Save energy with HotBot™

The award-winning smart geyser
controller fixing loadshedding one
home at a time.

Save energy
with HotBot™

The award-winning smart geyser controller fixing loadshedding one home at a time.

Meet HotBot, a small smart energy device fused with artificial intelligence, that connects to any existing geyser, and allows you to control it from anywhere on your phone. It intelligently turns your geyser on and off, making it operate far more efficiently.

Together with all other HotBots, we can fix loadshedding by shifting electricity usage out of peak times to better balance the demand on our electricity grids.

See pricing

Your geyser needs an upgrade

Geysers are responsible for
40 – 60% of your electricity
bill

Electricity prices have
increased 5x in the past
10 years

A typical geyser bursts every
5 – 10 years due to undetected issues

Traditional geyser timers
work in isolation and can
contribute to loadshedding

We created HotBot so
everyone could save

Here at Plentify we don’t like loadshedding or cold showers either. So we created HotBot to do a better job at saving energy than we could. By intelligently controlling your geyser, HotBot’s powerful AI shifts electricity demand away from peak times, when the South African electricity grid struggles the most. In 2021, 75K HotBots would have eliminated 80% of load shedding in Cape Town!

We’ve got HotBot at work in our own homes too, so we go out of our way to make sure HotBot is working optimally. HotBot adapts to make the most efficient use of available energy. This means you’ll have hot water when you want it and save energy when you don’t.

Get HotBot now

Let’s do it

Small, smart steps lighten the energy load for everyone

Take a load off with Loadshedding Aware™

No need to lift a finger – HotBot pro-actively heats water in anticipation of loadshedding. It prioritises when you want hot water while still working out the best time to save.

Only pay for the hot
water you use

HotBot helps you save up to 30% energy heating water and syncs up with other HotBots in your area to create the most efficient heating schedule. You save, and so does everyone else.

No more guessing

Set when you want hot water – not when you want your geyser on – and HotBot works out the best time to save. A powerful intelligence engine at your fingertips gives you full control over your geyser.

Be in the know

Most geysers stay warm even when they’re not heating. Take advantage with live temperature updates.

Stay flexible

Even a good routine needs some room for unexpected plot twists. Override the schedule at any time or use vacation mode when you’re away.

Never worry about
leaks again

Get notified in real time if anything goes wrong. HotBot’s smart sensors detect leaks and monitor your geyser’s efficiency. With the added protection of HotBot Plus, a shut-off valve automatically closes water supply to your geyser when it detects a leak.

Be smart like HotBot

Not only does HotBot’s intelligence engine learn and adapt to your hot water shedule, it helps you form better energy habits. Get insights on how to save more and reduce your impact on the grid.

Get HotBot

Get rewarded with HotBot™ savings

Get HotBot now

Because HotBot helps you achieve your energy saving goals each month, you can save up to 30% on your water heating costs and fully fund your HotBot subscription. That’s the equivalent of 200 – 300 free showers a year!

Get rewarded with HotBot™ savings

Because HotBot helps you achieve your energy savings goals each month, you can save up to 30% on your water heating costs and fully fund your HotBot subscription. That’s the equivalent of 200 – 300 free showers a year!

Subscription

Save with a monthly HotBot™ subscription

Saving is easier from the start with a low upfront investment. That way, HotBot pays for itself in monthly electricity savings. Read the SHoWA agreement.

What’s included:

HotBot installation by an accredited technician
Premium electricity savings
Monthly insights reports to help you save even more
Full app access
Regular updates and feature releases based on user feedback
Ongoing warranty, maintenance and service

HotBot™

STANDARD

R99

Monthly
(fees apply if you cancel within 24 months)

HotBot Standard installation + access to the app + ongoing warranty, maintenance and service.

+ R200 once-off activation fee

HotBot™

PLUS

R99

Monthly
(fees apply if you cancel within 24 months)

Upgrade for more protection with a shut-off valve. Automatically close water supply to your geyser if HotBot detects a leak, preventing a burst from damaging your home.

+ R1,500 once-off activation fee

Once-off

Not a fan of subscriptions?HotBot™ can still be yours.

Tick HotBot off your budget once-off and go full throttle on future savings. Read the SHoWA agreement.

What’s included:

HotBot installation by an accredited technician
Premium electricity savings
Monthly insights reports to help you save even more
Full app access
Regular updates and feature releases based on user feedback
5 year warranty, maintenance and service

HotBot™

ONCE-OFF

R5,399

Billed once-off

HotBot Standard installation + 5 year warranty, maintenance and service.

HotBot™

ONCE-OFF PLUS

R6,399

Billed once-off

Upgrade for more protection with a shut-off valve. Automatically close water supply to your geyser if HotBot detects a leak, preventing a burst from damaging your home. Includes 5 years warranty, maintenance and service.

Choose your plan

Subscription
Once-off

HotBot™

STANDARD

R99

Monthly
(fees apply if you cancel within 24 months)

HotBot Standard installation + access to the app + ongoing warranty, maintenance and service.

+ R200 once-off activation fee

Save with a monthly HotBot™ subscription

Saving is easier from the start with a low upfront investment. That way, HotBot pays for itself in monthly electricity savings. Read the SHoWA agreement.

What’s included:

HotBot installation by an accredited technician
Premium electricity savings
Monthly insights reports to help you save even more
Full app access
Regular updates and feature releases based on user feedback
Ongoing warranty, maintenance and service

HotBot™

PLUS

R99

Monthly
(fees apply if you cancel within 24 months)

Upgrade for more protection with a shut-off valve. Automatically close water supply to your geyser if HotBot detects a leak, preventing a burst from damaging your home.

+ R1,500 once-off activation fee

HotBot™

ONCE-OFF

R5,399

Billed once-off

HotBot Standard installation + 5 year warranty, maintenance and service.

Not a fan of subscriptions?HotBot™ can still be yours.

Tick HotBot off your budget once-off and go full throttle on future savings. Read the SHoWA agreement.

What’s included:

HotBot installation by an accredited technician
Premium electricity savings
Monthly insights reports to help you save even more
Full app access
Regular updates and feature releases based on user feedback
5 year warranty, maintenance and service

HotBot™

ONCE-OFF PLUS

R6,399

Billed once-off

Upgrade for more protection with a shut-off valve. Automatically close water supply to your geyser if HotBot detects a leak, preventing a burst from damaging your home. Includes 5 years warranty, maintenance and service.

How it works

Install

Once subscribed, you will receive an email with a personalised link to pick a convenient time, as close as 3 days away, for an accredited plumber to install your HotBot.

Personalise

Good energy habits need a good routine. Set your hot water schedule so HotBot can get to work. But you can override the schedule at any time for those unexpected plot twists or use vacation mode when you’re away.

Save

Track your savings in the app and see the effects of your hot water use in real time. Each month you’ll see your progress so you can discover even more ways to save.

Spend less. Save more.

With HotBot there are no hidden or unexpected costs. Spend less and save more than you would without a geyser controller, or even with a traditional timer. It’s kind of a no-brainer.

Spend less.
Save more.

With HotBot there are no hidden or unexpected costs. Spend less and save more than you would without a geyser controller, or even with a traditional timer. It’s kind of a no-brainer.

Compare HotBot to geyser timers

Geyser timers vs HotBot™

Smart savings
Track savings in real-time
Save even when you’re on vacation
Get personalised insights and tips to save more
Intuitive control
Control your geyser from anywhere
AI-optimised hot water schedule
Check your hot water temperature in real-time
Easily change setpoint temperature
Real-time protection
Detect leaks, broken thermostat, elements and more
Monitor performance of your geyser
Get alerted when things go wrong

Offered by a limited set of internet-connected timer models

Compare HotBot to geyser timers

HotBot™
Geyser timers

HotBot™

Smart savings
Track savings in real-time
Save even when you’re on vacation
Get personalised insights and tips to save more
Intuitive control
Control your geyser from anywhere
AI-optimised hot water schedule
Check your hot water temperature in real-time
Easily change setpoint temperature
Real-time protection
Detect leaks, broken thermostat, elements and more
Monitor performance of your geyser
Get alerted when things go wrong

Geyser timers

Smart savings
Track savings in real-time
Save even when you’re on vacation
Get personalised insights and tips to save more
Intuitive control
Control your geyser from anywhere
AI-optimised hot water schedule
Check your hot water temperature in real-time
Easily change setpoint temperature
Real-time protection
Detect leaks, broken thermostat, elements and more
Monitor performance of your geyser
Get alerted when things go wrong

Offered by a limited set of internet-connected timer models

Get HotBot

Control your geyser from anywhere

Control your geyser from anywhere

Users who love HotBot™

'I love being able to track my usage through the app. HotBot makes it easy to stick to my budget.'

Daniel

'At first I was scared to use an app to control my geyser. But it is so simple and it just works!'

Alice

'Life is busy with a hectic job and three kids. With HotBot I think about water heating about as much as I want to - which is never!'

Lunghile

'I'm used to consuming between 35 & 40 units of electricity per day in the cooler months, and since HotBot has been installed, I'm averaging 28 units per day 🙂 This is one happy customer.'

Peter

'I no longer have to worry about cold showers when I forget to turn my geyser back on at the distribution board! HotBot automatically takes care of that for me now.'

Liz

Is HotBot™ right for me?

Get HotBot now

HotBot for medium to high usage households

If you spend more than R1,000 per month on electricity, and 3 or more people use the connected geyser you will benefit the most from HotBot savings.

HotBot for small households

If you only use a small amount of hot water, HotBot savings might be slight – but it will still provide powerful control and protection of your geyser. Detecting a leak in time can save you from wasting electricity and from damage to your home.

Get HotBot now

Commonly asked questions

Which geysers is HotBot compatible with?Plentify Team2022-08-15T08:34:56+02:00

Which geysers is HotBot compatible with?

HotBot is compatible with all electric geysers and solar geysers where the tank is on the roof (thermosyphon systems). It is not intended for gas, pumped solar thermal (where the tank is typically inside), low-pressure / push-through (typically seen in RDP houses), or heat pump geysers.

The geyser must be accessible to a technician for installation. In order for leak detection and the optional shut-off valve to work, you must have a drip tray and your geyser must be installed inside.

What should I do if I have a timer on my geyser?Plentify Team2022-08-15T08:34:46+02:00

What should I do if I have a timer on my geyser?

Make sure to remove or bypass any timers or other geyser controllers, and rather manage your hot water through the app at my.plentify.io.

How does my HotBot help fix loadshedding and enable more solar?Plentify Team2022-08-15T08:34:19+02:00

How does my HotBot help fix loadshedding and enable more solar?

Demand for electricity is not flat, rather it peaks in the mornings and the evenings. Our electricity grid struggles the most during these peak periods, when available electricity supply often falls short of demand and Eskom burns a lot of diesel to try to keep the lights on. Often they simply can’t keep up, or need to save the diesel to serve other times of the day – leading to loadshedding

Solar by itself is not the answer as it produces most energy during the middle of the day, and does very little to address our peak problem.

HotBot solves both of these problems. Your HotBot can coordinate with all other HotBots to intelligently shift energy demand away from times when Eskom is burning diesel or we’re at greatest risk of loadshedding, and towards times when more solar energy is available – while making sure that you have hot water when you want it.

How does installation work?Plentify Team2022-05-17T17:48:57+02:00

How does installation work?

After you subscribe for HotBot you will receive a link to book a convenient installation time. Our partners at TOD will send a HotBot-accredited technician to do the rest.

Where is HotBot installed?Plentify Team2022-07-05T17:26:46+02:00

Where is HotBot installed?

HotBot is a small Internet of Things device (17cm x 15xm x 6cm) that is installed adjacent to your existing geyser. The power to your geyser is run through HotBot, and it has several sensors which attach to your hot water system.

What if my hot water system is non-compliant with regulations?Plentify Team2022-07-05T17:27:26+02:00

What if my hot water system is non-compliant with regulations?

HotBot still works with geysers despite most non-compliance issues. Depending on the nature of the non-compliance, certain features may not work. For example, some hot water systems allow valves to drain into the drip tray instead of being directed outside with a pipe – in these cases it is not possible to distinguish between this and leaks. Our technicians will notify you of any compliance or other issues that they find with your geyser, and can assist in rectifying at your cost.

What happens after I subscribe for a HotBot through this website?Plentify Team2022-05-17T17:48:58+02:00

What happens after I subscribe for a HotBot through this website?

After you checkout, you will receive an email with a personalised link to book your installation. You simply select a convenient date and time for the installation, and our accredited plumbers will arrive with the device and install it for you. Once HotBot is installed you can register on our Plentify app and start saving! You will be charged the subscription fee each month, starting 1 month after you have ordered your HotBot.

Will I have hot water when I need it?Plentify Team2022-05-18T11:06:46+02:00

Will I have hot water when I need it?

Definitely! HotBot is designed to ensure that you have hot water when you need it and save you money when you don’t. The system pre-heats your hot water so you always have hot water at scheduled times. If you forgot to schedule a time, you can always manually override in the app to start heating your water immediately.

How much will I save?Plentify Team2022-07-05T17:28:29+02:00

How much will I save?

Our users save up to 30% of their water heating costs compared to leaving geysers on 24/7, with most saving 15-20%, and some less. This is about double the savings you can expect with a simple timer or by manually switching your geyser at the distribution board. Actual savings depends on many factors – most notably how well insulated your hot water system is, and how much hot water you use relative to your tank size.

Is there an app for my phone or tablet?Plentify Team2022-07-05T17:28:42+02:00

Is there an app for my phone or tablet?

You can manage your geyser from any device using the web app at my.plentify.io.

Can I cancel? What if I move house?Plentify Team2022-05-19T11:17:53+02:00

Can I cancel? What if I move house?

The initial subscription term is 24 months from installation. Thereafter, the service continues on a month to month basis, and you can cancel anytime with 1 month notice.

If you want to cancel within the initial 24 month term, you will be liable for a R1,700 cancellation fee, to cover the cost of installation, removal and refurbishment. If you move house within this period, you can also either have us relocate your HotBot (for a fee to be quoted at the time), or have the new residents take over your contract (in which case the cancellation fee will be waived).

Should I turn my geyser on and off at the distribution board?Plentify Team2022-07-05T17:29:00+02:00

Should I turn my geyser on and off at the distribution board?

Avoid switching your geyser on and off at the distribution board. This can reduce energy savings and prevent leaks and other issues from being detected. Instead, manage your geyser from the app at my.plentify.io.

What should I do when I leave town?Plentify Team2022-05-17T17:49:00+02:00

What should I do when I leave town?

Set your HotBot to vacation mode to save money and energy when you’re away from home. Do this from the “Status” tab of the app.

How will I be notified if there is an issue with my geyser?Plentify Team2022-07-05T17:29:16+02:00

How will I be notified if there is an issue with my geyser?

You’ll receive an SMS letting you know if we’ve identified any issues or suspected leaks with your geyser. If you purchased the optional shut-off valve, your water supply will automatically be shut off, and you can reopen it from the app at my.plentify.io.

Need help?

Get in touch

Will you join the movement?

Plentify’s efforts have earned the recognition, trust, and support of several leading global organisations. Join us in creating the energy system that the world needs.

Save energy with HotBot™