Smart plugs (and power outlets) are an easy and affordable way to upgrade ordinary appliances, cameras, lighting, and any other electronics into smart home devices that you can control straight from your smartphone. However, this is for basic on/off control or scheduling of gadgets and appliances.

For a start you need to make it can fit and position properly in your home or office, next you will have to consider what it can do. Most smart plugs let you use your phone to turn control power—so if you've plugged in a lamp, for instance, you can turn it on or off no matter where you are. And most smart plugs also offer some form of scheduling. If you simply want to turn your connected coffee machine or aircon or lights on at the same time every weekday morning, you can do that with a smart plug . Most sophisticated ones, let you program several devices to interact with each other. Some let you program scenes based on conditions such as temperature, humidity, and sunrise or sunset times. Others have preset "away" scenes for when you're on vacation, that turn connected devices on and off to make it look like someone is home. Scene options vary from plug to plug, so it's good to keep in mind what automation options fit your needs.