While everyone wants to update their homes with smart thermostats, smart bulbs, and just about anything else that can be automated, we often overlook our wall outlets. Smart plugs allow you to connect your wall outlets to your home’s wifi, and turn on/off any device that is plugged into that outlet. They offer a simple and relatively cheap way to control lights, fans, or just about anything via your smartphone.
Two of the best products on the market are the Wemo and TP Link. These smart switches are very similar in function, but each has some key differences. The best thing about both of these is how simple they are to set up; you simply link them to your wifi, plug them into your wall outlet, and they are ready to use. Both of these products also pair with Amazon Echo and Google Play, so the real fun starts when you are able to tell Alexa to turn off the lights!
After testing both products, we settled on one key winner: TP Link, due to its lower pricing and cleaner app interface, is our pick for best smart switch on the market.
Wemo vs TP Link: Price Comparison
Wemo Pricing
Wemo has three smart switch products. The standard Wemo switch is the most basic, smartphone operated switch. The Wemo Insight, which adds energy monitoring, is basically the same product. Finally, Wemo has a smart light switch that can replace any lightswitch in your house, but requires installation that should be done by a professional.
- Wemo Insight Smart Plug –
- Wemo Mini Smart Plug –
- Wemo Light Switch –
TP Link Pricing
TP Link has a similar lineup of products. Their Wi-fi smart plug is their standard smart switch, and they have a smart swith with monitoring. TP Link also has a mini smart switch, which acts exactly the same as their smart switch, that is a bit more expensive but is a little more discrete. Finally, they also have a light switch that comes with a two year warranty.
- TP Link Smart Plug –
- TP Link Smart Plug with monitoring –
- TP Link Smart Switch –
- TP Link Smart Switch Mini –
TP Link vs Wemo Feature Comparison
Both Wemo and TP Link switches come with pretty simple functionality and features. You plug the switch in and connect to your wifi. Then, after downloading the app, you are able to turn on/off that switch from your smart phone. Both Wemo vs TP Link also connect to Google home and Amazon Echo.
The difference between TP Link and Wemo is that Wemo works with IFTTT, a free web-based app that controls smart appliances. While this is a fun way to control things like smart switches and bulbs, it doesn’t really do anything that the apps already do. TP Link doesn’t have any features that Wemo doesn’t also have in common.
Wemo vs TP Link: Final Thoughts
Buy Wemo on Amazon | Buy TP Link on Amazon
Unless you have smart bulbs and want to control everything from one app, the best product is TP Link. We’ve found Wemo can be spotty when it comes to wi-fi connectivity, whereas TP Link was pretty solid through the entire test period. We also like that the price is $10 cheaper for the basic TP Link, so if you want to buy a set of smart switches for your home, you will end up saving a good amount of money. Both products look a bit bulky, but the TP Link Mini is the most discreet and would look best in rooms where you would have exposed smart switches. Both companies have pretty good customer service for any troubleshooting or help with setup