This is one of the first questions worth answering before you buy a home energy monitor, because the two common designs have completely different installation requirements.
Panel-mounted, whole-home monitors
Monitors like the Emporia Vue 3 or Aeotec Home Energy Meter 8 clip current transformer (CT) sensors directly onto the main power lines inside your electrical panel. That means opening a live panel — which involves working next to your home’s main power feed — and for most homeowners, that’s a job for a licensed electrician, both for safety and because many local codes require it for panel work. Expect to pay for an hour or two of electrician time on top of the device cost.
Clamp-on, no-panel-access monitors
Other monitors, like the Eyedro EYEFI-2, are designed specifically to avoid this: their sensors clamp around the two main power lines, but they still go inside the panel, so the manufacturer recommends a licensed electrician. The install itself is quick, but because it still means working in a live panel, an electrician is the safer call if you’re not experienced — that’s their main selling point over the panel-mounted alternatives.
How to tell which one you’re looking at
Check the product listing for words like “professional installation recommended,” “CT clamps inside your panel,” or specific mentions of opening your electrical panel — that’s your signal an electrician is involved. If it advertises “no electrician needed” or “DIY install in minutes,” it’s the clamp-on style. If you’re not comfortable working near a panel yourself (or your local code requires licensed work on panels regardless), factor the electrician’s fee into your total cost before comparing prices between models.