You’ve probably heard of a smart plug. It’s a device you plug into an electrical outlet, and then you plug other devices into it. From there, you can do things like control when your devices get power, monitor usage, and more from your phone or smart home hub. As it turns out, smart power strips are the newest addition to upping your home’s intelligence.
They work similarly to smart plugs, but include more outlets for all your electronics. The selection of smart power strips is relatively small. It’s a newer product category and there simply aren’t that many options available yet.
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However, we expect the big players in the space to release their own smart power strips in the future. Here are the best models you can buy right now.
Best overall smart power strips: Our top choices
Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip HS300
1. Best overall smart power strip
One of the few smart power strips with six outlets
$68 $80 Save $12
The Kasa HS300 Smart Power Strip is a great start for your needs. It has solid smart home support, six outlets, three USB-A ports, and it looks like a regular power strip.
- Plenty of options with six outlets and three USB-A ports
- Works with Alexa and Google Home
- No hub required
- USB-A ports aren’t individually controllable
- No support for Apple HomeKit
TP-Link’s Kasa HS300 is a great entry into the world of smart power strips. It has the typical six outlets along with three USB-A ports to charge various devices. That matches the functionality of a standard power strip, which isn’t all that easy to find. Each individual outlet of the Kasa HS300 is controllable via a smartphone app, compatible smart home apps, and compatible voice assistants.
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Unfortunately, it doesn’t work with Apple HomeKit, which is easily the product’s biggest downside. Other than that, what you get is a solid power strip that doesn’t require a hub. You can also do things like monitor energy usage, set schedules, and more. It also boasts ETL-certified surge protection to help protect any plugged-in devices.
Eve Energy Strip
2. Best smart power strip for HomeKit
Works well with Apple and looks sharp
The Eve Energy Strip is the best option for Apple HomeKit users. It features three individually controllable outlets on a superbly designed strip that, admittedly, also costs a pretty penny.
- Three individually controllable outlets that you can control on iOS
- Overcurrent, overvoltage, and surge protection is built-in
- Works flawlessly with Apple HomeKit
- No support for Google Home and Alexa
- A bit expensive for a three-outlet power strip
The Eve Energy Power Strip is arguably the best option for Apple HomeKit users. It integrates quite well with Apple’s smart home protocol and is easily controllable on an iPhone or iPad. Like the Kasa HS300, the Eve Energy Strip doesn’t require a hub, so you can plug it in, set it up on your smartphone, and start using it. You also get surge protection along with other electrical protection.
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It’s a bit expensive for a three-outlet power strip, but each outlet is individually controllable. Eve also did a good job with the small details. For example, each outlet is oriented, so you can plug in larger power cables. It’s a solid product, though it’s a bit of a curiosity why it doesn’t support Matter like Eve’s smart plugs do.
Meross smart power strip
3. Best smart power strip for compatibility
The least picky smart power strip
$43 $53 Save $10
The Meross Smart Power Strip is an enticing option. It supports all the big smart home ecosystems, includes four individually controllable outlets, four USB ports, and it’s less expensive than many competitors.
- Works with Google, Amazon, Apple, and Samsung
- More budget-friendly than competition
- Four outlets and four USB-A ports
- No Matter support
- Fewer outlets than some models
If the Kasa HS300 is too hot and the Eve Energy Strip is too cold, then the Meross Smart Power Strip is just right. It shores up the weaknesses of its competitors by offering support for Alexa, Google Home, Apple HomeKit, and Samsung SmartThings. All that’s missing is Matter. You get a non-flashy white power strip with four controllable outlets, four group-controlled USB-A ports, and ETL-certified surge protection.
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In terms of smart features, it’s pretty much the standard stuff that you see with others as well. You can monitor power usage, set schedules, and control each outlet on its own. It works with voice controls along with its own app if you prefer to do things that way. It doesn’t have six outlets like the Kasa, nor does it have the design chops of the Eve Energy Strip, but we think it serves as a fantastic middle ground compared to both of them.
TP-Link Kasa KP303 Smart Strip
4. Best small smart power strip
Half the ports at less than half the price
$24 $30 Save $6
The Kasa KP303 is a sort of younger sibling to the HS300. It houses exactly half as many outlets and USB ports, but also costs less than half the price, making it a good budget alternative.
- Almost all the features of the HS300 but half the price
- ETL-certified surge protection
- No hub required
- USB ports aren’t individually controllable
- No Apple HomeKit support
The Kasa KP303 is almost exactly like the HS300 above, except it’s half the size and less than half the price. That means you get three individually controllable outlets, two group-controlled USB ports, and support for Amazon Alexa and Google Home. Like its larger sibling, support for Apple HomeKit is missing, but it still comes with its own app, so you can use the various features like setting schedules and monitoring energy usage.
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Perhaps the biggest benefit is its price. It rings in at $30, which makes it the least expensive power strip on the list. It manages to do this despite offering identical features to its more expensive stablemate. The Meross is around the same price-per-outlet ratio, but if you want a less expensive solution and don’t need six outlets, this one is good.
GHome Smart Power Strip
5. Best budget smart power strip
If all you want is the basics
The GHome Smart Power Strip is a good, basic option for people who want an entry-level power strip without all the extra bells and whistles. It comes with three outlets and three USB ports.
- Google Assistant and Alexa compatible
- Wallet-friendly
- Comes in black
- No Apple HomeKit support
- Only three outlets
The GHome Smart Power Strip is a great option if you’re looking to dabble in the smart home space without spending a ton of money. At roughly $20 each, it’s the least expensive smart power strip we could find that still had a decent number of features. It works with Google Home and Amazon Alexa, includes three individually controlled outlets, and three USB ports for charging your various devices. It’s also one of the few that also comes in black as well as white.
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You won’t need a hub for this one, which is always nice to see. In addition, the app works fairly well and is relatively easy to use. We prefer power strips with more than three sockets. However, that’s enough for a PC tower, a monitor, and a set of speakers, so unless you have a lot of things to plug in, three can work just fine. Interestingly, GHome also makes a six-outlet outlet extender that essentially turns two outlets into six. That’s also a neat way to go.
Amazon Basics Smart Plug Power Strip
6. Best smart power strip for Alexa
For the Amazon Alexa fans out there
The Amazon Basics Smart Plug Power Strip includes three individually controlled outlets, two USB ports, and excellent support for Amazon Alexa. It’s not bad for its price, and also doesn’t require a hub.
- Great support for Amazon Alexa
- Less than $30
- Includes surge protection
- Only works with Alexa
- Only features three outlets and two USB ports
Amazon sells a pretty decent little smart power strip for under $30. It’s a pretty good option if you use Amazon Alexa. It hooks up quickly and easily, and you can control each outlet individually with Alexa. That includes controlling your outlets while you’re not at home and scheduling on and off cycles for your appliances. It comes in a basic, functional white design with two USB ports for charging.
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The only reason this isn’t higher on the list is because it doesn’t support Google, Apple, Samsung, or Matter smart home products. As it’s an Amazon product, it only supports other Amazon products. Plus, three outlets and two USB ports aren’t the most connections you can get in this price range. Even so, Amazon Basics products are typically solid alternatives and this may work well for you if you use Alexa in your home.
Unifi SmartPower Strip
7. Best smart power strip for networking
Designed specifically for your modem and router
The Unifi SmartPower Strip is different from other smart power strips. This one is designed specifically for networking devices like modems and routers. It’s also one of the few smart power strips with USB-C ports instead of USB-A ports.
- Six outlets and four USB-C ports
- Internet outage recovery function built-in
- Limited appeal
- Learning curve involved
The Unifi SmartPower Strip is a purpose-built power strip that works best with networking equipment. It has an Internet outage recovery feature that will turn off the outlet on your modem and router for a minute or two to let the power cycle when it notices that its connection has dropped. That’s a neat feature, but one that is very specific. This isn’t something you’d use for Christmas lights. It’s for your modem and router.
That said, it is usable for other stuff as well. After all, it includes six total outlets and four USB-C ports for under $50, which isn’t a bad price. The official app lacks some features, but can still do basic stuff like individual control outlets. It’s a weird part of this space but a potentially useful one depending on what you need it for.
The bottom line: Which smart power strip is the best?
For the money, the Kasa HS300 is the best bet for most people. It works with Google and Amazon, has six outlets, and doesn’t require a hub. It’s a pricey, but you could do worse. Those on HomeKit can spend a few extra dollars and grab the Eve Energy Strip, which is specifically designed to work with Apple’s smart home protocol. Barring that, the Meross smart power strip works with everything, so that’s also a great option for everyone.
Kasa Smart Plug Power Strip HS300
Editor’s Choice
$68 $80 Save $12
You can save a few dollars by going with the Kasa KP303, GHome, or Amazon Basics smart power strips, but you do lose a bit of compatibility and functionality when you go with the budget options. Power users can check out the Unifi SmartPower Strip as well for networking use.
How did we choose these products?
Like all of our buyer’s guides, each list is looked over by a few people here at Pocket-lint. Plus, each device was run through Fakespot to ensure that their Amazon ratings were at least mostly accurate.
From there, it was compiling personal experiences, online reviews, and user reviews on both retail websites and on Reddit. Once all the research was done, and we were confident that we had a good list, it was put into production.
Can I plug a regular power strip into a smart plug?
Another potential option is to buy a good smart plug and plug your power strip into it. You lose the ability to control each outlet individually, but you do still have the ability to control the entire power strip with your smart home setup or a smartphone app.
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It’s a viable choice, especially if you’re doing something where everything plugged into the strip needs the same schedule, like Christmas lights or your PC setup. The individually controlled outlets are quite nice, but sometimes you simply don’t need them. It’s also cheaper this way since you can get smart plugs at a fraction of the cost of a top-end smart power strip.
Are smart power strips good?
They are as good as a smart plug when it comes to smart home utility. Some of them, like the Kasa HS300, can monitor power usage, so you can use them to monitor your usage and help reduce your electricity bill. Plus, being able to individually control each outlet lets you micromanage your home tech in a way that a standard power strip or outlet won’t.
With that said, it all depends. If you intend on using a smart power strip for all of its features, then it’s worth buying one. However, if you intend to use it like a dumb power strip and not really manage anything, then you can likely save yourself some money and get a smart plug and a dumb power strip instead.
Should I go with a smart plug or a smart power strip?
That’s a great question. There are more smart plugs out there at lower prices than there are smart power strips. There are pros and cons to both. Something like the Kasa HS300 is essentially six smart plugs connected to a single power strip that you plug into a single socket. If you have a lot of stuff to plug in, and you want to manage everything, a smart power strip is the better, less complicated answer.
However, if you just need to be able to control the whole outlet and the devices connected don’t really matter, then a smart plug is the cheaper, easier answer. So, it strongly depends on your intended use. In most cases, unless you have some serious management to do, a smart plug and a dumb power strip will do the trick.
Are there any Matter-enabled smart power strips?
Not as of this writing. However, Matter is hitting the market in a pretty big way, so there’s no doubt that some will come along eventually. If you’re reading this long after it was published, it wouldn’t hurt to run a Google Search to see if any new Matter-enabled smart power strips have hit the market.
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