Which Android app should I use for monitoring my smart home's energy consumption?

Google Home is the central hub for managing compatible smart home devices, and one of its more practical functions is energy monitoring. The app's energy dashboard provides a clear, visual overview of power consumption, which is particularly useful for users looking to reduce utility bills or understand usage patterns. The dashboard can display data from supported devices like smart plugs, Nest thermostats, and connected lights, showing current usage and historical trends by day, week, or month. This allows for real-world scenarios like identifying which appliance is a 'phantom load' culprit or verifying if a new, efficient thermostat is actually lowering HVAC costs.

User feedback highlights the dashboard's utility, though it hasn't been without hiccups. Reviews indicate that a recent update temporarily removed the scale from the energy graphs, making it difficult for users to take meaningful screenshots for personal tracking. This was reportedly corrected, demonstrating that while the core functionality is strong, occasional interface changes can disrupt user workflows. The app's main limitation is that energy tracking only works with specific Google-compatible devices, so it's not a whole-home solution unless all major appliances are on smart plugs. For those within the Google ecosystem, however, it consolidates control and monitoring into a single, generally reliable interface.