www.androidpolice.com TP-Link Kasa EP10 Smart Plug review: Plug it and forget

While Wi-Fi-enabled bulbs are a popular option for smart home enthusiasts, a plug with some smarts continues to be useful in certain situations. From Christmas lights to unique lamps, sometimes a bulb just doesn’t do the trick. And when it comes to smart plugs, Kasa has made a name for itself as a sturdy, reliable option with support for virtual assistants like Google Home and Alexa. This holds true with the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi EP10 Plug Mini, which does exactly what it needs to for the price of $20; nothing more, nothing less.

TP-Link KASA EP10 Smart Plug

This smart plug gets the job done; nothing more, nothing less.

Design, hardware, what's in the box

The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini has a simple, basic design: white body, plug on the front, power button on the side. When plugged in, the power button blinks orange and blue until you set it up via the Kasa app. The body feels sturdy enough to handle a small fall, but hopefully you won’t need a smart plug to endure too much damage. The EP10 is small enough to comfortably fit in one of two wall outlets without blocking the other, which is always a plus.

From a hardware standpoint, the smart plug had no trouble connecting to my Wi-Fi, and it hasn’t disconnected or had any connection issues since installation. Kasa does state that a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network connection is required, but virtually all routers offer it at this point. Some mesh systems can be touchy about 2.4GHz-only devices, but I didn’t have any problems with my Netgear AC1750 router.

I don’t feel like I ask too much of my smart technology, but I do think it should – on the whole – but relatively quiet. Unfortunately, that is not even remotely the case with the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini. Upon activation and deactivation, an audible clicking noise that can be heard from multiple rooms away.

In the box, you’ll find the smart plug itself, along with a brief setup guide that is entirely unnecessary, as the brief instructions for setup are printed clearly on the side of the box.

Software and integrations

This is where I think Kasa really shines. The mobile app experience for Kasa is a delight, offering the same intuitive experience as a big name like Google Home or Alexa while providing little extras, like runtime analysis and picture icons for each device in your home.

While the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini is technically “Certified for Humans” – an Amazon label that states that the product was tested thoroughly on non-experts – the setup process was a bit less intuitive than I would like. I’m a long-time Philips Hue user, so I’m used to smart home devices just working, but going through Wi-Fi with the EP10 is a bit more circuitous. Still, the experience isn’t too bad when you consider the lack of a hub, so it’s not a dealbreaker by any means.

It is safe to assume that you are investing in a smart plug in an effort to bolster your smart home setup, which in most cases is powered by a voice-activated virtual assistant like Alexa or Google Assistant. Fortunately, Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini is compatible with both, and the set-up process for each isn’t that complicated.In fact, in my experience with smart technology, I’ve found that Kasa products, including the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini, are extremely responsive to voice commands through virtual assistants, turning on almost immediately after a command.

Should you buy it?

Sure! The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini is a small, relatively easy-to-use smart plug that can automate some of your non-bulb lighting options. The app experience is intuitive and responsive, making the innate frustrations of running a smart home in 2022 slightly more bearable. And while the price for a single plug is a bit high at $20, it's often on sale. For example, Amazon has it listed at $10 as of this posting. Plus, multipacks are available for substantially discounted prices, which could be a great way to quickly and affordably automate your home.

It is, of course, not without its drawbacks. The loud clicking noise upon activation and deactivation is annoying – but expected from most smart plugs – and the hub-less setup isn’t as seamless as you’d expect in a “Certified for Humans” device. But if smart bulbs won’t work for your use case, you could do a lot worse than the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini.

You should buy it if…

You shouldn’t buy it if…

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Conor Cawley is the Senior Writer for Tech.co and an avid defender of all things Android. His expertise in tech has been on display in Forbes and he has participated in events with SXSW, Tech in Motion, and General Assembly. He's also a stand-up comedian in Chicago who can't pronounce the word "colloquially." Twitter: @ConorCawley