Perennial smart home accessory maker TP-Link will be unveiling several new Kasa products at CES, including the previously disclosed Smart Spot camera and a pair of new connected outlets/plugs. The upcoming WiFi-powered in-wall outlet, with two controllable sockets, obviously requires installation, along with a neutral wire. As such, it may not be a great solution for all. But it’s obviously a much cleaner, less cluttered look… assuming those status indicators are kept in check. More interesting to me is the “weather resistant” outdoor smartplug, which also includes two sockets. This seems particularly well-suited for outdoor control of landscape lighting without, say, investing in the Rings Beams ecosystem.
Presumably, these will interoperate with Amazon Alexa as their existing smartplugs do. Having said that, the pair I got Mom frequently lose Alexa visibility for whatever reason (confirmed by others) and have been a source of frustration (and factory resets). Perhaps the company will get that sorted in the near future.
These really need a 90 degree plug so that you can lay them flat out of your outside electrical box.
I got the Kasa plugs because they were supposed to be the best WiFi plugs. Since Christmas, it has been spotty in turning my Christmas tree on/off. How convenient..