The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip adds basic smart functionality to your home appliances. “Dumb” devices like fans, air purifiers and lamps can behave like a smart device just by plugging them into the power strip's (also known as KP303) three smart outlets. You'll need to download the Kasa Smart app (available for iOS and Android) to control the connected devices. But it is relatively simple even for novices to set up everything in a jiffy.
Quick specs
- 3 smart outlets and 2 USB ports
- Built-in surge protector
- Supports Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n (2.4GHz)
In my case, the KP303 is set to turn off the plugged-in night light in my kid's room at 630am in the morning. I also set the outlet to turn back on at 9pm, just before my child's bedtime. Each outlet gets its own set of custom rules, which are easy to create in the Kasa app. You can also control all three outlets, as well as other Kasa smart home devices, such as its bulbs and plugs, together in a custom scene. The app supports three types of actions (Motion sensing, schedule and timer), depending on your smart devices. For instance, a “Good Night” scene could turn off all the devices at a specific time. Or you could set devices such as lights to turn on when a Kasa security camera senses the motion of a potential intruder.
And with support for the Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, you can even use voice commands to control plugged in devices. But I rarely use the voice functionality since my use cases are simple enough that I can just set and forget. As long as the home router is running, there have been no issues with the power strip. The Wi-Fi connection has been rock stable, probably because the KP303 uses the 2.4GHz frequency band, which has longer range than 5GHz.
In addition to the three outlets, the two USB ports (5V) are handy for charging smartphones and wearables (no fast charging). They don't provide enough juice for laptops. There is, however, a built-in surge protector to protect connected devices from electrical surges and spikes. The only other improvement that TP-Link could make is to add a power consumption meter, but that's probably asking too much.
The TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip was exclusive to Challenger at launch late last year. But it is now available at Shopee and Lazada. Given that TP-Link sells a pair of smart plugs at S$44, the power strip is relatively affordable at S$75, especially with its USB ports and surge protector.
Note: Review unit provided by TP-Link.
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