Smart plugs are the cheapest, easiest way into a smart home — three genuinely good options from a no-frills budget pick to a hub-free, cloud-free premium option, with an honest look at whether Matter and Thread support are worth paying extra for.
TP-Link Tapo P110: Includes energy monitoring even at this low price — unusual for a budget plug — and needs no hub, just your home Wi-Fi. Which?'s smart-plug safety testing specifically praised the Tapo Mini line as 'a good, and cheap, option.'
Worth knowing: No Matter or Apple HomeKit support — locked to Alexa and Google Home only.Check price at Amazon UK →Price last checked: 28 July 2026
TP-Link Tapo P110M: Matter certification means it works natively with Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home and Samsung SmartThings without a hub. Trusted Reviews: 'if you need a single smart plug, there's little reason to look elsewhere.'
Worth knowing: The manual power button is awkwardly placed on the side, and energy-monitoring stats are only visible in TP-Link's own app, not through Alexa or Apple Home.Check price at Amazon UK →Price last checked: 28 July 2026
Eve Energy (Matter): Runs over Thread rather than Wi-Fi for more stable mesh networking, with no Eve account, cloud dependency or registration required. TechRadar's best smart plugs guide names it best overall, calling the Matter support 'a big bonus.'
Worth knowing: Roughly three to four times the price of the budget pick for the same core function, and needs an existing Thread border router for control away from home.Check price at Amazon UK →Price last checked: 28 July 2026