How to: Configure the Philips Hue Smart Plug. Philips hue Smart plug

How to: Configure the Philips Hue Smart Plug

The Philips hue Smart plug is a Smart plug with which you can make other, non-Philips Hue lamps Smart. After connecting a regular lamp with the Philips Hue Smart plug, you can operate it just like any other lighting with the Hue app. You can connect the Smart plug to the Philips Hue bridge, but it also has Bluetooth support. This means that a bridge is not necessary. With the Smart plug, you can place any simple lamp, or other accessories, in the Philips Hue system and get even more out of your lighting at home.

Philips Hue Smart Plug Specifications

The Philips Hue Smart plug is small in size and can be placed discreetly between the socket and the lamp. Measuring 5.1 x 5.1 x 8.4 cm, the plug is small enough to be placed anywhere. As the plug is equipped with an earth connection (type F), it can be used everywhere in many European countries. The Smart plug is only available in white.

Setup the Smart Plug

Once the Smart plug is found, it will be added to your list of bulbs. You can then give a name to your Smart plug.

Control Philips Hue Smart plug

After installing the Smart plug, you can operate the connected lamp just as easily as your other hue Smart lamps. Once connected to a bridge, you have lots of functions. You can even use timers and routines. However, dimming the connected lamp is not possible with the Smart plug. If you connect the Smart plug to an Apple home kit, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa, voice control is also possible. In addition to the Smart operation, there is also a physical button on the housing. You can also use this to switch the connected lamp on and off.

Control with another Hue accessory

You can control Philips Hue lighting with the app or an accessory, such as the dimmer switch. This also applies to the Philips hue Smart plug. Once the Smart plug is connected to a hue bridge and when configured, you can connect the Smart plug to another accessory. Combinations with other Philips Hue lamps are also possible. The Smart plug only works as an on/off switch. It is therefore not possible to control the brightness of the connected lamp. A nice and simple addition to make non-Smart lamps Smart. The last really cool use-case is to connect it with other products that are not Smart at all. One of my colleagues connected it to the electric bathroom ventilation that only has an on/off button in the attic. Now, in combination with a Hue Button, he was able to turn it on and off from within the bathroom.

I hope you enjoyed this how to guide. If you have any problems setting up your Philips Hue Smart plug or just want to say something nice, please leave a comment! For other how to guides click here.

Philips Hue Smart Plug review: discreet and functional

If you already use Philips Hue and want to transform your lamps into Smart lights, the Philips Hue Smart Plug will be the perfect fit. It works seamlessly with all of your other Smart devices too. Having said that, for those who don’t already own a Hue bridge there are better cheaper options out there.

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If you’re looking to expand your Smart home and you already use Philips Hue, this Philips Hue Smart Plug review is the right place to be.

The best Smart plugs give you an easy way to make any wired device Smart, they’re a simple piece of kit that you control using your smartphone to switch your tech on or off. Often they’ll be best used for lamps, but some can be used with absolutely anything around your home, including fans or heaters.

Designed to transform traditional lamps into Smart lights, the Philips Hue Smart Plug works with the Philips Hue bridge or through Bluetooth.

Philips Hue Smart Plug review: price and features

The Philips Hue Smart Plug is available now from a number of retailers including Amazon. It’s far from being the cheapest Smart plug out there, it’ll set you back 29.98 in the US, £26.57 in the UK and AU63 in Australia. Take a look at the price widgets in this review for live, up-to-date pricing.

You can connect to it either using Zigbee through your Hue bridge or with Bluetooth. Meant for lamps and lights, the Philips Hue Smart Plug can be controlled by voice, it’s compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit as well.

Philips Hue Smart Plug review: design and setup

A simple white cube with a small button on the top to control it manually, the Philips Hue Smart Plug looks discreet. It’s not a big, bulky device like some other plugs you can buy. The UK version measures 6.4 x 6 x 6cm so you’re unlikely to have problems fitting it into tight spots. It has a max output of 2,860W and a supply voltage of 220- 240. Philips recommend only using this with lamps.

Setting up the plug is a very easy process that takes a matter of minutes. If you already own a Hue bridge, you just select Accessory Setup from the Hue app and plug it into a power source, after which it’ll appear on your list of devices. You can then add it to a room and to your routines. If you use HomeKit and have the Philips bridge already set up, the Philips Hue Smart Plug should automatically sync up with the Home app.

I tested this Smart plug out using a Philips Hue bridge but if you don’t have one, you can set it up using Bluetooth. To do so You’ll need to download the Philips Hue Bluetooth app and follow the instructions to set it up. When using Bluetooth connectivity you will get fewer functionalities: it won’t have HomeKit support nor will you be able to hook it up to other Smart devices, and you won’t be able to control the plug when you’re away from home either.

Philips Hue Smart Plug review: performance

From the Philips Hue app, you can toggle the plug on or off. By assigning the Philips Hue Smart Plug to a room, you’ll be able to switch it on or off simultaneously with the other connected devices in there. You’ll also be able to add it to your routines to automate the plug like if you wanted your lamp to turn on every day at 7 am to wake you up, you can easily set it to do so. Similarly, with Apple HomeKit, you can set up routines and manage the plug directly from the Home app.

As long as you’re using the Philips Hue Smart Plug with the Hue bridge, you can also set it to be triggered by other Smart devices that use IFTTT applets like a motion sensor or security camera.

Speedy and consistent are the two words I’d use to sum up the performance of the Philips Hue Smart Plug. I had no issues whatsoever with setting it up, using it manually or creating routines.

Philips Hue Smart Plug review: verdict

If you already use Philips Hue at home and are looking to expand your setup and transform your standard lamps into Smart lights, then you won’t get better than the Philips Hue Smart Plug. Philips designed this plug for use with lights only, so perhaps look elsewhere if that’s not what you plan to use this plug for.

Naturally, it works seamlessly with the Hue app, and having HomeKit support is a massive bonus as well. The only major downside is the price, you can get more sophisticated plugs for less money which is why I wouldn’t recommend it if you don’t already use Hue. But if you do, then the Philips Hue Smart Plug is consistent, speedy and discreet.

Philips Hue Smart Plug review: also consider

If you don’t already have the Philips Hue bridge, then consider the TP-Link Kasa Mini KP105 which is a cheaper plug that connects to your phone or tablet using Wi-Fi. The TP-Link Kasa app is polished and intuitive, and the brand has a wide range of Smart devices you can add to it including bulbs, light strips and security cameras. It’ll also let you monitor your energy usage which is always a handy feature to have.

For a cheaper Smart plug to hook up with Philips Hue, consider the Innr SP222 Smart Plug which costs a fraction of the price but can still be used alongside the Hue bridge.

Philips Hue Smart Plug review

Philips Hue has been around for a fair amount of time now with its Smart lighting products, and they do this pretty well. Last year Signify announced the Philips Hue Smart plug to add its Hue lineup. I have recently received one at HomeKit authority HQ and taken it through my usual testing to bring you this Philips Hue Smart plug review.

Please note this is the UK version of the Philips Hue Smart plug, however Signify also make a US and EU version. The only difference is the operating inputs and outputs. Everything else works the same

To be 100% transparent, Signify provided the Philips Hue Smart plug for this review. However, this is a media loan and I will return once I complete the review. This will not affect my opinion wherever it is positive or critical of the device. You can read more on our review promise and ethics statement.

Philips Hue Smart Plug design

The Philips Hue Smart plug is a compact cube design with a matte white exterior. On the top is a single button to you can use to turn it off and on. You also use this button to carry out a reset.

On the side of the device is a sticker that states this Smart plug will only support 13amps max, which is typical of Smart plugs at the moment. The Smart plug supports a max power output of 2860W and a supply voltage of 220- 240.

The rear of the plug features the UK standard 3 prong configuration, but EU and US versions will have the relevant prongs. You will also find the markings showing it supports Zigbee to connect the Hue bring and Bluetooth connectivity for standalone use with your Smart phone.

Overall, I am impressed with the compact design of the Philips Hue Smart plug. It is smaller than most on the market in the UK at the moment. It’s smaller than the Ikea control outlet and the Eve Energy.

Philips Hue Smart plug setup

To set up the plug, it just needs plugging into any power source, and configured from one of two Hue apps, explained below

• People who just want to control locally in the home and don’t have a Philips bridge. Then you can use the Bluetooth version of the app. However, the Smart plug will not be exposed to HomeKit.
• If you want to use the Smart plug with HomeKit and some other advanced options. Then you need to use it with the Philips Hue bridge, which connects via Zigbee.

For the remaining part of the Philips Hue Smart plug review, I will setup and use it with the Philips Hue bridge. I also have an existing Philips Hue setup in my Home and my HomeKit setup is already in place. So this setup process may slightly differ if you are starting from scratch.

So getting started I plugged the device in, opened the Hue app, tapped “add accessory” from the settings menu. The hue app scanned for the device and in less than 10 seconds found the Hue Smart Plug.

You then have options to change the name of the Smart plug and also choose an icon that fits with the device you are connecting it with. You can also go into the “room and zone” menu option to assign this device to a room in your Home, in my case my studio.

In terms of HomeKit setup, you have nothing further to-do. The reason being is that the Philips Hue hub is the device that is exposed to HomeKit. So it treats the Philips Hue Smart plug as child device. So once everything is in sync between HomeKit and the Hue app, then you are ready to go.

But you can make some minor changes, like changing the icon or changing it to be shown as a fan, light or power point within the Home app, you can do that.

Using the Smart Plug

To use the Hue Smart Plug, you can be toggle it on or off from within in the Hue app. You can also create routines that automate the Smart plug. For instance, you could include this as part of a goodnight routine that turns the plug off at night. But if you are using HomeKit, then automations for a product as simple as a Smart plug is best setup in the Home app. This is to to avoid conflicts between routines in the Hue app and automations in HomeKit.

Hue Smart Plug in HomeKit

HomeKit support on the Hue Smart Plug is seamless, meaning you can control the device via the Home App that ships with iOS devices. Operating the Smart plug at the basic level involves tapping the device tile within the Home App to turn it off and on. You can also long press on the device tile which will bring a switch graphic which functions in the same way as tapping the tile.

Using the Hue Smart plug with HomeKit means you can include the Smart plug in scenes, automation or triggers. So, for example, I had the Hue plug connected to my key studio light for when I am filming. I then included the Smart plug in my studio scene to turn on my this light when activated. I found useful too quickly setup my studio to cut down on the amount of devices I needed to turn on to get started, after all time is money.

You can also use it with automation’s to trigger another HomeKit device. I tested this with a Philips Hue motion sensor and a lamp, and it worked fine.

Although the Hue Smart plug works with the Philips Hue bridge for remote access within the Hue app. This does not extend to HomeKit and you do need a HomeKit Hub for remote access via HomeKit.

Finally, you can control the Philips Hue Smart plug with Siri. For instance, you can say “Hey Siri, turn on the studio key light” and it will switch it on.

Philips Hue Smart plug review conclusion

The Philips Hue Smart Plug worked well during my review period and if you are an existing Philips Hue user, then this is a brilliant choice at a responsible price. During my testing I have found it to be reliable and takes up less space when plugged into a power source such as a power strip with limited space. While a minor detail, I like that this can be manually controlled without the need to always use the Smart route.

The Hue app makes it easy to set up and the fact it just syncs with HomeKit, with no extra setup, is great. It’s also nice if you just want to use this as a standalone device using Bluetooth and don’t need HomeKit.

HomeKit integration works well within the Home app and being able to use this in automations and scenes is a significant benefit. Using Siri on either my Apple Watch or iPhone to control the Philips Hue Smart Plug is very handy.

However, it lacks energy monitoring found in other Smart plugs like the Eve Energy at a similar price. It would have also been nice to see Philips allow the Smart plug to connect to HomeKit via Bluetooth without the extra hub.

The bottom line, Signify has done a superb job in adding the Hue Smart plug into the Philips Hue range. It’s small and compact and just does what it says on the tin. In fact, I already said this is a media loan and will go getting returned at the end of the review. So I plan to buy one from retail and add this into my filming studio to automate the key light.

Hue Smart plug price and availability

The Hue Smart plug is available for £29.99 in the UK, for €29 in the EU and 29 in the US.

• Plug in any light to add it to your Hue Smart home system
• Designed to optimize space without blocking other sockets

So that’s a wrap on the Philips Hue Smart plug review, Don’t forget to subscribe for more HomeKit and Smart home reviews. If you have a question or a comment, then leave it below. You can also follow us on YouTube and Instagram.

The bottom line, Signify has done a superb job in adding the Hue Smart plug into the Philips Hue range. It’s small and compact and just does what it says on the tin.

Smart Plugs That Support Philips Hue (Why This Is Useful)

Philips Hue is a well-respected brand that offers a wide range of Smart home solutions including Smart lights. The company provides lights for every room, certain areas, fixtures, and items in your home. These include Smart ceiling lights, wall lights, outdoor lights, spotlights, recessed lights, pendant lights, and furniture lights. You can easily replace your existing light bulbs with these Smart bulbs if your lighting fixtures support them. This will simply illuminate your home smarter. They also make a range of Smart plugs.

Now, Philips Hue is a fairly restrictive ecosystem. In other words, it doesn’t work well with many third-party products and solutions that use technologies like Wi-Fi. This has been a major setback for people who like to pair products from different makers.

Understanding Smart Plugs

Smart plugs are devices that are designed to plug into wall sockets. You can then plug your appliances/devices or light fixtures into them one appliance/device or light fixture per Smart plug. This will turn your ‘dumb’ appliances, Smart. Then you can control them via an app, voice, Google Assistant, Siri, or Alexa.

By the way, most floor lamps, table lamps, desk lamps, nightlights, and torchieres exist as plug-in lights that are plugged into existing light fixtures. When it comes to domestic appliances or devices, almost every appliance or device you know can work with a Smart plug. Your radio, coffee maker, Wi-Fi, TV, air purifier, humidifier dehumidifier, as well as ceiling fans are just but a few of them.

How many Smart plugs do I need? Well, that depends on the number of outlets available in your home and the number of light fixtures and/or devices you want to control with the Smart plug. As said earlier, Smart plugs are designed to plug into the wall outlet first and then you plug a light fixture or an appliance into it. If the room has only one wall socket, you’ll need just one Smart plug.

However, if your room has several sockets and you want to connect multiple light fixtures and/or appliances to the Smart plugs, the number of plugs you’ll need should correspond with the number of your sockets and also that of the appliances you want to hook up with the plugs, with each appliance plugging into a Smart plug.

As you can see, Smart plugs and Philips Hue Smart lights are completely different sets of products. Back to the question; can you use Hue Smart lights in third-party Smart plugs?

The short answer is YES. Some Smart plugs out there are compatible with Philips Hue Smart lights. These include the Innr Zigbee Smart plug and Hibro Zigbee Smart plug. But Philips also offers a cool Smart plug of its own.

You can invest in this Smart plug if you already have Hue Smart bulbs and also if you don’t mind paying more. Otherwise, you’d be better off with Innr or Hibro Smart plugs if you desire to use the Hue ecosystem without spending more.

Note: Shopping for the right Smart plug that works with Hue Smart lights can be fairly challenging if the above options aren’t available and you aren’t sure of what to choose. Here’s a good rule though; consider only Smart plugs that use ZigBee. Don’t forget that Philips Hue Smart bulbs and other products from the manufacturer only use this wireless communication protocol.

Should You Buy Hue Compatible Smart Plugs?

Philips Hue is a crowd pleaser and many buyers are obsessed with the brand. They are so crazy about it to a point that they’ll at least consider buying a Smart plug that is compatible with its offerings if they can’t afford its Hue Smart plug. But if you know better, you may wonder; is it worth it?

The short answer is, not really. That’s because;

Firstly, not so many people have Hue bulbs at home since these Smart bulbs are relatively pricey. And because of their high price tags, you may decide to keep off of them just like other homeowners. In that case, having Hue-compatible Smart plugs will be pointless.

Secondly, you may not find the right Hue bulbs for your light fixtures even if the price isn’t an issue. That’s because even though the company offers a wide range of bulbs for different light fixtures, it doesn’t cater to all kinds of light fixtures. And by the way, most Hue Smart bulbs aren’t compatible with older light fixtures. That means the company may not have the right Hue bulbs for you if you have older light fixtures as explained above. In that case, again, striving to find Hue-compatible Smart plugs would be utterly pointless.

About James Beetie

James. a self-confessed nerd. has owned Smart home equipment for close to a decade, and he loves communicating the best ways of setting them up. and resolving the various bugs and issues that you’ll no doubt come across!

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The Best Smart Plugs for 2023

If you look around, you’ll notice that almost every piece of technology has become “Smart,” which is shorthand for connected to the internet — even plugs.

A Smart plug is a small device that sits between your outlet and a gadget. Once the Smart plug is connected to the internet, you’ll be able to turn it on and off using an app or Smart assistant. A practical benefit to using a Smart plug is never having to worry about whether or not you accidentally left an appliance on before heading out of the house. If it’s connected to a Smart plug, you’ll be able to power that device down from outside of your place.

The flexibility of how you use your Smart plug is what makes this tech accessory so appealing, and there are more options than ever. To save you time, we’ve researched and tested many of them, and you’ll find our recommendations for the best Smart plugs below.

How We Picked The Best Smart Plugs

Some of these advances in technology are genuinely exciting, but they beg the question: What about the tools and appliances I already own? Do I need to upgrade to get Smart features? Smart TVs allow you to access streaming apps directly through your set; Smart speakers allow you to select songs and get answers to questions just by asking; Smart vacuum cleaners can pick up dust (and mop!) on a set schedule, or with the tap of an icon in an app.

The answers to those questions will vary based on your needs, but you may be able to get away with using a Smart plug instead of replacing your current gear. Smart plugs can be used with an app, virtual assistant, and can also be set on a timer, which is great if you want to ensure an appliance or gadget gets turned out when you get to bed. Conversely, you can rig up a system wherein a device you rely on in the morning is turned on at the same moment your alarm goes off.

In some cases, Smart plugs may be able to replace other Smart home accessories. For instance, plugging a lamp into a Smart plug will allow you to turn that light on and off. This single, binary operation won’t give you as many options as installing a Smart light bulb, but may perform the one task you’re interested in.

Our Smart plug recommendations are based on a mix of hands-on testing and research. Below are the factors we considered when deciding which Smart plugs to include in this buyer’s guide.

Number of Outlets: Most Smart plugs only have one outlet, but that may not be sufficient for your needs, especially if the devices you’d like to control are clustered in one area. We’ve made sure to recommend multi-outlet Smart plugs that can accommodate any situation, but be mindful of the fact that these multi-outlet options will take up more space, and may not plug directly into your wall.

Smart Platform: All of our Smart plugs can be controlled using an app on iOS and Android, and don’t require a Smart assistant to control them. That said, our Smart plug recommendations work with Alexa, the Google Assistant, Siri, or a combination of the three. Smart plugs that are compatible with multiple home assistants require you to choose the one you want to use, but offer the option of choosing a different one later on.

Water Resistance: Smart plugs used to be limited to indoor use only, but there are durable options available now that can withstand exposure to water and dust. These Smart plugs typically have a thicker housing, which means they’ll take up more space. We understand that the number of accessible outlets you have outside may be limited, so our recommendation in this area has two plugs.

Best Smart Plugs: Reviews and Recommendations

Best Overall: Philips Hue Smart Plug

Why It Made The Cut: Philips’ Hue Smart Plug is compatible with several Smart home assistants and its app makes it easy to set up and manage.

Specs: — Number of Outlets: One — Compatible Smart Platforms: Alexa, Siri — Water Resistant: No

Pros: — The only Apple HomeKit-compatible Smart plug — Simple to use app — Ultra small size

Cons: — No Google Assistant support

Philips Hue Smart Plug review. HomeKit smart plug UK version

The Philips Hue Smart Plug is one feature away from being nearly perfect, but it still has enough going for it to be the best Smart plug available right now.

That starts with its compatibility with both Alexa and Apple’s HomeKit, which allows you to control the plug using Siri. There are very few HomeKit-compatible Smart home accessories — Smart plugs or otherwise — but we’ve found Philips’ Hue gear works very well when using Apple devices. Unfortunately, this Smart plug doesn’t support the Google Assistant, which is its only major flaw.

Another big benefit to using the Hue Smart Plug is the company’s app, which is organized and easy to use. Setting up a Smart home device only takes a few minutes, and no longer requires a Philips Hue Hub to be added to your network. Instead, your device connects to the Smart plug over Bluetooth during the setup process, and over Wi-Fi once the setup has been completed.

At 2.7 inches wide, the Hue Smart Plug is the smallest option in our guide, which is a big benefit if you like your tech to be as unobtrusive as possible. The only way to get a smaller Smart plug is to install an outlet with Smart features, which we’ll get to later. In terms of practicality, the Hue Plug’s smaller size may also make it easier to connect an additional accessory to the adjacent outlet.

If you’re an Apple HomeKit user, the Philips Hue Smart Plug is the only one we feel comfortable recommending. Your options open up significantly if you’re part of a home that uses Alexa or the Google Assistant, but the Hue Plug’s smaller size allows it to pull just ahead of its competition.

Best Budget: GE CYNC Indoor Smart Plug

Why It Made The Cut: GE’s CYNC Indoor Smart Plug has all the same features as more expensive options, plus it’s one part of a larger ecosystem of Smart home devices.

Specs: — Number of Outlets: One — Compatible Smart Platforms: Alexa, Google Assistant — Water Resistant: No

Pros: — No hub required — Part of a large Smart home accessory ecosystem — Price

Cons: — No HomeKit support

Smart plugs aren’t typically very expensive, but this one from GE’s CYNC line has a couple of extra features we didn’t expect to find in a model that’s this inexpensive.

The first is that it doesn’t require a hub to operate. Smart home hubs have fallen out of fashion lately, which is great as they are double or triple the amount of money you’d need to spend to set up your Smart plug. Once it’s set up, the GE Sync Indoor Smart Plug has all the functionality you’d expect from models that cost twice as much. You can set it up to work on a set schedule, operate it from anywhere, control it using a voice assistant, and use it with your choice of Smart assistant. Unfortunately, the GE CYNC Smart Plug isn’t compatible with Apple’s HomeKit.

The GE Sync Smart Plug’s secret best feature is that it is part of a large line of Smart home accessories. You can use the Smart plug with tech made by any manufacturer, but we like recommending products that are part of a larger overall ecosystem. This is primarily because it allows you to manage all the Smart home accessories in your place within a single app, which is a lot more convenient than hopping between several of them. GE’s CYNC line includes everything from security cameras and thermostats to light bulbs and light strips, most of which are a good value. We’ve had the opportunity to try the company’s Smart light bulbs, and they’ve continued to work very well even after several months of daily use.

Умные розетки Philips HUE Smart Plug Обзор

We generally recommend Smart plugs as a first step for anyone thinking about building a Smart home because they’re easy to operate and only do one task. GE’s CYNC Smart Plug lowers the barrier to entry without cutting corners, which makes it a very good choice.

Best Outdoor: Wyze Plug Outdoor

Why It Made The Cut: If you need a Smart plug that can handle rain without a problem, this one from Wyze is the one to get.

Specs: — Number of Outlets: Two — Compatible Smart Platforms: Alexa, Google Assistant — Water Resistant: Yes

Pros: — IP64 compliant — Long Wi-Fi range — Energy tracker

Cons: — No HomeKit support — Size

The Wyze Plug Outdoor allows you to expand your Smart home to the outside of your house, and can be left unattended during bad weather.

The Smart plug has an IP (ingress protection) value of 64, which means it’s dustproof and water resistant enough to handle splashes of water from any direction. This means the Wyze Plug Outdoor can be used during routine rainstorms without the risk of being damaged.

If you’re getting particularly bad weather — hurricanes or nor’easters, for example — you may want to take it inside, as wind gusts may dislodge it from your outlet. Exposing an open outlet to the elements is a recipe for disaster, which is why Wyze built outlet covers into its Smart plug. If an outlet isn’t in use, keep the cover on at all times.

This Smart plug has two outlets, which itself is a great feature if you only have one outdoor outlet. It offers the same level of performance as our indoor Smart plug recommendations, and can even be used with outdoor cooking equipment like an electric griddle. Just be mindful of the fact that using both of this Smart plug’s outlets simultaneously may require a lot of power. If you’re using a high-wattage gadget like a griddle, we recommend keeping the other outlet free.

Speaking of power consumption, Wyze allows you to track how much electricity your Smart plug is using inside its app. Monitoring your electricity usage in real time may help you be more energy conscious, which in turn means you’ll end up with a lower utility bill each month. Increasing your awareness about how much electricity you’re using can also help reduce your carbon footprint.

Outdoor Smart plugs require Wi-Fi to work, but they’re far more likely to be further away from your router than an indoor plug. Wyze says its Smart plug has a range of up to 300 feet in open space, so it should have no issues maintaining a consistent connection to your router.

If you want an outdoor Smart plug to power your Smart security camera, or manage the energy usage of more powerful tech tools, Wyze’s Smart Plug is a wise choice.

Best Power Strip: TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip

Why It Made The Cut: TP-Link’s Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip allows you to control a whole group of gadgets in one go.

Specs: — Number of Outlets: Four — Compatible Smart Platforms: Alexa, Google Assistant — Water Resistant: No

Pros: — Six independently controllable outlets — Three USB-A ports — Long cable

Cons: — No HomeKit Support

If you’d like to control a bunch of tech accessories grouped in a single place — a home theater setup, for example — TP-Link’s Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip is the definitive solution.

It’s the best Smart plug we’ve tested because its six outlets, which can all be controlled independently, open up a whole world of opportunities. If you shut down your computer setup at night, this Smart power strip can turn it all one right before you go to work. If you’ve got a power-sucking home-theater system, you can be sure that every component is totally off until you need it. That same principle applies to your group of appliances in the kitchen, or tools in the garage. Unplugging several appliances when you want them totally off and plugging them back in when you need them is an annoyance that this array of Smart plugs solves.

Controlling six Smart plugs could be annoying, but we found TP-Link’s Kasa app to be very simple to use. It allows you to name each Smart plug in this power strip, which makes it easy to know which device you’re turning on and off at a glance. For example, you could name the plugs: Amplifier, Xbox, TV, Cable Box, Playstation, Turntable, if you use the Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip in a home-theater application. This Smart power strip’s lack of HomeKit support is annoying if you primarily use Apple devices, but it’s a small mark on an otherwise excellent piece of gear.

In addition to its six outlets, this Smart power strip also has three USB-A ports, so you can use it to charge your devices directly instead of using one of its plugs for a power adapter. This is a nice touch, and we took advantage of it during our testing to maximize the usefulness of the power strip. If you want to jump into the world of Smart plugs with both feet, TP-Link’s Smart Plug Power Strip is the one to use.

Best In-Wall: Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Tamper-Resistant Outlet

Why It Made The Cut: Leviton’s Decora Smart Wi-Fi Tamper Resistant Outlet has all the benefits of a Smart plug, but is built directly into your wall.

Specs: — Number of Outlets: Two — Compatible Smart Platforms: Alexa, Google Assistant — Water Resistant: No

Pros: — Sits flush with the wall — Compatible with multiple Smart assistants — No hub required

Cons: — No HomeKit support — Requires confidence with electrical work to install

All of our Smart plug recommendations so far have needed to be plugged into the outlets in your home to work, this device from Leviton is different. Instead of creating a plug, the company built the functionality of Smart plugs into a two-outlet wall receptacle.

This device can replace any standard-sized two-outlet wall receptacle you already have in your home. Once it’s installed, you’ll be able to control the devices plugged into either outlet over Wi-Fi, just like a standard wall plug. There are two benefits to using a Smart outlet instead of a standard Smart plug, and two big drawbacks.

The biggest benefit is you won’t have a device protruding from your wall. This means you’re far less likely to bump into it, or accidentally dislodge it. The other major upside to using a Smart outlet is that you can plug two devices with big power cords into it without running into the risk of running out of space. Smart outlets are small, but there’s always the chance they’ll take up just enough room to disallow you from plugging in another appliance.

The most significant drawback of a Smart outlet is that it requires you to feel comfortable doing basic electrical work in your home if you’re allowed to, which might not be the case if you’re a renter. If you’re uncomfortable doing electrical work, you’ll have to pay an electrician to install it for you, which can significantly increase the cost of this device. The other downside to Smart outlets is that you can’t move them around as easily. With a Smart plug, you can unplug and replug it anywhere else when your needs change, or take it with you when you move.

If you like a DIY project, and are clear headed about the drawbacks about getting a Smart outlet instead of a standard Smart plug, Leviton’s Decora is the one to get.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Smart Plug

Your Smart Home Ecosystem

Some of the Smart plugs we’ve recommended only work with one Smart assistant. If you choose one of those Smart plugs, you should be very confident about sticking with that Smart-home ecosystem, because changing to another one will require you to get a new Smart plug. We generally value flexibility, which is why a majority of our Smart plug recommendations work with more than one Smart-home platform.

Size

Smart plugs have gotten a lot smaller over the past couple of years, but they may cause some trouble if you’ve got one connected to a wall receptacle with two outlets. The Smart plug you get may be big enough that AC adapters (thick, rectangularly-shaped plugs that come with heavy-duty appliances) may not be able to fit in an adjacent outlet.

Wi-Fi Frequency

Smart plugs, like all Smart home accessories, have to be connected to the internet in order to work properly. The plugs we recommend need to connect to a Wi-Fi network that’s operating using the 2.4 GHz (gigahertz) frequency Band. This is the universal standard, so don’t worry, your router will work. That said, some new Wi-Fi routers also create a network on the 5 GHz frequency Band, which is far faster. If this is the case, you may notice two Wi-Fi networks with the same name (ex: MyNetworkName 2.4 GHz MyNetworkName 5 GHz).

We mention this, because you’ll be prompted to connect the Smart plug to a Wi-Fi network at some point in the setup process. If your Wi-Fi router has created two networks, be sure that you choose the 2.4 GHz version, or the setup process will fail.

FAQs

Q: Can I electrically overload a Smart plug?

Yes. Generally, Smart plugs should only be used with electronics that consume less than 1,000 watts of sustained electricity. This includes TVs, coffee makers, fans, humidifiers, dehumidifiers, electric mixers, alarm clocks, and a whole host of smaller gadgets. Overloading a Smart plug with a more energy-hungry tool, like a refrigerator or air conditioner, may overload the Smart plug, causing it to overheat and malfunction.

Q: How do I responsibly dispose of my old Smart plug?

If you’re replacing an old Smart plug, we recommend reading our guide on how to recycle electronics.

Q: How long do Smart plugs last?

In our experience, reputable companies support their Smart plugs for several years, so you won’t have to worry about them becoming obsolete anytime soon. Smart plugs aren’t typically taxed very hard either, so the chance of them wearing down from daily use is also very low.

Q: How strong of a Wi-Fi connection do I need to use a Smart plug?

Smart plugs don’t require an ultra-fast wireless connection to work, but they will need a strong signal from your router. If a Smart plug is properly set up and connected to the internet, it will function.

Q: Is it safe to keep a Smart plug connected overnight?

It depends. In our experience, Smart plugs can be connected to an outlet for several months without any issues, but that may not be the case if you plan on keeping it connected to an active appliance 24/7. If that’s the case, you’re better off installing our Smart outlet recommendation (or asking a professional to install it for you).

Final Thoughts on the Best Smart Plugs

Smart plugs are incredibly helpful, inexpensive tech accessories that do their one job: allowing you to turn a gadget on and off remotely, very well. Their inherent limitations may seem off-putting initially, but there’s a lot to like about them if you want some peace of mind, or have a particular problem you’re looking to solve.

You may actually end up saving a little bit of money by using a Smart plug to fully turn off an appliance or gadget that has traditionally entered a standby state at night. The Smart plug will still need power, but it’s possible it’ll require less energy than the appliance in question.

If you’ve got a Smart home problem that requires a simple solution, Smart plugs are one of the first accessories you should consider getting.

This post was created by a non-news editorial team at Recurrent Media, Futurism’s owner. Futurism may receive a portion of sales on products linked within this post.