The best smart plugs of 2023, Smart home devices have come a long way over the past few years. Walk into any home improvement store or supermarket, and you’re bound to find a wide variety of smart thermostats, and other “smart” gadgets. But one often overlooked category is smart plugs – tiny devices that plug into your electrical outlet and give your “dumb” electronics the versatility of a modern smart home device.
Beyond giving you remote control of your outlets, many smart plugs allow you to set timers or monitor your electricity usage. This makes them surprisingly versatile while still carrying an affordable price tag. Plenty of big names (like Amazon and Wyze) are producing smart plugs, but they’re far from your only option. Here’s a closer look at the best smart plugs of 2023.
Keep in mind that these products are designed for indoor use and are not intended to be placed outside. If you’re looking for something to use in the great outdoors, be sure to check out our list of the best outdoor smart plugs.
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Amazon Smart Plug
Best smart plug for Alexa
Amazon’s very own smart plug seamlessly works with Alexa, and its Certified for Humans ranking means setup is as simple as plugging it in and following a few basic directions. Its design is narrow, so it leaves the other outlet free for use. You can set up routines and schedules through the Alexa app, while the Alexa energy dashboard provides recommendations on how to save energy.
The best smart plugs of 2023
Read More : The best smart lamps of 2023
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Wemo Smart Plug with Thread
Most compact smart plug
Belkin’s latest smart plug is a big improvement from its last version. It’s a compact option that can fit nearly anywhere and sports built-in compatibility with Siri. Made with the Apple HomeKit in mind, this plug is a great pick for Apple fans and those who are already using the Apple Home app.
This smart plug also includes support for Thread, part of the smart home Matter standard, which helps establish a more secure connection. That feature is useful for those who may be worried about hacking or who want the most reliable connection.
Kasa / Kasa
TP-Link — Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
Best budget smart plug
At about half the price of some of the other smart plugs on this list, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug is a solid choice if you’re on a budget. It’s compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, or you can just use the app. Use the app to create schedules for powering your devices on and off for up to a full week.
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Wyze Smart Plug
Best smart plug ecosystem
The Wyze Smart Plug is just slightly more expensive than the TP-Link WiFi Smart Plug, with a two-pack for just $20. On its own, the plug is just $12. It works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, allows custom scheduling, and offers a Vacation Mode that imitates the presence of people in the home by randomly turning lights on and off. The Wyze Sense feature means you can control appliances based on motion, and you can link up the Wyze Smart Plug to other devices through IFTTT.
Lutron
Lutron Caseta Plug-In Lamp Dimmer Switch
Best smart plug for lamps
The Lutron Caseta Plug-In Lamp Switch is great for keeping your electric bill low and home security high. Controllable with Alexa, Google Assistant, Serena shades, and Sonos, you can dim lights, set schedules, and create lighting routines with voice commands or the Lutron app. The switch is also seasonally savvy, meaning as the days grow shorter or longer, the switch adjusts lamp light based on how much sun a room is getting. The unit itself is a little bulky, so you’ll want to make sure it’s not going to interfere with power brick items.
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Emporia Smart Plug
Best smart plug for energy tracking
After suffering a recall, the Emporia Smart Plug is back in action. The company made a few tweaks to improve the plug’s safety, but it’s still packed with all the energy-tracking features that made it popular at launch. This includes an easy to use smartphone app and detailed energy reports – giving you a simple way to track your usage and cut down on your bills.
The plug itself is thoughtfully designed, with a slim profile that doesn’t intrude on nearby electrical outlets or look wildly out of place when plugged into your wall. And when you consider that a four-pack is typically available for just $35, it’s an affordable smart plug that’s easy to recommend.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a smart plug?
There are plenty of exciting innovations in the world of home automation, between virtual assistants that can control your smart devices, connected appliances, or smart thermostats. You can also upgrade a regular appliance and add it to your smart home system by using a smart plug.
Smart Plugs take a wired home to a new level. They plug into your outlets and let you run small home appliances through Alexa, another intelligent home device, or the sound of your voice. A smart plug turns a “dumb” device, like a coffee maker, room fan, or table lamp, into a smart device.
Exactly how a smart plug communicates will vary by brand. Wi-Fi is common enough, but you’ll also see Bluetooth, Zigbee, and Z-wave used to let smart plugs connect to the internet and your phone. Of course, you’ll need to ensure the router or other required hub is within range of the smart plugs that you’re connecting. Placement can be a challenge in bigger houses, but it’s nothing a Wi-Fi extender can’t fix.
How do smart plugs work?
Using smart plugs is super simple. First, you plug a smart plug into an outlet. Then you plug something else (like a lamp or appliance) into it. Finally, you connect the plug to your favorite home assistant, such as Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, or the smart plug’s app. From there the smart plug turns the power supply to the item you plugged into it on and off using commands sent from an app or smart home hub and your Wi-Fi network.
What are smart plugs used for?
There are dozens of uses for smart plugs. Here are just a few to get your imagination turned on to all of the possibilities:
Can smart plugs save you money?
Smart plugs can potentially save you money. By being able to keep tabs on exactly how much power any given appliance is slurping up, you can identify the products in your home that are the biggest problem areas.
Smart plugs can also help save you power by turning off the power supply to devices that use it up even when they’re off. This will ultimately help to cut down on phantom power drain and save you a few bucks on your electrical bill. Over time, smart plugs can pay for themselves, provided you enact sufficient use of their features.
How to Choose a Smart Plug
There are several things to consider before getting a smart plug.
Voice assistant compatibility: First, make sure that the plug incorporates the type of command system you are more likely to use. For example, you shouldn’t get a plug that uses only its own app for commands if you strictly use Alexa. Not all plugs will be compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant either, so make sure it supports your voice command preference. Note that voice assistants and other platforms that support multiple smart devices can create “scenes” that
Energy monitoring: By plugging an appliance into this type of smart plug, you can learn just how much electricity your appliance uses, which can be particularly useful if you’re trying to decide on upgrading to a more energy-efficient model. The plug monitors how much electricity is routed through it to your appliance. Then, it sends a report to the plug’s app.
Reports vary from app to app, but many let you see peak energy use hours and energy used over time. Quite a few smart plugs also give you the option to automatically turn on and off an appliance on a schedule so you can save electricity. Some good energy monitoring smart plugs include the WeMo Insight Switch, Elgato Eve and D-Link Wi-Fi Smart Plug.
Scheduling ahead of time: Most smart plugs have options to set schedules for turning devices on or off at certain times. It’s a common feature, but you should still make sure your plug has it for convenience.
Surge protection: At a desk or entertainment center, a smart power strip with surge protection may be a better choice for you. Check out our list of the best surge protectors for a few great smart power strips that you can use here.
Additional outlets: If you’re short on outlets around the house, a smart plug with the ability to expand the number of ports on your outlet is a helpful choice.
Outdoor vs. indoor use: For outdoor use, some of our favorites include Maxcio, Kasa, and Meross (we have a list of the best outdoor smart plugs here). For indoor use, the ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2 provides the most flexibility in the smart plug world. It is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple’s HomeKit and Siri, and Google Assistant. If none of those options suit you, it can work without any smart hub at all.
Dimming: You can use voice commands or your smartphone to get precise with your dimming. It’s just a matter of pairing a dimmable lamp with a smart plug that supports dimming, like this Leviton model.
The best outdoor smart plugs for 2023
Have you experienced the thrill of connecting your favorite devices to a smart plug? Made for home essentials like lamps, security cameras, toasters, coffee makers, dehumidifiers, and more, these programmable outlets are amazing additions to any smart home. With a compatible app, you can even power the plugs on and off remotely and set schedules. This is all well and good for the devices inside our homes, but what about our outdoor gear? Fortunately, there are now durable and weather-resistant outdoor smart plugs that are just as good as their indoor brethren.
Geeni
Geeni Indoor/Outdoor Smart Plug
Whether you’re powering pool lights, sprinklers, or other outdoor gear, the Geeni Indoor/Outdoor plug gets the job done every time. A hub-less setup, there’s no need to plug anything into the router for this guy. All you need to do is download the app and connect using Alexa, Google Assistant, or Cortana. Convenient and cheap, this is one of our favorites for pairing and sharing. Using a feature called Share Access, you can zone multiple Geenis through the app. This means you’re able to turn outlets on/off separately or all together.
We’re not the biggest fan of some of the app’s deeper menu functions, but the outlet itself works great, as do its voice command capabilities.
Meross
Meross Smart Outdoor Plug
This waterproof Meross two-outlet plug is ready for anything, with a solid design and the latest smart features for your garden, bathroom, porch, garage, laundry room, or wherever else you’d like to put it. It works not only with Google Assistant and Alexa, but is also compatible with IFTTT if you’d prefer to set up more complex routines. You can also control the plug via an app if you don’t care for voice commands. Schedules and timers are available for each socket independently.
The Meross plug also gets good marks for a strong Wi-Fi connection, which is great — smart plugs don’t work very well if they’re always dropping connections, which can be a problem in an outside environment. The one downside to this plug is that the cable itself is pretty short (a common choice for durability and protection), so you’ll need to keep it right by the outlet, and it may not work very well for wall outlets that are too high
Woods Outdoor/Indoor Wireless Remote Control Kit
If you’re looking for an inexpensive option to power your outdoor tools, the Woods kit is a great choice. It’s a single-grounded outlet that can stand up to weather and debris for comprehensive outdoor security. The wireless remote functions up to 100 feet away, so you can control the system from indoors. The Woods remote control kit is fairly simple and doesn’t have as many extra features as some of the other options in this list; however, it’s affordable, reliable, and easy to set up. If you need basic outdoor functionality on a budget, look no further.
Ring Outdoor Smart Plug
Ring might have become popular thanks to its lineup of video doorbells, but it also manufacturers one of the best outdoor smart plugs. You’ll need a Ring Bridge or similar device to access all its features (including mobile notifications), but that’s about the only drawback to this well-designed product. Standout features include two outlets, a compact footprint, and the option to program schedules or timers for your gadgets. It’s also easy to sync with the rest of your Alexa products.
Just imagine controlling your yard lights or seasonal decorations even when on vacation. You can do that and more right from your phone with these weather-resistant outdoor smart plugs. Many don’t even require a hub, as some are fully functional on their own, and others work with your current system.
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