REASONS TO BUY
2 independent outlets
Weatherproof
Individual run time monitoring
REASONS TO AVOID
Setup relatively involved
Slow to reboot after WiFi outage
TP-Link Kasa Outdoor Review
A great option to individually control two outdoor appliances
Credit: TP-Link
RELATED: Best Smart Plug
Our Verdict
With two autonomous smart outlets, the TP Kasa Outdoor is a great choice for those that have multiple outdoor appliances that they want to be able to remotely control independently of one another. It also offers runtime tracking, so you can check in on how often you're actually using those appliances. Plus, it works on the same system as the field-leading TP Link Kasa Power Strip, making it a great way to extend your TP Link network if you've already invested in the power strip. Check out our review of smart plugs to see how it fares next to its rivals.
Compare to Similar Products
 This Product TP-Link Kasa Outdoor | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Awards |  Best for Outdoor Use |  Best Basic Smart Plug |  Best Runtime Tracking on a Budget | Best Bang for the Buck for Alexa Users | |
| Price | $45 List | $40 List | $35 List | $35 List $17.00 at Amazon | $25 List $24.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
|||||
| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | Turns a single outdoor outlet into 2 independent controlled smart sockets | The perfect low-cost solution for connecting basic appliances to the internet | Slim and trim, can often nestle where others won't fit | TP Link's basic outlet makes their network easily (and cheaply) expandable | A basic and streamlined plug for Alexa controlled smart homes |
| Rating Categories | TP-Link Kasa Outdoor | WeMo Mini | Leviton Smart WiFi... | TP-Link Kasa WiFi Lite | Amazon Smart Plug |
| Ease of Setup (40%) | |||||
| Reliability (30%) | |||||
| Interface (15%) | |||||
| Voice Assistants (15%) | |||||
| Specs | TP-Link Kasa Outdoor | WeMo Mini | Leviton Smart WiFi... | TP-Link Kasa WiFi Lite | Amazon Smart Plug |
| Number of Outlets | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| Maximum Power | 1.875kW | 1.8 kW | 1.5kW | 1.2kW | 15A |
| Smart Home Compatability | Alexa, Google Home IFTTT, Nest, Home and Away | Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, IFTTT, Nest | Alexa, Google Home IFTTT, Nest, August | Alexa, Google Home IFTTT, Nest, Home and Away | Alexa |
| Warranty | 2 Year Limited | 3 Year Limited | 5 Year Limited | 2 Year Limited | 1 Year Limited |
Show full specification detailsHide full specification details
Our Analysis and Test Results
Performance Comparison
Two independent outlets on this outdoor plug means you can have more control over the mood lighting on your deck.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Ease of Setup
Like all of Tp Link's plugs, the Kasa Outdoor takes a bit more effort than most to setup. After downloading the app, you have to create an account and activate that account via email. Then you can discover and connect the plug to your WiFi network within the app. From there you have to connect to most voice assistants manually within their dedicated apps.
Smart Home and Voice Assistant Compatibility
This plug supports all of the major smart home players--Alexa, Google Home, and If This Then That--with Apple Homekit being the one notable exception. It is also compatible with Nest and Ecobee (Home and Away) smart home devices, making it a good choice if you're already invested in one of those networks.
Reliability and Responsiveness
As long as the Kasa Outdoor has a usable WiFi signal (which is something you definitely have to pay attention to when using an outdoor smart plug) we found it to be quite responsive, both to schedules and to manual commands punched into its corresponding app.
Oddly, when we tested for how it would handle internet and power outages by flipping breakers and the WiFi router off and then back on, only one of the plug's two sockets rebooted immediately. There was a bit of a delay in the second socket coming back to life and yielding to our commands. However, we never had to actually do anything to get the plug to come back to life, aside from being a bit patient.
Advanced Features
Beyond the standard schedules, scenes, and remote control offered by pretty much all smart plugs, the only particularly advanced feature offered by the Kasa Outdoor is runtime tracking. While this isn't quite as useful as actual energy usage monitoring, which allows you to see if your appliances are sucking up too much power while in standby mode, knowing exactly how long you're using each appliance can provide actionable data about your energy usage.
TP-Link makes it easy to set schedules based on the local sunrise/set.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Considerations for an Outdoor Plug
The biggest mistake you can make in purchasing an outdoor smart plug is not checking whether or not your WiFi actually reaches the outdoor outlet you'd like to use. If you want you can get fancy and download an app on your phone to test the speed of your WiFi in specific locations, but there are simpler ways. We would suggest putting your phone in airplane mode (so it's not accessing a cellular network), turning the WiFi back on, and then standing next to the outlet where you'd like to use an outdoor smart plug. If you can load a standard web page in that location using only your WiFi without too much fuss, it's likely a smart plug will work well there. If you get a spinning wheel of death, you might want to reconsider your smart plug plans, or think about moving your WiFi router.
Credit: Jenna Ammerman
Value
The TP Link Kasa Outdoor's price is fairly standard in the realm of outdoor smart plugs. Therefore, if you're looking for a weatherproof smart plug with two independent outlets, the Kasa Outdoor certainly doesn't ask you to overpay.
Conclusion
Whether you want an outdoor smart plug with two autonomous outlets, or you're already using TP Link plugs indoors and would like to expand that system outside, the Kasa Outdoor is a great choice.
—Max Mutter and Michelle Powell
You Might Also Like
