Kasa Smart HS100 WiFi Smart Plug, Classic 1-Pack, White

I got this in 2017 as part of the combo with the echo dot, 2nd gen. I ended up getting another one shortly thereafter because I loved this thing so much. It literally changes all electrical things into Alexa-enabled, with voice or app control. We actually used it for our Christmas tree lights, and would tell Alexa to turn on and off the Christmas lights. It worked wonderfully, because our kids were able to partake in controlling the turning on and off of the Christmas lights. Although there is recommendation to turn on and off appliances, theres always a fear of having appliances turn on without proper supervision, with little kids in the house that can accidentally turn them on via voice control. The only device that would make plausible sense would be the coffee maker, which would require leaving fresh coffee grinds in the pot, and voice control every morning when you wake up to turn the coffee pot on so as to heat up the water in the coffee. Beside that, we have been only using our second TP smart plug to turn on and off a plug-in light in our daughters room. This would work very well with any types of plug-in lights, such as lamps, but because we have built-in ceiling lights, or daughters room is the only place with an additional plug-in light to use the smart plug for. This means we have let one of the two smart plugs sit around, waiting for Christmas again to be in use. The thing is, this smart plug was great when not everything is app or voice accessible, so literally a great purchase in 2017 and maybe through 2018. However, in 2021, if I were to buy an appliance or anything electrical today, there are already options for these devices to have already built-in Alexa-enabled ability. As such, the smart plugs are no longer as versatile or as useful as they were once when they were first introduced.

**UPDATE** Sorry, I didnt know this review had gotten this much attention, but I will clear a few of my points up. I have been using the smart home devices for over 2 years now. I started with the Wemo (now have 4 outlets 3 this size and 1 insight and 2 wall switches) 3 TP-Link outlets, and 10 Philips Hue bulbs. All controlled with My Echo and 2 Dots. For the first year or so the Wemo outlets were a pain every time the power went out. Through firmware updates this is no longer the case and they work just fine now. I also was not using IFTTT at the time so it not having IFTTT support wasnt an issue for me. I have since been using IFTTT which is why Ive personally gone back to using Wemos over these, but still use these on devices I dont use IFTTT triggers with. Ill also clear up the intergrated questions. Before February or March of 2016, when using these you had to say Alexa, tell KASA to turn on XXXX you still technically have to use a skill, just it only now needs to be enabled and linked and Alexa will recognize these devices individually when searching for devices like Wemo and other integrated devices. Sorry I didnt reply to questions/issues earlier, I didnt know anyone had replied to my review. Any questions my email is in my profile. **Original review** I have been using Wemo outlets and switches for over a year now and love the ability to have Alexa turn things on and off by voice. I decided to order a few more smart home devices when Amazon released the Dot since between my Echo, its remote, and now the Dot I have voice control throughout most of my apartment. It just so happened these were on sale as a deal of the day at the right time, so I ordered 2. You will see some reviews that state these only work with Echo using a skill, that changed in February or March and they are now fully integrated with Alexa. Over the past year Ive had issues with my Wemo outlets dropping connection, and anytime I lose power Id have to set them up again. This isnt the issue with these outlets. They were very easy to setup and link to Alexa, the app walks you easily through step by step in setting them up, renaming them for Alexa and getting them online if youd like remote access. After setting mine up I decided to move them to another room. With the Wemo outlets one I unplugged them Id have to set them up again, not with these. One I plugged them in at their new location they reconnected with no issue. I highly recommend these over the more expensive Wemo outlets. I saw another reviewer complain these cover both plugs on an outlet, this is true of all of the smart outlets currently on the market, if this is an issue for you I recommend doing what I did in a couple locations and get a cheap pack of 1 extension cords. Most of my outlets are hidden from view anyway so using the extension cords wasnt an issue for me. Now off to bed Alexa, turn off lights (yeah, its been over a year and I still giggle like a little schoolboy once in awhile over this)

I bought this since I liked the idea of automating my home using the existing Wi-Fi network without the need to set up some expensive hub or system. We did not start out on the right foot, however. The electronic outlets in my apartment are placed two in a row, i.e. horizontally instead of vertically - the Smart Plug is so bulky that I can only use one Smart Plug per plate, and I can only squeeze in a smaller plug for the second outlet. Not great at all, particularly since I am already using outlet taps to maximize the number of electric equipment I can use for each outlet. I ended up using these Smart Plugs on extension cords to get around the issue. Another problem I then have is that the Smart Plugs cannot connect to hidden networks. I have one known (password protected) network, and a second hidden network. The hidden network is intended for my equipment, whereas the known network is for friends and visitors. I have to use the known network for the Smart Plugs, and put my phone onto the known network as well for this to work. I can live with it, but not cool. Having said that, once I got past these issues (and I actually started a return before I decided to try it one more time), the Smart Plugs are great. I like the fact that I can switch on a number of lights at once that I would otherwise have to switch on individually. I also like the fact that I can set this to a schedule especially when I am traveling. Already I am thinking that I can link this up to the fan, more lights in other rooms of the apartment and perhaps even my humidifier. Theres a lot of potential in this and overall, Im glad I got these! I got these when they went on sale for around $19.99 each (they are currently $29.99 each), and Ill get more when theres a sale again!

This item worked well for years with minimal problems. But when my modem died and I had to change the network I found out that you cant change the plug. They advise me to set up the new network with the same network ID and password as the old network. Since Id already set up the network and many many devices in my house I ended up just ordering a different plug. From Amazon of course. I will get it tomorrow

Installation was a bit of a nightmare at first. Even though the app loaded just fine on my phone, and even though my phone (a HTC Volt 2) was on the this should work list, the app kept freezing whenever it tried to name the plug. I must have done it over and over 500 times, until I was ready to drop the entire thing into an active volcano. If youre having trouble with setup, forget the helpdesk and try using another phone or tablet. (Once the plug is synced and working, the app on my phone controls it just fine. Setup just has a few bugs in it). I finally used a tablet that has Google play on it to download the Kasa app and install the plug instead of my phone. So setup is kinda hit or miss depending on how the app works with your phone, but once its working, the plug is fantastic! Its way better than Wemo in that it never loses connectivity or needs to be reset. I actually have five of them now that I use with Alexa, and they are all 100% responsive. (Be sure to name the plug something easy for Alexa to understand if you go that route. She sometimes cant tell the difference between Bed and Bath if I mumble or have the TV on, but that isnt the plugs fault). So yes, I highly recommend this smart plug once it is up and running.

I never thought Id buy one of these. But I got one as a gift with an Amazon Echo (also not something I thought Id ever buy). It sat for months until I finally decided, what the heck, Ill set up a floor lamp using this. Set up was relatively simple. The app can be kind of glitchy though and sometimes it loses my preset schedule, but then it appears again, so Im not sure what that is. I moved in with my boyfriend so it migrated to his house. He enjoyed getting to give the lamp a ridiculous name. Its actually turned out to be very convenient because we no longer come home at night to a dark house due to the schedule the lamps are on. And when were watching tv/movies, we can turn off the lamp without getting up. It became so convenient we bought one for the lamp on the other side of the room, which my boyfriend also enjoyed giving a ridiculous name. Now I kind of want one for the floor lamp in the bedroom (its such a first world problem, but its a pain to get out of bed to turn off the lamp when you just got in it). However, wed need another Amazon smart device, and I havent decided if I want to buy one of those yet. Still a little iffy on Alexa listening to all that I do, and do I really want her in the bedroom listening?

* Edit: updated to add extra stars because TP-Link support has been very helpful and I resolved the issue with them Ive had the same exact problem as Tom happen with mine, it consistently drops off the network. See Toms comment on the link below: http://www.amazon.com/TP-LINK-Amazon-Electronics-Anywhere-HS100/product-reviews/B0178IC734/ref=cm_cr_dp_qt_hist_one?ie=UTF8&filterByStar=one_star&showViewpoints=0 I can watch it on the Kasa app, it will drop off from availability in Kasa something like 70% of the time Im looking at it. Going to try to reinstall the Kasa app like customer support has suggested, but if this doesnt work Id really like to get this working instead of returning it and waiting for another. Here is my situation: - Smart Plug is connected to my 2.4GHz connection. - SSID is hidden but I got Kasa to connect by temporarily showing the network SSID, connecting, then re-hiding the SSID. - This connection is secured by WPA2-AES and is using 802.11 b, g, and n protocols (all of which are supposedly supported by the HS100). - DHCP has more than enough IP address allocation for this device to join the network. - HS100 is plugged in directly below the shelf where the router sits. This means it is about a foot away from the router and rules out any chance that out of range errors are valid. Possible issues: - If any ports need to be opened to allow this traffic through the router, I have not been informed about them (there shouldnt be anyway). - Are the TP-Link servers experiencing connectivity issues on their end? If the plug is unable to reach them because their servers are having problems, that would explain why I keep seeing Local only when I want to use the Remote services. - The app seems to be not quite 100% polished, could there be some flawed logic in it? I did notice a spelling mistake of youre instead of youre, are there other things that need to be fixed in the app? I will continue working with customer support on this, and will change my review if we get it working.

Update 03.27.17 From 5 stars to 1 star and now at 4stars. After the fix provided by Customer Service all seems well but time will tell. The Fix: You can download the upgrade tool here: http://static.tp-link.com/iotUpgradeTool_V1.0.zip Please note the upgrade tool is currently compatible with Windows systems only, and the computer must be on the same network as the smart device(s). After downloading the tool, extract the compressed folder using a decompression utility such as 7zip or WinRAR, and run the main executable file. Please allow firewall access if prompted by Windows. Once the program is open, click Scan, then select the smart device you want to update, and click Upgrade. If you have more than one smart device that needs updating, simply repeat these steps for each one. Once the update is completed, your smart device may need to be re-configured. If so, please use the Kasa app to re-configure the smart device. Update 03.20.17 Worst purchase ever from Tp-Link besides the new smart bulls. They are both horrible if you lose service for more than a few hours. I had to have my modem/router replaced and once all was said and done all of my original smart plugs were back online and communicating with Echo. However, after several resets, following Tp-Links instructions, my three (3) smart bulbs and my one (1) mini smart plug are still not responsive. Well, not entirely true, they are responsive after the initial reset but if I turn my phone off or leave the house, nothing. Of course they are visible on the app but unreachable. The smaller size of the new smart plugs is great but they are not worth the hassle. If this was a one-time thing maybe but I happened to live in an area that losing power for hours if not days during storms and I can’t see going through this frustration after each incident. For now I am only out a little over $100 and I am thankful this happened now before invested any more money in these products. The convenience of the smaller sized of the mini plugs and the no plug needed bulbs was sop great I naturally wanted more of them. Now, if youre wondering why my others devices worked with my new router instantly, the cable guy replaced the name or something on the new router with the name and password of my old router so I wouldnt have to reset everything. He did mention if I had a hub I would only have to redo the hub but that would still leave all of other devices, i.e. echoes, dot, thermostat, Kuna lights and everything else that runs off Wi-Fi. I know this review has crossed over between the mini plugs and the smart bulbs but since they responded the same way to my outage I thought it appropriate. However, I will be updating my review for the bulbs as well if I left one if not, I will be leaving one. I love these plugs. Set up was easy. I ordered one, then two, and now I am on my third. Having the app is great and the ability to work around my scheduled settings has proven to be a much needed asset. Im sure there may be at least one more in my future, maybe two :). And how could I forget to mention these plugs work with my Echo, even better. My house may be old but she is smart!

After being a little hesitant about trying home automation things in my house, I decided to buy the amazon echo. It was over from there. I added a few of these smart plugs to the house and they work perfectly. Setup was a breeze. It took less than 5 minutes to be connected to my router and on the home network. It will require you to create a account with TP-Link but these days everything does. The app is simple to use and is designed to work instantaneously when you hit the on and off button. Tons of custom settings if you want to get into timers and other security features. You can keep adding more smart plugs to the same account without any trouble. I wish these smart plugs would shrink in size a little but all in due time. I am glad to see TP-Link is starting to come down in price. Honestly that was the only thing holding me back from more of these guys. Price needs to drop to make a viable option for everything to have a smart plug. After setup and plugged it in and named it and setup it on the app, of course I decided to use it with the Amazon Echo. Discovery on the Alexa app went perfect. It discovered all the smart plugs and that was it. After that using the Echo to control the plugs was as easy as say Alexa turn on family room lights. Works flawlessly, perfectly every time. I wish everything could work perfectly together like these two products. Highly recommended for not on controlling smart plugs with a app but if you have a Echo a must to have.....

The TP-Link is a nifty device once you get it up and running. I bought it specifically to start using with the Amazon Echo Dot 2nd gen with Alexa. The directions in the box are very simple but not as obvious as they should be with the two important points below. Before I go any further, this device will only work with the 2.4ghz wi-fi signal. It is very important for you to know your current equipment, that would have saved me a lot of frustration. It turns out my AT&T router will emit 2.4 or 5ghz, not both at the same time. After talking with an agent things improved rather quickly. One other important note, when you are trying to connect your phone via the Kasa app, you need to be within 3 feet, 2 is even better. Again, would have been nice to know upfront. If I had known those tidbits upfront, my total time to connect to my phone and using it with the Kasa app, 5 minutes tops. Connecting and voice controlling with Alexa, another 5 minutes tops. I am physically disabled and must admit, I am very thrilled to be independently controlling device. Not knowing how well the TP-Llink would work, I only purchased one at $22 vs regularly $45+. I am regretting that decision now. If it holds up well over time, this will be the first of many more to come. If it was clearer prior to purchasing it about only operating on 2.4ghz and a 2-foot range from my phone during the initial setup, I would have given it a 5 star. After all, I do really like it and it works great with the Amazon Dot 2nd gen with Alexa. It shouldnt be left out, that the Kasa app on the phone has plenty of options for those not interested in voice control. If over time things change, youll be the second to know.