I don’t evangelize particular tools or accessories. I just don’t. A good product will excite me, but it rarely gets me telling everyone I know about it in a way that makes me come across like a giddy schoolboy telling his buddies about his first kiss. Here’s the problem: SnapPower put out a product I can’t ignore. In fact, this review happened because I was so caught off guard by the idea that I immediately contacted the company and requested some product samples. The product is the SnapRays Guidelight. It’s a replacement switch plate that functions like a standard plug-in night light—except that there’s no plug…and the receptacle plate cover IS the light.
The three LED lights are literally hardwired right into the receptacle cover—with two tabs that extend out and take power from the receptacle itself. “You’ll waste electricity!” you say…SnapPower thought of that too, which is why they integrated a smart light sensor that can tell when the lights go down and it’s time to crank up the LEDs. During the day the lights stay off.
As fast as you can flip out a switch plate is as fast as these SnapRays Guidelights install—which is to say, you can flip them out in about a minute if you’re good (two or three if you’re not). There are no wires. No batteries. It just works. The SnapRays Guidelights come in two style variations (Regular and the rectangular Decorator style) as well as three colors (White, Ivory, and Almond). The three integrated LEDs shine directly down on the floor—right where you want the light. It’s much more efficient and useful than night lights that illuminate much more than just the walking path. Another fringe benefit of the SnapRays Guidelights is that both outlets remain available since there’s no plug being used for a night light.
Using and Testing the SnapRays Guidelights
[pullquote]The nightlight is dead. Long live the SnapRays Guidelights![/pullquote]
About the only complaint on these SnapRays Guidelights could be the cost. Still, at $15/each ($12/ea in quantities of 10 or more) they are hardly out of reach. Most consumers are going to be able to immediately see the uses of a 5-pack, if only for bathrooms and hallways. If, however, you begin to consider kids rooms, your kitchen, and other areas of the house, you may quickly justify picking up a 10-pack. For us, the SnapRays Guidelights installed quite easily. Unscrewing the center screw on a standard outlet in a hallway, I replaced the cover with the Guidelight, positioning it in place and marveling at the ease with which it slipped into position. There was no snap, no arcing—indeed nothing to indicate that the system was the least bit susceptible to anything out of the ordinary.
Conclusion
So far the SnapRays Guidelights are working exactly as I imagined. They are consistent, cast an excellent downward glow on the area surrounding the outlet, and present themselves as one of the most ingenious inventions in the electrical market I’ve seen in the past 5 years. If you’re an electrician you should have these on-hand as an upsell for your clients. If you’re a homeowner, this is as close to a no-brainer as you can get. The nightlight is dead. Long live the SnapRays Guidelights!
