Best Smart Plugs

The short answer

• US, any phone or speaker system: Kasa KP125M, because it is Matter-certified.
• US, simplest energy-monitoring plug: Kasa EP25.
• UK: Tapo P110, a 13-amp plug with energy monitoring.

New to smart plugs? Start with smart plugs for beginners, which covers what they can and cannot control.

What matters in a smart plug

• Load rating. The most the plug can safely switch. Check it against the appliance's label.
• Energy monitoring. Shows what the appliance actually uses.
• System support. Matter works across Apple Home, Google Home and Alexa; see what is Matter.
• Wi-Fi band. All three here use 2.4 GHz, which almost every router provides.
• Size. Compact plugs leave the second socket free.

Side by side

Where they differ

Country

The two Kasa plugs are US models with US pins and a 15-amp, 1,800-watt maximum load. The Tapo P110 is a UK model rated at 13 amps and 2,990 watts. US and UK plugs are not interchangeable.

System support

The KP125M is Matter-certified, so one plug works with Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa and other Matter systems. The EP25 works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple HomeKit (Siri) and SmartThings, according to TP-Link's announcement. The P110 works with Alexa and Google Assistant.

Energy monitoring

All three monitor energy in their apps. TP-Link lists the P110's own consumption at 0.64 W in standby.

Limits

TP-Link says not to use the P110 with large-motor appliances such as air conditioners. With any plug, keep heaters and other high-power appliances within the rating, and never schedule a heater to start while nobody is home.

The picks in detail

Setting one up

1. Download the maker's app, or for a Matter plug, your system's home app.
2. Make sure your phone is on the 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi band or that your router offers it.
3. Plug it in, scan the code or follow the app, and name it by room and job.
4. Plug in the appliance and test it from the app.
5. Set one schedule, such as a lamp at sunset, and live with it for a week.

What to plug in first

A living-room lamp on a sunset schedule is the upgrade people notice every day. The TV corner on a power strip, switched off overnight, cuts standby. A fan or a basic air purifier can be scheduled to run before you get home. Keep heaters, irons and anything with a large motor off smart plugs unless both makers say it is suitable and the load is within the rating.

Safety first

Stay within the plug's rating: check the amps and watts on the label. Do not use smart plugs with extension leads plugged into extension leads, and keep them away from water. For heaters and other high-power appliances, check that both the plug and the appliance makers say it is safe, and never schedule a heater to come on when nobody is home.

Which should you choose?

In the US, choose the KP125M if you use Apple Home or might change systems, and the EP25 if you use Alexa or Google and want the simplest option. In the UK, the P110 is the straightforward choice. Then put it to work: a lamp on a sunset schedule, and the TV corner off at night. Best energy-saving smart devices covers what else is worth adding.

How we chose

These are research-based recommendations: specifications come from TP-Link's own pages and announcement. We have not tested them hands-on. Prices and availability change, so check the listing in your own country's store.