Make your home smart with a smart plug. Any of the best smart plugs let you control various small appliances without needing to be home. For example, connect a lamp to a smart plug, and you can then use your smartphone to turn the lamp on and off or create a schedule that will automatically turn the lamp on or off.
Because the best smart plugs are easy to use and very affordable, anyone with a smartphone can get in on the convenience (and, dare we say, fun) of using one of the best smart home devices.
The WeMo Mini is wide, but thin enough so that you can fit two of them per outlet without blocking electrical access. Though it doesn't have energy monitoring information, the Mini does work with HomeKit, Alexa, Google Assistant and more. It also has a helpful switch on the plug itself if you'd rather use manual controls.
Though it's a bit more expensive than alternatives we've reviewed, the WeMo Mini is the easiest to set up and the best smart plug for most people.
The Kasa Smart WiFi Lite is a real value; we've tested other smart plugs from TP-Link, and found them to be reliable. Plus, the Kasa app has a lot of features, including scheduling and the ability to control other TP-Link smart home devices. The one catch is that the Kasa Lite is only rated for 12 amps, so if you want to use it with a device that draws more power, you should check out the WeMo Mini or the Kasa HS105 smart plug.
TP-Link's Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug KP400 has two outlets, so you can control two devices independently. The plug is a substantial 4.9 x 2.4 x 2.3 inches, but housed inside its thick plastic housing is a Wi-Fi radio that should connect to your router from up to 300 feet away. The KP400 is IP64-rated, so it can withstand dust and most rainfall, but you should ensure that the outlets are facing downward and covered when not in use.
Aside from the hardware, it's TP-Link's Kasa app that sets this device apart from other smart outlets. The app makes the setup process exceedingly simple; it works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT — no HomeKit, sorry — and it has pretty good scheduling options for letting you turn your lights on and off at certain times. The one feature it needs, though, is the ability to turn on at sunset, rather than at a set time—but you can set this using an Alexa routine.
Most smart plugs lack one major feature: They're on/off, and can't dim your lights. Lutron's Caseta Lamp Dimmer is a rare exception. And, not only are their controls on the plug itself, but it also ships with a small remote, so you don't need to get up off your couch to adjust the lights. And, you can plug two lamps into the Caseta Lamp Dimmer. It also works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest, SmartThings, and HomeKit, but if you want to use any of those voice assistants to control the device, you'll need to purchase the Lutron Smart Bridge that's sold separately.
Not only does the dual plug TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug (HS107) have one of the better designs among plugs we've tested, but its app is the most feature-packed, too. The rectangular device has three-prong sockets at both ends, so you can control two devices independently from a single outlet. This plug is narrow enough that it won't block the second wall outlet, in case you want to plug in something else, but the fit will be tight.
You manually control each plug via two LED-lit buttons on either end of the front of the switch, while a light in the middle lets you know if the plug is connected to your Wi-Fi network. The HS107 will work with devices of up to 15 amps, so you can plug in things such as coffee makers and portable heaters.
Like with TP-Link's single-plug device, you can easily create schedules, including setting up an Away mode, which will randomly turn the lights on and off to make it look like you're home; this is perhaps the plug's best feature. Kasa's app also lets you group other products from TP-Link, such as security cameras and lights, and control them with Alexa and Google Assistant.
TP-Link's Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip is six smart plugs built into one (with three USB ports to boot). You can control each connected device individually using the Kasa app, Alexa or Google Assistant, or buttons on the device itself. And, it has a surge protector built-in, which most individual smart plugs lack. That said, it's a bit pricey compared to other strips that are available.
Our favorite smart power strip value is the Monoprice Wireless Smart Power Strip. With four outlets and two USB ports, it can't accommodate quite as many devices as some surge protectors can. It's also less than half the price of some of its upscale competitors, such as the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip.
The Monoprice power strip also offers more features than most of its more-expensive competitors. Using Monoprice's Stitch app, you can remotely monitor and control your appliances and can control and schedule each outlet individually. You can set each outlet to turn on or off based on various environmental factors such as time, temperature, humidity, sunrise and sunset or the actions of other smart-home devices. And if you're not using a voice assistant, you can still create scenes using all of your Stitch products to easily set the mood in your home.
TP-Link's Kasa smart plug HS105 is an older model, but it still works well, and costs less than most on the market. It has a compact design, which makes it possible to add two to an outlet, and has an LED that lets you know at a glance if the switch is on. We liked the Kasa app, which was easy to use and has a robust set of features, such as the ability to create schedules and an Away mode that turns your lights on and off at random intervals while you're out of your house.
Amazon's smart plug is simple, compact, and a great value purchase for a low price. It comes packed with all the features of Alexa, including compatibility with routines, schedules, timers, and other advanced automations. It also has a physical on/off button and an LED to indicate its status.
We'd love this smart plug even more if it were compatible with voice assistants besides Alexa.
Get smart
After testing dozens of smart plugs, we think the best overall is the WeMo Mini. While it's not as compact as other smart plugs, it has a lot of handy scheduling features and is one of the few smart plugs that work with Alexa, Google Assistant, and HomeKit. WeMo is coming out with an even smaller version, the WeMo WiFi Smart Plug, which will be available this spring.
You can find multitudes of cheap smart plugs online, but we think the best budget model is the Kasa Smart WiFi Plug Lite by TP-Link. An individual plug is insanely cheap, and the company's other smart home products have generally been very reliable.
