Best smart plug 2021: Wemo, Philips Hue, meross, more

Smart plugs remain the best way to explore all of the perks of having a connected home, as well as versatile options to expand existing setups. But with an over-abundance of options to choose from at Amazon, finding the most ideal model for your Siri, Alexa, or Assistant kit can be tedious at best. So now, we’re back again for 2021 to showcase the best smart plugs on the market and highlight our favorite entries in various categories. Head below for all of the details.

Finding the best smart plug for your setup in 2021

With another year in the books, the smart plug space is getting even more competitive with new models hitting the scene. We’ve seen refined offerings from established brands that have been in the game for quite some time, as well as more recent lineups of devices drop to mix things up further. So with more variety than ever, you’ll find our top recommendations for the best smart plug of 2021 below.

Most versatile – Wemo

Right off the bat, we’ll start with our favorite all-around smart plug. Belkin’s latest iteration of its popular Wemo Mini Smart Plug delivers on just about everything that the typical smart home owner would be looking for. On top of living up to its name with a compact design that won’t hog both outlets, this model pairs right to your Wi-Fi to control lamps and other appliances. 

Smartphone control is pretty much a given when it comes to smart plugs, but the Wemo Mini expands that with support for all three of the major voice assistants. So alongside being able to set automatons from the app, you’ll be able to call up Siri, Alexa, and Assistant to turn on the lights and more.

And while other smart plugs have similar compatibilities, the quality you get from Belkin paired with its more affordable price tag make the Wemo Smart Plug V3 an easy recommendation. Especially considering that it clocks in at $25.

Having made our list last year as one of the most versatile models on the market, the Philips Hue Smart Plug is back again this year for 2021 to deliver one of the best experiences on the market. Claiming the top stop in this category effectively comes down to its reliance on Zigbee connectivity, as opposed to Wi-Fi.  

If you’ve dealt with smart home accessories that pair right to your router, then odds are you’ve experienced some connectivity issues or just overall reliability. It’s something of a right of passage for Wi-Fi devices, with the Philips Hue smart plug ditching those problems altogether.

Its $30 price tag is a bit higher than others out there, but you’re still looking at Siri, Alexa, and Assistant support, as well as integration with all of the ecosystems that Philips Hue supports. On top of the Zigbee Light Link Plus connectivity, you’re also looking at Bluetooth as a fall-back. Not to mention, the compact size here rivals even some of the smallest competitors on the market.

Best Outdoor – meross 

Outdoor smart plugs peak in popularity around the holidays for a way to bring holiday lights and decorations into your setup, but they have plenty of uses throughout the rest of the year, too. For those looking to expand their smart homes to the outdoors or just prepare for next year’s winter decorating, look no further than the meross smart plug.

Touting a weather-resistant design, this model packs a dual outlet design with a pair of individually-controllable outlets. On top of integrating with Alexa and Assistant, you’ll also find HomeKit control to round out the package. Its $31 price tag makes the meross outdoor smart plug all the more appealing, and the fact that it’s routinely on sale at Amazon adds another reason why it’s one of the best on the market.

Best Energy Monitoring – Eve

Alongside being able to automate lamps and the like, many smart plugs offer the ability to keep tabs on how much power appliances are using thanks to energy monitoring features. Amongst all of the options on the market, Eve’s Energy smart plug is one of the best out there with quite a few perks worth mentioning.

We’ve been featuring Eve’s option here for years, and for good reason. It combines a variety of notable features with a growing reputation for being reliable, on top of support for all of the major ecosystems. So it doesn’t matter if you’re rocking an Echo, Google Home, or HomeKit, you’ll be able to bark commands to control connected lamps. The price is also more affordable than many of the other options in this category, with a $36 going rate making it just as appealing as its other features.

But for those who can make a few compromises in the feature department for a more affordable way to deck out their setup, the TP-Link Kasa HS103 Smart Plug is an easy recommendation for budget-conscious shoppers. Most of the trade-offs here are centered around less versatile connectivity, as you won’t find HomeKit integration here like many of the other best smart plugs on our list for 2021.

What the TP-Link Kasa plug does include, though, is Alexa and Assistant integration alongside support for scheduling features within the companion app. Its compact size will still allow you to plug other appliances into the same wall receptacle, as well. Not to mention, you’ll get all of that for $10.

So if the omission of Siri support and the fact that you’re more or less limited to the TP-Link app aren’t deal-breakers, it’s hard to go wrong here. While there may be options from less well-known brands for $1 or so less, recommending the TP-Link Kasa smart plug is a no-brainer considering the company’s overall reputation and the solid collection of reviews here.

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