Smart plugs are an affordable way to upgrade your run-of-the-mill house into a smart home. Smart plugs are essentially pass-through plugs that fit into ordinary electrical sockets in your home and let you control whatever electrical items you plug into them using an app.
Smart Plugs are similar in principle to those mechanical timers that automatically switch your lights on to a schedule when you’re away from home, except they offer much more control via the app, and you can tweak their settings even when out of the house. You can switch them on manually, schedule them to come on (and go off) at a time that suits you, and even control them by voice using your smartphone or, if supported, Amazon Alexa.
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You can buy smart plugs from various hardware manufacturers, including TP-Link, WeMo and D-Link. How many you’ll need is up to you – it depends on what you want to do and how many devices you want to include.
For this guide, we’re using the TP-Link Smart Plug because it’s the cheapest of the bunch and is just as versatile as more expensive rivals. We’ll show you how to set up and use a TP-Link device below.
Switch lights on and off
One of the most practical uses for a smart plug is to control the lighting in your home. It won’t work with your main lights, which are turned on and off via wall-mounted light switches, but it will work perfectly with any plugged-in table lamps. You can schedule the lights to switch on and go off whenever you like, or control them remotely using an app. This could deter would-be intruders because your home will appear to be occupied, even if you’re out at work or away on holiday. Varying the time that the lights come on is even more effective, because someone watching your home may notice if the schedule is too regimented.
Wake up in the morning
If you struggle to get out of bed in the morning, smart plugs can help to rouse you from your slumber. You can use one to turn on the radio or TV at the time you want to wake up, or even switch on a kettle (make sure you fill it with water the night before, though) or coffee machine.
If all else fails, you could also use the plug to turn your lights on, as long as you’re not the type to hide under the duvet!
Keep your home safe
You can set smart plugs to switch on security cameras when your home is unoccupied or you’re in bed asleep, so they’re not running all the time, wasting electricity and recording your own movements around the house. And if you often charge devices such as mobile phones, tablets and laptops overnight, you could use a smart plug to stop the charge after a few hours to ensure your devices don’t overheat or suffer battery damage. Alternatively, if you want to be sure of having a full charge when you wake up, have the power go on in the early hours of the morning instead.
Christmas lights aren’t quite the hazard they’re often portrayed as being, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. At Christmas, why not rig up a smart plug to control the lights on your tree and manage any external lights that are connected indoors?
Control children’s entertainment
As any parent knows, it’s no mean feat prying children away from electrical devices such as games consoles, TVs and laptops, but with a smart plug you can set hard restrictions – having the power on these entertainments go off at a time of your choosing. The trick is unlikely to work with older kids who will probably be able to work out that they can simply plug into a socket with no smart plug, but you could add an extra hurdle by also connecting your router to a smart plug, so the internet goes off when you want it to, then comes back on when younger family members are tucked up in bed.
Reduce power consumption
Having smart plugs turn electrical items on or off as required can save electricity, and the TP-Link plugs we’re using also have a built-in energy-control feature that analyses each connected device’s power usage, then presents this information in the app. This lets you see at a glance just how much energy your connected devices consume, and allows you to adjust your electricity usage accordingly.
Use TP Link’s Kasa app
The TP-Link Smart Plug is controlled using a free app for iOS or Android. As well as connecting plugs, you can use it to connect and control Kasa cameras and set ‘scenes’ for different times of day (Good Morning turns on all your devices, Good Night turns them all off, Movie Night dims the lights, and Custom lets you create your own scene, determining which devices are on or off).
If you also add a smart router, you can have even more control over all your devices. The app also lets you view past activity.
How to set up a TP-Link Smart Plug
- To get started, download the TP-Link Kasa app on your mobile device and connect your smart plug to the mains. Launch the app and tap the plus symbol in the top-right-hand corner to add your first device. Scroll down and tap the Smart Plug entry.
- The Wi-Fi light on your plug should turn a solid amber and then, after 15 seconds or so, blink amber and green. Go to your phone’s Settings and open the Wi-Fi. Connect to the Smart Plug’s built-in Wi-Fi network. Return to the app and enter a name for your new plug. Tap Next.
- Pick an icon for your plug – there are lots to choose from – and tap Next. You’ll now be invited to enter your Wi-Fi password so the plug can join your wireless network. Tap Connect and the plug will be added. Tap Next, then Done, and it will appear in your Devices list. Add any more plugs in the same way.