WiFi Smart Plug Mini Socket Compatible with Alexa, Google Home and IFTTT, SLITINTO Smart Outlet with Energy Monitoring, Timer, Set Schedule,Voice and Remote Control,16A (Smaller Version) - 2 Pack

These smart plugs are my first foray into home automation, and I'm impressed. They're inexpensive, compact, seemingly well built, easy to set up, and are working fine so far.After a couple of days of testing and unplugging I've not managed to lose the Wi-Fi connection with either unit. Once they're set up you can control them while you're away from home as long as your phone has an internet connection.The packaging is a simple cardboard box, nicely printed and quite classy-looking. The instruction manual is a bit Chinese but not too bad. The print is so small I needed a magnifying glass to read it.Setup was straightforward. The manual contains a QR code that makes it easy to download the Smart Life app. Unlike some other reviewers I didn't need to turn off the 5 GHz Wi-Fi network on my (Asus) router, possibly because my phone (with the Smart Life app) connects to my 2.4 GHz network and the two networks have different names.The app has a professional feel and is easy to use. You can assign any device to a named room, and view devices all together or room by room. It's loads better than some other apps I've tried for various bits of Chinese technology.The app lets you turn the plugs on and off, set a countdown timer or a repeating schedule. The scheduling function is a bit clunky to set up but seems to work fine. I haven't tried controlling the system via a voice assistant or IFTTT.As advertised, the units are compact enough to plug into a switched socket or a power strip without getting in the way. On the side of each plug is a sensibly sized button for manual override. The status indicator LED is very small, so it's unobtrusive in a dark room.The ability to show power consumption is a handy feature. Testing with an LED light as an example shows 7.9 W, whereas my standalone power meter reads 9.2 W. The voltage reading is a bit off too (244.7 V vs 240.6 V). I don't trust the power measurements at low currents (e.g. standby consumption) and low power factors, but at higher powers it's probably accurate enough.Standby power consumption of the unit itself is 0.6 W – about the same as most well-designed electronic gadgets these days.I like these plugs so much that I'd certainly consider buying more gadgets such as dimmable or colour-changing lights. However, it's not clear which products – even other smart plugs – might work with the Smart Life app.I bought this item on the promise of a full refund for posting this review.

SLitinto recently produced smart sockets that are much smaller than smart sockets used to be. Barely the size of a mains plug, and round, they solved the issue of sometimes pressing on a twin socket's switch, or snagging on things above or below. However, these new sockets are only 10A (or 2.5kW) which, although fine for many things, can't cope with seriously heavy power requirements.These 16A (aka 3.5kW) smart sockets fill that power gap, but to do that they are, unsurprisingly, a little bit larger. They have the footprint of a large plug but also extend slightly below. Still small enough not to interfere with other plugs, switches, etc., though.In common with other Slitinto smart sockets, this one is controlled via the Smart Life app which, usefully, also tells you how much power is being consumed. Integration with Alexa is dead simple, and something specific to this app seems to be that if Alexa tries to control a device but can't, for whatever reason, Smart Life flags it and leaves you a message so you know there may have been a problem. Other, similar, apps don't have that kind of feature.In use, the 16A smart socket stays pretty cool. I've attached two thermal images: one of the socket not doing much other than being powered, and the other with a 1kW load applied. There is a small patch of warmth from the internal smarts in both cases, but no appreciable rise with the load (which is good!).There are a couple of issues that let the side down though:* The on/off switch is at the left side, and if this is next to even just a plug in an extension strip it is nearly impossible to use the switch. The attached photo shows how close it comes. If the switch were at the top side then it would be more accessible.* The network/status LED is behind a pinhole, so can be difficult to see at times. On the other hand, it's not a bright thing that attracts attention (or keeps one awake at night), so this is a case of swings are roundabouts.But these are minor things, and overall this is jolly nice and useful smart socket.

I got a pack of 2 of these smartplugs, mainly for controlling a couple of lights in the house. To operate the plugs you need to download the Smartlife app from Google Play Store and then you need to get it to recognise the plugs. I'm on Virgin broadband with a Superhub 3 and the instructions with the plugs and on line and everywhere else CLEARLY say that the plugs only work on 2.4GHz WIfi and that 5GHz should be turned off on the router or they won't be recognised. IGNORE THIS AT YOUR PERIL as it's true - Once the 5GHz is turned off they pair immediately and then you can turn the 5GHz back on! Don't waste an hour like I did trying to pair the plugs without doing this!!!Once they are paired I linked my Google Home to the app anf the plugs automatically appeared and I was able to control them using voice commands through Google Home.So far the plugs are working really well, they are both 16A plugs so should handle everything you would use on a normal domestic plug.Conclusion: Neat, well put together smartplugs, very easy to pair but only when you switch off 5Ghz on your router; once paired switch it back on and the plugs work really well!