The Best Smart Plugs of 2026, With and Without Energy Monitoring

Not a space heater: many heater manuals forbid starting them with timers or remote controls, because a covered or tipped-over heater could start a fire. For hardwired electric heaters, the right answer is a dedicated smart thermostat or control module, installed by a licensed electrician if needed. For other appliances, stay within the rating printed on the plug (amps × 120 V gives you watts, so 15 A works out to 1,800 W), and avoid loads that run near that limit for hours. Never plug a power strip or extension cord into a smart plug.

Because many machines with electronic buttons stay in standby when power comes back: the plug supplies electricity but can't press the start button. Only appliances with a mechanical switch left in the on position, such as a basic lamp, fan or drip coffee maker, start up on their own. Check the plug's power-on behavior in the app too, since some let you choose on, off or last state after a power outage. If the plug keeps dropping offline instead, move the router or add a mesh node nearby, because most smart plugs only use 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.

Choose Tapo if you want energy monitoring and a wide range of plugs, including Matter versions; Govee mainly makes sense if you already use its lights and want everything in one app. Both connect over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi without a hub, work with Alexa and Google Assistant, and need no subscription for basic on/off control and schedules. Compare exact models rather than brands: whether the plug measures energy, its maximum load, whether it supports Matter for Apple Home, and whether its body blocks the second outlet. Whichever you choose, keep the firmware updated.

Very little: a typical smart plug draws about 1 W or less on standby, which is under 9 kWh a year, or roughly $1.80 at an example rate of 20 cents per kWh. The savings come from what it turns off: cutting a TV, game console and soundbar that draw 15 W on standby for 16 hours a day saves 15 × 16 × 365 = 88 kWh, about $17.60 a year at the same rate. Check the rate on your utility bill, since it varies widely. Don't cut power to refrigerators, freezers or anything that needs to stay on to work properly.

Plugs from reputable brands are reasonably safe if you keep them updated. Before you buy, check how long the brand commits to security updates and whether it offers a way to report vulnerabilities; in the EU, connected radio devices placed on the market since August 1, 2025 must meet cybersecurity requirements. Change any default password, keep the firmware current, use a strong Wi-Fi password and consider a guest network for smart devices. A hacked plug can only switch its outlet on and off, but it can give an attacker a foothold on your network.