The best smart plugs
Switch the lamp on from bed, the fan off from the bus, and find out what the telly really costs to run.
A smart plug turns anything with an on switch into something you can control from your phone or by voice: lamps, fans, the Christmas tree lights. Put the living-room lamp on a schedule while you're away and the house looks lived-in.
Most of these also measure the electricity going through them, which is handy for finding out what the games console or a plug-in heater costs to run. Check which voice assistant the house uses first: all five work with Alexa, but one works with nothing else.
What matters
- Energy monitoring, to see what each appliance costs to run.
- Which voice assistant you use: Alexa, Google or both.
- How many sockets you want to control: packs of two or four.
- The app: one you already use keeps everything in one place.
#1 of 5
Best overall
Tapo P110 Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring (2-pack)
£23.99 RRP
Two plugs that show how much electricity each appliance is using, so it's easy to see whether the telly or the gaming PC is eating the bill. Tapo is the smart home range from TP-Link, the networking firm two brothers founded in Shenzhen in 1996, and the same app runs Tapo's lights and sensors too.
What owners say: Owners find them easy to set up with Alexa or Google, useful all round the house and good value, and like seeing what things cost to run.
Heads up: Keep it for lamps, electronics and small appliances: Tapo says not to use it with a motor or compressor over 1/6HP, such as an air conditioner, or to charge an electric car.
A closer look: Share control with the rest of the household in the app, so everyone can switch the lamp from their own phone. They're made for indoor sockets only.
- 2 plugs
- Energy monitoring in the app
- Alexa and Google voice control
- Schedules and timers
- 13A, up to 2990W
Best for: Seeing what things cost to run
- In the box
- 2 plugs
- Energy monitoring
- Yes
- Works with
- Alexa, Google, SmartThings
- App
- Tapo
- Handy extra
- Works without internet; family sharing
#2 of 5
Runner-up
Meross MSS305 Mini Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring (2-pack)
£10–£20 Price range
If the broadband goes down, these can still be switched from the Meross app over the home network. Type in your price per unit and the energy readings turn into an estimated bill, and they can even track what solar panels are generating.
What owners say: Owners find them quick to connect and easy to use, like the detailed energy figures in the app, and say they work well with Alexa.
A closer look: Bluetooth is only used to pair them the first time; after that they run on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi with no hub needed. Schedules and timers can switch a lamp or a fan on and off at set times.
- 2 mini plugs
- Energy monitoring with bill estimates
- Alexa, Google Home and SmartThings
- Local control if the internet drops
- 13A, up to 3120W
Best for: Homes with patchy broadband
- In the box
- 2 plugs
- Energy monitoring
- Yes
- Works with
- Alexa, Google, SmartThings
- App
- Meross
- Handy extra
- Works locally without internet
#3 of 5
Best multi-pack
EIGHTREE ET31 Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring (4-pack)
£29.99 RRP
Four plugs in the box, each with energy monitoring, enough to put the lamps, a fan and the Christmas lights all on their own schedules. The app draws graphs of each one's use over time.
What owners say: Owners find them easy to set up and schedule, and like the energy figures, which come with a daily cost estimate.
Heads up: Connect your phone to the home Wi-Fi's 2.4GHz band while setting them up, as EIGHTREE advises, and pairing goes smoothly.
A closer look: They run on the free Smart Life app, and voice control comes from linking that app to Alexa or Google Assistant. EIGHTREE suggests them for kettles, printers, fans and lamps.
- 4 plugs
- Energy monitoring with usage graphs
- Alexa, Google and SmartThings
- Schedules, timers and away mode
- 13A
Best for: Kitting out a whole room
- In the box
- 4 plugs
- Energy monitoring
- Yes
- Works with
- Alexa, Google, SmartThings
- App
- Smart Life
- Handy extra
- Away mode
#4 of 5
Best for Alexa homes
Amazon Basics Indoor Wi-Fi Smart Plug
Under £10 Price range
Set up entirely in the Alexa app, with no other app or account to install, which makes it the easiest choice for a home that already runs on Echo speakers. Schedules can follow sunrise and sunset, so the window lamp comes on at dusk all year round.
What owners say: Owners find it quick to set up, often within a minute, and simple to use with Alexa voice commands; it's a favourite for Christmas tree lights and sockets hidden behind furniture.
A closer look: It works with Alexa only, so it's not one for a Google or Apple household. Add it to an Alexa routine and one 'goodnight' can switch off the lamp along with everything else.
- Set up in the Alexa app
- Schedules, including sunrise and sunset
- Works in Alexa routines
- Leaves the other socket free
- No hub needed
Best for: Echo households
- In the box
- 1 plug
- Energy monitoring
- No
- Works with
- Alexa only
- App
- Alexa
- Handy extra
- Sunrise and sunset schedules
#5 of 5
Best budget
SONOFF S60TPG Wi-Fi Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring
Under £10 Price range
A small single plug that still measures power, and it teams up with SONOFF's sensors: pair it with their temperature sensor and a fan can switch itself on once the room passes a set temperature.
What owners say: Owners say it works well with Alexa, is easy to set up and worth the money, and like its small size and accurate power readings.
A closer look: It runs on the eWeLink app only, which suits anyone who already has SONOFF switches or sensors or likes building automations. Enter a fixed electricity rate and the app works out what each appliance costs.
- Energy monitoring with cost tracking
- Compact 58 × 58 × 42mm
- Alexa and Google Home
- Schedules, timers and loop timers
- 13A, up to 3250W
Best for: Tinkerers and automations
- In the box
- 1 plug
- Energy monitoring
- Yes
- Works with
- Alexa, Google
- App
- eWeLink
- Handy extra
- Scenes with SONOFF sensors
How they compare
| Feature | #1Tapo P110 (2-pack) | #2Meross MSS305 (2-pack) | #3EIGHTREE ET31 (4-pack) | #4Amazon Basics | #5SONOFF S60TPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best overall | Runner-up | Best multi-pack | Best for Alexa homes | Best budget | |
| Picked Rating | 9.2 | 9.1 | 9.0 | 8.8 | 8.7 |
| Price | £23.99 RRP | £10–£20 Price range | £29.99 RRP | Under £10 Price range | Under £10 Price range |
| In the box | 2 plugs | 2 plugs | 4 plugs | 1 plug | 1 plug |
| Energy monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes |
| Works with | Alexa, Google, SmartThings | Alexa, Google, SmartThings | Alexa, Google, SmartThings | Alexa only | Alexa, Google |
| App | Tapo | Meross | Smart Life | Alexa | eWeLink |
| Handy extra | Works without internet; family sharing | Works locally without internet | Away mode | Sunrise and sunset schedules | Scenes with SONOFF sensors |
| Best for | Seeing what things cost to run | Homes with patchy broadband | Kitting out a whole room | Echo households | Tinkerers and automations |
| Check price | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon | View on Amazon |
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