Save on your summer energy costs with the right smart plugs that work with both Google Home and Alexa.
Amazon Echo and Google Home speakers are so popular these days that we’ve crossed over from the early adopters to each finding a place within the mainstream culture. Both are functional if you’re like me you might not be convinced which assistant is right for you — that’s why I’ve got both Alexa and Google Home speakers set up in my home.
If you’re also figuring out which is right for you, be sure to buy smart home accessories that are compatible with both AI assistants. One of the best places to start is with smart plugs that let you control the stuff already in your house, such as lamps, TVs, and air purifiers. We’ve rounded up the best options for smart plugs that work with both Alexa and Google Assistant.
- Samsung SmartThings
- TP-Link Smart Home Outlet
- D-Link Smart Plug
- AWAIR Air Filtration Smart Plug
Samsung SmartThings
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Samsung’s SmartThings is a very capable and customizable home automation system that’s a great place to start for both Alexa and Google Assistant users. The starter kit includes a Hub for connecting different smart sensors for monitoring your home, which is a reasonable $160.
The SmartThings Home Monitoring Kit comes with a Hub, two Multipurpose Sensors, a Motion Sensor, and an Outlet. You can configure them however you like in your home, then get instant notifications if anything is out of the normal. You can also buy additional sensors, including an Arrival Sensor and a Water Leak Sensor, along with more smart plugs for controlling different lamps and devices around your home.
Since SmartThings works well with both Google Assistant and Alexa, it’s a great starting point for building out your wireless smart home system. The Hub starter kit is a good place to start, as many other smart devices are compatible with the SmartThings Hub, plus you’ll get some smart sensors to play around with, too. Samsung has also begun consolidating all of its smart home products under the SmartThings umbrella, so just another great reason to start with SmartThings when setting up your smart home. The whole kit is $160.
TP-Link Smart Home
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The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug offers two separate outlets that let you set up and control two separate devices while leaving the second outlet free. The outlets work with either Alexa or Google Assistant and thanks to the built-in Wi-Fi technology, no hub is required to get things connected. Grab it for a reasonable $35.
TP-Link offers a line of smart plugs and switches that allow you to convert the lamps and appliances you already own into smart devices you can automate to power on or control with your voice. Alternatively, there’s the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini for just $26 that’s a bit more compact and still leaves that second outlet open.
D-Link Smart Plug
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You’re able to control devices plugged into the D-Link Smart Plug via the D-Link app on your phone from anywhere, but more importantly, you’ll be able to use and control things with your voice with your Amazon Echo or Google Home While not as compact as the TP-Link mini plug, the D-Link is still a great option for any room in your house and starts at $30 on Amazon.
D-Link is another brand that offers a smart plug that doesn’t require a hub to connect to either Alexa or Google Assistant.
AWAIR Air Filtration Smart Plug
See at Amazon
AWAIR has combined a smart plug with its own air filtration technology to create an uber-functional smart plug. The AWAIR Glow is the coolest device AWAIR sells — it plugs right into an outlet and can be set up to turn on an appliance such as a dehumidifier or air filtration system at a specific time or when levels get a bit high. Once connected to Google Home or Alexa, you’re also able to use the AWAIR Glow to control whichever device you have plugged in using just your voice. The Glow is currently available for just $99.
According to AWAIR, the air inside your home can be up to five times more polluted than outside, and that can end up aggravating allergies or asthma, affecting your concentration or sleep quality, and much more.
To combat this, AWAIR has developed a line of smart products that monitor the air quality in your home. Each device monitors five aspects that determine air quality — temperature, humidity, CO2, airborne chemicals, and dust. AWAIR monitors all these factors and churns out a quick guide that gives you a good idea of how clean the air is in your home at a glance and will also send tips to your smartphone offering tips and suggestions.
Did we miss any?
Got a favorite smart plug that didn’t make our list? Let us know in the comments and we’ll check it out!
Updated August 2018: This month, the SmartThings kit and we’ve updated the TP-Link entry with their latest two-outlet product.
