Best smart plugs for UK sockets
For most homes the Tapo P110M is the one to get, at around £10, because it tracks energy use and works with Alexa, Google and Siri without a hub. If you already have a Thread border router, IKEA's GRILLPLATS does much the same for around £7.
Published 4 Nov 2026 · Last updated 14 Nov 2026
Quick picks
- TP-Link Tapo P110M EDIT'S PICK · Most people, and anyone who wants to see what an appliance costs to run · around £10
- IKEA GRILLPLATS BEST VALUE · Anyone with a Thread border router (such as IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, an Apple TV or HomePod mini) who wants cheap plugs with energy monitoring · around £7
- Meross MSS315 Matter Smart Plug Mini (pack of four) · Fitting out several rooms at once, and people who want extra energy-saving features · around £45
- TP-Link Tapo P304M smart power strip · Desks and TV stands where several plugs sit together · around £30
- Philips Hue Smart Plug · Homes that already use Philips Hue lights and want a floor or table lamp in the same app and scenes · around £35
No. 1 · EDIT'S PICK
TP-Link Tapo P110M
around £10 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A compact Wi-Fi smart plug for UK sockets with energy monitoring and Matter. Voice assistants: TP-Link lists Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri, and you can add it with the Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home app by scanning its Matter code, or set it up in the Tapo app over Bluetooth.
Why we picked it
Mighty Gadget, a UK site, calls it its favourite smart plug and one of the most affordable with energy monitoring. The Tapo app shows real-time power and daily, monthly and yearly use, and estimates your bill if you enter your tariff, including time-of-use rates. Energy data mostly stays in the Tapo app: TP-Link says a 2025 firmware update brings energy readings over Matter, but only to SmartThings and Home Assistant so far. The RRP is £16.99, though Tapo's own UK shop has it for less at the moment.
Best for: Most people, and anyone who wants to see what an appliance costs to run
Skip it if: You already use another brand's smart plugs and app, or you want energy readings to show in Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home rather than the Tapo app.
| Works with | Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri and Apple Home, SmartThings (via Matter) |
|---|---|
| Connection | Wi-Fi, Matter; Bluetooth for setup |
| Energy monitoring | Yes, in the Tapo app |
| Maximum load | 13A |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 2 · BEST VALUE
IKEA GRILLPLATS
around £7 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
IKEA's new smart plug, launched in the UK in spring 2026 to replace the TRETAKT. It uses Matter over Thread rather than Wi-Fi, so it needs a Thread border router for app and voice control. Voice assistants: IKEA says it works with Amazon, Apple, Google, Homey and Samsung systems through Matter. It can also pair straight to an IKEA remote or motion sensor without any hub.
Why we picked it
At £7 it's one of the cheapest ways to get energy monitoring, which IKEA says you can follow in the IKEA Home smart app. T3 noted its energy tracking at launch. IKEA UK owner reviews are mostly positive and several mention adding it to Apple Home or Home Assistant easily. Some owners found it bulky, disliked having to unplug it to scan the code, or reported dropouts and pairing trouble. IKEA also sells it with a remote for £9.
Best for: Anyone with a Thread border router (such as IKEA's DIRIGERA hub, an Apple TV or HomePod mini) who wants cheap plugs with energy monitoring
Skip it if: You don't have a Thread border router and don't want to buy one, or you need a slim plug for a crowded extension lead.
| Works with | Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home, SmartThings, Homey (via Matter) |
|---|---|
| Connection | Matter over Thread (needs a Thread border router) |
| Energy monitoring | Yes |
| Without a hub | Pairs with up to 10 IKEA plugs per remote or motion sensor |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 3
Meross MSS315 Matter Smart Plug Mini (pack of four)
around £45 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A small Wi-Fi smart plug with energy monitoring and Matter, sold in the UK in packs. Voice assistants: Meross lists Apple HomeKit (Siri), Amazon Alexa and Google Home, plus SmartThings and Home Assistant. It needs a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network.
Why we picked it
Mighty Gadget calls it a superb, affordable smart plug with energy monitoring and rates it just as good as the Tapo P110M, if not a bit better. Its Meross app adds a bill estimate, a Standby Killer that switches off when a device drops below a power level you set, and a beta alert for unusual power use. Terence Eden's review found setup easy and the Matter integration quick, but notes energy data stays in the Meross app.
Best for: Fitting out several rooms at once, and people who want extra energy-saving features
Skip it if: You already have Tapo plugs; Mighty Gadget suggests sticking with one brand to avoid juggling apps.
| Works with | Siri and Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home, SmartThings, Home Assistant |
|---|---|
| Connection | 2.4GHz Wi-Fi, Matter |
| Energy monitoring | Yes, in the Meross app |
| Maximum load | 13A |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 4
TP-Link Tapo P304M smart power strip
around £30 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
A four-socket extension lead with a 1.5 m cable, where each socket can be switched separately and has its own energy monitoring. It has surge protection and a button for each socket. Voice assistants: TP-Link lists Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Siri, and it works with SmartThings through Matter.
Why we picked it
Mighty Gadget says it works out cheaper per socket than buying four P110M plugs and gives better control than a smart plug on an ordinary strip. It found Matter setup worked fine and liked that you can turn off the socket lights or schedule a night mode. It handles up to 3,250 W in total, the usual 13A limit for a UK plug.
Best for: Desks and TV stands where several plugs sit together
Skip it if: You want USB charging ports built in; Mighty Gadget points out this strip has none.
| Works with | Alexa, Google Assistant, Siri and Apple Home, SmartThings (via Matter) |
|---|---|
| Sockets | 4, switched and monitored separately |
| Energy monitoring | Yes, per socket |
| Maximum load | 3,250 W, 13A in total |
Retailer links coming soon.
No. 5
Philips Hue Smart Plug
around £35 (price checked 14 Nov 2026)
Hue's plug for UK sockets, which joins your Hue lights in the Hue app. It connects over Bluetooth on its own, or Zigbee through a Hue Bridge, and also acts as a Zigbee repeater. Voice assistants: with a Hue Bridge, Philips lists Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple Home.
Why we picked it
TechRadar names it the best smart plug for lights, praising its compact size and the way it fits into an existing Hue system, and notes the Hue Bridge brings Matter support. Its drawbacks, according to TechRadar, are the price, no energy monitoring, and needing the Bridge to control it away from home. Philips sells it for £34.99, though Black Friday prices at other retailers are lower.
Best for: Homes that already use Philips Hue lights and want a floor or table lamp in the same app and scenes
Skip it if: You want energy monitoring, or you don't have a Hue Bridge and want voice control.
| Works with | Alexa, Google Assistant, Apple Home (Hue Bridge required) |
|---|---|
| Connection | Bluetooth, Zigbee via Hue Bridge |
| Energy monitoring | No |
Retailer links coming soon.
How we chose
We started with the smart plugs recommended by TechRadar and the UK reviewers at Mighty Gadget, then cut the list to plugs sold new in the UK with a UK three-pin plug, at a price we could check today. Several older favourites dropped out: Amazon’s own Smart Plug is currently unavailable on Amazon UK, and the Expert Reviews guide hasn’t been updated since 2023.
Three features mattered most. Energy monitoring, because it shows what an appliance really costs to run. Matter, because it lets one plug work with Alexa, Google Home, Apple Home and SmartThings, so you’re not locked into one system. And plain clarity on which voice assistants each plug works with, which every pick spells out.
We also looked at how each plug connects. Wi-Fi plugs from Tapo and Meross need no hub. IKEA’s GRILLPLATS uses Thread, which is cheaper and low-power but needs a border router. The Philips Hue plug is for people who already have Hue lights.
This guide is based on manufacturer specs, UK retailer listings, owner reviews and the expert reviews listed below. We haven’t tested these plugs ourselves. Where owners or reviewers report problems, as some do with the IKEA plug, we say so.
Prices move a lot around Black Friday. We checked them on the date shown beside each pick, and multi-packs often work out cheaper per plug.
Sources
- TechRadar: The best smart plugs 2026
- Mighty Gadget: TP-Link Tapo P110M smart plug review
- Tapo UK: Tapo P110M mini smart Wi-Fi plug, energy monitoring
- Tapo UK store: Tapo P110M
- TP-Link UK: TP-Link enhances Matter compatibility with energy monitoring via firmware update
- IKEA UK: GRILLPLATS plug, smart
- IKEA UK: GRILLPLATS plug with remote control, smart
- IKEA newsroom: The new smart home from IKEA
- T3: IKEA's new smart plug tracks energy usage
- Mighty Gadget: Meross MSS315 Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini review
- Terence Eden: Review of Matter-enabled energy monitoring smart plugs, Meross 315
- Amazon UK: Meross MSS315 Matter Smart Plug Mini with Energy Monitoring 4-Pack
- Mighty Gadget: Tapo P304M smart strip review
- Tapo UK: Tapo P304M smart Wi-Fi power strip
- Toolstation: TP-Link Tapo P304M smart plug power strip
- Philips Hue UK: Hue Smart Plug
- PriceSpy UK: Philips Hue Smart Plug UK
FAQs
What is Matter, and do I need it?
Matter is a shared smart home standard backed by Apple, Google, Amazon and Samsung, so a Matter plug can be added to any of their apps and even to more than one at once. It's not essential if you only use one voice assistant, but it makes a plug less likely to be stranded if you switch systems or the maker's app disappears.
Can I see energy use in Alexa, Google Home or Apple Home?
Mostly not yet. On the Tapo and Meross plugs here, energy readings live in the maker's own app. TP-Link says a firmware update brings energy data over Matter to the Tapo P110M, but so far only SmartThings and Home Assistant can show it.
Do I need a hub?
Not for the Tapo or Meross plugs, which connect to your Wi-Fi. IKEA's GRILLPLATS uses Thread, so it needs a Thread border router such as IKEA's DIRIGERA hub for app or voice control. The Philips Hue plug works over Bluetooth on its own, but needs a Hue Bridge for voice control and control away from home.
Will a smart plug cut my energy bill?
Only if it changes what you do. TechRadar notes they save money mainly for people who forget to switch things off. Energy monitoring helps by showing which appliances cost the most to run, and Tapo's app can estimate your bill and schedule devices for off-peak hours.
Last updated 14 Nov 2026.