The Best Smart Plugs, Tested by HGTV Editors

Basic, straightforward options, reliable connection and a user-friendly app make this Kasa Smart Plug our top pick. It's priced right for tech-curious homeowners who want to dip their toes into the smart home world without going overboard. (Fair warning, though, once you get one, you may want to change all of your outlets.) One con of this and other Kasa smart plugs is the absence of two-factor authentication for data protection, but the app is password-protected and asks permission to share data. We really liked the small size of these plugs. They fit nicely behind furniture. Our favorite features in the app are scheduling and customizations. You can change the "mood" based on the time of day, for instance, dim lighting in the evening, and set up Away Mode which turns lights on or off at a specific time of day and on a specific day of the week. Kasa Mini Smart Plugs' versatility and ease of use make it a solid pick for those looking to automate aspects of their routine.

Our Editor Says: "You can assign smart plugs to specific rooms. So, when I walk into my bedroom I can say 'Alexa, turn on the bedroom lamps', and all three lamps turn on at once. I hate overhead lighting, so this is so much better than turning on/off three lamps."

Setup and installation set this plug apart from the rest. (Of course, it probably helps that we're all so familiar with Amazon's interface.) An intuitive app pairs seamlessly to the plug and an Alexa device. In testing, our editor moved it to different rooms and never had an issue re-connecting. Convenient scheduling features in the app allow you to schedule lights to turn off/on when the sun sets or rises, or at a specific time. For example, you can create a "morning routine" where your coffee maker and bedside light turn on at your preferred time or with a voice command. An energy dashboard in the app offers energy-saving tips and an overview of light consumption. The biggest downsides to this product are that it only works with Alexa devices and the price is pretty steep for just one plug.

Our Editor Says: "I think the addition of a smart plug or making your home smart is just one … smart … way to add more efficiency to your life, giving you one or three fewer things to think about. We all need that, right?"

If you want to control multiple appliances or devices at once, a multi-plug power strip like this one is the way to go. Two USB ports and three outlets can be controlled and scheduled individually in the sleek, easy-to-use app. With multiple scheduling options, this power strip offers the most customization options of any plugs we tried. Set up a timer for appliances like dehumidifiers; use Away mode to turn lights on/off randomly while out of town; schedule an essential oil diffuser to turn on at 6 p.m. when you get home from work; or define a total runtime for devices. The app connects flawlessly to Alexa (the only device we tried pairing with during testing) and has no lag time between commands. While the three-outlet model doesn't offer energy monitoring in the app, the six-outlet model does.

Our Editor Says: "This power strip is definitely a benefit to my daily routine. This is on a lamp I use often, so it is nice to have it on a schedule to turn on and off throughout the day. This is going to be awesome come Christmas time for the tree and other decorations."

With glowing reviews from our tester, an affordable price and unbeatable convenience, this Kasa smart plug is our uncontested favorite for outdoor spaces. One obvious downside is that this won't connect to Apple HomeKit devices, but you don't need a hub to use the plug — just a wireless connection and phone or tablet for the app. Kasa's app and reliable connectivity consistently impressed our editors throughout testing. No lag, a simple, intuitive interface and plenty of customization options made it so easy to control lighting and other devices. Scheduling and remotely controlling on/off times particularly came in handy since our editor's outdoor outlet was difficult to access. Again, like other Kasa outlets we tested, privacy protection is minimal, but the app is password protected and you can opt-out of data sharing.

Our Editor Says: "There was no lag at all over several days of testing on a strand of LED string lights on my patio. It's nice to be able to set lights on schedules, which I know will come in handy this year for Christmas lights. I also appreciate that the plugs come with a waterproof cover to protect an unused plug if you’re only using one of the two plugs. The ability to control the plug while away from my home is also a bonus."