Best Smart Plug Outlets To Fully Automate Your Home – LivingEtc

The best smart plug outlets can turn your standard gadgets into smart tech in an instant. That can mean controlling the power to these devices is done using your phone, from wherever you are. 

Want to turn on a lamp for security while you’re out of town? Or perhaps fire up that fan to cool your house as you drive home? Using a smart plug and your phone that becomes possible. You can even set timers remotely and more using these smart devices.

Since a smart plug is simply a socket that plugs into your outlet and has an inlet, you can plug any regular mains powered device into the unit. It connects to your WiFi and allows you to turn it on and off using an app. Some even link up to smart assistants so you can control them with your voice alone.

But which are the best? Some fit into tech ecosystems you may already have in place while others offer greater affordability. There is plenty to take into consideration and we’ve done that below, laying out only the very best smart plugs – each with its special skills clearly labelled. So you can find the best smart plug for your home. Because believe us, the uses for smart plugs will blow your mind.

6 of the best smart plug outlets to enhance your home

The TP-Link Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP10 might have a large name but it is actually a very compact bit of kit. As such it won’t take up too much room on your socket and can be stacked with space for other devices to plug in also. Rated for 15 amps this will work with a wide range of gadgets and it does so while remaining very affordable.

Backed by the TP-Link app, this can be controlled from a smartphone but also from voice controls using the likes of Amazon’s Alexa and Google Assistant. Very robust considering the price. TP-Link is a well established brand so you can expect simple to use controls in the app and a hardware build quality that’s going to work well and last a long time.

The Wemo WiFi Smart Plug is a contender for the top spot thanks to its compatibility with all the major voice controlled smart assistants. This works with Google Assistant, Amazon’s Alexa and Apple’s HomeKit. Plus it works with IFTTT so you can automate control with other actions easily. It only loses points on being a little more expensive than the top-spot holder.

This is super compact so you can plug it in and still have the other outlet free for more gadgets. You also get a physical button which is a useful feature for in-person controls. App support is excellent and the Away Mode feature is great, turning a light on and off to seem like you’re home.

The Wyze Plug is a super affordable option with a two-pack coming in cheaper than single unit prices of some options in this list. Despite undercutting the competition on price this still offers a compact design allowing for multiple socket use. It’s also compatible with Amazon’s Alexa smart assistant and Google Assistant, just not Apple HomeKit. But with IFTTT support this is a great work around for most needs.

There is a useful Vacation Mode feature, which turns gadgets like lights on and off randomly so that you appear to be home when away from your property. A great security feature that makes this already affordable option even more valuable. 

The Philips Hue Smart Plug is ideal if you’re already invested in the Philips Hue lighting ecosystem as it connects directly to the bridge for use via WiFi. If you’ve not got that system then you can use it via Bluetooth – less useful as that’s only when close enough to control.

For those connected via the hub, this can be controlled from anywhere and integrated with Hue zones, allowing you to control lights, fans, and anything else with automation. Or use voice controls with support for all the big names including Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa. 

Hue is a big name now with lots of integrations with other gadgets so expect this to connect you up more comprehensively than any other option on this list.

The Lutron Caseta Dimmer Plug is purpose built for lighting controls. That means this not only lets you power on and off lamps, remotely, but also allows for brightness control. You can also control this with your smart voice assistant as it supports all the big names.

The downside is that this isn’t cheap and you will also need a dedicated bridge unit to get this WiFi connected so you can smartphone control it from anywhere. So while this isn’t cheap it offers the most comprehensive controls of any light-based smart plug you can buy.

The Teckin Smart Power Strip is a great option for anyone that wants to control multiple gadgets from a single power outlet using their smart devices. This is a super affordable way to get lots of sockets, and USB ports, from a single socket – while making them smart at the same time.

This gets you Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa smart assistant voice controls. Plus you can control schedules for each individual socket, even having them turn on and off based on more than just time, like temperature, sunrise or sunset, humidity or the actions of other smart gadgets.

What to look for in the best smart plugs

There are a few important factors to look out for when deciding which is the best smart plug for you. While price is one, this may not be a major issue and most are now competitively priced. What you may want is a small form factor, so you can get more than one on your wall socket at a time.

Connectivity is a big point here. If you want to control this from your smartphone, from anywhere, it’ll need to be WiFi connected in your home. Be sure to look out for those that come with this built in versus those that make you buy a bridge as an extra to get you online.

Smart assistant controls are also helpful so be sure the plug you go for uses the assistant that you tend to use regularly. Another factor may be power surge abilities, with most topping out at 15A, which should be enough for most uses. But if you need more, or can settle for less, keep an eye on that spec when shopping around.