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The best outdoor smart plugs for scheduling your Christmas lights – CNET [CNET]
Smart plugs bring regular devices and appliances into your smart home. With help from a good smart plug, you can create scenes, schedules and custom voice commands to turn on nearly anything you can plug into a standard wall outlet.
When it comes to smart plugs for outdoor devices, the options are a bit more limited. There are plugs designed to withstand the elements, but you’ll likely pay more than you would for a smaller, simpler indoor plug.
These plugs are great for outdoor holiday decor, but they come in handy year-round. Outdoor smart plugs are a great way to add smarts to summer patio lights, bug zappers, outdoor speakers and more. Whether you have Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri in your home, there’s a plug out there that will work for you.
What to consider
There are few things you’ll need to decide when shopping for an outdoor smart plug. Which voice assistant do you use? How many outlets do you want? Some models just have one outlet and some have two. With these questions answered, you’ll be on your way to picking the plug that works best for your setup.
Best outdoor smart plug FAQs
How does a smart plug work?
Smart plugs are adapters that control the power supply to the appliance plugged into them. They don’t make any changes to your existing outlet. Smart plugs simply disconnect the your appliance from power or reconnect it to power when they receive a signal (via app or voice command) to do so.
Can I use a regular smart plug outdoors?
This isn’t a good idea. Outdoor models are optimized for extreme temperatures and have IP-rated housings that protect them from elements like rain and dust. It’s much safer to use a plug made specifically for the outdoors.
Do I need Wi-Fi?
Most smart plugs will work in a limited capacity with Zigbee, Z-Wave or Bluetooth connections. However, to get features like voice commands with Google Assistant, Siri or Alexa and to control your plug when you’re not close by, you’ll need a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi connection.
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