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The smart home industry has steadily evolved over the years, and it’s now possible to equip your abode with smart lights, smart alarm clocks, and even smart refrigerators. But not everything has joined the Internet of Things yet. There are also the years- or decades-old appliances you may own that predate the smart home boom. In these cases, smart plugs can convert even the dumbest electrical products into wonders of 21st-century technology.

Smart plugs are, essentially, an extension of your wall outlets. Just plug one in, and then whatever used to go in that outlet can be plugged into the gadget, which serves as a middleman. Depending on which smart plug you get, you can then control the flow of electricity with a smartphone app or certain smart assistants like Google Assistant, Alexa, or Siri. By telling the plug to turn on or off, you can then control, say, a cherished old lamp from your childhood, just as you could a Philips Hue bulb.

Smart plugs have other uses too, such as cutting phantom power to energy-hungry appliances like smart TVs when not in use. Many feature timers and schedules that can automate the various things you plug into them, and some can monitor energy to give you a better sense of what’s jacking up your utility bill. Picking the right smart plug matters, and you don’t want to get stuck with ones that are a nightmare to set up. Physically, it might take just a second to attach one to your wall and appliance. Connecting it to your smart home infrastructure, however, can be a different story. Here are five top-rated smart plugs that are also super easy to install.

Some of the heavy hitters you’ll often come across while shopping for smart home products are TP-Link, Kasa, and Tapo. What you might not know is that all three are the same company, but with slightly different branding. That’s why The New York Times Wirecutter references TP-Link in its list of best smart plugs, where it names Kasa EP25 Smart Plug Slim as its top pick.

Among the reasons the Kasa EP25 Smart Plug Slim is one of the best smart plugs worth buying is that it’s super easy to set up, no matter what you plan on using to control it. As the Wirecutter explains, the EP25 is “quick to integrate with all major smart-home platforms and a breeze to set up and use with the Tapo app, where all of its functions are readily accessible.” The smart plug features voice control and is compatible with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Samsung SmartThings.

The EP25 has an energy-monitoring option that is a few bucks more, a feature that helps make smart plugs some of the best energy-saving tech for your home. Using the Tapo app, the plug can be grouped with other Kasa smart devices so that all can be controlled at once for more efficiency. Its compact design allows two plugs to be stacked in the same outlet. One drawback is that it’s only available in 2- and 4-packs, so you may have some surplus spares you don’t need. Then again, it’s such a highly regarded device that it’s kind of a “my lobster is too buttery” problem. The TP-Link/Kasa EP25 Smart Plug Slim Energy-Monitoring 4-Pack is currently available from Amazon for $43.

Govee might currently be best known for its innovative smart light products, including an upcoming floor lamp that can create 281 trillion colors, but it makes other smart home products, too. This includes the Govee Dual Smart Plug, which CNET selected as an Editor’s Pick and named the Best Dual-Outlet model in its Best Smart Plugs of 2026 list. Not only does it connect appliances to the Internet of Things, but it conveniently turns one outlet into two.

Amazon users are also big fans of the Govee Dual Smart Plug and have scored it an overall 4.6 out of 5, based on over 6,200 reviews. One of the reasons owners like the device so much is how simple and “painless” it is to install. Unlike some smart home products, it doesn’t require a hub and can be used right out of the box once you’ve created a Govee Home account. Some reviewers cite how easy Govee’s companion app is to use, while CNET also praises the app’s design.

The Govee Dual Smart Plug is compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s also ETL-certified, meaning it meets North American safety standards for electronics. One drawback is that it doesn’t support 5 GHz Wi-Fi, though 2.4 GHz is usually all that you need for Internet of Things devices. Like some smart plugs from other brands, Govee’s Dual Smart Plug only comes in 2- and 4-packs, which means you can transform one standard wall fixture into four smart outlets. The Govee Dual Smart Plug 2-Pack (model H5082) is currently available from Amazon for about $25.

In addition to being the world’s biggest retailer, Amazon also makes plenty of its own products, such as Amazon Basics batteries and Fire TVs. It also has its own highly rated smart plug, which is creatively named the Amazon Smart Plug. No physical hub is required to use the accessory — instead, it’s closely integrated with Alexa.

Naturally, the smart plug is very easy to incorporate into your larger Amazon ecosystem, just as other Amazon devices, like Kindles and Echoes, are. It uses information it already knows about you to quickly link the device to your account. That’s because, rather than using the dedicated smart home app that many other brands rely on, Amazon’s smart plug is controlled through the Alexa app. If you’re logged into your account when looking up the smart plug on Amazon’s website, the company will even tell you which registered devices you already own are compatible with it.

Because it uses the Alexa app, you can also incorporate appliances using the smart plug into automated routines alongside other devices. If your Wi-Fi cuts out or you lose power, the smart plug will also automatically reconnect to Alexa and resume its schedules, timers, and routines. This avoids a common issue some smart plugs have, where you need to set them up all over again after an outage. There are additional controls unlocked with Alexa+, though the service costs extra even if you have a Prime account. Another thing the accessory has in common with other first-party Amazon products is that you can often find it discounted during Amazon sales events, like Prime Day. The Amazon Smart Plug is listed on Amazon for $25, but is currently available for $20.

One of the cheapest smart plugs you can buy is also one of the easiest to set up — the Ikea Grillplats. It may seem surprising that the furniture giant makes a smart plug, but there are actually all kinds of mini gadgets you can find at Ikea. Many of these devices, like shower speakers and LED reading lights, help enhance the decor or functionality of a home, which is very much in line with the Swedish company’s brand. Ikea’s Grillplats can be used anywhere in your home with a grounded outlet and instantly upgrade whatever appliance you plug into it.

Ikea might have a reputation for furniture that’s complicated to build, but by many accounts, setting up its smart plug is a completely different experience. The Grillplats is even named as the “best smart plug for easy setup” by CNET, which tested several models from different brands before rendering its verdict. It’s not just cheap and simple to install, either — it’s also highly rated. When a poster on the r/HomeAssistant subreddit asked for a “smart power plug that just works,” many of the responses recommended Ikea’s smart plug.

The Grillplats works with Dirigera, Ikea’s proprietary smart home hub. Devices connected to the plug can be controlled using the Ikea Home app, as well as motion sensors or a physical remote control. Ten plugs can be connected to the same sensor or remote. The Grillplats uses the universal Matter standard and is compatible with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, Samsung SmartThings, and Homey. An energy-monitoring model is also available. The Ikea Grillplats is available from Ikea for $7.99.

Smart plugs aren’t just confined to the inside of your home. Outdoor smart plugs that are designed to withstand the elements and often have a stronger range to better reach your indoor Wi-Fi router are available, though not all of them are very easy to set up. One that is, though, is the TP-Link/Kasa EP40A Smart Outdoor Plug. Based on over 17,300 Amazon reviews, the accessory has a strong 4.6 out of 5 average customer rating.

Many of these positive reviews report how easy the EP40A is to set up. Some add that the app is also intuitive and setting up schedules is a simple process, especially when using a sunrise/sunset setting that keeps you from continually having to adjust times as the seasons progress. Adding to its simplicity is that it doesn’t require a hub. PCMag, which named the device its “best outdoor smart plug,” also cites its straightforward setup as a big asset, among others. The publication does note that the EP40A is pricier than some other outdoor plugs and lacks an energy-monitoring feature.

Despite these drawbacks, the TP-Link/Kasa EP40A Smart Outdoor Plug is highly rated due to several positive attributes, including its IP64 weather rating and dual Wi-Fi antenna for a maximum range of up to 300 feet. It’s compatible with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Home, and IFTTT. It turns one outlet into two and can transmit 1875 watts, which is helpful for heavier-duty equipment. Users report using it to control holiday lights or remotely shutting off inflatable decorations during heavy winds. The TP-Link/Kasa EP40A Smart Outdoor Plug is currently available from Amazon for $23.50.