How to Save Energy with Smart Plugs

Published October 2026 6 min read Beginner-friendly

Smart plugs are small devices that sit between your appliance and the wall outlet, letting you turn the appliance on and off from your phone. They cost $10–$25 each, take five minutes to install, and — used thoughtfully — can save $30–$80 per year per plug.

They're not magic. A smart plug that switches off something you already turn off manually saves nothing. But used on the right devices and with the right schedules, they remove the "phantom" energy waste that's easy to forget about, and they add convenience for things you were going to control anyway.

What a smart plug actually does

Three functions:

Remote on/off: turn the device on or off from an app on your phone, anywhere you have internet.
Scheduling: set daily on/off times ("on at 6 PM, off at 11 PM").
Voice control: most work with Alexa, Google Assistant, or Siri.

Some smart plugs also track energy use, showing how many kWh the connected device draws. These cost $20–$35 and are useful for diagnostics — you can see exactly what your TV or space heater costs to run.

Where smart plugs actually save energy

1. Electronics on schedules you'd forget

The best use case: devices that draw standby power all night and don't need to. A TV, a game console, a streaming box — schedule the plug to cut power at 11 PM and restore it at 6 AM. You eliminate the phantom load automatically, without ever thinking about it.

2. Christmas lights and seasonal decor

A smart plug on holiday lights saves about $5–$15 per season versus leaving them on. More importantly, it prevents the classic "oops, left the lights on all day" energy waste. Set them on at dusk and off at 11 PM.

3. Space heaters and portable AC units

A smart plug on a space heater lets you schedule it to run only when you're actually in the room, or turn it off remotely if you forget. This eliminates the biggest safety and cost risk of space heaters. Note: only use smart plugs rated for the heater's wattage — many smart plugs max out at 1,800W.

4. Fans and window AC units

Schedule a box fan or window AC unit to turn off automatically after a certain time — when you fall asleep, or after a set number of hours. Prevents overnight waste and reduces running time.

5. Coffee makers, kettles, and small kitchen appliances

A smart plug on a coffee maker lets you schedule it to start at 6:30 AM. It also cuts the standby load from the digital clock. The savings are small ($3–$8/year), but the convenience is genuine.

6. Chargers and devices you forget about

Any device with a charger that stays plugged in 24/7 (phone, tablet, watch, e-bike, power tools) can go on a smart plug scheduled for two hours a day. Or leave it on "only when home" mode via geofencing.

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Don't use smart plugs for: refrigerators, freezers, routers, modems, alarm systems, or anything that needs continuous power. Cutting power to a fridge or router on a schedule causes more problems than it solves.

How to set one up

Step 1: Pick the right outlet

Smart plugs need a wall outlet, not a power strip. Choose an outlet near the device you want to control. Avoid outlets behind heavy furniture — you may need to access the plug occasionally.

Step 2: Plug in the smart plug

Plug the smart plug into the wall outlet first, then plug the device into the smart plug. Don't chain smart plugs or power strips — one device per plug.

Step 3: Connect to Wi-Fi

Most smart plugs use a mobile app (the manufacturer's own, plus Alexa or Google Home). Download the app, create an account, and follow the pairing instructions. Usually takes 2–3 minutes per plug. All smart plugs need a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network — they don't work on 5 GHz.

Step 4: Set a schedule

In the app, set on/off times. For a TV with a smart plug, a typical schedule:

On at 5:00 PM (when you get home)
Off at 11:30 PM (when you go to bed)
Off on weekdays 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM (when nobody's home)

For a fan or heater, a different schedule might be: on when you're in the room, off automatically after 2 hours.

Step 5: Enable geofencing (optional)

If your smart plug supports it, geofencing turns the plug off automatically when you leave home and back on when you return. This is the "set it and forget it" version — the plug follows your phone.

Which smart plugs to buy

Top brands in 2026:

Kasa (TP-Link): $10–$20 per plug. Reliable, easy app, works with Alexa and Google. Energy monitoring available on higher models.
Wyze: $8–$15 per plug. Cheapest reliable option. Good app.
Amazon Smart Plug: $25. Best if you use Alexa.
Wemo (Belkin): $20–$30. Good for Apple HomeKit users.

Multipacks (4-packs) bring the per-plug price down to $8–$12. Start with a 4-pack and put them where you'll get the most savings.

What smart plugs actually save

Realistic annual savings per smart plug, on the right device:

TV + streaming box on schedule: $15–$30/year
Game console on schedule: $20–$40/year
Space heater on schedule: $30–$60/year (also prevents accidental all-day running)
Holiday lights: $5–$15 per season
Chargers and small devices: $3–$8/year

With three or four smart plugs on the right devices, total household savings: $60–$150/year. Payback on the plugs: 3–12 months.

Smart plugs vs. smart power strips: which is better?

They solve different problems:

Smart power strip: better for a cluster of devices (TV + soundbar + console) that all turn on/off together. One purchase handles the whole media center.
Smart plug: better for a single device you want to control separately (a fan, a coffee maker, a heater).

Most homes benefit from one smart power strip in the media center, plus one or two smart plugs for single devices. See our guide to smart power strips for the cluster approach.

Common mistakes

Using a smart plug for a fridge or router

Any device that needs continuous power should never go on a smart plug with a schedule. Fridges warm up, routers disconnect, alarm systems fail.

Plugging a space heater into a non-rated plug

Space heaters draw 1,500W. Most smart plugs are rated for 1,800W max, but cheaper ones may be 1,200W. Always check the plug's maximum load before connecting a high-wattage device.

Scheduling something you use on demand

If you use a device at random times (a fan, a specific lamp), a schedule will constantly fight you. Use geofencing or voice control instead of schedules for those.

Buying plugs that require a hub

Older Z-Wave and Zigbee plugs need a hub ($50–$100). Wi-Fi plugs don't. Unless you already have a smart home hub, buy Wi-Fi plugs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do smart plugs use electricity themselves?

Yes, but very little — typically 0.5–1.5W. That's about $1–$2 per year per plug. The savings from scheduling usually outweigh this by 10–30x.

What happens if my Wi-Fi goes down?

The smart plug keeps running the last schedule it received. You just can't control it remotely until Wi-Fi is restored. The device itself keeps working normally.

Will a smart plug work with any appliance?

Any plug-in appliance up to the plug's wattage rating. Check the rating: most are 1,200–1,800W. Higher (dryers, ovens, EV chargers) need specialized equipment.

Are smart plugs safe?

Yes, from reputable brands. Buy from Kasa, Wyze, Amazon, or Wemo — not no-name brands on marketplaces. Cheap plugs have been recalled for fire hazards.

Do smart plugs work with Alexa and Google?

Most do. Check the packaging for "Works with Alexa" or "Works with Google Assistant." Apple HomeKit support is rarer — brands like Wemo and Eve specialize in it.