Millions of people have integrated smart home devices and smart appliances into their households. One popular and affordable way to do this is to use smart plugs. Wemo Smart Plugs allow you to control electrical appliances via the Wemo app or a third-party smart home device, such as an Amazon Echo.
Wemo claims that its smart plug lets you control your home from anywhere. It's also said to be 45% smaller than the Wemo Smart Plug Mini, so it doesn't obstruct other sockets in an outlet.
We wanted to find out if these claims hold up, so we tested the Wemo Smart Plug out in the real world. Here's what we discovered.
At BestReviews, we have a group of testers who try out products in their real lives over a long period. This lets us see how products really perform outside of lab conditions, letting us pick up any quirks and learn what does or doesn’t work.
For this article, our tester tried out the Wemo Smart Plug with a lamp, a piece of light art and a television set. They had used Amazon smart plugs in the past, so they were able to compare the two.
The Wemo Smart Plug is a device you can use to control non-smart electronics. The smart plug connects via Wi-Fi to the Wemo app or a smart home device, such as an Amazon Echo or a Google Home device.
There are some limitations in what you can control using this kind of smart plug; it generally only switches electronics on and off. However, this control gives you the freedom to do things such as switch lights on and off without getting up or lets you turn on heaters to warm your room before you get home. We tried the Wemo Smart Plug on a few lamps and a TV and were able to successfully turn them off and on with only voice commands.
Single Wemo Smart Plugs typically cost $16.49, though prices can vary depending on availability. You can buy them from Amazon.
Start by downloading the Wemo app for your smartphone or tablet. Next, plug your Wemo Smart Plug into the outlet. Then, follow the instructions on the app to connect the plug to your Wi-Fi system. This step took several tries, and it was difficult for us to connect the plug to our Wi-Fi. Not all users have this issue, but it is a fairly common complaint.
Once you've managed to connect your smart plug, it's time to plug in an electronic item. You can either control it via the Wemo app or by using another smart home device. We connected ours to an Amazon Echo, which took just seconds. Once the plug is connected to a smart home system, you can control it using voice commands.
In theory, the setup is straightforward. Once you've downloaded the Wemo app and connected the plugs to your Wi-Fi, you can start using them right away. However, in practice, this did not go as smoothly for us and it took several attempts before it connected. However, if you don’t experience any Wi-Fi issues during setup, the process is quick and easy.
Although you can use the Wemo app to control your smart plug, you have the option to control it using an existing smart home device. The Wemo Smart Plug works with Alexa and Google Assistant devices. It's also compatible with Apple HomeKit, which users control from an iPhone or iPad. This makes it more versatile and lets you control the plug with voice commands rather than from your phone.
We tried our smart plugs with an Alexa device and were pleased with how they worked together. It was easy to pair the plugs with Alexa, and the voice controls worked well.
Wemo Smart Plugs are smaller than some other popular smart plugs, including the Wemo Mini. This means they don't block other sockets in outlets where sockets are stacked one on top of the other. However, they're wider than most appliances plugs, so they may block some sockets in outlets where sockets are positioned side-by-side.
It wasn't easy to connect the Wemo Smart Plug to our home Wi-Fi system. We followed the instructions from the app, but it took several tries before it finally connected. While we got there in the end, it was somewhat frustrating and could be off-putting for users who aren't tech-savvy.
These smart plugs can randomly drop their connection. When they do so, you have to go through the Wi-Fi setup process again. We haven’t experienced this issue with any other smart plug brands we've tried before.
The Wemo Smart Plug isn't the best smart plug on the market, but it works well most of the time and comes at a reasonable price. The brand claims that it's small enough not to block other sockets, which is true of stacked outlets. You can also control it from anywhere using the Wemo app. However, the Wemo app is somewhat slow and buggy, so you may prefer to pair it with a smart home device. All in all, it isn't a bad product, but there are better options out there.
This compact smart plug doesn't obstruct other sockets in an outlet. It's reliable and cuts out the extra step of connecting a smart plug to an Amazon Echo device. However, this doesn't work with non-Amazon smart home systems.
Sold by Amazon
You can use this smart plug with Alexa and Google Home devices to control a wide range of home electronics. There's also a Kasa app that you can use to control the smart plug from any location.
Sold by Amazon
Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi compatible, you can use this plug with Alexa and Google Home devices. It connects directly to these smart home devices, so there's no need for a separate hub.
Sold by Amazon
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Lauren Corona writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
