Amazon Smart Plug Vs Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
Two smart plug contenders: the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini and the Amazon Smart Plug. We dove into their features, performance, and user experience (we tested these plugs for about two months) and found (in our opinion) a clearly better plug.
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Overall Winner: Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini emerges as the clear winner in this showdown. It excels in features, integration capabilities, price, and size, offering a superior option for those venturing into smart home technology. Though Amazon's offering is beautiful and functional enough, Kasa's comprehensive advantages set it apart, as we'll explore in this detailed comparison.
Who's it For?
Ideal for the tech-savvy and budget-conscious, the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini is perfect for those seeking a feature-rich, yet affordable smart plug solution. It integrates seamlessly with various platforms, and has all the features you need and none you don't.
Win Distance: Decisive
Opponent: Amazon Smart Plug
Who's it For?
The Amazon Smart Plug is tailored for the devoted Amazon/Alexa user. It's an absolutely beautiful plug, maybe the best looking I've seen. It is a little easier to set up than the Kasa, but not easier to use. Unfortunately, that's all it's got. The Kasa matches or outperforms it in most other categories, including price.
Build Quality & User Experience
Winner: Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
In the user experience arena, Kasa takes the lead with its intuitive app and polished interface. It provides a smooth setup process and practical features without compromising on aesthetics or build quality. The Amazon Smart Plug, while boasting an exceptional build and easy setup, falls short in app usability and flexibility, particularly for those new to the Amazon ecosystem.
Performance
Winner: Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
Kasa crushes its Amazon counterpart in features and performance. Offering a range of functionalities like schedules, timers, and away mode, Kasa caters to a variety of user needs. Amazon’s plug, is essentially an on/off switch that you can connect to Alexa routines (which the Kasa can do, too).
Integration
Winner: Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
Kasa triumphs in integration, compatible with a broad spectrum of smart home platforms. This contrasts with the Amazon Smart Plug's limitation to the Alexa ecosystem. Kasa's flexibility makes it an attractive choice for users seeking a smart plug that adapts to various systems, including Apple HomeKit, with a specific version available.
Company & Support
Winner: Tie
Both Kasa and Amazon exhibit strong company backing and customer support. Kasa, backed by TP-Link, offers a robust ecosystem and long-term support, ensuring reliability and consistency. Amazon, known for its customer-centric approach, also provides excellent support but faces limitations due to the plug's integration constraints.
Squid Score
Winner: Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
Kasa scores much higher in the Squid Score, reflecting its superior performance in practicality and independence from power and Wi-Fi outages. Amazon's plug, though scoring lower due to its limited functionality in outages and lack of built-in features, still offers a reliable option within its ecosystem.
Final Thoughts
The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini stands out as the more versatile and feature-rich option, suitable for a wide range of users and smart home setups. While the Amazon Smart Plug serves well within its ecosystem, its limitations in features and integration make Kasa the better all-around choice for most smart home enthusiasts.
Winner: Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini