A smarter way to plug-in

You can trust our technology reviews to help you find the best product ideas for your smart home needs.

Ready to brighten up your old outlets with smart plugs? These advanced features can save you time and money and add convenience. Advanced features to look for include:

Power monitoring

Through an app, you can monitor the energy use of plugged-in devices in real-time and get reports on energy usage and cost over a period of time, such as day or month.

USB charging port

Some smart plug models come with a built-in USB outlet for convenient charging of smartphones and other mobile devices.

Scenes

Program multiple smart plugs and devices as a single unit. For example, you can dim lights or turn things on or off based on the weather, time of day, or certain situations.

Away mode

This feature turns plugged-in devices, such as lights and TV, on and off at random to make it appear as if someone is at home.

Dimming

Dim plugged-in lights from your smartphone or voice assistant. Some models can automatically adjust lamp light based on the amount of sunlight in a room. Compatibility is also important. Make sure your new smart plugs work with your voice assistant or smart home hub.