Humax is better known for its Freeview set-top boxes, but has branched out into smart home devices, starting with this smart plug. One way is to use the IFTTT(If This Then That) service, which lets you pair restrictive smart home devices with some third-party apps. Ring With smart plugs, it's also important to consider the number of outlets a smart plug offers. The majority will have one, but if you have several devices close together than you want to control from your smartphone, a power strip, which can have up to four smart outlets in one device, will be a more cost effective solution. You can also set it up as one of multiple devices that come on at the same time or automate its timings to switch on (or off) when one of a number of conditions is met, including outside temperature, humidity level or sunrise and sunset.

They might look like an ordinary adaptor or extension lead, but they can do so much more, connecting to your wifi and letting you manage your gadgets from an app on your phone.Setting up timers is possible using the Scenes tab in the app, but creating a schedule is more complicated than in other apps, such as TP-Link’s. While it can be a little fiddly getting it set up, once you’ve got your Routines going, they can really make your life easier and save you a lot of time. You’ll never have to worry about whether you’ve left the oven on again, as you can be sure that you’ve already told Alexa to turn it off for you (though you don’t need to tell whoever you’re using it as an excuse that, of course!). The Hey! smart plug is affordable, practical and easy to use, with no hub required. It’s the same hardware as the Humax, but the Hey! app is different. It’s compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant, so you can use voice commands for basic functions if you prefer.

It offers almost all of the functions we’d expect, such as being able to set schedules and even create automations where other TP-Link branded products work in tandem alongside the smart plug. There are also two USB ports on the power strip. Although these aren’t smart, these are still handy if you need an extra outlet to charge your devices, for example.You also have the option to automate by weather conditions and device status or to set up a one-tap system that has your plug switch on at the same time as other smart products (so you can, for example, turn on all your lights at once).