Building a smart home doesn’t have to be a complex or costly task. While many trendy smart devices can be pricey, there is a cheaper way to get the functionality of a smart home on a budget. By using a smart plug to power things you use every day like lamps, fans and other appliances, you can control these things from your phone or virtual assistant with ease. You don’t have to specifically buy a more expensive “smart” version of each item to be able to connect it to your network the way you want.

While they’re relatively simple devices themselves, smart plugs achieve something incredible when connected to another gadget, turning it into a smart device that can be turned on or off from a phone app or voice-controlled smart assistant. With them, we can set timers and schedules for devices that lack onboard capability, such as Christmas lights, box fans and the bedroom TV you keep forgetting to turn off before you drift off to bed. (Or, in my case, turning off the TV when I should be going to bed.)

A smart plug is a very handy way to upgrade the functionality of existing devices, meaning you don’t need to replace your TVs, speakers, lightbulbs or coffee makers in order to get the benefits of modern smart home technology. There’s no reason why you can’t deploy a full fleet of smart plugs around the home, either, especially as most of the best smart plugs are sold in multi-packs to save you a few extra dollars.

Read more: Want to Buy a Smart Plug? Read This First

What is the best smart plug overall?

The best smart plugs do operate a little differently from each other, particularly when it comes to compatibility with Alexa, Google, HomeKit, Matter, and other smart home standards, and you’ll want to make sure a smart plug can play nice with your broader smart home ecosystem. Some smart plugs come with added features, such as energy monitoring or IFTTT capabilities, too.

CNET has tested countless smart plugs over the years, and we brought in over 10 new models in order to determine the best smart plugs currently on the market. The result is this guide to our top five smart plugs – starting with the Leviton D215P-2RW, which topped our list thanks to its easy setup and broad compatibility with the most common smart home standards and voice assistants.

Read more: These Smart Plugs Are the Secret to a Seamless Smart Home

Best smart plugs of 2024

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I liked the Leviton D215P-2RW smart plug right out of the box. For a smart plug, it has a sleek design. I’m particularly fond of the little corner window that acts as a button to manually turn the device on and off and as an indicator light — features that most smart plugs keep separated. It’s also slimmer than most smart plugs I’ve seen, which is nice if you’re working with a limited space.

Design aside, I found the Leviton smart plug easy to set up, and the app is pleasantly simple. The home screen displays all connected plugs (or other Leviton smart devices) and their status, along with the ability to switch them on or off with a tap. Setting a schedule for the plug was also easy and intuitive.

Another standout feature of the Leviton smart plug: it plays nice with all three of the major smart home ecosystems. I had no problem connecting the smart plug to my Google Home Mini, but I did have to download the Leviton "skill" to connect to Alexa. It’s an extra step, but one that only took about 30 seconds.&nbsp;

Leviton is also compatible with Apple HomeKit (I connected via an iPad, but Homepods and Apple TV devices will do the job better), which is unique for a smart plug, as the majority of them only work with Alexa and Google. Although that may be changing thanks to Matter, the new universal smart home standard.

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Show our expert take

Speaking of apps, GE’s Cync app is nothing short of delightful. The initial smart plug setup took me through a series of simple, step-by-step instructions complemented by soft, home-inspired imagery in the background. The setup also prompted me to connect to Alexa and Google devices, something I had to navigate to within the app or go to a hub to do with other smart plugs.

Once your smart plug is set up, you can control on/off settings from the home screen or tap “Routines” to set a schedule. There are a number of other functions and settings you can play with, such as grouping devices together for simultaneous control or creating “scenes” with custom settings, like turning off a set of lights before starting a movie or changing the smart light bulbs to your team’s color on game day. 

If it sounds complicated, you can get a user-friendly, eye-pleasing breakdown of how to use all the various Cync features under Settings > App Tutorials.

I’m getting away from the smart plug a bit, but that’s because the GE Cync app is clearly intended to incorporate multiple devices and support total home automation. You can use the smart plug on its own, but the app invites you to do much more.