Best Outdoor Smart Plugs of 2021-Review

2021-11-26 02:41:34 By : Mr. Tony Young

Smart plugs are the fastest and easiest way to make your home smarter, allowing you to remotely control your electronic products or appliances through your smart phone or voice assistants such as Alexa or Google Assistant. Outdoor smart plugs are a convenient way to control your favorite outdoor appliances and lighting. All you have to do is plug the device into a standard outdoor socket and start the companion app.

Outdoor smart plugs provide the same conveniences as their indoor counterparts, including helping you save electricity and maintain home safety, but its packaging design can adapt to various elements. Many also provide schedules and timers for easy management of lighting decorations and other outdoor equipment. After using the best outdoor smart plug on the market, we believe that the Wyze outdoor smart plug (available on Amazon for $17.98) is the best plug you can buy. However, depending on your settings, there are some other good options on our list that may appeal to you.

Here are the best outdoor smart plugs we have tested, in order:

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How do we test outdoor smart plugs

What you should know about outdoor smart plugs

Other outdoor smart plugs we tested

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The Wyze Outdoor Smart Plug has a Wi-Fi range of up to 300 feet. It is small and light, provides two independent controls, and can withstand high temperature, humidity and rain.

Wyze makes our favorite indoor smart plug, so it's not surprising that we fell in love with the outdoor version. The plug responds to voice commands from Alexa and Google Assistant, and provides two independently controlled sockets.

The Wyze app is very user-friendly, providing simple steps to get up and running, and detailed energy tracking can help you reduce usage when necessary. The plug has an IP64 degree of protection and is suitable for outdoor use, which means it is both dust- and splash-proof. It can also withstand temperatures from -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. In this application, you can view the daily, weekly and monthly details of the plug's energy usage. The plug can also be set as a schedule and integrated into home automation.

In front of the plug is a sensor that can detect the brightness of the environment. When it is enabled, it will override the manual control, so you can set the garden string light to turn on when it is dark and turn off when it is bright outside, instead of turning off at a specific time. It also provides a convenient reminder function to remind you when the total energy usage of the two sockets reaches a certain amount (you can set the number of uses in the app). The Wyze app provides two-factor authentication, and we recommend enabling it to ensure the security of your account.

Although Apple’s Siri is not supported, unless you are fully committed to HomeKit, we believe that Wyze Outdoor Smart Plug is the best choice to meet your outdoor needs because it combines convenient features, usability, and safety. For the price, you can't beat the features offered by this outdoor store.

Works with Alexa and Google Assistant

Hello, this is Rachel Murphy. I introduced smart home products for Reviewed, and I am interested in knowing how outdoor smart plugs compare with similar indoor products. Over the years, I have tested smart security cameras, video doorbells, smart displays, and more connected devices for review. In the humid and hot weather in Florida, I put these plugs outside. My work is based on Sarah Kovac. Sarah Kovac is the original tester and former editor of the Reviewed smart home section.

We collected the most popular smart outdoor plugs and tested them in my home for several weeks. We loaded the corresponding application of each plug-in on iOS and Android, and connected each plug-in to smart assistants, such as Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple's Siri when applicable, to test the responsiveness and ease of use of the voice assistant sex. We also tested the responsiveness only through cellular connections, compared the response time on iOS and Android, we unplugged and re-plugged each socket to see how long it took them to reconnect, we even plugged them in each socket Sprinkle water to see how well they handle rainwater.

Most of these plugs can be inserted without blocking the second socket above. However, it depends on the type of socket cover you have. In our test, we can only use the top socket. That's because the wires of the smart plug are pushed up to the bottom edge of the socket cover, so they cannot be inserted all the time.

An angled plug may cause some problems for you because it may block the second socket. The only plug we tested that successfully released the second socket was able to do so because it was not an angled plug. The power cord protrudes directly from the socket instead of tilting. Although it did not block the second socket, the lid could not be safely closed by wires.

Although these plugs should be fine when it rains a little bit, they should never be immersed in water or sprayed directly with a hose. We are dealing with electricity here, so don't try your luck. Although all the plugs we tested did not have the problem of slight water sprinkling, the safest smart plugs in the world cannot protect you, especially when you use an extension cord that is not suitable for outdoor use.

Outdoor smart plugs have an IP rating and are splash-proof and/or waterproof. Anything with an IPX4 rating is considered "splash proof". Higher than IPX4 means better resistance-for example, IPX5 rating means that the product can withstand low-pressure water jets, and the resistance rises from there.

Speaking of IP rating, the second number means waterproof, and the first number means dustproof. You will usually find that a rating of 5 or higher is all you need to protect the plug from intrusion. For more information, you can view this IP rating guide.

When you use connected devices at home, there is always a potential privacy risk. To help protect your smart home, you can take some steps. First, look for a device that provides two-factor authentication, which will send a code to your mobile device to verify your identity. This way, if someone tries to hack into your account, you will be alerted and the problem can be resolved quickly. Many devices also allow you to activate email or other push notifications in the settings to alert you when someone logs in.

In addition, make sure to use a unique, strong password consisting of multiple characters, numbers, and letters for each smart home account. Recently, data breaches have become the norm, so using different passwords on multiple websites and applications has become more important.

When using any device with smart assistants such as Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri, you can further protect your privacy by regularly deleting your recordings and muting them when you are not using the speaker’s microphone.

Looking for more privacy tips? Read our guide to protect your smart home.

TP-Link's Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug (KP400) has two front sockets, and each socket can be individually controlled by voice commands or Kasa applications. Kasa’s Wi-Fi outdoor plugs are durable, do not require a hub, and have a wireless range of up to 300 feet.

We did not encounter any problems during the setup process, and the plug never lost connection during our testing. The outdoor plug of TP-Link can be used with Alexa and Google Assistant. It is easy to integrate the plug with these two popular smart assistants.

The Kasa app makes it easy to control the plug from anywhere, and includes the ability to set a schedule, program a timer, and access the away mode. Although it does not provide energy monitoring, the Kasa application displays basic information about the current, daily, and total operating hours of the outlet.

The weatherproof rating of the heavy-duty plug is IP64, which means that it can handle dusty environments, splashes, and torrential rain without any problems. We tested this plug in Florida's hot, humid, and sometimes rainy climate, without any problems. However, it is not completely waterproof, so it is best to place the plug on an elevated surface or a place with good drainage, and make sure to plug it into the GFCI socket when using it outdoors or in a humid place.

Overall, Kasa's smart outdoor plug is a foolproof plug that is easy to use when automating outdoor settings.

Works with Alexa and Google Assistant

Does not support Apple HomeKit

C by GE recently changed its name to Cync, and along with the name change comes a series of new products, including Cync Outdoor Smart Plug. It is one of the best we have tested because it provides simple settings, account authentication to ensure your safety, and two independently configurable sockets to double your outdoor needs. It works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but not Apple's Siri. It also does not require a hub.

The plug has a weatherproof socket cover to prevent water, snow, dirt and other external factors. It can maintain good condition under several thunderstorms, high temperature and high humidity.

The settings can be done in the Cync app, which is available for Android and iOS. The companion app provides two-factor authentication and a way to manage approved users (not available in all plugins in our guide). In general, this is an excellent outdoor smart plug. As long as you don't need Siri voice control support, you can make your outside world a more interconnected place.

Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

Does not support Apple HomeKit

Most outdoor smart plugs have dual sockets, but not everyone needs two plugs. If you only need a smart plug, please check Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug (KP401). Although it is not compatible with Apple HomeKit, it can be voice controlled through the smart assistants Alexa and Google Assistant and Samsung's SmartThings.

Quick and straightforward to set up, the Kasa app is one of the easiest to navigate apps in any outdoor smart plug. We set up a schedule and tested voice commands with Alexa and Google, all of which were executed correctly every time. The outdoor use grade of KP401 is 1P64, the range is up to 300 feet, and it supports a maximum load of 15 amperes.

Other features, such as Away Mode, Timer, and a summary of average and cumulative usage will only further increase the value provided by the Kasa plug. For a quick and simple single socket smart plug, Kasa’s KP401 can’t go wrong.

If you only need one socket

Works with Alexa and Google Assistant

Does not support Apple HomeKit

The Enbrighten Dual Outdoor Wi-Fi smart switch has two front sockets, but the sockets lack separate control and can only work at the same time. We don't like to start with bad news, but this is an important difference that can disrupt the transaction depending on your use case, because most dual-socket smart plugs provide independent control for each socket.

This plug is compatible with Amazon Echo and Google Home ecosystem, but not compatible with Apple HomeKit. We use voice control via Alexa and Google Assistant to turn the socket on and off without any problems. We like the Enbrighten app to send alerts when someone newly logs into your account and when your device is offline-not every outdoor smart socket can do this. It also provides other features such as daily and weekly scheduling, timers, and home automation based on your location, weather, and time of day.

One disadvantage of this design is that the connected plug cover is made of thin plastic, which is easy to break, making it more difficult to keep dust and other small particles out.

If you don't need two independently controlled outlets, then Enbrighten's outdoor smart switches may be perfect for your outdoor settings. But for more versatile outdoor plugs, please check our top picks.

Works with Alexa and Google Assistant

The socket cannot be controlled independently

The Meross outdoor smart plug is our best overall choice before. It is durable, weather-resistant, easy to use/control, and has a status indicator that is easy to view and understand from a distance. It has two independent plugs that can be controlled independently. Since our outdoor sockets have two sockets, we can plug in more than one thing at a time. The plug is responsive and easy to use during setup and testing, and we are happy to be able to see at a glance whether both sockets are open through the prominent indicator lights. However, one thing that the plug does not provide is to report energy consumption.

It is very easy to set up a routine for your Meross smart plug. The routine will turn the plug on or off according to the schedule, or turn off the plug after a specified time. The app’s settings tab contains useful guides that guide users through the Google Assistant and Alexa settings plugin. From appearance to function to application, this plug-in is very pleasant to use.

If you are looking for a good outdoor smart plug that is pleasant to operate and can be plugged into multiple items at the same time, Meross will not disappoint.

Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant

Allow creation of smart routines

Independently controllable dual plug

If you don't need a smart plug with dual sockets, the Geeni Outdoor smart plug is a good choice. It is easy to set up and install, work reliably and quickly, and has bright status indicators. For outdoor smart plugs, its sides are small, so when you don’t need it outdoors, it won’t be awkward to use it indoors. It even has a notch that allows you to hang it up with screws or nails, which is a good contact to keep it away from the ground.

The main screen shows the outdoor temperature, humidity and air pressure-we are not sure how useful this information is for the smart plug, but it doesn't hurt. The app will guide you to create scenarios to easily turn the plug on or off, but we found that the setup process in Geeni is not as intuitive as with products such as Meross.

We also found it difficult to specify the actions we want to trigger each scene. For example, the action may be a local sunset, which will trigger the scene of opening the plug. However, if you are not looking for automation, then this plug can be turned off and on via the phone.

The Geeni app also provides two-factor authentication to ensure the security of your account, which is not provided by every plugin in our guide.

If you want to remotely control your outdoor smart plug without too many bells and whistles, Geeni is worth considering because it is a few dollars cheaper than many competitors, and it comes with two-factor authentication. This is a sturdy little plug and good value for money.

Smaller than other plugs we tested

If you use Ring security products wholeheartedly at home, the Ring Outdoor smart plug will be a perfect fit for your existing smart home ecosystem. The all-weather smart plug requires a ring smart bridge to work, which is an additional cost to consider. The bridge can be used to connect up to 50 other Ring devices, such as outdoor smart lights and motion sensors, so if you already own one, then it might make sense to buy this plug.

The plugin does not integrate with Google Assistant or Siri, only with Amazon Alexa (Amazon owns Ring). It can use Echo speakers via Alexa or respond to voice commands via the Amazon Alexa app for iOS and Android. The app does not provide energy monitoring insights, but it has mandatory two-factor authentication and a dedicated privacy control center to ensure the security of your account.

For anyone who already uses Ring security products or anyone running an Alexa-only smart home ecosystem, this plugin makes perfect sense. But considering that the bridge is the extra cost of the plug, you'd better choose a different, more affordable plug from our review.

Not available for Google Assistant or Siri

Lutron Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug is one of the few smart plugs that provides only one socket instead of two, and it is also larger than most other smart plugs. These two factors make it the bottom of our list, but its construction is durable and durable. It also works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, which are rare for outdoor smart plugs.

Overall, the plug is easy to set up and connect with all three smart assistants, but it requires a Lutron Pico remote control or a Lutron Caséta smart bridge to operate.

The rugged outdoor plug has an IP65 degree of protection and is suitable for outdoor use, with an operating temperature range of -4 degrees Fahrenheit to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

This plug is expensive, but it has a good structure. If you are already using the Lutron smart dimmer switch, or if you need a plug that works reliably on all three main smart assistants, we would recommend it.

Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri

The iHome Outdoor Smart Plug is a small sturdy spark plug, but it lacks some of the features of other products we have tested. The plug itself is slim and compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. The indicator lights on the side of the plug are smaller than we want, because we can't see them unless we get close. It does have a notch that can be hung on a nail or screw, but there is no energy monitoring, plug cover or dual sockets.

The iHome Control app on Android can quickly check your smart plug and its status. It does not provide any additional information like some other products, such as local weather or energy usage, but it is simple to operate, and can easily set a schedule and trigger power on/off according to Nest’s home/out status or from movement, leaks and windows Sensor information.

The iOS version of the app is even more impressive because it connects to HomeKit, so you can control every smart item in your home that supports HomeKit. If you don't need dual plug capacity, and the rest of your smart home runs on HomeKit, then iHome may be a good choice.

Works with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit

Sarah Kovac is an award-winning writer and critic's smart home editor. Prior to this, she has worked with a number of media such as Wirecutter, TIME, PCMag, Prevention, The Atlantic, Reviews.com, CNN, GOOD, Upworthy, Mom.me and SheKnows.

Rachel Murphy reported on smart homes for comment. She lives in a real smart home filled with smart plugs, smart lights and smart speakers equipped with voice assistants Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri. Murphy holds a degree in journalism from the University of Central Florida and has more than ten years of reporting and writing experience. Previously, she worked as a freelance writer for Business Insider, Mashable, Elite Daily and other major publications. Prior to working in online journalism, Murphy worked as an associate editor and producer for ABC News "Good Morning America" ​​in New York City.

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