Smart Plugs & Switches

A smart plug sits between the wall socket and an appliance and turns it on and off — by app, by voice, on a schedule, or when you are away.

It is the cheapest genuinely useful smart device, and the practical uses are better than the marketing suggests: lamps on a schedule so a house looks occupied, a heater or electric blanket that cannot be left on, coffee machines and towel rails on a morning timer, and Christmas lights that switch themselves off. Models with energy monitoring show what an appliance actually costs to run, which is often surprising.

The limit is worth knowing: a plug can only cut power. It cannot press a button. An appliance that needs its own switch pressed after power returns will not restart on its own — check that before buying one for a specific device.

Smart switches replace the wall switch itself, which is the better answer for ceiling lights and for keeping smart bulbs powered. Fitting one is electrical work; some models are battery-powered and stick over an existing switch instead.

Check the rating (a 13A plug covers most appliances) and the ecosystem.

See smart home.