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The Leviton Decora Smart Outlet has been discontinued. We’ve added the Leviton Decora Smart Wi-Fi Outlet (2nd Gen) to What to look forward to.
Convenience doesn’t always have to come with clutter. An in-wall smart outlet looks and works like an ordinary electrical outlet, yet it can also give you the power to automate any appliance or device you plug into it (just like a smart plug, but without taking up so much space). And you can control it with an app or a smart speaker. Some in-wall smart outlets also have USB ports for charging portables (like tablets and smartphones) or even directly powering devices (such as indoor security cameras). We like the Geeni Current+Charge because it offers all of those features at an affordable price, and it has an easy-to-use app. (Unlike some models, however, it doesn’t allow you to monitor how much electricity you’re using.) In-wall smart outlets are relatively easy to install, but they do require you to turn off the power and handle some wiring. So if you don’t feel comfortable doing that, consider hiring a professional.
Some smart outlets have one controllable receptacle; others have two. Half of the ones we tested also have controllable USB ports.
Many in-wall smart outlets can keep tabs on the electricity being used. Some even provide an estimate on how much you’re spending.
Due to the tech inside, in-wall smart outlets are bigger than standard outlets—and they may not fit in some existing electrical boxes.
Installing an outlet is easy if you’re handy, have tools, and have access to circuit breakers. If not, you can hire an electrician.
This inexpensive model has two receptacles that can be controlled individually, two USB ports that can be controlled together, and smartphone notifications (if you have connection issues).
*At the time of publishing, the price was $30.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
The Geeni Current+Charge is the only model we tested with two receptacles that can be controlled independently and two charging USB ports that can be controlled together. It’s also one of the most inexpensive smart outlets we tested, so if you plan to install several, it’s especially cost-effective. In our testing, the Geeni was reliable, and its app was easy to use. And it includes scheduling options based on the location of your phone, as well as local weather and sunrise/sunset times. However, unlike some other models we tested, the Geeni doesn’t include energy monitoring and doesn’t support Apple HomeKit or IFTTT.
The Top Greener is a bit more expensive than the Geeni model, and it has only one controllable receptacle. However, it adds in energy monitoring and additional smart-home support.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT
If you prefer having one receptacle that is always on, we recommend the Top Greener In-Wall Smart Wi-Fi USB Charging Outlet (TGWF215U2A). Pricier than the Geeni, it has one controllable receptacle and one non-controllable one that provides constant power. It also has two USB ports that can be controlled together. Like the Geeni, the Top Greener allows you to schedule use based on phone location and local weather and sunrise/sunset times. Unlike the Geeni, this model offers energy monitoring on the one controllable receptacle and support for IFTTT. It does not support Apple HomeKit.
This inexpensive model has two receptacles that can be controlled individually, two USB ports that can be controlled together, and smartphone notifications (if you have connection issues).
*At the time of publishing, the price was $30.
The Top Greener is a bit more expensive than the Geeni model, and it has only one controllable receptacle. However, it adds in energy monitoring and additional smart-home support.
I first started testing smart-home devices more than 20 years ago, back when the only smart-home devices were X10. Since 2016, I’ve been covering smart-home gear for Wirecutter, and I’ve had my hands on everything from in-wall light switches, smart bulbs, and water-leak sensors to smart video doorbells, indoor security cameras, and security systems. I’ve also written tech articles for The New York Times, Wired, and Men’s Health, among others.
If you want to remotely control any electrical device—fans, lamps, air purifiers, kitchen appliances, and even kids toys—a smart plug is the easiest, most inexpensive way to do this. But it’s also the ugliest, since smart plugs stick out from the wall and sometimes even block a second receptacle. If you want to have remote control or to automate an electrical appliance, but you also don’t want to clutter up your wall, consider installing an in-wall smart outlet.
In-wall smart outlets make smart-plug features permanent. They allow you to automate anything that’s plugged in, so you can have your window air conditioners turn on as you arrive home from work, schedule table lamps so you never enter a dark room, or make sure that your space heater is off whenever you go out. Many smart outlets also have the ability to monitor the electricity used by devices plugged into them, so you can learn which ones are energy hogs and adjust your usage accordingly.
Of course, convenience and clean aesthetics come at a cost: Even the cheapest in-wall smart outlet is twice as expensive as a typical smart plug. However, in addition to looking nice, many of the models we tested also include USB charging ports and other features.
Currently, there are no in-wall smart outlets that provide GFCI (ground-fault circuit interrupter) protection. This means you should keep them away from areas that are prone to moisture, such as bathrooms, kitchens, garages, laundry areas, crawl spaces, and other areas within 6 feet of a water source, per the National Electrical Code.
All of the models we tested are rated for 15 amps. (ConnectSense is the only company that also makes a 20-amp model.) Technically, you could have two electronic devices in the same receptacle, but first check your product specs: If you have two items that draw a lot of power, like some toaster ovens and blenders do, you may trip the circuit. Also, in-wall smart outlets are larger than your typical non-smart version, so they might not fit in older or small electrical boxes, which contain all of the necessary wiring. Most in-wall smart outlets are an easy swap. But if you’re not comfortable turning off the power and poking around electricity in general, hire an electrician.
While researching in-wall smart outlets, we scoured Google, Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s, and other retailers to find as many brands and models as possible. In selecting and testing, we considered the following criteria:
For this test group, we didn’t include any of the few models that rely on Z-Wave or Zigbee wireless; we hope to test them for a future update of this guide.
My husband, a licensed electrician, installed each smart outlet, and he found they are bulky in the same way that in-wall smart light switches and dimmers tend to be. If you have older electrical boxes installed, check the dimensions of the outlet before making a purchase. There’s a chance it won’t fit, especially if you have older metal boxes or more than one set of wires.
All of the smart outlets we tested are in the same general area of our house, connected to an Asus ZenWiFi AX (XT8) mesh-networking node in the same room.
We tested a total of six outlets for two weeks (and in some instances much longer) using fans, table lamps, and a USB security camera. We noted whether models had a single remote-controllable receptacle or two, how the USB ports functioned, and how well apps and smart-home integration performed.
Once we narrowed down our pick candidates, we reviewed their respective privacy policies and sent a security and privacy questionnaire to each of the manufacturers (see the section below). We also connected those devices to Firewalla Blue, a firewall device that monitors the communications of all devices on a network and reports which devices are sending out data and to what country.
Wirecutter takes security and privacy issues seriously and investigates as much as possible how the companies we recommend deal with customer data. As part of our vetting process, we looked at all of the security and data privacy practices behind our picks, and we specifically looked for clauses or activities that were outside normal practices in this category. And to confirm information that we think should be of primary concern for any potential buy, we also reached out to all of the companies that produce our top picks and had them answer an extensive questionnaire. Here are the results.
Is a username and password required?
Is two-factor authentication available and/or required?
Can I use this without connecting it to the internet?
Is user data encrypted in the cloud?
Do you share data with third parties?
Is location data recorded or shared?
Does this device offer power-outage alerts?
Wirecutter long-term tests all of its picks, including keeping track of hardware and software incidents. Should any privacy or security issues be found with any of our selected products, we’ll report it here and, if needed, update or alter our recommendations.
This inexpensive model has two receptacles that can be controlled individually, two USB ports that can be controlled together, and smartphone notifications (if you have connection issues).
*At the time of publishing, the price was $30.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant
The Geeni Current+Charge is a reliable in-wall smart outlet that’s easy to use. It’s one of the least expensive outlets on our list, but it includes the most remote-controllable receptacles—with two electrical ones that can be controlled individually and two USB-A ports that can be controlled together. The Geeni doesn’t include energy monitoring, like some of the other models we tested do. But we think the price and the convenience of having two smart receptacles and two smart USB ports outweigh that extra feature. (If you need energy monitoring, consider our runner-up pick.)
The Geeni Current+Charge includes two tamper-resistant receptacles and two USB ports. It also has a power button with a bright blue LED that lights up whenever any of the receptacles or USB ports are turned on (see Flaws but not dealbreakers, below). If you’re looking to cut the light and the manual controls, the only device we found that could do both was the ConnectSense In-Wall Smart Outlet, which costs $80 to $100 per outlet.
The iOS and Android apps are both similar, allowing you to easily control the receptacles individually and both USB ports together. The app lets you schedule receptacles to go on or off for specific days or the entire week, as well as trigger receptacles based on local sunrise/sunset times, weather, and your location (or at least the location of your smartphone). The app also includes the Tap-to-Run feature under the Smart Scenes section, so you can group together the two receptacles and/or one receptacle and the USB ports for one-touch control. Geeni’s app developer is Tuya, which also makes the app for the Top Greener model, so you will see a lot of the same features.
Both of our picks can be configured to send a smartphone notification if an outlet loses power. To keep notifications to a minimum, the app will alert you only if the power has been off for 30 minutes. However, we did notice that when power was cut, the outlet would appear offline in the app within 2 minutes. Once power is restored, the entire receptacle will reconnect to your Wi-Fi network. However, the receptacles will remain turned off, so if you have lights or fans running, you’ll need to turn them back on. (If you have something scheduled, that will work just fine.)
We used Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant to turn every part of the outlet on and off using voice commands. We recommend naming each receptacle whatever you have plugged into it; for example, “Alexa, turn off the fan.” We also successfully paired the outlet with other devices. So, for instance, whenever someone rang the Ring Video Doorbell Wired (our current budget smart doorbell pick), the bottom receptacle would turn on a lamp. The Geeni doesn’t work with IFTTT or Apple HomeKit. If you’re looking to integrate one of those platforms, consider the Top Greener (our runner-up pick) for IFTTT. Or, for HomeKit, consider one of the other in-wall smart outlets we like.
As mentioned above, the Geeni Current+Charge does not include energy monitoring. That means you can’t keep tabs on how much electricity a window AC unit is drawing or how much that space heater is costing you each month. We think the Geeni’s price and features outweigh that drawback. But if you want to track usage, consider the Top Greener or one of the other in-wall smart outlets we tested.
The Geeni Current+Charge has a power button with a blue LED light that glows when any part of the outlet is turned on. It can’t be dimmed or turned off, unless you turn the power off; we think this could be an issue for bedroom use. On the other hand, this model could be a useful night-light, as long as you don’t mind keeping the power on.
Currently, the Geeni Current+Charge comes only in white. A few of the other receptacles we tested come in other shades, such as almond or black. White looks nice on our sandy-colored wall, but if you want something different, look through this guide for models that include color options.
The Top Greener is a bit more expensive than the Geeni model, and it has only one controllable receptacle. However, it adds in energy monitoring and additional smart-home support.
Compatible with: Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, IFTTT
The Top Greener In-Wall Smart Wi-Fi USB Charging Outlet (TGWF215U2A) is very similar to the Geeni: It’s easy to use, has two USB-A ports that you can control simultaneously, and features offline notifications. The Top Greener also uses virtually the same app as the Geeni. However, this model is a bit more expensive than our top pick. And it has just one remote-controllable receptacle—but it does monitor energy use on that receptacle.
As mentioned above, the Top Greener outlet includes two receptacles and two USB-A charging ports, and only one of the receptacles is remote-controllable. The other receptacle is “always on,” which is nice for a device you never want to turn off, like a smart speaker or an alarm clock. Like the Geeni, the Top Greener has an on/off button in the middle of the outlet that lights up when the controllable receptacle is turned on, and there’s no option to dim it or turn it off without cutting the power. Unlike the Geeni, the Top Greener doesn’t light up when only the USB ports are on, so you can use the port to charge your smartphone at night without having the LED light on.
Besides the Top Greener’s having just one controllable receptacle, the big difference between our two picks is that the Top Greener model also includes energy monitoring (though only for that one receptacle). This allows you to plug something in and use the app to monitor the current being used (in milliamps, watts, and kilowatts) as well as voltage, and it stores a history of daily and monthly kilowatt-hours used.
Because the Top Greener and the Geeni have the same app developer, their apps’ layouts are similar. Both allow you to set Schedules based on specific days, trigger the outlet and USB ports using local sunrise/sunset times and temperatures, and group the one receptacle and USB ports for one-tap use.
We’ve begun testing Schneider Electric’s Square D x Series Wi-Fi Outlet. It features one remote controllable outlet, support for Alexa and Google Assistant, and built-in energy monitoring.
We are planning to look at the TP-Link KP200 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Outlet soon. It’s a few dollars cheaper than our top pick and has two controllable receptacles. But it doesn’t have USB ports or energy monitoring.
We’re also planning to look at Leviton’s Decora Smart Wi-Fi Outlet (2nd Gen). The $35 outlet has only one controllable receptacle, but supports Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. It also works with the Leviton DAWSC Anywhere Switch Companion, allowing you to control the outlet with the switch.
All of the in-wall smart outlets we tested this time around connect to a home network using Wi-Fi. We plan to look into Z-Wave and Zigbee models for a future update.
We tested a number of in-wall smart outlets that we didn’t prefer as overall picks but that are perfectly fine choices.
If you want a smart outlet compatible with Apple HomeKit The ConnectSense In-Wall Smart Outlet has two controllable receptacles with energy monitoring on both, as well as support for Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple HomeKit. And it’s the only model we tested that includes the option to disable physical controls on the outlet from within the app (this is perfect for anyone with a kid who knows how to push the on/off switch to re-enable electronics after hours). However, this model doesn’t have USB ports, and for $80 (for the 15-amp model; the 20-amp version is $100), we’d expect it to have all the bells and whistles possible.
If you want a more-customizable LED light (or the ability to turn it off completely) The iDevices Wall Outlet is similar to the ConnectSense, except that it doesn’t have the option to disable controls, and there isn’t a 20-amp model. However, it does have a small LED on the front to alert you when the outlet is on and off (as many do). But with this model, you can change the colors of that LED to match, say, the room or your mood, or you can just turn it off completely.
Top Greener’s In-Wall Smart Wi-Fi Outlet is the least expensive model we tested. It’s nearly identical to our runner-up outlet, and it comes in a few colors (white, gold, nickel, and silver). But it doesn’t include USB ports. We think spending a few extra dollars for those USB ports—and having another place to charge smartphones and tablets, without taking up a receptacle—is worth it. If that’s not important to you, however, then this model is a bargain.
This article was edited by Jon Chase and Grant Clauser.
Robert Bellinger, president, Nationwide Electrical Education Services, email interview, August 5, 2021
Nick Guy and Mark Smirniotis, The Best Wall Outlets With USB Charging Ports, Wirecutter, September 8, 2020
Tonya Hicks, president/CEO, Power Solutions Inc., phone interview, August 5, 2021
Greg Rhoades, director of marketing, smart and new technology products, Leviton, phone interview, August 10, 2021
Fran Sturgis, journeyman electrician, IBEW Local 103
Rachel Cericola is a senior staff writer at Wirecutter who has been covering smart-home technology since the days of X10. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, Wired, Men’s Health, USA Today, and others. She hopes her neighbors read this bio because it would explain why she always has four video doorbells running simultaneously outside her home.
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