I use this smart plug for controlling my Christmas lights — and it just dropped to $12 at Amazon

Kasa Smart Plug deal with Kasa app and christmas tree in the background

(Image credit: Future)

Whenever the holidays roll around, I'm never more appreciative of my Kasa Smart Plug and how it gives me total control over my Christmas lights no matter where I am in the home. And thanks to a holiday sale, you can experience the same satisfaction for a tidy discount.

Right now you can get a two-pack of the Kasa Smart Plug HS103P2 for just $12 at Amazon — that's a 38% discount off the regular price. The two-pack gives you two smart plugs which hook up to any outlet in your home. Once they're in place, you can use them to control power to anything plugged into that outlet, be it an appliance, lamp or — in my case — Christmas decorations.

What I appreciate about the Kasa Smart Plug — one of the best smart plugs we've tested — is that I don't need a separate smart hub to manage things. Instead, I've got a Kasa app on my phone that connects to the plug. When it's time to turn on the lights at night, I launch the app, tap a button and fill the room with Christmas cheer. And when it's time to go to bed, I can turn off the lights from a distance, keeping my electricity bill at bay during the festive season.

When it's time to turn on the lights at night, I launch the app, tap a button and fill the room with Christmas cheer.

The Kasa smart plugs on sale at Amazon also boasts support for Alexa voice control, along with compatibility with Amazon Echo, Google Home and IFTTT, should any of those figure into your smart home setup. In addition to manual shutdowns, you can also put your smart outlets on a timer, making them an even better option for holiday lights.

As part of our search for end-of-the-year deals, we're tracking savings on the best tech gifts as well, including smart home staples like the Ring Video Doorbell and the Amazon Echo Show 15. If you want more than one smart plug, check out the Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip, which is currently 50% off at Amazon.

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Philip Michaels is a Managing Editor at Tom's Guide. He's been covering personal technology since 1999 and was in the building when Steve Jobs showed off the iPhone for the first time. He's been evaluating smartphones since that first iPhone debuted in 2007, and he's been following phone carriers and smartphone plans since 2015. He has strong opinions about Apple, the Oakland Athletics, old movies and proper butchery techniques. Follow him at @PhilipMichaels.