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You might not realize how much difference the best smart plugs can make in your home. These devices sit between a plug and a power socket and control when power can flow through. They are meant to make your “dumb” appliances smarter. Then, you can use your phone or tablet, at home or on the go, to set and check on each smart plug. There are many ways that smart plugs can help you. With one of these installed, you can finally turn off things that are plugged into outlets that are hard to reach or behind furniture.
You can also control when your lights turn on and off at home, which is ideal for deterring potential burglars. You can also keep track of your energy consumption some smart plugs allow you to monitor your energy consumption so you can change your habits to save money. We can assist you if you have decided to purchase a smart plug but need assistance selecting the best option. We conducted research and tested a variety of models to identify the best performers. These are the most effective best smart plugs.
Here is the list of Best Smart Plugs
Leviton D215P-2RW Smart Mini Plug
Easily one of the best Smart Plugs available on the market, The Leviton D215P-2RW smart plug works right away. It has a sleek design for a smart plug. We especially like the small corner window that serves as both a button to manually turn the device on and off and an indicator light – features that most smart plugs keep separate. It’s also slimmer than most smart plugs we’ve seen, which is useful if you have limited space. Aside from the design, we found the Leviton smart plug to be simple to install and use, and the app to be pleasantly simple.
The home screen shows all connected plugs and their status, as well as the ability to turn them on and off with a single tap. Setting up a schedule for the plug was also simple and straightforward. Another noteworthy feature of the Leviton smart plug is that it is compatible with all three major smart home ecosystems.
Hive Active Plug for Smart Home
Designed to work with the British Gas Hive Hub, the Hive Active Plug, like other smart plugs, is designed to turn sockets on and off with the tap of a smartphone or a pre-set schedule. This means it’s useful for checking that you haven’t left the iron on, or boiling the kettle for a cup of tea while you’re asleep in bed upstairs.
The only drawback is that the control requires a Hive hub; the Hive active plug will not work without a hub, so this is a smart plug only suitable for those who have purchased a Hive system. However, this is not a bad idea; Hive also makes excellent smart light bulbs and great smart heating systems, so you may find the whole setup to be suitable for you. The Hive Active Plug can be controlled via the free Hive app for iOS and Android, which allows you to create actions that work with each other, in addition to schedules. Currently, this is one of the best smart plugs you can buy right now.
TP-Link EP40 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug
The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug (EP40) is designed to withstand the elements. (You should never use a standard smart plug outside.) The EP40 has an operating temperature range of -4 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, two outlets that can be controlled separately via the app or voice control (via Alexa or Google Assistant but not Siri), and it’s simple to set up and use. The EP40 is also smaller than our previous outdoor pick, the Kasa KP400, making installation easier. (Keep in mind that it should still be installed with a covered outlet.)
TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
Before testing the Leviton Smart Plug, we recommended the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini as the best overall smart plug. While it remains a great plug with a small, space-saving design, it lacks the appeal and compatibility to retain the title of “best overall.” This smart device communicates with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa over a Wi-Fi network, and the Kasa app (Android and iOS) offers a wealth of customization options, including schedules, away mode, and timers.
This Wi-Fi smart plug lacks energy consumption information, USB ports, and HomeKit compatibility. To be fair, most smart plugs can’t do everything, so don’t dismiss this product unless you really need these features. If you want to schedule or use voice control or voice commands to control light switches or other connected devices, the TP-smart Link plug is a great option.
Amazon Smart Plug
The best smart plugs is designed to work with the Amazon Alexa ecosystem and can be controlled via voice commands or the Alexa app. It doesn’t require a hub and can be set up in under two minutes. If you use Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit, you should look elsewhere because it does not support either of these. To keep things simple, this simple white device turns devices on and off.
You’ll also be able to program them to turn on at specific times of day, such as sunrise or sunset, or when triggered by an Alexa-compatible motion sensor. Because there is no IFTTT, it will not work with other smart devices such as locks. It works almost instantly and is extremely dependable. It’s just a shame there’s no energy usage monitoring, as there is with some of the other smart plugs on this list.
Philips Hue Smart Plug
Because of the built-in Bluetooth, the Hue best Smart Plugs does not require a hub. That’s fine, but while it’s more compact than most and, as you’d expect from Philips, impeccably well-engineered, we’d wonder why you’d spend money on this if you’re only going to use Bluetooth, especially since you won’t be able to take advantage of everything the plug has to offer. There are a plethora of Wi-Fi plugs available that can do a lot more for a lot less.
If you’re already committed to Hue, we can’t think of a better option. When you connect one of these to a Hue Bridge, you get Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit support, making it the most compatible plug available. It’s easy to integrate into your Hue zones and routines, and we doubt you’ll find anything more dependable.
Wemo Mini Smart Plug
Among the best smart plugs, the Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is our top pick. It’s also more compact than most other options, so you won’t block your outlet. While it lacks energy monitoring like some other smart plugs, the Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is compatible with all major smart assistants. Siri, for example.
If you don’t want to use your voice or an app to turn your appliance on or off, you can simply click the switch on the Wemo. It also has an ingenious Away mode. which can make it appear as if you’re at home even when you’re not by intermittently turning on a lamp.
GE CYNC Indoor Smart Plug
When it comes to apps, GE’s Cync app is nothing short of amazing. The initial setup of the smart plug continued with simple step-by-step instructions against a backdrop of soft, home-inspired images; to connect to Alexa or Google devices, I had to navigate within the app or go to the hub, as I do with other smart plugs.
Once the smart plug is set up, you can control the on/off settings from the home screen or set a schedule by tapping “Routines.” You can also group devices for simultaneous control, create “scenes” with custom settings, and experiment with other features and settings, such as turning off a set of lights before watching a movie or changing the smart bulbs to your team’s colors on game day, for example. Thus, this product is one of the best smart plugs available today.
Final Words
Check out our complete list of best smart plugs above to find the best one for your home and start saving energy right away! It is not as simple as plugging in a smart plug to review it. It’s almost there. In addition to ensuring that the plug actually turns on the device plugged into it. The best smart plugs will not only give you complete control over all of your plug-in devices, but will also be a very useful tool for lowering your energy bills and consumption.