7 Best Smart Plugs (2023): Compact Plugs, Power Strips, and Advice

Before you start shopping for a smart plug, you'll need to keep a few things in mind.

• What are you going to use it for? Not all devices automatically start when you turn the power on. For example, some coffee pots and window AC units need you to hit a “Brew” or “Cool” button for them to fulfill their intended function. Devices that turn on with the flick of a switch, like lamps, TVs, and window fans, are more likely to work.
• Keep size in mind. Smart plugs are thick and bulky. If you plug one into a socket, you might not be able to fit something else into your second socket. You can usually find dimensions on the company or retailer's website, so measure before you buy, and look at customer reviews.
• You need an app. You usually need to install an app to set up the smart plug. This is how you control it and find more granular settings, like the ability to set schedules and group several smart plugs into one category. If you want to use many smart plugs in your home, you'll have an easier time if you buy them all from the same manufacturer. Most of these plugs also work with Google Assistant or Alexa, so once you set up the app and connect them to your preferred voice assistant, you may not need to use the app anymore. With Matter-enabled smart plugs, we'll soon start seeing smart plugs that are even easier to set up.
• You might experience connection issues. If your Wi-Fi or power goes out, you may have to reconnect your smart plug. Some plugs automatically restore the last setting once the power comes back.

I particularly love TP-Link's Kasa line of mini smart plugs. They perform the same as the larger plugs, but in a compact body that is easier to stack with others. If you use just one, it won't obstruct the second outlet at all. The app is pretty simple to navigate; there are scenes, timers, and schedules you can program to your liking. Away mode turns the plugs on and off randomly during the time you choose, without needing to set timers and schedules, which can potentially confuse burglars into thinking you're home, like in Home Alone. (A few of our other picks have this setting too.)

WIRED reviews editor Julian Chokkattu has also been using the larger version of these plugs (HS103) for years on his lamps, Christmas lights, and fans with no issues.

Works with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings

These compact plugs from Nooie are easy to set up and manage. In addition to regular schedules and timers, Nooie also includes a loop timer. The example the app gives is a fish tank oxygen pump that needs to go on for 10 minutes every hour—you can set the loop timer to turn the plug on for 10 minutes and turn it off for 50. Like TP-Link's Kasa, Nooie also has a travel mode for turning lights on at random times to mimic someone being home.

The app includes two-factor authentication and a child-lock feature that disables the power button—it can stop a curious kid from turning off appliances. If you're connecting to the Google Home app to use it with Google Assistant, you'll see both “Nooie” and “Nooie Home” when you search to pair the service; choose the latter.

Works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa

I've never been disappointed by a Wyze product, and that includes this smart plug. The Wyze app is easy to navigate and the control screen is straightforward. You can toggle the plug on and off or set a timer, see your daily and weekly run time, and set it to vacation mode to deter burglars. Some Amazon reviews from 2019 claim the plugs have overheated to the point of melting. We haven't experienced this and have been testing them since 2020, but it's something we're keeping an eye on.

Works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa