Gadget of the Week – TP-Link Smart Plug Mini

Published on June 29, 2017

There are endless advantages to making your home smarter; whether you completely overhaul your home’s lighting, security, and HVAC systems, or simply add a few automated gadgets around the house, upgrading now will help you save money and massively reduce your energy consumption down the line.

Whether you’re a smart home guru or neophyte, one easy, energy efficient way to get started is to add smart plugs to the sockets around your home. The Geek favorite? That would have to be the TP-Link Smart Plug Mini.

Where other smart plugs can be bulky and easily clutter up an entire wall, the Smart Plug Mini, true to its name, is compact, allowing it to easily blend into an outlet without obstructing any nearby sockets. The Smart Plug Mini is also a great “starter” plug because it doesn’t require a central smart home hub, like some others in its class. Instead, the Mini easily syncs up with the WiFi that’s already in place in your home, and users can control it from anywhere using the free Kasa iOS/Android app; if you have an Amazon Echo or Google Home device, you can also easily pair your smart plug with Alexa or Google Assistant, enabling voice controls.

Once your Smart Plugs are up and running, there’s no end to their functionality. For instance, you can use them to set schedules to turn certain appliances on and off based on countdowns or timers that you set; using the app, you can also connect multiple devices around a schedule, helping you, say, turn your whole kitchen “on” in the morning, but “off” when you go to bed at night.

You can also monitor your devices remotely, saving you from the frustration of wondering whether or not you left an appliance on; if you’re out and about, you can also make use of “Away Mode,” which allows you to smoothly and remotely switch lights on and off at different types, creating the impression that someone is always in your house.

Ready to get started on the path to a greener, smarter home? You can purchase a TP-Link Smart Plug Mini through a number of retailers, including Abt and Best Buy. You can also purchase a single Smart Plug Mini for $34.99 through TP-Link, or get a two-pack for $59.99 via Amazon.

Think there's any other smart home tech we should know about? Be sure to let us know about what we should cover next by reaching out on Facebook or Twitter. We’d love to hear from you!