Best smart plugs
A smart plug is the cheapest way to make a lamp or a fan answer to your phone. What decides which one to buy is the smart home you already have.
4 products ranked Updated
Our rankings are built from published testing by named outlets, not from our own lab. We earn a commission when you buy through our links, and it never changes the order.
The short answer
- 1 TP-Link Tapo P125M Mini Smart Plug Best for most homes About $20 for two, per Tom's Guide
- 2 Eve Energy Best if you want to see what things cost to run
- 3 Wyze Plug Cheapest good one $29.98 for two
- 4 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip For a desk or TV stand
Prices checked 14 September 2026. They move constantly — the retailer's own page is the authority.
TP-Link Tapo P125M Mini Smart Plug
4.5 / 5
Our reading of Tom's Guide — their best smart plug overall , 2025
Works with every major platform because it supports Matter, and our source connected it to Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home without trouble. It is small enough that two fit on one wall socket, and the app includes a vacation mode that switches lamps on and off so the house looks occupied. If you do not know which smart home you will end up with, this is the safe choice. TP-Link does not sell direct, so the price is our source's.
Pros
- Matter, so it works with Alexa, Google and Apple
- Two fit on one outlet
- Vacation mode and simple scheduling
Cons
- Bright status light
- No energy monitoring
- Price quoted, not verified: TP-Link does not sell it directly
Where these findings come from
- Tom's Guide: best overall; supports Matter, so it connected to Alexa, Google Home and Apple HomeKit without issue; small enough for two on one outlet
- Tom's Guide: easy Tapo app with scheduling and a vacation mode; status light can be bright; about $20 for two
Eve Energy
4.5 / 5
Our reading of TechRadar — their best smart plug overall , 2025
The one to buy if the reason you want a smart plug is to find out what the old fridge or the heater actually costs you: it measures energy use, and with your tariff entered it shows the cost. It runs on Thread rather than Wi-Fi, which our source says makes it more reliable, and on Matter, so it is no longer only for Apple homes. It is expensive for a plug. No price here: Eve's page lists none for us and our source quotes none.
Pros
- Energy and cost monitoring
- Thread connection, more stable than Wi-Fi
- Matter support
Cons
- Expensive for a smart plug
- Thread works best with a hub such as a recent Apple TV, HomePod or Echo
- No verified price
Wyze Plug
4 / 5
Our reading of Tom's Guide — their best budget smart plug , 2025
About $15 a plug, easy to set up, with the same vacation mode as the Tapo and the useful extra of switching things on as you arrive home. It works with Alexa and Google but not Apple Home, which is the one question to answer before buying.
Pros
- About $15 a plug
- Arrive-home triggers and vacation mode
Cons
- No Apple Home support
- No energy monitoring
Where these findings come from
- Tom's Guide: best budget; easy set up; vacation mode; location-based triggers; integrates with other Wyze devices
- Tom's Guide: works with Alexa and Google Assistant, not Apple HomeKit
Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip
4 / 5
Our reading of Tom's Guide — their best smart power strip, and also TechRadar's , 2025
Both our sources pick it for the same job: several things in one place, each switchable on its own. Six sockets and three USB ports suit a desk or a TV cabinet better than a handful of separate plugs. No photograph or price: Kasa's page serves no product data to us, so the link is a search.
Pros
- Six individually controlled outlets
- Three USB ports and surge protection
Cons
- Bulky compared with single plugs
- No photograph and no verified price
Where these findings come from
- Tom's Guide: best power strip; controls up to six devices individually; three USB ports; surge protection
- TechRadar: best smart power strip; works with Google and Alexa; away mode, scheduling and automations
What actually matters
The smart home you already have. This decides more than anything else. Alexa, Google Home and Apple Home each work with some plugs and not others. A plug that supports Matter works with all three, which is the safest choice if you are not sure.
Wi-Fi or Thread. Most plugs join your Wi-Fi, which needs nothing extra. Thread plugs, such as the Eve, talk to each other and to a hub, and tend to respond more reliably. The hub is usually something you already own, such as a recent Apple TV, HomePod or Echo.
Size. A bulky plug can cover the second socket. Mini plugs let two share one outlet.
Energy monitoring, if you want to know what an appliance costs to run. Most cheap plugs do not have it.
What not to plug in
Check the plug's rating before using it with a heater, kettle or anything that draws a lot of power, and never use one where an appliance could be switched on remotely with nobody there to watch it. A space heater on a timer is the classic mistake.
Where this comes from
We do not test smart plugs. This guide draws on Tom's Guide, which has used them at home for years across the main platforms, and TechRadar, which reviewed the popular models for compatibility, energy features and connection stability.
What we are leaving out
Outdoor smart plugs and dimmer plugs, which do more specific jobs, and plugs that only work with one brand's hub.
Where this comes from
We did not test these. These people did.
Every score on this page rests on the testing below. The ranking is ours; the measurements are not. How we research.
- Tom's Guide — Years of in-home use controlling lamps, Christmas lights and coffee makers, checking compatibility with Alexa, Google, Apple Home and Matter. Updated December 2025.
- TechRadar — The popular models from the main manufacturers set up and used, noting platform support, energy monitoring and connection stability. Updated April 2025.
Questions people ask
Do smart plugs use electricity when off?
Can a smart plug make any appliance smart?
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