Smart plugs are handy gadgets that can help automate older appliances. | Image: iHome
Smart plugs are a simple and inexpensive way to automate gadgets around your home that may be a little older or weren’t built with home automation in mind — just plug them into an available outlet and use their corresponding app to link them with your home network. Beyond just allowing you to toggle the power for a specific outlet using virtual assistants like Amazon Alexa, models like the iHome Flow Smart Plug are capable of monitoring the power usage of specific devices over time if you’re looking for ways to conserve energy.
Here, we’ve gathered a number of smart outlets that are currently discounted as part of Amazon’s Prime Early Access Sale (and competing sales elsewhere). If you’re looking for a broader picture of what discounts are available, be sure to check out our roundup of the best smart home deals and the best deals from Prime Early Access deals overall.
The no-frills Amazon Smart Plug adds Alexa automation to a dumb appliance, and it’s just $12.99 ($12 off) at Amazon and Best Buy right now.
If you have existing outdoor lights you want to make smart, the Kasa Outdoor Smart Dimmer Plug is on sale for just $17.99 today at Amazon. This is a great option and one of the only outdoor smart plugs that can also dim your string lights. It works over Wi-Fi, so no hub is required, and it can be controlled by Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant but is not compatible with Apple HomeKit.
A four-pack of Kasa Smart Plug Minis usually retails for $29.99 but is currently discounted to $23.99 at Amazon. This model of the Kasa Smart Plug is compatible with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa but isn’t compatible with Apple HomeKit. It also monitors your energy usage.
Normally $21.99, you can currently get a two-pack of iHome Flow Smart Plugs for $17.59 at Amazon. The Flow Smart Plugs offer the same smart home integration seen with other models but allow you to monitor the power usage of anything you’ve plugged in.
Combining the function of six Kasa Smart Plugs into a single power strip, the Kasa HS300 Smart Plug Power Strip normally costs $79.99 but is currently discounted to $44.99 at Amazon. The HS300 is equipped with six individual, Wi-Fi-enabled outlets that work just like the Kasa Smart Plug but also includes surge protection and a trio of USB-A outlets.
The Philips Smart Plug Surge Protector is discounted to $21.98 at Walmart (normally $27.98). This surge protector combines three always-on outlets with a pair of smart outlets, so you get the best of both worlds. Plugging directly into any double outlet, the surge protector will automatically trip if it detects any sudden jumps in voltage, helping prevent damage to anything that might be plugged in.