Amazon Smart Plug, for home automation, Works with Alexa - A Certified for Humans Device

These are about the fourth brand that Ive used, and the best. I had Wemos, which were very fussy and hard to install (the QR code you have to scan is on the side of the plug that faces the wall!! What engineer thought that that was a good idea??). Wemos also required their own app, and there was always a conflict between the Wemo app and Apple Home. On the other hand, these Amazon brand work seamlessly, you just plug them in and almost before you can open the Alexa app to name them they are live and ready to go. The only downside is that they are about 3x as expensive as other, no-name brands. If you need a lot you might wait until they go on sale.

Easy to pair, have used both inside and outside. No complaints at all. Would buy again, especially on discount day. Got it for $5 instead of $25. Yay!

I used this plug to make one of our household appliances “Smart”. Plugged it in and added it to out Alexa smart devices. It took two minutes. Now we can turn the appliance on and off through our Amazon Echo. So convenient!!

Nothing

This smart plug was a huge game changer in my house! Mostly used during Christmas time so I could easily set groups and routines for Alexa to easily turn on the tree, window candles and other decorations. I have also used this with window air conditioners to turn on or off while away- however certain units would reset to original temperature or fan settings so keep in mind before purchasing for this intended purpose. I still use them the turn on lamps, and is especially helpful while we are out and I forgot to turn on a light. Simply open the Alexa app on my phone and turn the lamps on, even while my phone is not connected to wifi! I previously purchased an off brand and ran into connectivity issues, but these connect easily with a QR scan code or manually if unable to scan!

Edit: Ive bought the device a second time and it connected much better with the most recent Echo Dot. I plugged the device into a power strip and use it for my computer charger so it doesnt overcharge my laptop. I dont know if theyve made improvements, but connection worked out great so Ive upgraded my review from 3 stars to 5 stars. Thoughts: 1. I wanted to try using this as a plug for a power strip, but it doesnt work because there must be some safety feature. 2. If the Echo/Alexa has trouble finding your plug, dont panic. There is a button on the side of the device that you can press for the light to flash and for the plug to be discoverable. 3. The plugs are named in chronological order (ie. First plug, second plug, etc.) and you cant edit the names though you can group devices on your Alexa app. So keep track of which plug is which. 4. Again, I dont believe that this device should be used for life saving equipment as it is dependent on your wifi connection and Echo/Alexa adds an additional command step to the sequence of using a machine. I would recommend this product! Previous Review: I waited to review this plug because I wanted to try it out with different devices and at different distances from both Echo/-Dot and my modem. Devices: I tried the plug with a space heater and with a laptop (to avoid overcharging). I plugged it into a power strip with no problem, but do note if youre using a space heater with an automatic shut off, the plug is going to be shut off just like the rest and you have to turn on the strip and then tell Echo to turn on the plug separately. Ive decided that the automatic shut off is enough of a safety feature and the Smart Plug is best used for devices that are capable of utilizing a continuous stream of electricity without emergently overloading and need the plug to monitor the usage (e.g. a laptop). ***Please take note of my exception at the bottom of the review! Now for the big item issue: Connectivity. I believe the key is that your Wifi connection needs to be optimized to get the most out of this plug. If you have slightly unreliable wifi (e.g. I live out in the country with plenty of winter storms), plug the smart plug closer to your modem and minimize the distance from your Alexa. I dont know if this is a must, but it worked for me. If your internet shorts out in, you dont have to re-setup the plug, but the plug lights might get thrown off for a bit (it will stay red even when its on and flash blue at random points). Ignore that. If your Echo/-dot is flashing red as well, the plug is going to be down.Just give the Wifi a second to settle down and you should be set to go. The irritating part is that the Echo resyncs with the Wifi much faster than the plug. I tried to reset it up/give it time and it took hours for it to sync up again, but maybe that was because it was further away from the Echo/modem. Either way, just know that once your wifi has been signed in, as long as you havent changed the password, your sign in is set. Other reviewers are correct: the set up instructions are easy to overlook. Either have the instructions next to you so you have the set up password or be near an outlet. 1. You go into your Alexa app 2. The top left corner has the three lines 3. Click on add a device 4. Choose plug 5. Brand is Amazon, 6. Click Next to agree to the conditions of use and terms 7. Scan the barcode on the back of the plug or from the instructions (You have to get the little box with squiggly lines to be lined up in the sights of the screen) and then follow the instructions. Its okay if you have to unplug the smart plug for a second to scan the 2D barcode, just plug it back in quickly. 8. It will tell you to press the button on the side till the lights flash red and blue (keep pressing till that happens) and then make sure to follow the instructions for signing into your Wifi. ***IMPORTANT and MY OPINION: I really wouldnt recommend that you use this plug for life-saving/emergency equipment even if you think that you have the best Wifi in the world. A plug with a timer or any regular plug is reliant on electricity, but, as aforementioned, this plug requires an extra step of being turned on by Echo/-Dot. If your electricity goes out momentarily, you lose the time waiting for the lights to turn back on, but with the plug you have to additionally ask for Echo to turn the plug back on and/or resync with your wifi.

No problem setting it up

Easy to install along with downloading Alexa. Bought two for when I am out of town, but I still use it when I am at home. Totally satisfied. Wished I had bought them sooner!