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Smart plugs

Best Zigbee Smart Plug for Home Assistant (2026)

The one plug we'd buy again, and the one we'd pull out of the ground. Tested on a washing machine, front lights, greenhouse lights, and farm pumps.

By Andrew · Tested in the HovelHack farmhouse · Updated October 2026

At a glance

Best overall ThirdReality Smart Plug 4.5 / 5 Avoid for anything important Etekcity Outdoor Plug 2.0 / 5
PWR METERSIDE BTN
FIG. ThirdReality Smart Plug
#1
Best overall

ThirdReality Smart Plug Gen2 (3RSP02028BZ)

4.5 / 5

Local control, real energy metering, and it repeats Zigbee signal. Turns any appliance into a 'done' alert.

  • Reports watts, amps, and volts, which is enough to tell when an appliance is running
  • Pairs straight into Home Assistant's ZHA, no vendor app or account
  • Chunky body can block the second outlet on some wall plates
Check price at ThirdReality → Amazon →
Read the full review →
2.4 GHZ · CLOUDIP44
FIG. Etekcity Outdoor Plug
#2
Avoid for anything important

Etekcity VeSync Outdoor Smart Plug (ESO15-TB)

2.0 / 5

Cloud-only. We logged 9,114 rate-limit errors and lost four of six sockets in Home Assistant.

  • Outdoor-rated, with two independently controlled sockets
  • Simple setup in the VeSync app
  • No local control. Home Assistant has to go through VeSync's servers
  • We logged 9,114 'API rate limit exceeded' errors and four sockets went unavailable
Read the full review →

Side by side

ThirdReality Smart PlugEtekcity Outdoor Plug
Our score4.52.0
Works offline✓ Yes✕ No
ProtocolZigbeeWi-Fi (2.4 GHz)
Energy meteringWatts, amps, volts—
Mesh roleRouter (repeats signal)—
Needs cloudNo—
Vendor app requiredNo—

What makes a smart plug worth buying

  1. Local control. It keeps working when the internet or the company’s servers don’t.
  2. Energy metering. Watts are the cheapest sensor in your house. A plug that reports power can tell you when a washer, dryer, sump pump, or freezer is running, or has stopped.
  3. It repeats signal. Always-on Zigbee plugs relay messages for battery sensors and non-repeating bulbs. That’s free mesh strength.

The ThirdReality plug does all three. The Etekcity outdoor plug does none of them through Home Assistant, which is why it ranks last.

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