Before we start this interesting Amazon Smart plug Review, you should know that smart plugs are a way to connect devices to your smart home for less money than to replace intelligent models. Amazon jumped into an intelligent plug game earlier this fall with the Amazon Smart Plug.To know more click here.
It might not shock you to learn that this $25 (£25) plug only works with Alexa, so don’t expect Google Assistant or Siri to be compatible.
If you’re all-in on Alexa gear, this smart plug is acceptable. Still, there are better models out there, such as the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug with Power Monitoring, which provides more customization and more compatibility.
If you’re ready to use your Amazon Echo speakers for more than just shopping, playing music, and weather reports, you might be thinking about adding an Amazon Smart Plug ($24.99) to your Alexa ecosystem.
This single-outlet smart plug lets you control anything you plug into using the Alexa voice commands and the Alexa mobile app.
It’s a snap to install, and it works with some (but not all) Alexa smart home devices, but it doesn’t work with other voice platforms and doesn’t offer nearly as many features as our Editors’ Choice, the ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2, which costs more than $59.95, but also includes a second plug.
Amazon Smart Plug Review: Features and Design
Now let’s start our Amazon Smart Plug Reviews on that fantastic design and some of the features. Amazon Smart Plug is rectangular and weighs 1.5 x 3.2 x 2.2 inches (HWD). It’s not as small as the Geeni Spot, but it’s small enough not to block entry to the second plug of the two-outlet wall receptacle.
There are a single-three prong outlet and an LED indicator on the front. The LED glows in solid blue when the system is on, blinks in blue when it’s preparing for initialization, blinks in red when there’s no network communication, and is dark when the device is off.
The on/off switch is situated on the left side of the plug, and there is a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi antenna under the hood.
Amazon Smart Plug review – The plug can be switched on and off using Alexa voice commands and inside the Alexa smartphone app for Android and iOS devices. Still, it lacks support for Apple HomeKit, does not fit with Google Assistant and Siri voice commands, and does not have power consumption monitoring like the ConnectSense Smart Outlet 2.
Also, there is no support for IFTTT applets that allow it to operate with other IFTTT-enabled applications.
On the plus side, you can use Alexa Routines to have the plug activated by motion sensor cameras attached to your Alexa smart home system. Still, connections with other smart devices such as door locks, thermostats, and water leak detectors are not allowed.
Amazon Smart Plug Review: What’s Missing Here?
Amazon Smart Plug review – One big miss from Amazon here is the failure to track any electricity. We’ve seen accurate, informative power data from TP-Link or Belkin’s WeMo Insight Switch plugs, but Amazon seems to be on the AmazonBasics route here with minimal functionality.
Compatibility is another problem, if not shocking. You’re not going to be able to connect Amazon Smart Plug to your Google Home or Apple HomeKit system. This plug is an Alexa-only product.
Are you going to buy the Amazon Smart Plug?
Amazon Smart Plug Reviews agree that it is a decent device. Indeed, if you just want to have an easy on/off control using your voice or the Alexa app, it does the job well. If you’re after granular access, would like more options and more voice assistance outside of Alexa, there are much better smart plugs available for less.