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In the 1990s, the idea of talking to your fan was ridiculous. These days, you activate your entire smart home through a simple keyphrase to your home.
Smart plugs allow us to create a smart home device where there previously would not have been. Here are the five best smart plugs for smartthings review.
Purchased in conjunction with an Amazon Echo, Google Next, or Apple HomeKit gives you voice activation with that.
With the right plug, any object can almost become a part of the Internet of Things (IoT). If current statistics stay steady, the world will include 41 billion items as part of IoT.
These plugs are one aspect of IoT, and they give us great control, which results in excellent energy-saving potential. Because of this, we want to go through the top five smart plugs available for the Smartthings app.
The Five Best WiFi Smart Plugs For Smartthings
| Best smart plug for smartthings | Product Information | Check Price |
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Top | Meross Smart Plug Mini, 16A & Reliable WiFi | Check Price |
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Top | Kasa Smart Plug HS103P4, Smart Home Wi-Fi Outlet | Check Price |
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Top | Wemo Smart Plug (Simple Setup Smart Outlet for Smart Home) | Check Price |
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Top | SYLVANIA SMART+ ZigBee Smart Plug | Check Price |
 | Aoycocr Smart Plugs That Work with Alexa Echo Google Home | Check Price |
- Teckin SP10 Mini Smart Outlet – Best Overall
- Meross MSS110 Smart Plug Mini – The Most Flexible
- Kasa Smart Plug HS103P4 – Simple To Install
- Wemo Smart Plug – Great Security Features
- Sylvania Smart+ ZigBee Smart Plug – Solid Integrated System
Teckin SP10 Mini Smart Outlet – The Best Overall
- VOICE COMMAND TO CONTROL: smart plugs that work with Alexa and Google Home Assistant. Just give a simple voice command to control your home device with smart outlet via Alexa or Google Home Assistant. No hub required to install the wifi plug. alexa outlet plug works with stable 2.4GHz network.
- SCHEDULE & TIMER: By setting schedules and timers for your home smart wifi electrical plugs, you can prepare a crock pot meal and get home with dinners ready. Get ready to have a smart home and create customized schedule to automatically turn on/off any home electronic appliances such as lamps, Christmas lights, coffee maker, etc. Please note that alexa outlet plug is not suitable for the appliances whose power is more than 10A,1200W (eg: air conditioner, microwave oven, induction cooker etc.)
- REMOTE CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE: google smart plug can help you control your home appliances from anywhere. Even you are not at home, you also can control your alexa wifi outlet via App directly, as long as your phone access a secure 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. Ideal for someone who cannot move around very well and needs easy access to turn on/off a device
- CREATE GROUP AND SHARE TO FAMILIES: Set a group for all google home outlets and control them in one command. Share your wifi plugs that work with alexa to all family members in a minute. No more worries, everyone can control them easily.
- EASY TO INSTALL AND SAFE: Just plug a device into the mini wifi smart outlet and connect to your secured 2.4GHz network with App. The smart plug uses high-quality materials and technology, such as V-0 flame-retardant thermoplastics, pure copper connectors and advanced PCBA boards. It can avoid fire hazards and provide overload protection to ensure the safety of family members. And ETL certification ensures complete protection.
Teckin is our favorite option because it focuses on a simple overall product. With a download of the Smart Life app, you can easily include it with your currently existing Alexa or Google Home items.
Installation and setup are typically under five minutes. You also don’t need to purchase a separate hub, making this one of the most simple forms.
A four-pack of these things is pretty inexpensive. The small, circular design means that they fit into any space. They also have reliable WiFi distance, but their frequency is limited to 2.4GHz.
The SP10 also includes timers and a set schedule for off and on times. All of which is manageable through the Smart Life application.
If you want simplicity and cost-effectiveness, the SP10 is your best overall option.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| If you want voice control that works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home | Teckin does not have a unique hub, limiting wireless distance |
| If you want an effortless setup process that takes less than five minutes | No support for Apple's voice control |
| It is the most cost-effective option available on this list | Low amps compared to other options |
| If you need four outlet controls | |
| Size is suitable for surge protectors or smart power strips | |
| Best Smart Plugs For Smartthings Reviews |
Meross MSS110 Smart Plug Mini – The Most Flexible
- Remote Control: Turn electronics on/off from anywhere with internet access via the Meross app. You can check the status of connected smart plugs, or set schedules for them. All data are securely transmitted and stored in Amazon AWS servers.
- Voice Control: You can control your devices hands free, just give voice commands to turn on/off the connected devices. Compatible with Apple HomeKit, Siri, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.
- Compact Size: The alexa smart plug occupies only one socket, the device allows you to stack two mini smart plugs in the same outlet, which is convenient and practical.
The Meross Smart Plug Mini is a powerful plug that can handle up to 16 amps. That means that it’s suitable for stronger lights and more power-consuming items.
As a result, this item takes up more energy.
Much like the SP10, the MSS110 has timers and allows for easy scheduling. Meross emphasizes greater flexibility as well.
This item works with Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, and Google Assistant.
The MSS110 is also compatible with the Smartthings App.
Meross provides support for its unique hub and allows for Google’s Nest Hub if you prefer that. The result makes it somewhat less cost-effective.
Flexibility is unimportant if you only have one device, which is most common in many homes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| If you have an Apple HomeKit smart home | It's somewhat broad, making it less suitable for some surge protectors |
| If you want to make more power-consuming items to be | It has occasional disconnection issues |
| If you like the Smartthings app | Somewhat more expensive than other comparable options. |
| Incredibly simple to install | |
| Best Smart Plugs For Smartthings Reviews |
Kasa Smart Plug HS103P4 – Simple To Install
- Voice control: Kasa smart plugs that work with Alexa and Google Home Assistant. Enjoy the hands free convenience of controlling any home electronic appliances with your voice via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant
- Easy set up and use: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection required. Plug in, open the case app, follow the simple instructions and enjoy
- Trusted and reliable: Designed and developed in Silicon Valley, Kasa is trusted by over 5 Million users and being the reader’s choice for PCMag 2020. UL certified for safety use. 2 year warranty
The Kasa Smart Plug HS103P4 returns to the beloved four-pack of options. The cost is also just as effective as the number one option.
Much like these other options, it provides grouping and compatibility with Alexa and Google smart homes. It also has a two-year-warranty, confirming Kasa’s confidence in its items.
Kasa’s app also makes it incredibly simple to set up. Download the Kasa app and look up the model. Those who aren’t tech-savvy will appreciate that.
Kasa also has a wide variety of smart items that integrate well with each other. Provided you are willing to get over the somewhat clunky design choice, Kasa is a reliable product.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| It comes with a four-pack of plugs | The design is somewhat clunky compared to other options |
| It works with both Alexa and Google Assistant | The unit has more power consumption compared to the Teckin option |
| This plug has a 15 amp power, supporting more energy-consuming items | Cannot program sundown/sunrise times (at the time of this review) |
| It has a two-year-warranty | |
| Best Smart Plugs For Smartthings Reviews |
Wemo Smart Plug – Great Security Features
- Control your home from anywhere – Turn devices on and off and set worry-free schedules
- Simple setup with the free Wemo app – Just plug in Wi-Fi Smart Plug and connect to Wi-Fi
- Protect your home with Away Mode by randomizing light schedules to create the illusion you’re at home
- Pair with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit for hands-free voice control
- Space-saving design fits into any electrical outlet without blocking other sockets
The Wemo holds many of the same features as everything we have mentioned up to this point. Everything is pretty simple to install.
The application (downloadable on Amazon, Google, and Apple products) is incredibly visually simple and easy to understand.
The major drawback comes from this being below the average pack number, as you only get a total of three different plugs.
You can buy them in single units, but that option is much less cost-effective. The overall cost of three is already well above our other options.
Thankfully, Wemo has at least reminded us that we don’t need a plug. The plug is also pretty visually enjoyable, making it blend in with many modern homes.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Visually pleasing design both on the app and plug | Less cost-effective compared to other items |
| Pairs with all of the three major smart home systems | It takes up more energy consumption |
| Ability to send a signal to Wemo items from the app located anywhere | Design not suitable for surge protectors |
| Away mode turns on your lights off and on randomly | |
| Support for 15 amps makes this pretty powerful | |
| Best Smart Plugs For Smartthings Reviews |
Sylvania Smart+ ZigBee Smart Plug – A Solid Integrated System
- A compatible ZigBee hub is required to control this plug. Pair your plug to a compatible ZigBee hub such as SmartThings, Wink, or Amazon Echo Plus
- Turn any outlet into a smart outlet. Easily plug your device into the smart plug and use your compatible app or voice assistant to turn your device on and off
- Ideal for holiday decorations, fans, small electronics, floor lamps, table lamps, and more. For indoor use only
ZigBee is one of the lesser-known producers of smart plugs. But with a focus on integrating everything into their hub system, they provide straightforward overall control options.
As a result, you need to purchase a separate hub, but it provides a great deal of connection confidence. This plug is also compatible with lessor known systems like Wink and Smartthings.
Needing multiple hubs may increase stability, but they do require a separate step in the setup process. If you have a larger house, the extra hub will be helpful.
Also, this plug is limited to the usefulness of the bottom plug, as it is the least compact design on this list.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Simple when purchasing their additional integrated hub | The least cost-effective option |
| Substantial expansion potential for larger homes | Requires the purchase of an additional hub |
| Integrated voice control with Amazon and Google Assistant | Not suitable for surge protectors |
| Best Smart Plugs For Smartthings Reviews |
What You Need To Know Before Deciding Upon The Right Smart Plug
Now that we’ve gone through our suggested list, we’re going to provide you a bit more information on why we made our decision.
When making any purchase, you need to understand what you are buying. So let’s dig into some things you need to look out for:
What is a Smart Plug?
A smart plug is a way to make “dumb” appliances smart; no expensive educations required. They plug into standard outlets and connect to the WiFi.
Through the use of smart home hubs (Google Home, Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa), you can control when your plugs receive power. That means you can accomplish the following:
- Schedule times when you want lights on or off
- Make it look like you are still at home to deter thieves
- Reduce the cost of your electricity bills
Some smart plugs have included USB ports, but those devices take up more energy.
How Much Should I Pay For a Smart Plug?
The best smart plugs are typically around $30. Looking above, the top three fall into that category, which is a big reason why we selected them.
The latter two are more for specialty needs. Some require hubs, which will drive up the cost further.
Do I Need A Smart Home Hub?
Smart home hubs allow you to control and monitor your home utilizing a central device. All plugs can sync up with the device, allowing a central location for everything.
One such example is the Samsung SmartThings Hub, which we referenced earlier for Samsung smart items.
Examples include fridges, ranges, and washing machines. However, many plugs also work with the SmartThings hub.
Hubs provide greater control, but they do have some drawbacks:
- It’s another thing to buy
- Hubs add an extra step to the smart plug process
- They may have a preference for company-specific smart items
Hubs provide an excellent way to control everything from a single location, extending the range of larger homes.
Good ones listen in for voice commands or extend the available range of your smart plugs. However, those on a budget should stick to plugs that don’t require a hub.
What Are Amps and Why are they Important for Smart Plugs?
Amps are a measure of the level of voltage your items can handle. Smart plugs typically take anywhere from 10 to 15 amps.
If you run anything higher through it, you risk blowing the unit. Doing the opposite means, you are underutilizing your electric potential.
The need to conserve electricity is necessary when it comes to saving money and not stressing electric grids.
If you want to know how many amps your lightbulb is, take the watts and divide them by the volts.
You won’t need to worry about this with most lightbulbs, but pay careful attention to energy-consuming products. For example, you wouldn’t be able to use a fridge with this kind of plug.
How Much Data Should A Smart Plug Use?
The average smart plug will use about 50 MB per month. However, you will want to check with your manufacturer for details.
Because option number five uses a hub, you can expect that to use a bit more data.
Also, keep in mind the amount of data on the other side of your smart plugs. If your smart plug activates a WiFi-enabled object, expect the thing to use bandwidth.
You should avoid smart plugs that exceed this bandwidth limitation.
Do Smart Plugs Use A Lot Of Electricity?
None of the smart plugs on this list will exceed 2 watts of power consumption. Typically, you may see it sit around less than one.
Any more than two, and you may eliminate the reasoning for buying a smart plug.
Lights can be anywhere from 60 to 200 watts, so smart plugs have significant potential savings regardless of their limited energy use.
Smart plugs are especially helpful for those who forget to turn off the lights. There is no way to avoid having smart plugs take some level of electricity from your home.
What Warranty Should I Look For With Smart Plugs?
When it comes to warranties, both the Wemo and Kasa options listed above have the best overall options.
Ideally, one should look for around a one-year-warranty. The two in this section have a two-year-warranty.
Because limited lifetime warranties are tricky, you will want to check through the owner’s manual. If your device malfunctions, checking this will provide you with the right words to utilize your warranty.
Customer service agents pick out anything that resembles claiming ownership for a fault.
Are Smart Plugs Dangerous?
There are a small number of smart plugs which are known to cause fires and be hacked. Thankfully, none in our top five list are among those who have this risk.
Regardless, fires are less likely on an electrical front. But because smart plugs do not have any built-in encryption software, people can access those signals to draw the WiFi password from them.
Best Smart Plug Brands
There are many brands we spoke of today, and each of them has its advantages and disadvantages. Check out what makes these brands unique below:
- Teckin: A brand that focuses on simplicity that works in the EU, US, and JP. They produce popular smart bulb designs as well, but their simplicity allows them to avoid any hubs.
- Meross: Meross is a brand founded in 2016 with experts from companies like Microsoft, Cisco, and TP-Link. They are based in Chengdu (China) and work in over 20 countries.
- Kasa: Kasa was formed in 2015 and designed its product in Silicon Valley. They emphasize the ability to control their integrated system from a single app.
- Wemo: Wemo has been around since 2015 and services a wide variety of simple products.
- Sylvania: Sylvania is the oldest company on this list, having over 100 years of experience. They specialize in providing light sources and are based out of Massachusetts.
All of the companies have been involved in electronics to some degree. They allow you to control these electronics with remote controls, typically located in their phone.
Sylvania has also beaten out most of the companies above as far as age goes. As a result, they have the most extensive spread with 120 countries.
FAQs
How Do You Set Up a Smart Plug?
Setting up almost any plug is pretty simple. In most cases, you need to follow these instructions:
- Insert your plug into your chosen outlet
- Download the application associated with the plug’s company
- Follow the on-screen instructions to sync your device to the app
- Open your chosen secondary app ( Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit)
- Look for a “+” button or “Add New Device” button located under “Devices”
- Follow the on-screen instructions to associate your smart device with the right group
Depending on your voice assistant, each device has different commands. Typically, these are as simple as “Alexa, turn on light number one,” but you can experiment until you find out what works.
If you start to collect many plugs, you will also want to be aware of the difference between zones and groups.
What is the Difference Between Groups and Zones in your Smart Home?
Those who have a larger home with many smart devices know the difference between groups and zones is invaluable. This information can be convenient for those using the Apple HomeKit:
- A group is limited to a specific type of electronic item
- A zone is the location of multiple types of electronic items
The blender, microwave, and coffee machine are in the same zone. But you may consider the lights throughout the house in a single group called “lights.”
So if you return home at 4 p.m, you may want the group “lights” to turn on. This command activates all of your smart outlets to turn on at 4 p.m, eagerly awaiting your return home.
How To Hook Up Your Smart Home Devices To Your Router
For your smart lighting to work, you need to ensure that you have a compatible router.
Smart plugs are almost always going to stick with 2.4GHz routers, which many still support due to the need to keep around older phones.
If you are struggling to find a reasonably priced router with comprehensive support, search for a TP-Link router. These typically have strong compatibility with most internet service providers (ISPs).
If you plan on upgrading to a smart WiFi power strip, these routers will have the capacity to support expansion.
Can Smart Plugs Be Used Outdoors?
Unless your product is advertised as an outdoor smart plug, your device is not meant to be used outdoors. All of the WiFi plugs on this list aren’t typically best for outdoor use.
Wrap Up
As a reminder, our favorite smart plug goes back to the Teckin SP10 Mini Smart Outlet. With low amps, the most compact size, and no reliance upon a hub, this takes up the less overall bandwidth.
Despite these fantastic features, it still manages to be one of the least expensive options on this list.
While the SP10 is excellent for most households, you may find yourself more suited to Meross MSS110 if you require a higher voltage. Check what you want to use it for before making any purchase.
Larger homes will also likely need a hub, which is a large part of Sylvania’s offering.
Whatever you choose, we encourage you to think about your priorities during this. It won’t help you to buy something that isn’t useful for your needs.
With the guide above, you can select which option is the best for your household.
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