Best Smart Plugs for Renters in the UK
Smart plugs are the easiest smart home upgrade for renters. What to look for, why energy monitoring matters, and how to use them to cut standby costs.
If you are dipping a toe into home automation in a rented flat, a smart plug is the obvious first step. It costs little, installs in seconds by plugging into an existing socket, and does two genuinely useful jobs: switching things on and off from your phone or voice, and showing you exactly what your appliances cost to run. Nothing else in a smart home gives you that much for so little.
What can you do with a smart plug?
More than the name suggests. A smart plug sits between the socket and whatever you plug in, so it can switch lamps, fans, heaters, Christmas lights or a coffee machine on and off from an app, by voice, or on a schedule. You can set lamps to mimic occupancy while you are out, have a fan turn off automatically at bedtime, or make sure the iron is definitely off from your phone. It turns any dumb appliance into a controllable one without modifying it.
Why does energy monitoring matter?
Because it turns vague worry about bills into hard numbers. A smart plug with energy monitoring measures the power an appliance draws and reports the running cost, which quickly reveals the quiet culprits: the old fridge that costs more than you think, the games console left in standby, the electric heater that is far dearer to run than it feels. Once you can see the cost, you can decide what to switch off at the plug, and the savings often pay for the plug several times over.
What should you look for in a smart plug?
Focus on a few things:
- Energy monitoring, so you can see running costs, not just switch power on and off
- No required hub, so the plug talks to your phone over WiFi directly
- Voice-assistant support if you use Alexa or Google Home
- A compact body that does not block the second socket on a double outlet
- Scheduling and timer features in a free app with no subscription
Do smart plugs need a hub?
The best ones for renters do not. WiFi smart plugs like the Tapo P110 connect straight to your home network and your phone with no separate hub to buy or find space for, which suits a rental perfectly. Some ecosystems, particularly Zigbee-based ones, do need a hub, which adds cost and another box; unless you are building a larger system, a simple hub-free WiFi plug is the easier and cheaper choice.