Shelly Plug US Gen4 Review: The $19.99 Smart Plug That Does It All

Shelly Plug US Gen4 Review: The $19.99 Smart Plug That Does It All | PCMag

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Editors' Choice 4.5 Outstanding this.$refs.template.innerHTML, onCreate: (instance) => this.tippyInstance = instance, onShow: (instance) => { this.escapeHandler = (e) => { if (e.key === 'Escape') instance.hide(); }; window.addEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); }, onHide: (instance) => { if (this.escapeHandler) { window.removeEventListener('keydown', this.escapeHandler); this.escapeHandler = null; } }, onMount: (instance) => { const closeBtn = instance.popper.querySelector('[data-tooltip-close]'); if (closeBtn) closeBtn.addEventListener('click', () => instance.hide()); }, }; }, }">   What Our Ratings Mean 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies. The Bottom Line The Shelly Plug US Gen4 is an affordable, compact smart plug that stands out with Matter, Zigbee, and Wi-Fi support, reliable performance, and advanced energy monitoring with built-in safety features. MSRP $19.99 $24.99 $24 at Walmart PCMag editors select and review products independently. If you buy through affiliate links, we may earn commissions, which help support our testing.

Pros & Cons Supports multiple wireless technologies, including Matter Wide home automation platform support Zigbee radio Energy reports Power protection Reasonably priced Lacks native IFTTT support Shelly Plug US Gen4 Specs Name Value tr:nth-of-type(n+6)]:hidden" :class="{ '[&>tr:nth-of-type(n+6)]:!table-row': open }"> Size 1.5 by 2.5 by 2.0 inches Amazon Alexa Apple HomeKit Apple Siri Energy Reporting Google Assistant IFTTT More Specs

Matter-enabled smart plugs work with most of the widely used home automation platforms, such as Alexa, Google, HomeKit, and SmartThings, but the Shelly Plug US Gen4 adds another dimension with support for the Zigbee wireless protocol (along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth). This single-outlet plug has a compact design, supports voice control, and offers detailed power usage reports. Moreover, it will automatically shut down if your power consumption exceeds a threshold. At $19.99, it’s reasonably priced for a smart plug that offers so many features and earns an Editors’ Choice award alongside the TP-Link Tapo P110M ($29.99 for a two-pack), which costs even less but doesn't support Zigbee.Design and Features: Compact Size, Thoughtful DetailsAvailable in black or white, the Gen4 is a 15A plug that can handle a 1,800W load. It measures 1.5 by 2.5 by 2.0 inches (HWD) and is small enough to fit in a two-outlet receptacle without blocking the second outlet. The front of the plug holds a three-prong outlet, a control button, and an ambient light sensor. The control button turns the plug on and off with a single press, and the light sensor can be used to turn it on or off based on the room's lighting.Holding the button down for ten seconds resets the plug to its factory defaults, and pressing it three times in quick succession toggles between Matter mode (default) and Zigbee mode. The back holds a three-prong plug and an LED indicator light that flashes blue while the plug is in pairing mode, flashes red when it is trying to connect to the internet, and glows solid green when it is connected and powered on. (Credit: John R. Delaney) Features: Matter, Zigbee, and Deep Energy InsightsThe Gen4 plug is Matter-enabled, which means you can add it to your Apple HomeKit, Amazon Alexa, Google H