Need a smart plug? Smartplugs, called in French “connected sockets” or “intelligent sockets”, allow you to remotely control your connected electrical devices, such as your lights, your console, a washing machine… In addition to being able to turn them on or off, you can program them. You can also monitor your electricity consumption in real time. Please note that not all of them are compatible with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT and HomeKit. We have made this selection of the best connected sockets to help you see more clearly!
Selection of the best connected plugs
To have a connected home, you can always invest in connected products that you can control via Google Home, Amazon Echo or HomePod. But connected products are expensive and that means you have to replace devices that you already have at home and that work very well. The cheap alternative existsthese are the connected sockets.
For light fixtures, for example, if your light fixture has three or four bulbs, it can be much cheaper to opt for a connected plug, rather than for connected bulbs paid at full price. However, most of these sockets do not allow the intensity of the light to be varied as light bulbs can. You can also make certain devices “smart”like your coffee machine, by programming actions using these outlets according to specific events.
For example you can tell IFTTT, the automation app, to only water the garden if it hasn’t just rained. Or your coffee maker to only turn on if you’ve had a bad night (thanks to your sleep data). On the technology side, some sockets connect via WiFi while others opt for a Bluetooth connection sometimes less efficient.
TP-Link Tapo P100
TP-Link Tapo P100 connected socket at the best price
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Rakuten
9€
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Amazon
12.99€
The TP-Link Tapo P100 is a easy-to-use solution for a very small price right now. For less than 9 euros, you have a Wifi socket that can be controlled remotely as well as by voice command. It is Alexa and Google Home compatible. without the need to purchase an additional hub.
You can set up programs or timers so that your devices turn on and off according to your rhythm of life. Menus allow you to program a away mode to simulate your presence in the house when you are on vacation.
Konyks Priska Max Easy
Konyks Priska Max Easy smart plug at the best price
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Amazon
20.96€
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Baker
20.97€
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Cdiscount
22.9€
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Shopping street
27.88€
If this socket is not not the cheapest of this selection, it is certainly the most complete. She is very compact and easy to install. She does not require a hub to work. Just download the app, plug in the plug and follow the installation from your phone. It connects to your Wifi network and is controlled from an Android or iOS smartphone, or by voice using voice assistants Alexa or Google Home.
The application is particularly well made with many functions. Monitoring of electricity consumption particularly caught our attention. At a time when energy savings are so important, it may be interesting to study our consumption over several months. Icing on the cake, Konyks is a french brand !
Pack x3 Meross MSS210
Pack x3 Meross MSS210 at the best price
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Amazon
43.13€
For this model, we made choice of compatibility. Indeed, this connected socket can be used with Alexa, Google Home but also HomeKit from Apple and SmartThings from Samsung. She is very easy to install and use. It does not require a hub and connects via Wifi.
With this pack of 3 socketsyou can already equip quite a few of your devices and start having a truly connected home that you can control from your smartphone, by voice or by planning precise routines.
Pack x3 Zemnem CT21
Pack x3 Zemnem CT21 at the best price
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Amazon
31.3€
This pack of three connected sockets is currently the one that allows you to buy the cheapest smart plugs on the market since each take amounts to €8.33.
For the rest, it is a fairly complete socket since it does not need a hub to connect to Wifi. She is compatible with Alexa and Google Home. You can set schedules and timers through the app.
Philips Hue Smart Plug
Connected socket Philips Hue Smart Plug at the best price
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Fnac
29.99€
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Darty
29.99€
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Baker
29.99€
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Amazon
33.25€
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Shopping street
34.99€
You may already know the Philips Hue smart bulbs which are the most common connected devices of the Dutch brand. But there is also the Philips Hue smart plug. In fact, this socket does not provide any additional functionality compared to other cheaper smart sockets.
The smart plug already costs €29.99 and we must add to this the hub at 54.99 euros. So why opt for this solution? Quite simply if you already have a Philips Hue system integrated in your home. You will then not need to buy the hub and your plug will fit perfectly into your smart home.
Meross connected power strip
Meross connected power strip at the best price
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Amazon
42.5€
To continue this selection, here is a very interesting product to connect several objects which are located close to each other, as in your kitchen for example. Indeed, this power strip has 4 independent connected sockets. You can therefore ask yourself to turn on the light, then to turn on the radio and finally the coffee maker completely independently.
The power strip also has 4 USB ports which this time have unified control. For the rest, the power strip includes Wifi and is compatible with Google Home and Alexa. A HomeKit compatible version also exists for 49.99 euros.
Ikea Tradfri
Initially offered at less than 8 euros, the IKEA TRÅDFRI connected plug from the Swedish furniture giant broke market prices. She saw her price increase by 5 euros this year in rising to 12.99 euros. Compatible with all assistants and systems, the plug requires TRÅDFRI gateway, available for 29.99 eurosto work.
Why use a smart plug?
A connected socket simply allows activate or deactivate a socket remotely. But that’s not all. You can control it remotely from your smartphone or by voice via the various voice assistants. You can also set up programming with some routines that adapt perfectly to your rhythm of life. You can thus turn on your coffee maker only at the time of your breakfast.
You can also set your television to only turn on during certain periods of time to prevent your children from spending too much time in front of the screen. With systems like IFTT and the use of other sensors in addition, you could even set up different scenarios to activate. For example, if you get up in the middle of the night, the light in your hallway may turn on automatically or if it is getting dark your electric shutters may close.
Finally, some sockets allow you to control your electricity consumption to let you know precisely where you could make efficient energy savings.
If there is a large number of different models, not all are suitable for your installation. Indeed, if you already have connected devices or lights, prefer a plug compatible with your existing equipment so you don’t have to use multiple apps to control different parts of your home.
Voice assistant compatibility is also very important to consider. Finally, more specific features may be of interest to you, such as the power consumption monitoring.
How much does a smart plug cost?
In recent years, connected plugs have been increasingly present in stores and on the internet. So prices have come down and it is possible to afford a good plug connected for less than 9 euros. Some models can reach more than 30 euros but, with some exceptions, it is really not necessary to spend so much on this type of product.
Please note that some sockets may require the purchase of a hub to work. This can therefore greatly increase the cost of installation. At last, buying a power strip can be interesting to connect several objects without breaking the bank.
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