The plug can be turned on and off using the app (which can be a little temperamental at times), you can set it to go on and off on a schedule, and you can even do a countdown timer, for example, if you want a lamp to turn on in 30 minutes.
Plug it into a spare socket, set up the Android or iOS app, and that's just about job done. You don't really want to get lost in a maze of settings and menus when it comes to setting up or operating your smart plug, and thankfully this one is very easy to get up and running. The previous edition worked very reliably, so this redesign is an easy call for one of the best smart plugs around. Since our TCP Smart Plug review (opens in new tab), this smart plug has had a redesign, with the enormous forehead of its previous edition being sliced off in favour of a far more compact plug, but with the same extras on board like Alexa and Google Assistant integration.
Make sure you use one of our Philips discount codes (opens in new tab) before you purchase. Hue works with loads of the other smart home brands too, so this will integrate with all kinds of other smart home gear outside of Philips' stable.
You can integrate it into your Hue zones and routines, it's easy to set up, and we doubt you'll find anything more reliable. Hooking one of these up to a Hue Bridge gets you Alexa, Google Assistant and HomeKit support, making it just about the most compatible plug going. If you're already all-in on Hue, on the other hand, we can't think of a better option. There are stacks of Wi-Fi plugs that can do a lot more for a lot less. Which is fine, but while it's more compact than most and, as you'd expect from Philips, impeccably well-engineered, we'd question why you'd spend on this if you were only going to use Bluetooth, especially as that means you won't be able to make the most of everything the plug has to offer. Like all Hue products released after mid-2019, the Hue Smart Plug (opens in new tab) works without requiring a hub thanks to built-in Bluetooth. You can control the plug with the Amazon Alexa assistant too. If you already have the Hive kit installed, it's ideal.
The Hive Active Plug is controlled using the free accompanying Hive apps for iOS and Android, and as well as a schedule you can also create actions that work in conjunction with each other (so switching on a lamp when a door sensor is triggered, for example). The only real catch is that requires a Hive Hub to control: the Hive Active Plug won't work without one, so this is only really the best smart plug for those buying into the Hive system – but that's not a bad idea, because Hive also makes good smart bulbs and a great smart heating system (among others), so you might feel the whole setup is right for you. In other words, it's handy for those times when you need to check whether you left the iron on, or you fancy boiling the kettle for a cup of tea while you’re still lying in bed upstairs. This Kasa Slim Plug is already very cheap, but there's an even more affordable option in the form of the Tapo P100 mini smart plug (TP-Link's smart home line seems to be split in two, between the premium Kasa and more budget-oriented Tapo lines).ĭesigned to work in conjunction with the Hive Hub developed by British Gas (though you don't have to be a British Gas customer to use it), the Hive Active Plug works in a similar way to other smart plugs – you can turn your sockets on and off with a tap on your phone or on a preset schedule. If you've got the right TP-Link accessory, you can get this smart plug to work with a motion sensor as well. There's also the option to set a simple timer: when it elapses, the plug will turn either on or off depending on your requirements. Both allow you to see how long the plug has been active, and it works with Alexa, Google Home and Bixby.ĭive into the app and you can have the plug turn on and off based on a regular schedule, or do it manually. There are two versions of the plug, one with energy monitoring (KP115) and one without (KP105) that is slightly cheaper. Setup is as simple as plugging it in, and it's small and discreet enough not to mess up the aesthetics of your kitchen or your living room.
The combination means it won Best Smart Energy Product at the T3 Awards 2021 (opens in new tab). The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim KP115 (opens in new tab) (also known as the TP-Link Kasa Mini with energy monitoring) brings you almost everything you could want from a smart plug and is accompanied by a polished app too.