Smart plugs, like power cords and cable adapters, lack the appeal of other smart home products. After all, they're just plugs. Even so, they are still beneficial and definitely worthy of adding to your home automation plans.

As dull as they may initially seem, smart plugs can make your life easier, save you time and money, and give you added peace of mind, depending on your situation or setup.

We're highlighting some of the best smart plugs available.

Premium pick

1. Eve Energy

8.80 / 10
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Any Apple fan should take a look at Eve Energy. You can control a device using Apple's Home app or just a simple Siri command. And as long you have a Home Hub like an Apple TV or HomePod, you can control the plug when away from your home.When located in a more extensive HomeKit setup, you can use Eve Energy as part of different automation configurations. It's also possible to customize specific schedules for the plug.With the companion app, you can track the connected device's power consumption and see the projected cost of energy for the device based on your electricity rate.

Key Features
  • Control devices with an Apple device or Siri command
  • Customize schedules to control devices
  • Manual button to control power
Specifications
  • Brand: Eve
  • Connectivity: Bluetooth
  • Integrations: Apple HomeKit
  • Schedules: Yes
Pros
  • You can monitor how much energy the connected device is using
  • Use as part of other automations with Apple's Home app
Cons
  • No Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant support
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Eve Energy
Editors choice

2. Wemo Mini Smart Plug

8.00 / 10
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A great, all-around choice is the Wemo Mini Smart Plug. Along with a reasonable price, the plug is compatible with three major smart home protocols—Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Amazon Alexa. You can also control the plug with a smartphone app.

Thanks to the compact size of the plug, you can use two on the same outlet. You can schedule the plug to turn on and off at specific times of the day. When you're on vacation, the Away Mode will turn lights on and off randomly to make it appear that someone is home.

Key Features
  • Away Mode can randomize lights to help protect your home
  • Set schedules and timers with the smartphone app
  • Compatible with three major smart home platforms
Specifications
  • Brand: Wemo
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • Integrations: Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa
  • Schedules: Yes
Pros
  • Two plugs can be used in the same outlet
  • No hub or subscription needed
Cons
  • No energy monitoring feature
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Wemo Mini Smart Plug
Best value

3. Silcoo Smart Plug

10.00 / 10
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The Silco Smart Plug is an inexpensive choice that offers one AC and two USB outlets to help save space and better organize your countertop or another crowded spot in your home.Both USB ports and the power outlet can be controlled individually or together with a smartphone app, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa. Thanks to built-in Wi-Fi, you can control the outlets from anywhere. You can also customize schedules and timers.

Key Features
  • Features two smart USB outlets and one a single smart power outlet
  • Controllable with the smartphone app, Google Assistant, or Amazon Alexa
  • Wi-Fi enabled for control from outside your home
Specifications
  • Brand: Silico
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • Integrations: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
  • Schedules: Yes
Pros
  • Control the USB ports and power outlet individually or together
  • Create schedules and timers with the smartphone app
Cons
  • Takes two spaces of a duplex outlet
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Silcoo Smart Plug

Smart plugs aren't for just inside your home. The Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug sports two weather-resistant outlets that can fend off dust and splashes of water.That makes it perfect for controlling outdoor lighting on a patio or even holiday decorations. Each outlet is individually controllable with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or the companion smartphone app.Using the app, you can group the plug with other Kasa smart home devices to create a host of different automation schedules. It's also possible to customize schedules to turn the outlets on or off at specific times or even automatically at sunrise or sunset.

Key Features
  • Weather-resistant and made for outdoors
  • Wi-Fi support to control from anywhere with the smartphone app
  • Can customize schedules
Specifications
  • Brand: Kasa
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • Integrations: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
  • Schedules: Yes
Pros
  • Each outlet can be controlled individually with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant
  • You can create interactions with other Kasa products
Cons
  • No Apple HomeKit support
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Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug

The gosund Wall Outlet Extender can morph a single duplex outlet into much more. The extender sports six AC outlets—three smart and three always on. There is also a trio of smart USB ports on top of the device.

The three smart outlets can be controlled individually with the smartphone app or voice control through Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. The USB ports can be turned on or off together in the same way.

Small LEDs on each outlet let you know if it's receiving power or not. You can control power to the entire station with a large button on the front. You can also set timers and countdowns on the surge-protected outlet.

Key Features
  • Expands a duplex outlet to add six plugs
  • Three USB ports
  • Control and schedule outlets with companion smartphone apps
Specifications
  • Brand: gosund
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • Integrations: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
  • Schedules: Yes
Pros
  • Three smart plugs can be controlled individually
  • USB ports can be controlled together
Cons
  • Large size is not ideal for out-of-the way outlets
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gosund Wall Outlet Extender

The Etekcity Smart Plug is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. The unit provides more than just a simple way of automating appliances around your home.The automatic night light will turn on at dusk and switch off at dawn to provide light for dark hallways or another part of a home. You can also use the smartphone app to control the plug and create a custom schedule.

Key Features
  • Built-in nightlight can automatically turn or be scheduled
  • Can view energy used by appliances
  • App can be used to control multiple Etekcity devices
Specifications
  • Brand: Etekcity
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • Integrations: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
  • Schedules: Yes
Pros
  • Schedule the nightlight and outlet by time or at sunrise and sunset
  • No hub or subscription needed
Cons
  • Not compatible with Apple HomeKit
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Etekcity Smart Plug

The meross Smart Plug Dual Wi-Fi Outlet provides a great way to bring two smart outlets to a single power receptacle. Two plugs can also be used in the same outlet, doubling the number of power plugs. The Wi-Fi plug is compatible with three popular smart home platforms; Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.

The companion smartphone app brings control anywhere and also allows you to customize schedules, including the ability to turn a lamp on at sunset and off at sunrise. Apple device users need a Home Hub to use the plug as part of a HomeKit setup.

Key Features
  • Brings two outlets to a single unit
  • Manual on/off controls for each outlet
  • Can customize schedules and timers
Specifications
  • Brand: meross
  • Connectivity: Wi-Fi
  • Integrations: Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
  • Schedules: Yes
Pros
  • Two plugs can be used in the same duplex outlet
  • Supports three major smart home platforms
Cons
  • Might not fit an outlet in a tight space
Buy This Product
meross Smart Plug

FAQ

Q: What is a Smart Plug?

Smart plugs are devices that go into ordinary electrical outlets. It's easy to set up a smart plug. Because it also contains an outlet, smart plugs are also considered outlet extensions. Instead of plugging your toaster or lamp into the wall, you connect your appliances to the smart plug, which in turn connects to your outlet socket.

Q: What Does a Smart Plug Do?

What makes a smart plug intelligent is that you can control it remotely using a mobile app or smart home hub like an Amazon Echo or Google Home device. Through apps or hubs, smart plugs are also compatible with other smart home devices. That allows you to use tools such as IFTTT to combine tasks.

For example, you could program a lamp to turn on whenever the doorbell rings or when someone enters the kitchen in your home.

Q: Do Smart Plugs Need Wi-Fi?

Like most other smart home devices, the vast majority of smart plugs need Wi-Fi to operate. A constant wireless signal allows you to control the plugs with a smartphone app at home or anywhere else.Some Bluetooth smart plugs tie in with a Home Hub, like an Apple TV, to provide the same functionality.