Cheap, compact and versatile, smart plugs offer an easy way to control your entire home. Robert Irvine explains how to make the most of these powerful devices
Turning your home into a smart home is an intriguing idea in theory, but in practice it can prove more trouble and expense than it’s worth. Aside from smartphones and smart TVs, smart devices can be fiddly to set up, suffer frequent malfunctions and even pose privacy concerns.
Rather than automate your life in a futuristic way, many smart gadgets often go unused once the novelty wears off. For example, the popularity of smart speakers such as the Amazon Echo and Google Home soon dipped once people ran out of things to ask them. That’s not to say smart technology is pointless, and you may swear by your smart doorbell, thermostat or security camera. But if you want a smart device that’s affordable, reliable and has clear practical value, you can’t go wrong with a smart plug.
These tiny devices provide an effective means of converting standard home appliances into smart ones – with minimum cost and hassle. They’re suitable for smart-technology novices and experts alike, and you can have as many as you require for your automated needs.
Here, we explain how smart plugs work, reveal all the useful and clever things you can do with them, and recommend the best models to buy. We also provide step-by-step instructions for getting your new smart plug up and running.
WHAT YOU CAN DO
• Turn lights on automatically when you’re not home to deter burglars
• Monitor your devices’ electricity usage – and cut your energy bill
• Fix Wi-Fi problems by resetting your router remotely
• Prevent your phone or tablet from overcharging
• Control eight devices from a single wall socket
• Switch appliances on and off using your voice
YOUR SMART PLUG QUESTIONS ANSWERED
What is a smart plug?
A smart plug is a Wi-Fi-enabled power adapter that turns ‘dumb’ electrical devices (meaning those that aren’t internet-connected) into smart ones. Plug a device into a smart plug and the smart plug into a wall socket and you’ll be able to control it over your Wi-Fi network or Bluetooth using an app on your phone or tablet (see picture right).
Why do I need one?
Smart plugs save you having to be in the same room – or even the same building – as a device to turn it on and off. Provided the device has a mechanical po
