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World of Software > News > The Best Smart Plugs and Power Strips We’ve Tested for 2026
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The Best Smart Plugs and Power Strips We’ve Tested for 2026

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Last updated: 2026/01/21 at 5:04 AM
News Room Published 21 January 2026
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Smart plugs (and power outlets) are an easy and affordable way to turn ordinary appliances, lighting, and any other electronics into smart home devices that you can control straight from your smartphone and, in many cases, your voice. Although installing and using these plugs is relatively simple, choosing the right one for you isn’t easy, so we’re here to help. We’ve been reviewing smart plugs for more than a decade. TP-Link’s Kasa KP125M is our top pick because it works with almost every smart home platform, reliably responds to voice commands, and tracks how much energy your connected devices use. Whether you want a more permanent, hardwired smart wall outlet or a weatherproof model for smartening your pool pump or holiday decorations, our list of the best smart plugs has many excellent options.

Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks

EDITORS’ NOTE

Jan. 20, 2026: With this update, our lineup of recommended smart plugs remains unchanged. The existing picks have been vetted for currency and availability.

(Credit: TP-Link)

  • Supports many smart home platforms, including Matter
  • Generates energy reports with estimated costs
  • Works with voice controls
  • Lots of integration options
  • Compact size

All smart plugs can turn your devices on and off, but only some can tell you how much power they use. The TP-Link Kasa Plug Slim With Energy Monitoring generates energy reports, showing how much power your lamp, home theater, or appliance is using. With Matter support, it works with most major smart home platforms and voice assistants.

People who want energy consumption data: This smart plug is a bit pricey, but it can potentially save you money in the long run if you want to make sure some of your larger electronics aren’t using too much power. It’s worth keeping an eye on your power-hungry appliances, though there are cheaper options for automating small household items, such as lamps.

Households with complex smart home setups: Thanks to its Matter support, the TP-Link Kasa Plug works with most smart home platforms.

Size

1.5 by 2.6 by 1.6 inches

Learn More

TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim With Energy Monitoring (KP125M) Review

(Credit: Eve)

  • Supports Matter and Thread
  • Works with Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, and SmartThings
  • Voice control
  • Energy usage reporting
  • Pricey
  • Requires a hub for remote access and cross-platform functionality
  • Eve app only works on iOS

Whereas most of the options on this list plug into your existing outlet, the Eve Energy Outlet replaces it for sleek and permanent smart home controls. This dual-receptacle outlet can be controlled using the Eve app (iOS only) or with Apple’s Home app, and because it supports Matter and Thread, you can add it to your Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Samsung SmartThings ecosystems if you have the proper hub. In testing, we found it easy to install, and it worked flawlessly with the Alexa, Apple Home, and Eve apps, as well as Alexa and Siri voice commands. It shows how much power each receptacle is using, offers flexible scheduling, supports geofencing triggers, and works with routines and scenes you can create with your platform of choice.

Those seeking a hardwired indoor plug: If you’re looking for a hardwired smart outlet, the Eve Energy Outlet is a top pick for its cross-platform compatibility and energy reporting. Keep in mind that, as with any electrical outlet, the Energy Outlet must be installed in a wall box and requires working with electrical wiring. The outlet has a 15W/1800A rating and is designed solely for indoor use.

Size

4.7 by 2.93 by 1.7 inches

Learn More

Eve Energy Outlet Review


You can’t organize all the electronic equipment and their cables in an area if you don’t have enough room to plug in everything. Power strips and surge protectors are must-have items for keeping cords tidy. Consider mounting them using double sided mounting tape or Velcro strips to the underside of a desk or back of a hutch to keep them neatly out of view.I like surge protectors that come with a shutoff switch so that I can fully power down all my gadgets to be a little greener by reducing the phantom load. That’s the low-level power suck taken up by LEDs on gadgets and such when devices are technically off but are still drawing power. Even better, you can now buy a smart power strip and turn it off remotely.

  • Wi-Fi.
  • Voice control.
  • Surge protection.
  • Energy monitoring.
  • Works with IFTTT.
  • Expensive.
  • Outlets aren’t childproof.

Why limit yourself to just one or two outlets when you can remotely manage six at a time? The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip is a full power strip with a half-dozen outlets you can individually control and automate, along with three USB ports for charging.

People with multiple devices that need to be smartened: This power strip is useful for managing multiple lamps and other devices simultaneously, as long as they’re relatively close together. Each of its six outlets can be individually controlled.

Alexa and Google users: This power strip works with Alexa and Google Assistant, but it doesn’t support HomeKit, Matter, or SmartThings.

Size

1.2 by 14.1 by 2.5 inches

Learn More

TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip (HS300) Review

(Credit: TP-Link)

  • Supports Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, IFTTT, and SmartThings
  • Dual-outlet design with independent controls
  • Easy to install
  • Pricey
  • Doesn’t generate energy usage reports

The dual-outlet TP-Link Kasa EP40A Outdoor Plug supports every voice assistant and smart home standard except Matter, allowing you to control it with equal ease whether you’re a fan of Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, or Samsung SmartThings. It even supports IFTTT routines. In testing, it was simple to set up, reliably responded to app and voice commands, and ran Alexa routines without issue.

People who use outdoor devices: The TP-Link Kasa EP40A’s broad compatibility and weatherproof build make it a top choice for bringing smart features to your backyard appliances, lighting, or any other outdoor device you’d like to control or automate.

Apple and Samsung users: This outdoor smart plug is specifically appealing for its HomeKit and SmartThings integrations, which many competing models lack.

Size

1.5 by 3.2 by 4.3 inches

Learn More

TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Outdoor Plug (EP40A) Review

(Credit: Roku)

  • Independent outlet control
  • Reports energy usage
  • Works with other Roku devices
  • Does not support Apple HomeKit or IFTTT
  • Few third-party integration options

Roku is a newcomer to the smart home market, but its first products in the category have proven very capable. Roku smart home devices can work with Alexa and Google Assistant, but their big appeal is for Roku TV and media hub users, because they’re the only smart switches, bulbs, and cameras that you can control with the otherwise very limited Roku voice controls.

Roku users: The Roku Outdoor Smart Plug is an inexpensive way to remotely control your outdoor devices and has an IP64 weatherproof rating. It’s most appealing if you also use Roku devices since you don’t need to set up anything else to control the plug from your couch.

Size

3.9 by 2.8 by 1.3 inches

Learn More

Roku Outdoor Smart Plug SE Review

(Credit: Leviton)

  • Supports Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, Matter, and SmartThings
  • Works with IFTTT applets
  • Lots of lighting customization options
  • Pricey
  • Lacks energy usage reports

The Leviton Smart Mini is a bit expensive for a small one-outlet smart plug, but it offers numerous features for automating your lighting. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, Matter, and SmartThings, and it supports dimming for compatible bulbs.

People looking to automate lamps: This is the smart plug to get if you want to set up dimmer routines or otherwise adjust the light levels of your non-smart bulbs from your phone.

Platform-agnostic users: Wide compatibility means the Leviton Smart Mini should play nice with all your other smart home gadgets and will continue to work if you decide to switch platforms or voice assistants later.

Size

1.3 by 3.1 by 1.1 inches

Learn More

Leviton Decora Smart Mini Plug-In Dimmer Review

(Credit: AiDot)

  • Compatible with Matter standard
  • Strong third-party device support
  • Work with voice control
  • Lacks energy usage reports

The AiDot Linkind Matter Smart Plug is a versatile single-outlet plug built on the Matter standard, which enables it to work with all major home automation platforms, including Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, and SmartThings. The Linkind Smart Plug worked faultlessly in testing, quickly responding to Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands to turn the plug on and off. An Alexa routine to turn the plug on when a Ring Floodlight Cam detected motion worked as intended. We also had no trouble controlling it with the AiDot, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home apps.

Users of multiple smart home services: The AiDot Linkind Matter Smart Plug is a top choice if you use multiple home automation platforms to control your smart devices and want to smarten up small household items like lamps, thanks to its Matter and IFTTT support.

Those who need multiple plugs: The AiDot Linkind plug is available on its own ($19.99), in a two-pack ($36.99), or a four-pack ($69.99).

Size

1.4 by 2.6 by 1.2 inches

Learn More

AiDot Linkind Matter Smart Plug Review

(Credit: TP-Link)

  • Supports Matter (in addition to many other connectivity standards)
  • Compact size
  • Doesn’t generate power usage reports

The Tapo Mini is a compact smart plug from TP-Link Kasa with a wide range of smart home platform options. It supports Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, Matter, and SmartThings, making it one of the best-equipped mini smart plugs for handling whatever home automation standard you choose. It can’t monitor power consumption, however.

People who need a compact plug: Look to this smart plug if you need one with a small footprint that won’t block the outlets beside it.

Interoperability fans: Despite its compact dimensions, the Tapo Mini doesn’t skimp on features, supporting every major smart home platform.

Size

2.4 by 1.5 by 1.3 inches

Learn More

TP-Link Tapo Mini Smart Wi-Fi Plug (P125M) Review

  • Affordable
  • Easy to install
  • Works with Alexa voice commands and Alexa-enabled devices
  • Doesn’t work with Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant
  • No IFTTT support
  • Lacks energy reporting

This single-outlet smart plug lets you control devices plugged into it via Alexa voice commands and the Alexa mobile app. It’s a snap to install and works with some (but not all) Alexa smart home devices, but it doesn’t work with other voice platforms, and it lacks IFTTT support and energy reporting.

Alexa users: The Amazon Smart Plug is a great option for Alexa power users who want to smarten up an ordinary device, such as a coffee maker or a light.

Budget-conscious buyers: While not the most feature-packed device, the Amazon Smart Plug is affordable and often heavily discounted.

Size

1.5 by 3.2 by 2.2 inches

Learn More

Amazon Smart Plug Review

(Credit: U-tec)

  • Reasonably priced
  • Works with lots of third-party devices
  • Supports voice control
  • Acts as a Wi-Fi extender for U-tec devices
  • Lacks energy usage reporting
  • Doesn’t support HomeKit or Matter

The U-tec Smart Plug is a Wi-Fi-enabled single outlet plug that supports the Alexa, Google, and SmartThings home automation platforms and works with numerous third-party smart home devices via IFTTT applets. As an added bonus, it serves as a Wi-Fi extender for other U-tec products, including the brand’s Ultraloq smart locks.

Value hunters: If you want an affordable way to turn lamps, coffee makers, and other small appliances into smart devices you can control with your phone or your voice, the U-tec Smart Plug is a top pick. It does not offer energy usage reports or support HomeKit or Matter, but if those features aren’t a priority, it’s a solid deal.

U-tec users: The U-tec Smar Plug’s range-extending capabilities make it especially appealing to those who already use other U-tec products.

Size

1.4 by 2.4 by 2.4 inches

Learn More

U-tec Smart Plug Review

  • Dual outlets
  • Independent outlet control
  • Alexa voice support
  • Requires bridge for smart features
  • Lacks energy reporting
  • Doesn’t support Google Assistant, HomeKit, or IFTTT

This IP66 weather-resistant Ring Outdoor Smart Plug features two independently controlled outlets, allowing you to manage them separately using the Ring mobile app or Alexa voice commands. It also works seamlessly with other Ring smart home devices. It requires a Ring Bridge to connect to your network, but installation is easy, and the device works well.

Ring users: The Ring Outdoor Smart Plug makes the most sense if you already own other Ring smart home devices and the Ring Bridge, and you’re looking for an outdoor-friendly smart plug that lets you independently control each outlet.

Alexa fans: This smart plug is also only for Alexa users, as it doesn’t support Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant.

Size

4.9 by 3.1 by 2.9 inches

Learn More

Ring Outdoor Smart Plug Review


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The Best Smart Plugs and Power Strips for 2026
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Buying Guide: The Best Smart Plugs and Power Strips for 2026


What Is a Smart Plug, and Where Can You Use It?

Let’s make this clear: Whether they’re marketed as smart switches, smart outlets, or any variation thereof, smart plugs are ultimately plug-in outlets (or power strips). These devices plug directly into a wall outlet or a traditional power strip and provide an outlet for other devices in your automation setup. You don’t gain or lose any outlets in the process—you’re simply making an existing outlet smart by connecting it to your home Wi-Fi network.

With that in mind, the first thing to consider is where you want to place your smart plug. While most are svelte enough to fit next to one another in your typical wall outlet, not all of them are, and power strips are a different story entirely. If you have a crowded power strip, it’s important to consider the location of the plug outlet. For instance, some feature outlets on the side. Whether this layout is easier or more difficult to access depends on the type of power strip you’re using.

Note that some smart plugs are intended for use inside your home. Others that can withstand the elements are a better choice for your backyard or porch.


What Does a Smart Plug Do?

Once you’re sure a smart plug fits properly in your home, it’s important to consider what it can do. Every plug we’ve tested lets you use your phone to control power—so if you’ve plugged in a lamp, for instance, you can turn it on or off no matter where you are. And most smart plugs also offer some form of scheduling. If you simply want to turn your connected coffee machine on at the same time every weekday morning, you can do that with any of the plugs on this list.

Scenes (the term most often used, though it may vary) let you program several devices to interact with each other. Some let you program scenes based on conditions such as temperature, humidity, and sunrise or sunset times. Others have preset “away” scenes for when you’re on vacation, that turn connected devices on and off to make it look like someone is home. Scene options vary from plug to plug, so it’s good to keep in mind what automation options fit your lifestyle.

If you’re concerned about the environment or hoping to save a few bucks, look for a plug that supports energy monitoring. Just keep in mind that the energy data collected isn’t uniform across all plugs. Some provide a detailed breakdown of how long your device has been on over the entire day, your daily average “on” time, your (estimated) monthly and daily power costs, and your average power usage in watts. Others simply give a cursory overview of the hours you use over a set period or don’t report power usage at all.

Features aside, installation and app design are also major factors. Luckily, pretty much all the plugs we’ve tested are easy to install—you basically just plug them in and connect them to an app on your phone. App quality, on the other hand, varies. We take a close look at each plug’s companion app in our reviews and consider its usability in our rating.

Recommended by Our Editors


Are Smart Plugs Worth the Money?

Ultimately, the best smart plug for you is the one that integrates easily with the products you already have, especially smart speakers and smart displays. For example, if you like Siri or are an avid iPhone user, you can get the best experience from a plug that supports Apple’s HomeKit protocol. Similarly, if you already use Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, make sure to get a plug that supports your voice assistant of choice.

Some plugs feature native support for a particular brand of smart home products, while others can interact with nearly anything via IFTTT. We’ve noted which features each plug supports in the chart below to help you determine which one best fits your needs.

So, if you can’t settle on a family of smart light bulbs or you don’t want to shell out big bucks for a set of new connected kitchen appliances, consider connecting the products you already own with a smart plug. Whether you’re just dipping a toe into smart home tech, enhancing your rental unit, or creating custom IFTTT applets, smart plugs make it simple and affordable to automate just about anything in your home.

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