The best smart plug is one made for your socket and your smart home. Makers publish separate regional versions, some plugs need a hub, and some only work with one voice assistant. Check the plug version on the page you buy from, then the hub and the assistant it names, before you compare anything else.
Smart plugs look like the simplest gadget in a smart home: plug it in, plug a lamp into it, and switch it from your phone. The trouble starts when the plug you've ordered doesn't fit your wall, or won't talk to the assistant you use.
This list sticks to what each maker's own website says, read on 1 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order, and it says which region each page is for wherever the page makes that clear. Nothing here is a claim about safety or saving energy: it's what each plug is, where it's sold and what it works with.
Smart plugs side by side
| Tool | Type | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Amazon Smart Plug | Smart plug that works only with Alexa | Voice control of a lamp or appliance with Alexa |
| Aqara | Smart plug, US version, hub required | A hub-based plug for Apple Home or the maker's app |
| Energenie | MiHome smart plugs and sockets, UK site | MiHome plugs, a monitor plug, a gateway and double sockets |
| Eve | Smart plugs and outlets with a power meter | Plug, outdoor outlet and triple-outlet strip |
| Geeni | Smart Wi-Fi plugs and power products | Single-outlet and weatherproof two-outlet plugs |
| Kasa Smart | Wi-Fi plugs, outlets and strips, US store | Mini, slim and outdoor plugs, outlets and power strips |
| Refoss | Open API smart plug, EU version | An EU-version plug with an open API |
| Shelly | Smart plugs from a European maker | Indoor to outdoor plugs on several technologies |
| SwitchBot | Compact smart plug, EU page | A compact plug with a HomeKit-enabled version |
| Tapo | Mini smart Wi-Fi plugs and an outlet extender | Mini plugs, a lamp-dimmer kit and an outlet extender |
Ten smart plug makers and what each page lists
Amazon Smart Plug
Best for: Alexa homes: the listing says it works exclusively with Alexa, must be connected to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network and is for indoor use only.
Aqara
Best for: Homes that already run the maker's hub: the US-version plug needs one, and the page says you control it from the Apple Home app or the maker's own app.
Energenie
Best for: Browsing a MiHome range on the maker's UK site: Smart Plug+, a Smart Monitor Plug, a WiFi Smart Plug, a Gateway and smart double sockets.
Eve
Best for: Choosing the shape: Energy is a smart plug and power meter, Energy Outdoor a smart outdoor outlet and Energy Strip a connected triple outlet.
Geeni
Best for: Picking a single-outlet Dot Wi-Fi plug, or an indoor and outdoor weatherproof duo plug with two outlets, listed in the maker's Power range.
Kasa Smart
Best for: A US store split into indoor plugs, outdoor plugs, power outlets and power strips, from the Plug Mini and Plug Slim to an outdoor plug-in dimmer.
Refoss
Best for: Tinkerers who want an open API: the P11S plug is listed as an EU version, beside energy monitors and relay switches, under the line 'your privacy, your home, your rules'.
Shelly
Best for: Shopping by technology on the Europe site: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Matter, Zigbee, Z-Wave, LAN and KNX, with plugs from indoor to outdoor.
SwitchBot
Best for: Compact power on the EU page: the Plug Mini, with a HomeKit-enabled version listed beside it; the title promises smart power in a compact size.
Tapo
Best for: Mini Wi-Fi plugs on the US store, plus a P306 outlet extender and a lamp dimmer plug kit; the UK page lists some models as a socket.
US plug, EU plug or UK socket?
Here's the split a searcher wouldn't guess: makers publish separate regional versions of the same kind of plug. Aqara's page marks its plug as the US version. Refoss lists the 'P11S (EU version)'. SwitchBot's Plug Mini page is its EU page, Shelly sells from its Europe site, and Energenie sells from a UK site. Tapo's UK page calls some of its models a 'mini smart Wi-Fi socket'.
So before you add anything to a basket, check that the page you're on is for your country and your wall socket. A plug made for one region's outlets won't be the one you need in another.
- US-store pages: one maker's US version, one US Wi-Fi store and one US mini plug range on this list.
- EU and UK pages: an EU-version plug, an EU product page, a Europe site and a UK site.
- Matter, Thread and more: makers that list several technologies and smart home systems.
- One assistant only: a plug whose listing says it works with Alexa alone.
Hubs, assistants and Matter
The second thing to check is what the plug needs to work. That same US-version page says a hub from the maker is required. Amazon's listing says its plug 'works exclusively with Alexa', 'must be connected to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network' and is 'for indoor use only'.
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Other makers name a wider set. One UK page lists Apple Home, Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings next to a Matter-certified mini plug, a European maker lets you shop by Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, Matter, Zigbee and more, and one plug comes in a HomeKit-enabled version. If you already run one system, look for that name on the plug's own page.
Indoor plug, outdoor outlet or a power strip
Shape matters as much as the label. Kasa's US store splits into 'indoor plugs', 'outdoor plugs', 'power outlets' and 'power strips'. Eve Energy comes as a 'smart plug & power meter', an 'outdoor outlet' and a 'connected triple outlet'. Geeni sells an indoor and outdoor weatherproof plug with two outlets beside a single-outlet plug.
Think about where the thing you want to switch sits: a lamp by the sofa, lights in the garden, or a desk full of chargers. Then shortlist the makers that list that shape.
What to check before you plug one in
- Is the page I'm buying from for my country and my socket?
- Does the plug need a hub, and do I already have the right one?
- Which voice assistant or smart home system does the page name?
- Do I need an indoor plug, an outdoor outlet or a power strip?
- Does my Wi-Fi match what the listing asks for?
- Is there a version made for the system I use, such as HomeKit or Matter?
Do you make smart plugs? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.
My advice for picking a smart plug
Start at the wall and work back. Check that the plug matches your country's socket and that you're on the right regional page, then check whether it needs a hub and which assistant it names. Only then compare shapes and extras. Treat any line about safety or saving energy as the maker's own wording, and if you're unsure about anything electrical, ask a qualified electrician.
If you're planning more electrical jobs, here's how to go about replacing a light switch safely at home. And if your plugs will switch lamps in a garage or shed, see my lighting options for your workshop.
Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.
Frequently asked questions
Do smart plugs need a hub?
Some do. One maker's US-version plug page says its own hub is required. Others on this list are sold as Wi-Fi plugs, and one listing says its plug must connect to a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. Check the plug's own page before you buy.
Will a smart plug fit UK or European sockets?
Only if it's made for them. Makers on this list publish regional versions: one marks a US version, one an EU version, one sells from an EU page and one from a UK site. Match the version to your wall socket.
Can I use a smart plug outdoors?
Some makers list outdoor models, such as outdoor plugs, an outdoor outlet and a weatherproof plug for indoor and outdoor use. One listing says its plug is for indoor use only, so check before you put one outside.
Do smart plugs work with Alexa, Google or Apple Home?
It depends on the plug. One works exclusively with Alexa, one maker's UK page lists Apple Home, Alexa, Google Assistant and Samsung SmartThings, and another names the Apple Home app. Check the systems named for the exact model.
Are there smart plugs that work with Matter?
Several makers here mention Matter, from a Matter filter on a US store to a European maker that lets you shop by Matter, Zigbee and other technologies. Check that the model you choose is the Matter version.
Can I get a smart power strip?
Yes. One maker lists power strips, another sells a connected triple outlet and a third lists smart power strips in its menu.
