Smart outlets in 2018 – top 5 + 1

How often have you had to leave work or hurry back from a trip because of the unpleasant feeling that you forgot to unplug something. It’s usually unreasonable, but it can be. Heaters left unattended are especially dangerous. These situations are not only unpleasant, but represent a serious threat to your home and even to the lives of others. But today there is a great way to avoid such troubles and save a lot on electricity bills as well. A smart outlet, what it is, and what value it can bring to your life – we’ll cover all that in our review.

Smart outlet at first glance is no different from the usual. But it only appears this way at first glance.

The smart outlet is an electrical outlet that turns on and off automatically or with commands in the app.

There are so many variants of such smart devices on the market today that it is very easy to get confused and choose the perfect one for you. We’ll help you make the right choice. And at the end of the article a little bonus awaits you. So, be sure to read to the end.

In 5th place — the iDevices Switch smart socket

Cost: 29.95$
Allowed load: Up to 1.8 kW
Compatibility: Android, iOS

iDevices Switch is a quality smart outlet of a famous brand. The manufacturer produces a number of devices that year after year receive a good response from users.

The outlet has a minimalist design with a light indicator. By synchronizing your smartphone with your gadget, you can remotely control turning appliances on and off, set timers, and get reports on electricity consumption. But users of the Android version of the application often have problems connecting the device, so we would not recommend them to buy it. Owners of iOS devices, on the other hand, can take advantage of such benefits as Siri and Apple HomeKit support. Add to that the low cost, and you have a great solution for your home.

Benefits:

• Low cost
• Reliability

Disadvantages:

• Difficulties synchronizing with Android
• Rare connection loss

Features

Useful Links:

4th place — Elgato Eve Energy

Cost: 49.95$
Load Allowance: Up to 2.2 kW
Compatibility: iOS

This smart socket with Bluetooth connection is created for fans of Apple products. Support for Android is not, and is not expected, which can be considered a major disadvantage. Or buy an iPhone, or another outlet. If you have iOS device then Elgato Eve Energy is for you.

The device supports full integration with Apple HomeKit services. You can use Apple TV as a hub and manage the functionality remotely. Owners can set commands using their voice, aided by Siri compatibility. Unlike Chinese counterparts, the proprietary software for this outlet is localized in eight languages, including Russian.

Elgato Eve Energy helps you control your home’s energy use. You can get reports for different time intervals and quickly decide which appliances should be replaced with more energy efficient ones.

If you’re an Apple fan, feel free to choose this Bluetooth outlet. Owners unanimously agree that it’s one of the best devices in its segment.

For the lack of an application for Android we put it on the fourth place of our rating.

Advantages:

• Easy setup
• Reliable connection
• Localization of the application

Disadvantages:

• High cost
• Does not work with Android
• Small set of features

Features

Useful Links

3rd place — Orvibo WiWo-s20-E2 outlet

Cost: 44.00$
Allowable load: Up to 2.2 kW
Compatibility: Android, iOS

Orvibo has a traditional design for such devices. Nice looking white plastic and compact size and make it a versatile solution for any interior.

In terms of functionality, it is not different from its competitors. Via WIWO smart phone app, you can remotely activate and deactivate the smart socket. Timer is also available with a maximum delay of 18 hours. The gadget can memorize up to 10 usage scenarios at a time. It’ll both heat up the kettle when you arrive and turn on automatic lawn watering.

Of the main drawbacks should be noted frequent loss of connection with the Wi-Fi router. Users complain that you have to manually reconnect the outlet from time to time, which is definitely not happy. In addition, all set parameters are stored in the cloud Orvibo, so no internet – no smart features.

Advantages:

• Easy installation

Disadvantages:

• Does not turn on automatically after power outage
• No localization
• High price

Specifications

Useful Links

2nd place — Mi Smart outlet with USB connector

Cost: 19.99$
Allowable load: Up to 2.2 kW
Compatibility: Android, iOS

Xiaomi and its line of smart outlets are not behind the competition, and in some ways even ahead of them. It has many devices to create a smart home and this smart outlet is an integral part of the ecosystem. It is made of high quality heat resistant plastic. The sleek design makes it look great in any interior.

App needs to be installed on smartphone to start operation. And as is often the case with Chinese brand, there is no official localization. If this is a problem for you, you will have to look for a program with an unofficial translation. With its universal port, you can connect devices with different types of plugs. On the bottom side there is a USB socket, which is convenient for charging your smartphone and other gadgets. There is also a light indicator to show the power connection.

The gadget supports various scenarios of use. You can manually turn it on and off, check to see if any of the appliances are still connected to electricity, and set a timer.

Users complain about the sudden but infrequent disconnection from the WiFi network, making it necessary to reconnect the socket from time to time. Also, if you lose power, it does not restore its operation by itself. You have to do it manually. But as they say, safety first.

Advantages:

• Record thermal resistance
• Different connectors

Disadvantages:

• No russian./ukr. language

Characteristics

Useful Links

1st place — TP-Link HS100 Wi-Fi outlet

Cost: 21.99$
Load capacity: Up to 3.5KW
Compatibility: Android, iOS

TP-Link HS100 is the best representative of its segment. The device has a simple appearance, which will not stand out in any interior.

No discomfort during use due to the ease of interaction. Just download the Kasa app to your smartphone (both Android and iOS are supported), select the device you want to sync and set it up. If you connect multiple smart outlets, you can easily select an icon for each individual device. You can limit the control only from a home network or from the Internet.

Owner can turn HS100 on and off, set the timer for automatic operation of the device, which is very convenient when working with a night light. Away mode is a useful addition. When you activate it, the electricity is turned on and off at random. Thieves who might be watching your home won’t be able to tell you’re on vacation.

For those who are worried about the electricity bill, Usage mode is available. With it, you’ll know how much energy a particular device uses at a given time, daily and on average.

It would seem that everything is fine, but in the case of TP-Link HS100 not without some minor shortcomings. One of them is the lack of localization of the Kasa app. For some people it doesn’t matter, for others it can be a serious challenge to “tame” a smart device. But the interface of the program is simple, so it is not difficult to understand it.

This outlet is the undisputed leader of our rating. However, given the almost flawless reputation of the TP-Link Company, there is nothing to be surprised about.