Scheduling: How robust is the scheduling feature in the app?įeatures: Are there any other features that distinguish the plug from others? Setup: How easy is it to connect the plug to your Wi-Fi network, and to its app In addition to making sure the plug actually turns on the thing that's plugged into it, we also evaluate the plugs on several factors:ĭesign: Can you fit more than one plug into an outlet? Does it have a physical on/off switch or indicator lights? Reviewing a smart plug isn't as simple as plugging it in. For instance, I recently had to do this when testing out the Roku Indoor Camera SE to get it to work on my own home network. This way, you can connect any smart plugs or other smart home devices to your mesh network that don't support the 5 GHz band. Most mesh routers allow you to create a guest network using the 2.4 GHz band. If you've encountered this problem, there is a fix that might work. This isn't a problem with other devices but many smart plugs and other smart home devices only work on the 2.4 GHz band. Unlike with the best Wi-Fi routers, the best mesh Wi-Fi systems often combine their 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands into one network. Using one of the best smart plugs with a mesh router You might want to download your intended smart plug’s app before you purchase to see what you’re dealing with. We’ve even come across apps which aren’t fully translated into English. Is the app any good? The less premium smart plugs come with less intuitive apps, which can make it difficult to schedule and control your smart plug. Some brands, such as iHome, can also work with Apple Homekit.ģ. But, if you don’t have Alexa, make sure the smart light you’re looking at can connect to the alternatives, such as Google Home. Will it work with more than Alexa? Smart connectivity and voice control are brilliant features to have - nothing’s more convenient than asking Alexa to switch off your lights, and watching technology do the rest. These designs are small enough that they won’t block secondary outlets.Ģ. If you want a smaller design, check out TP-Link's HS105, the iHome ISP6X, and the Belkin WeMo Mini. Some are so sizable, that they can block alternative outlets. Will it block my other outlet? Some smart plugs are chunkier than they look in the pictures, so make sure you check and measure out the dimensions. How to choose the best smart plugs for youīefore you decide which smart plug is best for you, here’s some things you need to consider:ġ. Perhaps Google Assistant and Siri could be added down the line, but we’ll have to see. We'd love this smart plug even more if it were compatible with voice assistants besides Alexa, though. That way when someone is around who doesn’t have access to your Alexa app, or isn’t as familiar with smart home devices, the connected appliance can still be controlled. We like that the Amazon Smart Plug has a physical on/off button and an LED to indicate its status. With either the Alexa app or any of the best Alexa speakers, you can control the Amazon Smart Plug from wherever you are in your home. It comes packed with all the features of Alexa, including compatibility with routines, schedules, timers, and other advanced automations. The Amazon Smart Plug is simple, compact, and a great value purchase for a low price. Overall, the Ring Outdoor Smart Plug is a good device for those invested in the Ring ecosystem. Within the Ring app, you can configure the two outlets to work together or separately, and create schedules for when it turns on and off. Unlike most other smart plugs, the Ring needs to connect to a hub, which can either be a Ring Bridge ($49) or an Amazon Echo smart speaker. On the front of the Ring is a large circular button that’s blue in the center you can press on either side of the button to control each outlet independently. The Ring also comes with three screws and wall anchors. I especially like that the prongs are at a right angle to the cord it makes it much easier to close the door. At the top is a 6.5-inch cord that’s long enough to plug the Ring into an outdoor outlet, but still be able to close your outlet’s door. At the bottom are two plugs, each protected by a rubber flap. The Ring Outdoor smart plug is a massive brick.
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