I donโt evangelize particularย tools orย accessories. I just donโt. A good productย 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 aboutย his first kiss. Hereโs the problem: SnapPower put out a product I canโt 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. Itโs a replacement switch plate that functions like aย standard plug-in night lightโexcept that thereโs no plugโฆand the receptacle plate cover IS the light.
The three LED lights are literally hardwired directly into the receptacle coverโwith two tabs that extend outward and draw power from the receptacle itself. โYouโll waste electricity!โ you sayโฆSnapPower thought of that too, which is why they integrated an intelligent light sensor that can tell when the lights go down and itโs time to crank up the LEDs. During the day, the lights stay off.
As fast as you can flip out a switch plate, installing these SnapRays Guidelights is just as fastโwhich is to say, you can flip them out in about a minute if youโre skilled (two or three minutes if youโre 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 threeย integrated LEDs shine directly down on the floorโright where you want the light. Itโs 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 thatย both outlets remain availableย since thereโs no plug being used for a night light.
Using and Testing the SnapRays Guidelights
About the only complaint on these SnapRays Guidelights could beย the cost. Still, at $15/each ($12/ea in quantities of 10 or more) theyย are hardly out of reach. Most consumers are going to be able to immediately see the uses ofย 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 arcingโindeed 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 inventionsย in the electrical market Iโve seen in the past 5 years. ย If youโre an electrician, you should have these on hand as an upsell for your clients. If youโre a homeowner, this is as close to a no-brainer as it gets.ย The nightlight is dead. Long live the SnapRays Guidelights!
