TP-Link Kasa Energy Monitoring Smart Plug, 6-Outlet

Creating a smart home has never been easier. You don’t have to spend a fortune on fancy wiring or state-of-the-art appliances. For a low cost, you can purchase a small plug that will convert any electric-powered item in your home into a smart device. That means you can plug in lamps, toasters, holiday lights and much more and control those items using an app or your voice.

But before you buy a smart plug, there are a few things to consider. The first is the devices you already have. If you own an Amazon smart speaker like an Alexa or Echo Dot, an Amazon smart plug is well worth considering since you’ll simply be able to plug it into the wall and wait for it to connect. Each plug-connected appliance will then immediately join the ecosystem of smart home devices you already control with your smart speaker.

Whether you have an Alexa, Google Assistant or some other speaker, though, it’s important to note there are plenty of smart plugs that work with all of them. Technology has advanced to the point where setup is fairly easy no matter which brand you buy. In fact, Amazon plugs are limited to Amazon devices, so you’ll be in a pickle with your voice control if you ever decide to switch to another type of smart speaker.

App control is one of the best things about a smart plug. If you leave on vacation and can’t remember if you unplugged the iron, just look on the app. You can also control your apps remotely or set your lamps and other items to power on and off on a schedule. Look for a smart plug with an easy-to-use app that has all the features you’re most likely to need.

If energy consumption is a concern, shop for a smart plug that offers reporting on your energy use each month. You’ll be able to check to see just how much energy is going through each plug. If you notice one appliance is particularly energy-draining, you can look for ways to reduce power consumption and possibly knock some dollars and cents off your monthly utility bill.

• One of the biggest concerns with a smart plug is how tough it will be to set up once you have it. Look for a plug that will automatically sync up to your home’s Wi-Fi so that you don’t have to spend hours troubleshooting.
• Once your plug is in place, you’ll need a way to control it. This starts within your own home. If you’re setting up a smart home, you probably want to use voice control to send commands to every connected device. Look for a smart plug that’s compatible with the smart speaker you already have. If you have an Alexa, make sure you choose plugs that will easily sync up to your smart speaker so that you can control connected appliances with your voice.
• You won’t just want to manage your items when you’re home. For that reason, most smart plugs connect to an app that lets you control everything whether you’re in your own living room or on the other side of the country. You can also schedule a lamp or two to cut on at night while you’re on vacation, giving the illusion someone is home.
• Grouping is another valuable feature of some smart plugs. You can give each plug a name to make it easy to turn things on and off using voice control. Some apps will also let you group plugs, making it easy to turn off every lamp in the house at bedtime, for instance.
• Whether you’re new to smart plugs or adding on to your home setup, it’s important to consider any limitations on the app that accompanies them. You’ll likely be limited in how many devices you can add. Even if you’re only grabbing one or two now, think down the line when you may want to hook up more devices.
• Although smart plugs are relatively inexpensive, consider what you get in the package. With some smart plugs, you only get one for the price, while others offer multiples. Even if you can’t think of more than one thing to connect now, once you see how much easier it makes your life, you’ll likely want to add other items in your house.
• One benefit you won’t find with many smart plugs is energy reporting. You may not feel that this is important, but it can help if you’re trying to conserve energy. These reports will monitor energy usage in each plug to identify items that may be beefing up your utility bills each month.
• It’s important to consider size as you’re shopping. Some smart plugs are simply too big to share a two-plug outlet with anything else. For that reason, a mini smart plug is a better choice if you are limited on outlets. Bulky plugs are also tougher to squeeze behind furniture.