Still Not Cheap

Lauren chose SmartThings first. Here’s her exact setup:

• SmartThings Hub: $99
• GE Jasco smart plug adapter: $52
• Basic Mr. Coffee machine: $17
• SmartThings mobile app (iOS/Android): Free

Total cost: around $168.

She connected the SmartThings Hub to her Wi-Fi router, plugged the GE Jasco adapter into a kitchen outlet, and then plugged the Mr. Coffee machine into the adapter. Through the SmartThings app, she renamed the adapter “auto coffee,” and set it to turn on at sunrise (around 7:09 a.m.) and off at 8:00 a.m. She loaded the coffee grounds before bed, and for three straight mornings, the machine started right on schedule at 7:09 a.m.

The app also let her manually turn the machine on or off from bed. Plus, SmartThings says you can add a motion sensor to start the coffee when you get out of bed—or even set time windows to prevent random late-night brews.

Option 2: Revolv – Pricier, With Bonus Music Sync

Next, Lauren tested Revolv, a more expensive system ($299 for the hub), which connects over Wi-Fi rather than through a home network cable. Her setup included:

• Revolv Hub: $299
• Belkin WeMo smart plug: $50
• Faberware coffee maker: $50

Total: $399.

She swapped out the Mr. Coffee and GE Jasco combo for the Faberware coffee maker and Belkin WeMo adapter. The Revolv system required installing two apps: one for the WeMo adapter, and the Revolv app itself. In the WeMo app, she scheduled the coffee to start at sunrise and pre-loaded the machine with grounds. The Revolv app was simpler to use overall.

Here’s the cool part: Revolv automatically detected a connected Sonos music player, so she programmed it to start playing music at the same time as the coffee brew. The next morning, the coffee machine turned on at 7:09 a.m., and her Sonos speakers started playing music simultaneously.

So, Does It Work?

Yes. Both SmartThings and Revolv successfully automated her coffee machine. The coffee maker turned on at the scheduled time, and she could control it remotely via smartphone. But there are caveats:

• It’s significantly more expensive than using a basic coffee timer
• You need compatible components (hub + adapter + simple coffee machine)
• Revolv only works with iOS devices
• The coffee maker itself must be a dumb, on/off model

SmartThings offers more flexibility with sensors and time controls. Revolv adds extras like music sync—but at a much higher price.

Frequently Asked Questions

What kind of coffee machine works with SmartThings or Revolv?

You need a basic coffee machine with just an on/off switch—no digital display, no built-in timer. Smart home systems control the power outlet, not the machine itself, so the coffee maker remains unchanged.

Do I need a special hub for smart coffee brewing?

Yes. You’ll need a hub like SmartThings Hub ($99) or Revolv Hub ($299), plus a smart plug adapter like GE Jasco ($52) or Belkin WeMo ($50). These let you control the coffee machine’s power via smartphone or automation schedules.

Can I set my coffee to start at sunrise?

Yes. Lauren set both her SmartThings and Revolv systems to start the coffee maker at around 7:09 a.m., the approximate sunrise time, and it worked consistently for multiple mornings.

Can I control the coffee maker with my phone?

Yes. Both systems allow you to turn the coffee maker on or off remotely using their respective mobile apps. You can also start brewing from bed if you wake up early.

Does Revolv work with Android?

No. Revolv currently only supports iOS devices, which limits its usability for Android users. SmartThings supports both iOS and Android.

Is this cheaper than using a regular coffee timer?

Not really. A basic programmable coffee timer is much cheaper. Smart home solutions are more flexible and high-tech, but cost significantly more unless you specifically want features like remote control or music syncing.

Recommended FrontStreet Beans for Smartphone-Brewed Coffee

For your automatically brewed morning cup, try FrontStreet Coffee’s Classic Blend—a balanced mix of Brazilian and Ethiopian beans offering sweet chocolate and citrus notes—or the Yirgacheffe single origin for vibrant berry and floral tones. Both shine when brewed fresh, especially when your smart plug kicks on the machine at sunrise. Freshly roasted within 5 days · Orders placed before 17:00 ship the same day · Next-day delivery across most of Guangdong Province.