A smart plug is a tiny investment you can make to turn ordinary lights and small appliances in your home into smart appliances. With smart plugs, you can control the devices that are plugged into them, such as a lamp or a flat iron, from your smartphone. And since many have built-in Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa and Apple HomeKit integration, you can even control your regular appliances with your voice.
Controlling your lights and devices without having to manually walk over and touch them is really only a small piece of the pie. Many of the smart apps associated with each plug can set schedules for your lights. You can schedule them to turn on at specific times in the night when you are away to make it look as though someone is home for added security, or have them turn on right when you get home from work so you don’t have to wander into a dark house. Some even have advanced scheduling that turns lights on and off when the sun rises and sets locally.
Before you purchase a smart plug, you should first consider a few things:
- Home connectivity options – Which voice assistant does it work with?
- How advanced is the scheduling – Can you set timers and schedules?
- Design – Does it block other plugs and does it have an on/off switch?
Once you’re ready to give your lights and small appliances a little education, we have a handful of recommendations below for the best smart plugs available. It’s time for your home to get with the times and join the 21st century!
1. C by GE
Protect your home when you are away with the C by GE smart plug. You can turn your lights on and off through the app — no hub or bridge required. And when you’re in the home, you have the luxury and convenience of Alexa and Google Assistant voice controls. You can even turn the power off to devices like a curling iron that you or your partner may have accidentally left on.

2. Ring Outdoor Smart Plug
Your smart home and smart controls should encompass not only the lights and gadgets inside of your home, but the ones on the outside, too. That’s the power the Ring Outdoor Smart Plug provides. Plug this into an existing plug outside of your home and you can then control your outdoor lights with your smartphone or voice if you’re connected to Alexa-enabled devices. Keep in mind this plug does require the Ring Bridge which is sold separately. That being said, it’s a durable plug that can withstand large temperature swings and wet weather.

3. Wyze Outdoor Smart Plug
This smart plug can split your outdoor outlet into two separate power sources meaning you can keep your Christmas lights on, but turn off the light above your door without having to unplug anything. Pretty nifty, huh? It’s also voice and app control compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa when connected to voice assistant compatible devices. Through the Wyze app, you can also see a record of your energy consumption so you can keep better track of your electric bill.

4. EZVIZ Smart Plug
This handy smart plug allows you to set timers and lighting schedules to minimize power consumption. It can also be used as a smart way to protect your home while you’re away by having lights scheduled to turn on and off making it seem as if someone is home. Through the EZVIZ app, you can see power consumption stats and control the smart plug from your phone. With all of the above plus being compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, it’s a steal considering it’s only $20.
Read more: Best Smart Bulbs

5. Lutron Caseta Dimmer Plug
Add extra controls to your nightstand or living room standing lamps with this plug-in lamp dimmer. You plug your lamp into the Lutron outlet then use the wireless remote to control your lamps’ lighting settings, giving you anywhere control over your lamps. It’s a great way to upgrade the lighting in your home without having to change out electric switches in your wall.

6. ConnectSense CS-SO-2 Smart Outlet
This smart plug allows you to set schedules and timers with the app on your phone. Compatible with Alexa, you can even go voice-command style to control your lighting. The coolest part is you can set voice commands to turn the power on to the outlet. So, when you come home from work you can say “I’m home” and your lights will turn on.

7. D-Link WiFi Smart Outdoor Plug
Like the Wyze outdoor plug, the outlets are independent, so you can send power to one outlet and not the other — unlike a standard indoor wall outlet. It even has a handy USB port to charge mobile devices. Using the app, you can set timers and schedules for lighting as well as connect it to an Alexa-enabled device for voice control over your plug. It’s weather-resistant and a solid choice for an outdoor smart plug.

8. Philips Hue Smart Plug
For those who have invested in Phillips Hue throughout the house, this plug will fit right in. Through the Hue app, you gain complete control over the outlet. You can even set timers and schedules when you want lights that are connected to the device to turn on and off. It is compatible with Alexa as well so through an Alexa-enabled device you can control the plug with your voice.

9. Wemo WiFi Smart Outdoor Plug
This affordable and reliable outdoor smart plug has two weather-resistant outlets with splash-proof protectors to fill your outdoor power needs even when weather conditions aren’t ideal. Through the app you can set schedules and timers or with a compatible Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa device, you can go the voice control route. There’s even an “away mode” that will randomly turn lights on and off to make it appear that someone is home when you are away from the house.

10. Amazon Smart Plug
When you’re in the Amazon ecosystem, an Amazon Smart Plug is a great choice for your home automation needs. It has Alexa built-in so there’s no need to connect it to an Alexa smart speaker. The app allows you to schedule lighting as well as other home automation. Keep in mind, it’s only compatible with Alexa, so if you’re team Google over Amazon, you’ll want to look elsewhere for a smart plug.

11. Wyze Smart Plug
This plug is rather smart even though it looks fairly basic. With the app, not only can you make a schedule for your lights and power, but it also tracks the usage of whatever is plugged into it. You can’t schedule lights based on sunrise and sunsets like other more expensive options allow, but it does work with all Amazon, Google and Apple voice assistants.

12. Kasa Smart KP400
The Kasa Smart KP400 turns a single “dumb” plug into two smart ones that can be controlled individually. With IP64 weatherproofing and 300 ft WiFi range, it’s great for outdoor and indoor use. You can control the plug with your smartphone and connect it to either Google or Alexa Voice controls.

13. Wemo Mini Smart Plug
This covers the three major players — Google, Amazon and Apple HomeKit — in the smart home ecosystem game. With the app, you can schedule home lighting, create an away mode for when you aren’t home and control other devices that are connected to the plug. It’s a compact design that won’t block other plugs and is one of the more affordable options.

14. Kasa Smart Plug
This turns one of your plugs into a smart one without blocking the other. You get your choice with Alexa, Google Assistant and Microsoft Cortana voice assistants for hands-free operation. You can also use the app to schedule when lights turn off and on which is useful when you aren’t home or go out of town.

15. Meross Smart Outdoor Plug
This is a great plug for outdoor use thanks to its IP44 weatherproof housing. You can turn your electric grill or landscape lighting on and off with your voice. Plus, it works with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings. Both plugs can also be controlled independently, which turns one plug into two smart plugs.

16. iHome ISP6X WiFi Smart Plug
With support from Amazon, Google and Siri, this is a great choice for those who have a variety of different devices in their home. The app is intuitive and provides a number of different scheduling options for your lights and devices. It’s a little on the bulky side, but the upsides of compatibility, convenience and price make it a desirable smart plug.

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