What is the Octopus Home Mini?
The Octopus Home Mini is Octopus Energy’s own in-house gadget, designed and built by their hardware team. It is small enough to sit in your palm, made from recycled ocean plastic, and it only comes in Octopus pink. There is no screen and there are no buttons. It just plugs into a standard socket and quietly does its job.
Think of it as Octopus’s answer to the traditional in-home display, the little screen that usually comes with a smart meter. Instead of showing your usage on a separate screen, the Home Mini sends your data to your phone, where the Octopus app does the rest.
One thing to be honest about: Octopus released the Home Mini in beta. It works well for most people and the company is now sending out tens of thousands a month, but it is still a product they iterate on, so the odd hiccup is possible.
How does the Octopus Home Mini work?
The chain is simpler than it sounds. The Home Mini talks to your smart meter over your home area network (the same short-range Zigbee link your in-home display uses). It then connects to your home Wi-Fi and streams the readings up to Kraken, Octopus’s cloud platform. You view everything back in the Octopus app.
Electricity updates fast, roughly every 10 seconds, and you can watch it in a Live view in the app. Gas updates much less often, usually around every half hour, which is normal for how gas meters report. You will need a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network for it to connect, as the Home Mini does not work on 5GHz.
What can you actually do with it?
The point of the Home Mini is visibility. Once it is running, you can see your energy use in near real time and start to spot patterns you would otherwise miss.
The most useful trick is finding the appliances that quietly cost you money. Switch something on, watch the number jump, and you quickly learn which devices are the expensive ones. For people on a smart tariff, the app can also show real-time cost, not just usage.
If you have solar panels or a home battery, the Home Mini can track what you are exporting in real time too, which is genuinely handy for timing your usage around your own generation. Worth a small caveat here: a few smart meter brands do not support live export data, so this part does not work for everyone. If exporting matters to you, it is worth checking your meter before getting your hopes up.
There is a quieter bonus as well. Because the Home Mini sits on your home area network, it can sometimes help a struggling meter stay connected, acting a little like a range extender for a gas meter that keeps dropping off.
Octopus Home Mini vs the in-home display
If you already have a smart meter, you probably have an in-home display too, the small screen that came with it. So is the Home Mini just a replacement, or something different? It is a bit of both.
The in-home display is a self-contained screen. It sits on a worktop, shows your current usage and cost at a glance, and it does not need Wi-Fi or your phone to work. That is its real strength. Anyone in the house can look at it, and it keeps working even when your broadband does not. Some people genuinely prefer it for that reason, and it is worth keeping yours if you like it.
The Home Mini takes a different route. It has no screen of its own. Instead it sends your live smart data (updated every 10 seconds for electricity, and every 30 minutes for gas) to the Octopus app, so you can check your usage from your phone anywhere, not just from the corner of the kitchen. The app gives you more than a single live number: you get a rolling history, half-hourly views across the day, and (for solar and battery owners) export tracking. Octopus also exposes Home Mini data through its API, so the more technical can pull it into tools like Home Assistant. That is where the Home Mini pulls ahead.
Who’s eligible (smart meter compatibility)
Octopus Home Mini eligibility comes down to two things: you must be an Octopus customer, and have an eligible smart meter.
You need either a second-generation SMETS2 meter, or a first-generation SMETS1 meter made by Secure (it literally says “Secure” on the front). Other first-generation SMETS1 meters generally cannot be enrolled, and the Home Mini will not work with them. If you have no smart meter at all, you would need one installed first. Octopus fits SMETS2 meters, but appointments can take time to come round.
| Meter type | Works with Home Mini? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| SMETS2 (second generation) | Yes | The standard case. Stays smart even if you switch supplier. |
| Secure branded SMETS1 | Yes | Says “Secure” on the front. Octopus can connect to it. |
| Other SMETS1 brands | No | Loses smart function after switching, so the Home Mini cannot connect. Octopus usually replaces these with a SMETS2 at no cost. |
| No smart meter | No | You would need a SMETS2 installed first, which can take time to book. |
You will also need a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network. Compatibility can change as Octopus enrols more meter types, so as of June 2026, check current compatibility with Octopus before relying on it.
How to get a Home Mini if you’re already an Octopus customer
If you are already with Octopus, getting a Home Mini is straightforward. Check first that you have a compatible smart meter (a SMETS2, or a Secure SMETS1), as that is the part that decides whether it will work. Then register your interest directly on Octopus’s own page: request a Home Mini on the Octopus website.
Because demand is high, you may join a waitlist rather than getting one straight away. Octopus also tends to offer a Home Mini whenever they install a new smart meter, so if you are due an upgrade, you may be offered one without having to ask. Once it arrives, you set it up in the Octopus app in a few minutes.
How to get a Home Mini if you’re not with Octopus Energy yet
Octo Home Mini’s are only available for existing Octopus Energy customers. If you are not on supply, you will need to switch to Octopus Energy first:
- Switch to Octopus. Octopus handles the move from your old supplier for you. There is no interruption to your supply, no engineer needed (unless a meter is being installed), and switches usually complete within a few working days.
- Choose the right tariff for your home. This matters more than the gadget, so it is worth getting right. You can find the right Octopus tariff for you before you commit to a switch.
- Request the Home Mini in the app. Once you have joined, you can register your interest for a Home Mini through the Octopus website. Demand is high, so there is often a waitlist, and Octopus increasingly offers one whenever a new smart meter is installed.
Want to switch to Octopus Energy? Use our referral link below to get £50 credit when you switch.
Switch to Octopus and claim your £50 credit
Is the Octo Home Mini really free, and what’s the catch?
Yes, the Home Mini is free to eligible Octopus customers. There is no separate charge for the device, no hidden subscription, and your account works exactly like any other Octopus customer’s. The only real conditions are the ones above: you have to be a customer, you need a compatible smart meter, and you may have to wait if there is a queue.
The switch link on this page is a referral link. If you use it, you get your £50 credit, and the owner of this site also receives credit. It costs you nothing extra, and you get exactly the same deal you would get from any other valid referral link. That is simply how the Octopus refer-a-friend scheme works. One thing to know: the credit only tracks if you sign up through a referral link directly, not via a price comparison site.
Other reasons Octopus is worth switching for
The Home Mini is a nice extra, but it is not the only reason to switch. The bigger wins come from the tariffs and the reward schemes, and the device just makes them easier to use.
A few other benefits worth a look: Octoplus rewards for everyday perks and points, Octopus Free Electricity sessions where you can use power for nothing during certain windows, and Octopus Saving Sessions that pay you to shift usage away from peak times. Each is worth reading on its own.
FAQ
Is the Octopus Home Mini free?
Yes. It is free to eligible Octopus customers, with no separate charge and no subscription. You do need to be an Octopus customer and have a compatible smart meter, and there is often a waitlist because demand is high.
Can I get an Octopus Home Mini if I’m not an Octopus customer?
No. The Home Mini is exclusive to Octopus Energy customers and is not sold separately. The way to get one as a non-customer is to switch to Octopus first, then request it in the app. Switching through a referral link also earns you £50 credit (as of June 2026, subject to change).
Which smart meters work with the Octopus Home Mini?
A second-generation SMETS2 meter, or a first-generation SMETS1 meter made by Secure. Other SMETS1 meters cannot usually be connected and lose their smart functions, so the Home Mini will not work with them. Compatibility can change, so check current details with Octopus.
Do I need a smart meter to use the Home Mini?
Yes. The Home Mini reads data straight from your smart meter, so it cannot work without one. If you do not have a smart meter, you would need a compatible one (a SMETS2) installed first, which can take some time to arrange.
How do I set up the Octopus Home Mini?
Plug it into a socket within a few metres of your smart meter, make sure your phone is on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi with Bluetooth on, then scan the QR code on the device (or in the setup booklet) and follow the steps in the Octopus app. Live data can take around 30 to 60 minutes to appear.
Does the Home Mini work with solar panels and show export?
For most people, yes. It can show what your home exports in real time, which is useful for solar and battery owners. A few smart meter brands do not support live export data, so this does not work in every home. It is worth checking your meter if export tracking is the main thing you want.
Is there a waitlist for the Octopus Home Mini?
Often, yes. Demand has been high and Octopus sends out tens of thousands a month, so you may join a waitlist after registering interest in the app. Octopus has increasingly offered a Home Mini whenever a new smart meter is installed.
Does the Home Mini replace my in-home display?
It is Octopus’s alternative to the traditional in-home display. Instead of a separate screen, it sends your usage to the Octopus app on your phone. Some people prefer having both, a glanceable screen and the app, but the Home Mini is designed to do the same core job without the screen.
Will switching to Octopus interrupt my energy supply?
No. Switching supplier does not interrupt your gas or electricity. Octopus handles the move from your old supplier, no engineer is needed unless a meter is being installed, and the changeover usually completes within a few working days.
Does the Home Mini work if I leave Octopus?
No. The Home Mini is tied to your Octopus account and the Octopus app, so it only works while you are an Octopus customer. It is not a device you can take to another supplier.