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TP-Link Kasa Outdoor Review

A great option to individually control two outdoor appliances
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TP-Link Kasa Outdoor Review
Credit: TP-Link
Price:  $45 List
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Manufacturer:   TP-Link
By Max Mutter and Michelle Powell  ⋅  Sep 3, 2019
65
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#5 of 8
  • Ease of Setup - 40% 5.0
  • Reliability - 30% 7.0
  • Interface - 15% 8.0
  • Voice Assistants - 15% 8.0

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 article on the best smart plugs to see how it fares next to its rivals.
REASONS TO BUY
2 independent outlets
Weatherproof
Individual run time monitoring
REASONS TO AVOID
Setup relatively involved
Slow to reboot after WiFi outage

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards Top Pick Award
Best for Outdoor Use
Editors' Choice Award
Best Basic Smart Plug
 Best Buy Award
Best Runtime Tracking on a Budget
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck for Alexa Users
Price $45 List$40 List$35 List$35 List
$14.95 at Amazon
$25 List
Check Price at Amazon
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Bottom Line Turns a single outdoor outlet into 2 independent controlled smart socketsThe perfect low-cost solution for connecting basic appliances to the internetSlim and trim, can often nestle where others won't fitTP Link's basic outlet makes their network easily (and cheaply) expandableA 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%)
5.0
6.0
6.0
5.0
6.0
Reliability (30%)
7.0
9.0
7.0
7.0
6.0
Interface (15%)
8.0
7.0
6.0
8.0
3.0
Voice Assistants (15%)
8.0
9.0
8.0
8.0
7.0
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

Our Analysis and Test Results

Performance Comparison



tp-link kasa outdoor - two independent outlets on this outdoor plug means you can have more...
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 kasa outdoor - tp-link makes it easy to set schedules based on the local sunrise/set.
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.

tp-link kasa outdoor
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
 

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