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A dimmer setting is also available on some smart plugs, such as the Lutron Caseta Dimmer Plug as mentioned above. This is a great feature if the smart plug is intended for lighting as it gives you much more control than just switching on and off.
Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. Read our editorial mission & see how we test. EV charging is not supported since it typically requires higher power, and its charging current exceeds the rated current of the plug Connectivity: Will the smart plug work on its own and connect straight to your wireless network, or does it need a hub that links it to the wifi and other smart devices? A handful of the options on our list below require a separate hub so they can talk to your router, and we’ve explained if that’s the case. Kasa covers everything from smart switches to smart light strips. You’ll be able to find your standard smart light bulbs as well as the gear you need to put together more complicated smart home setups. It’s the wide range of products that have made the cost of line stand out in a crowded Arena of smart home devices. Note: however whilst some of Tapo’s initial products seemed to require this hub, some of Tapo’s newer products can connect over Wi-Fi instead. So this is another area where TP-Link aren’t really consistent. Hopefully going forward, all of Tapo’s products can use the hub or Wi-Fi – but we’ll see.Reviewing a smart plug isn't as simple as plugging it in. Well, it almost is. In addition to making sure the plug actually turns on the thing that's plugged into it, we also evaluate the plugs on several factors: Kasa is the first smart brand to come from the TP-Link company. There are people that have literally hundreds of different Kasa devices in their smart home ecosystem. You can even use Kasa devices to put together an entire smart home ecosystem from the ground up. There is a grain of truth to the rumor though. TP-Link has also stated that they’re going to be slowly rolling in the Kasa app functionality into the new Tapo app. This means that individuals are going to eventually need to switch over to the Tapo app to control their Kasa devices. TP-Link haven’t said when this switch will happen, though.
Most smart plugs come with a timer. Using this, you can schedule when you want the appliance to switch on and off — great for switching on the lights when you’re on vacation. Tap the Schedule icon to create on and off schedules for specific times and days of the week. The Timer button lets you set a countdown timer for when the plug should turn on or off. With the Away button, you can configure the plug to turn on and off randomly to make it look like someone is home while you are away. The Runtime section lets you view simple usage statistics. For example, you can see how many hours the plug has been on for the current day, the past week, and the past month. That said, you don’t get the same energy usage reports that you do with the Samsung SmartThings Wi-Fi Smart Plug.Having both apps in one is going to help you be able to control these devices together. However, this does not necessarily mean that Tapo and Kasa devices are going to be able to work together very seamlessly. The big difference comes down to how these two types of devices connect. Some smart plugs can create zones by connecting to groups of smart plugs. Using this, you could control several power points in a room at once — for instance, you might want to switch off all of the downstairs lights once you’ve gone to bed. Follow the instruction on the Kasa app to power on the HS100, and wait for the Wi-Fi light to blink orange and green. Once you’ve set up your Echo device, plug in your TP-Link smart plug. If Alexa or the Alexa app says “New plug found,” go straight to step 3. Customize an icon for this Smart Plug. We can choose an icon from the list, choose from the “Albums” of our smartphone or take a photo.
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