Kasa Smart HS100 WiFi Smart Plug, Classic 1-Pack, White

The new Echo compatibility works very well and allows grouping controllers under a single group name. I just set up three controllers and now I can say Alexa, turn on the living room lights and viola, theyre on! Much easier than finding each lamps on/off switch on a cord behind a piece of furniture. I can also schedule them to turn on and off when were away from home. Go to the TP-LINK support site for full instructions and to the Alexa app if youre using an Echo to control the switches. The set up was mostly straight forward once I read the TP-LINK full instructions, but below is an more detailed hint for part of the instructions that werent clear to me at first. I spent about 30 minutes puzzling this out, but the rest was fast and easy. The controllers can be configured with Kasa to be local or remote connected. To be controlled by Echo each individual controller must be set to Remote Control ON, in the Device Settings menu. That menu is accessed in Kasa with this process after the controller is initially set up: From Kasas home page tap the device name; a screen for that device appears, with selections for Schedule, Away, Timer, an off/on button and at the top right corner an icon that looks like three little sliders. Tap that icon to open the Device Settings screen and then slide the Remote Control slider icon to the right so that it lights green. Do that for all controllers you want to be controlled through Echo.

This is my second Wi-Fi plug (the other one is an Insignia) and found that this one was even easier and faster to set up. I got my husband a coffee/espresso/cappuccino machine for Christmas and decided to hook up that bad boy to this plug. The machine needs a couple minutes to switch on and heat up and now we can do it from the comfort of our own bed. Plus, we sometimes forget to turn it off and could turn it off via the app from the car. It took less than 10 minutes to set up with both Google Home and Alexa. We live in a small enough home, so one assistant would be able hear us from a nearby room but fix this problem by using both. Now, we can simply say Hey Google, turn on the coffee machine or Alexa, turn on the coffee machine depending on where we are in the house. One thing I wasnt too fond of is that its quite bulky, so make sure to plug in the top outlet so that you dont lose one. Since ours isnt covered by furniture and plugged in above our kitchen counter, its pretty much guaranteed to be seen by everyone due to its size. What I like: Set up was a breeze with both Google Home and Alexa. What I dont like: Its big and bulky.

I agree with all of the positive reviews on here, so I am writing for a more specific purpose. First, I am currently using 4 of these plugs to control Christmas lights as a group via Kasa and Alexa. It works every time. Alexa, turn on Christmas. More importantly, I am able to use this plug to power on/off an amp, which powers external speakers. Here is the setup: Echo Dot, wired bookshelf speakers, speaker wire, 3.5mm cable, small lepai amp and this plug. I already had all of these items except the plug. I will admit that there are cheaper alternatives to my setup for bluetooth speakers or the dots internal speaker that may work better for most people who just want a little background music in the kitchen rather than wired speakers. When the 3.5mm cable is connected to the Dot, the Dots internal speaker does not work. You can use external speakers, but they must be powered by another source. So, I was stuck turning on and off and amp by hand. This defeats the purpose of voice command until I bought this plug. Now I always leave the amps on/off switch to ON and connect the amps power supply to this plug. I keep the amps volume relatively low to avoid speaker popping when the amp receives power. I control the remaining volume with my voice with Alexa once I turn the amp on. Now, from anywhere on the first floor, I can say Alexa, turn on speaker and the plug will switch the amp on and the speakers are 10 times better than Alexas internal speaker. Alexa, volume 10! A few extra notes: *Even if the speakers are off, I can still use Alexa, but I will not hear her response because the speakers are off and the Dot is still connected to the 3.5mm cable. Hence, the Dots internal speaker is inactive. Its easy to turn the speakers on if I really need to hear Alexa, but my light commands still work very well without the need to always have the external speakers on. *I named the plug Speaker in the Kasa app *The plug normally covers both openings in the outlet. The outlet pictured has a little more space in between because there is a reset button in between the two openings. Fair warning if you are thinking about buying smart devices for the first time: Yes, they are awesome. They are awesome, most are very expensive and adding to your set up is addictive. I cant wait to see what other work-arounds people come up with....

I bought three of these when they went on sale a while back. It took a while to figure out the correct way to get them set up. I wasnt aware you still had to go online and set up the app on the Kasa web site before you could us it through the internet or Alexa. You can do this with a smart phone or Ipad, it didnt work with a PC. Once I found that out, it went smooth from then on. I first used my Ipad to locate and set them up, no problems here, I could turn them on from anywhere in the house or outside, I havent tried them from another location yet, but it says they will work away from home. Whats keeping me from giving five stars is that its so hit or miss with Alexa. I have two Echos, one in my house and another in my moms house and they both have the same issues. The first issue with Alexa is range. I cant put these farther than 7 feet from the Echo. I can get about 10 feet away in my moms house. Weird thing is that I tell it to turn on a light and it says OK and nothing happens if its over 7 feet away. I tried it with all three units. Keep in mind that it works fine through the internet app and my Ipad. Sometimes, Alexa cant seem to locate one or more of these devices and I have to reset them and set them up again. Also, if you plan on using Alexa, sometimes, you have to say your words a certain way to make her happy. I can say turn on the living room light and Alexa sometimes responds I cannot locate a device called Living Room Light. Then I say turn the living room light on, and Alexa says OK and it happens if Im in range. If you just plan to use your smart phone or Ipad to control these, you should have no problem, they seem to work fine every time.

I bought this to control a TV & Satellite box but after reading some others reviews I realized that it would not do the job I was expecting it to do in that capacity. Im grateful and thankful to those people for their reviews detailing why it wont work to control your TV (basically the device thinks its unplugged from the wall if turned off from a smart plug so turning it back on means rebooting tvs & satellite boxes) before I started unplugging and setting things back up only to find my dreams dashed. Seriously, search TV in the reviews search and see their knowledge and save yourself the hassle. I figured I might as well try plugging an awkward to access lamp into one of the two plugs I bought before I initiated a return and was happy to find that the set up and connection process was effortless and fast. The app was easy to use on my phone, I literally just plugged the plug in, waited for lights to turn colors per the apps on screen directions and within a few minutes, it worked. I then connected my Google Home to it in another seamless & simple set up connection process and now I no longer have to contort my arm to find the switch for this lamp, I just say Hey Google, turn on the lights and on it goes. Theres an audible click when it goes on and off that comes from the plug itself, its a satisfying sound to me. So I was bummed I couldnt use these for what I intended, but am thrilled that I was able to simplify something and expand my Google Homes capabilities. This was my first Smart Home purchase and Im very pleased with the ease of this system. So trust the reviews, dont use this for your TV, but do use it for lamps or other appliances that dont need to reboot to be used. Also trust us that youre going to want the Mini plug if you want second outlet access. This one hangs too low over the bottom outlet if you plug into the top. Lesson learned. If I ever decide to add more smart plugs, I will go with the mini.

**UPDATE** Sorry, I didnt know this review had gotten this much attention, but I will clear a few of my points up. I have been using the smart home devices for over 2 years now. I started with the Wemo (now have 4 outlets 3 this size and 1 insight and 2 wall switches) 3 TP-Link outlets, and 10 Philips Hue bulbs. All controlled with My Echo and 2 Dots. For the first year or so the Wemo outlets were a pain every time the power went out. Through firmware updates this is no longer the case and they work just fine now. I also was not using IFTTT at the time so it not having IFTTT support wasnt an issue for me. I have since been using IFTTT which is why Ive personally gone back to using Wemos over these, but still use these on devices I dont use IFTTT triggers with. Ill also clear up the intergrated questions. Before February or March of 2016, when using these you had to say Alexa, tell KASA to turn on XXXX you still technically have to use a skill, just it only now needs to be enabled and linked and Alexa will recognize these devices individually when searching for devices like Wemo and other integrated devices. Sorry I didnt reply to questions/issues earlier, I didnt know anyone had replied to my review. Any questions my email is in my profile. **Original review** I have been using Wemo outlets and switches for over a year now and love the ability to have Alexa turn things on and off by voice. I decided to order a few more smart home devices when Amazon released the Dot since between my Echo, its remote, and now the Dot I have voice control throughout most of my apartment. It just so happened these were on sale as a deal of the day at the right time, so I ordered 2. You will see some reviews that state these only work with Echo using a skill, that changed in February or March and they are now fully integrated with Alexa. Over the past year Ive had issues with my Wemo outlets dropping connection, and anytime I lose power Id have to set them up again. This isnt the issue with these outlets. They were very easy to setup and link to Alexa, the app walks you easily through step by step in setting them up, renaming them for Alexa and getting them online if youd like remote access. After setting mine up I decided to move them to another room. With the Wemo outlets one I unplugged them Id have to set them up again, not with these. One I plugged them in at their new location they reconnected with no issue. I highly recommend these over the more expensive Wemo outlets. I saw another reviewer complain these cover both plugs on an outlet, this is true of all of the smart outlets currently on the market, if this is an issue for you I recommend doing what I did in a couple locations and get a cheap pack of 1 extension cords. Most of my outlets are hidden from view anyway so using the extension cords wasnt an issue for me. Now off to bed Alexa, turn off lights (yeah, its been over a year and I still giggle like a little schoolboy once in awhile over this)

As with nearly every Amazon purchase Ive made, this arrived timely. I was able to install the Kasa app on my Samsung Galaxy S5 without any trouble, but activating the plug wasnt frustration-free. Following the instructions on my Samsung, I was able to complete all but the last installation step. After three unsuccessful attempts to connect the plug, I contacted customer service. The recording assured me I was number one in line for a representative but I still waited a few moments for someone to speak with me. I clearly explained my difficulty (unable to connect to Wi-Fi) and the steps Id taken. The rep asked me to reset the plug, and then I was met with silence. After six minutes, I disconnected and called back (hallelujah! I was number one in line again!), and repeated what had happened on my first call. The rep dug through some instruction sheets, had me repeat the same steps for the fourth time, then said that my best option was to return the plug for a replacement. I persisted on my own and found a tip: link the smart plug while its in an outlet near your Wi-Fi router, then move it to your desired location. I did that, and voila! installation complete. Next step: go into the Alexa app, select Smart Home and then your device links and enable the plug. No problems there, either. Absolutely yes, it works with the Echo device. So why four stars and not five? First, customer service was not helpful. I easily found the tip that resulted in success, it seems that customer service could have done the same instead of suggesting I exchange the plug. And second, regardless of the March 10 comment from Kasa (see Earthlings review), the smart plug DOES block the second outlet. As much as Id enjoy having the majority of my electrical devices on a smart plug, I dont like the idea of blocking two outlets with one device.

I was very impressed with this product. I have written very few reviews of products but I felt compelled to relate my experience. Setup was incredibly easy. Download the app, go through the very simple instructions there. 15 minutes after opening the box it was working perfectly. I used the timer feature several times and it worked great. I have it set to turn on every weeknight at the same time, and so far (last night), that worked as well. I love that it stores all schedules, network information, and away mode setup directly on the device, so even if the app is not running, or you even move the plug to a different outlet, all your settings will be maintained. Away mode lets you set up certain times (including the possibility of sunset to sunrise or vice versa) where the plug will turn on and off randomly, so if a light (or TV) is attached to the plug and it is visible from a window, it will look like someone is home. Havent used this yet, but it looks like a great feature. I just set this up yesterday, so I dont have a lot of experience with it yet, but so far it has worked perfectly. The only downsides I have found so far, is that the plug is a little bulky, although its not really a problem (If you have it plugged into the top plug in a normal 2 plug outlet, it wont block the bottom plug). Also, if you are trying to trigger the plug from the app while you are not on the same network as the plug, it might take as long as 10 seconds the very first time. Every subsequent press of the power button will be nearly instantaneous. If you are connected to the same network, there are no delays.

I bought this since I liked the idea of automating my home using the existing Wi-Fi network without the need to set up some expensive hub or system. We did not start out on the right foot, however. The electronic outlets in my apartment are placed two in a row, i.e. horizontally instead of vertically - the Smart Plug is so bulky that I can only use one Smart Plug per plate, and I can only squeeze in a smaller plug for the second outlet. Not great at all, particularly since I am already using outlet taps to maximize the number of electric equipment I can use for each outlet. I ended up using these Smart Plugs on extension cords to get around the issue. Another problem I then have is that the Smart Plugs cannot connect to hidden networks. I have one known (password protected) network, and a second hidden network. The hidden network is intended for my equipment, whereas the known network is for friends and visitors. I have to use the known network for the Smart Plugs, and put my phone onto the known network as well for this to work. I can live with it, but not cool. Having said that, once I got past these issues (and I actually started a return before I decided to try it one more time), the Smart Plugs are great. I like the fact that I can switch on a number of lights at once that I would otherwise have to switch on individually. I also like the fact that I can set this to a schedule especially when I am traveling. Already I am thinking that I can link this up to the fan, more lights in other rooms of the apartment and perhaps even my humidifier. Theres a lot of potential in this and overall, Im glad I got these! I got these when they went on sale for around $19.99 each (they are currently $29.99 each), and Ill get more when theres a sale again!

So far being we have only owned these less than a week and the wife and I are liking using these Wi-Fi Plugs. We have one in the master bedroom at the end of the hall and I have a floor lamp in the corner that we are using one plug there. And wow how nice it is to be able to talk to “Alexa” and say Alexa turn on master bedroom lamp from in the living room. And WOW you hear her say Ok, yeah lets you know she’s working for you. It’s sort of dark as we get to the end of the hall and with the floor lamp on it shines just right out into the hall to see good enough in the end of the hall and lights up the bedroom door way for you so you won‘t trip over something by chance. Never though being 61 years old I’d be one to have Alexa and smart Wi-Fi Plugs and Switches which their next on the list of Alexa’s things for an old dog. But I have ordered some more plugs already after less than a week of owning these which aren’t hard to program to Alexa and make your life some what easier, yeah never thought I’d have Alexa but here I am with the wife (60) and we think some thing like this for older people (older than us) can be helpful. There’s not a whole lot more to write about the plugs accept they work with Alexa and are working as they should and we’ll be buying more of these to use though out the house for sure. We see places in the living room, kitchen, laundry room, garage, and like I said I’m looking into switches to install in the house, even my outdoor shed my Wi-Fi reaches far out of the house to my one work shed. So if your on the fence of what are the best Plugs to buy so far I think these are very worthy to look into, priced in line with others and got them with the black Friday deal when buying Alexa thanks to my wife wanting Alexa and the plugs were like a deal with Alexa. Thanks for reading and hope I helped someone tonight. Good Evening !