Hey, What Exactly is an Amazon Smart Plug? Here‘s a Complete Guide on How It Works and Why It‘s Worth It
If you‘ve got an Alexa smart speaker or an Echo device, you may have heard about these little gadgets called Amazon Smart Plugs. But what exactly are they and what can they do?
In this helpful guide, I‘ll explain everything you need to know about Amazon Smart Plugs including:
- What is an Amazon Smart Plug and how does it work?
- What are some useful examples of how to use a Smart Plug?
- How to set up and connect your new Smart Plug
- The cool features that come with Smart Plugs
- Tips to use them like a pro
- Whether Smart Plugs are actually worth buying
- How Amazon‘s version compares to other brands
After reading, you‘ll see why Amazon Smart Plugs are so popular for making your home smarter and more automated!
So what is an Amazon Smart Plug exactly?
An Amazon Smart Plug is a tiny gadget that plugs into any regular electrical outlet to make it smart. It connects that outlet to Alexa and your WiFi network so you can control anything plugged into it using voice commands, schedules, or an app.
Think of it like a remote controlled power switch for your outlets!
Smart Plugs give you the ability to say things like:
- "Alexa, turn on the coffee maker”
- "Alexa, turn off the living room lamp”
- “Alexa, run the vacuum cleaner for 30 minutes”
You simply plug the Smart Plug into any outlet, connect it to WiFi, then plug an appliance, light, or other electronic into the Smart Plug. You can now control that device completely wirelessly using any Alexa device or the Alexa app!
It’s like having smart home superpowers!
Click for a more technical explanation…
Amazon Smart Plugs are small adapter devices that get plugged directly into your electrical outlets. They connect via WiFi to the Alexa app on your phone or echo device allowing wireless control of whatever‘s plugged into the Smart Plug. They work by essentially making "dumb" outlets voice controllable by linking them to your Alexa smart home ecosystem.
This allows you to turn lights, fans, appliances, holiday decorations, and almost anything else plugged into the Smart Plug on or off using your voice, Alexa routines, or remotely through the Alexa app. The compact design only blocks the lower outlet when plugged in.
So in short, Smart Plugs act as a bridge between your electrical outlets and Alexa, making anything you plug into them smart!
Now that you know the basics, let‘s look at some useful examples of how you can use these handy little Smart Plugs.
Here are 7 great uses for Amazon Smart Plugs
Amazon Smart Plugs are super versatile – here are just some of the many things you can do with them:
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Control lights like lamps, string lights, accent lighting. Say "Alexa turn on the living room lamp" etc.
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Turn fans on or off without getting up like ceiling fans, tower fans, bathroom exhausts fans.
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Start appliances remotely like your coffee maker, slow cooker, curling iron, air fryer.
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Plug in electronics like TVs, computers speakers, phone chargers and cut power to save energy.
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Schedule holiday decorations and lights to turn on and off automatically.
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Automate pet feeders, water fountains and tank heaters to schedule feedings when you‘re away.
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Control your garage door by plugging in the opener. Open or close it from inside the house by saying "Alexa, open the garage."
And those are just a few examples! Amazon says their Smart Plug has over 1 million possibilities. Anything you can plug in, you can make smart. Pretty cool right?
Next, let‘s go over how to get your Smart Plug set up…
Setting up your Amazon Smart Plug is super easy
One of the best things about Amazon Smart Plugs is that they‘re designed to be set up in just minutes.
Here‘s how to get your new Smart Plug connected:
1. Plug it in – Simply plug the Smart Plug into any regular 120V household outlet.
2. Connect to WiFi – Open the Alexa app, go to Devices, hit the "+" icon and select Add Device. Choose "Amazon Smart Plug" and follow the instructions to connect it to WiFi.
3. Name it – Give your Smart Plug a name like "Lamp" or "Coffee maker". This makes voice control easier.
4. Plug something in – Plug a light, fan, appliance or electronics into the Smart Plug. It will now be smart!
5. Start using voice commands – Say something like “Alexa, turn on the Lamp”. The Alexa app will also let you control the Smart Plug.
And that‘s it, your Smart Plug will now be connected and ready to start smartifying your home!
The initial setup only takes about 5 minutes. Amazon really makes it simple.
Now let‘s look at some of the cool features and uses unlocked by these little gadgets.
Here are 5 awesome features that come with Amazon Smart Plugs
Amazon packed their Smart Plugs full of useful capabilities:
Voice Control
This is the main benefit – just use your voice to turn the Smart Plug on or off! For example, "Alexa, turn on the coffee maker" or "Alexa turn off the bedroom lights". It‘s great when your hands are full!
Remote Access
Control your Smart Plugs from anywhere via the Alexa app on your phone. This lets you turn appliances on before getting home. You can also dim compatible lights remotely.
Scheduling
Set schedules and timers to have your devices turn on or off automatically. Great for pet feeders, holiday lights, waking up to coffee etc. You can get very creative with schedules!
Groups
Group multiple Smart Plugs into custom collections so you can control them all in one shot. For example, create a "Lights" group to shut all lights off with one command.
Energy Monitoring
See how much power your connected devices are using right in the Alexa app and spot energy hogs. One customer said this feature found a mini-fridge pulling $40 a month in wasted electricity!
These features really save time,effort and electricity. But to maximize them, you need to know how to use them effectively…
7 expert tips for getting the most from your Smart Plugs
Here are some handy pro tips for using your new Smart Plugs:
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Give each Smart Plug a unique name like "Living Room Lamp" or "Coffee Maker" so Alexa knows which to control.
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Take advantage of schedules to have devices turn on/off automatically at set times. Great for waking up to coffee!
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Setup Routines like "Goodnight" to shut off all devices at bedtime or "Leave Home" to turn lights on for security.
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Use Groups to control multiple Smart Plugs in a room or of a type easily.
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Monitor energy usage in the app and consider unplugging energy hogs you‘re not using 24/7. Those phantom draws add up!
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For high powered devices, plug the Smart Plug itself into the wall outlet, then plug the device into the Smart Plug. Safer than plugging the Smart Plug into an extension cord.
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If having WiFi issues, try moving the Smart Plug closer to your router or rebooting your WiFi network.
Follow these tips and you‘ll get the most functionality from your new Smart Plugs. But are they actually worth buying? Let‘s dive into the pros and cons…
Are Amazon Smart Plugs worth buying? Here are the pros and cons:
Smart Plugs have become a very popular smart home purchase, but are they a worthwhile investment? Here‘s a breakdown of the pros and cons:
The Pros:
- Adds voice control and automation to appliances and devices
- Remote access very convenient – turn on lights, AC, etc before arriving home
- Energy monitoring helps identify inefficient devices wasting electricity
- Compact size only blocks the lower outlet
- Affordable price around $25 each
- Easy to set up in about 5 minutes
- Integrates seamlessly with Alexa, Echo, Fire TV
- Control from Alexa app anywhere
- Scheduling and timers add a lot of custom automation
- Can really improve convenience and security
The Cons:
- You need an Alexa device already
- Some WiFi connectivity issues if router is far away
- Can‘t natively integrate with Google Home or Siri
- You may still need to manually turn devices on/off at the switch
- Adds some electrical waste when unused
Looking at the key pros of convenience, voice control, remote access and affordability, Smart Plugs deliver excellent value for under $30.
The cons are pretty minor and for Alexa users, a Smart Plug is an easy way to start automating your home. Over 82% of Amazon Smart Plug reviewers give them 4 or 5 stars.
But how do Amazon‘s Smart Plugs compare to other brands out there? Let‘s look at the key competitors…
How Amazon Smart Plugs compare to other top brands
Amazon isn‘t the only company making smart plugs of course. Here‘s how their version stacks up to some other popular options:
| Smart Plug | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Smart Plug | Works with Alexa & Echo, Affordable, Compact size | No Google/HomeKit support |
| TP-Link Kasa Smart | Works with Alexa, Google Home, Kasa app | Slightly more expensive |
| Wyze Plug | Super affordable | Fewer features than Amazon‘s version |
| Wemo Mini | Works with Alexa, HomeKit, Google Assistant | More expensive, bigger design |
| Belkin Wemo Smart Plug | Established brand, works with all voice assistants | Larger size blocks both outlets |
| Philips Hue Smart Plug | Works with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Syncs with Hue lights | Much more expensive |
As you can see, Amazon‘s Smart Plug is a great affordable option focused on deep Alexa integration.
The main alternatives like TP-Link and Wemo offer broader smart home ecosystem support, with the trade-off of higher prices. Unless you specifically need HomeKit or Google Home support, the Amazon Smart Plug comes out as the best value choice for Alexa users.
Now that you know all about the pros, cons and competitors, let‘s wrap up everything we‘ve covered…
Conclusion – A recap of Amazon Smart Plug key facts:
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Amazon Smart Plugs are tiny gadgets that plug into outlets to make them voice controllable by Alexa.
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They let you turn lights, appliances and other electronics on and off using voice commands, apps, schedules and when away from home.
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Popular uses include controlling lights, fans, TVs, coffee makers, holiday decorations, space heaters, and more.
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Setup only takes about 5 minutes – just plug in, connect to WiFi, name it, plug in a device and start using Alexa voice control.
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Key features include voice control, remote access, scheduling, groups, energy monitoring and compact size.
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They provide a lot of convenience and automation for under $30. Big time and energy savers!
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Amazon Smart Plugs offer great value compared to similar options from TP-Link, Wemo, Philips Hue and others.
So in summary, Amazon Smart Plugs are inexpensive ways to start automating your home using Alexa. Their voice control, scheduling, energy features and compact design make them super useful additions to any smart home.
Hope this guide gave you all the details on what Amazon Smart Plugs are and what they can do for you! Have fun making your home smarter.