Warning: Don't buy a generic smart plug without checking the app first

Gray Lewis · 2026-03-21T19:00:09.722264+00:00

I grabbed a no-name smart plug for $8 on a deal site and a name-brand one for $25 at Target. The cheap one worked, but the app was a total mess. It needed constant re-logins, the scheduling feature crashed twice, and it took a full 30 seconds just to turn a light on from my phone. The name-brand plug connected instantly every time and the app just worked. The hardware felt the same, but the software made the expensive one worth every penny. It turned a cool gadget into something I actually use daily instead of fighting with. Has anyone else found a reliable off-brand with a decent app, or is it always worth paying for the known brand?

sarah_hart6mo ago

Ever try flashing cheap plugs with custom firmware, @miles798?

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miles7986mo ago

Totally feel that. Bought a cheap one once and the app was so bad it just collected dust. Now I only buy the brand names, the software is the whole point.

6

gonzalez.wesley5mo ago

Sarah, that dust collector thing hit too close to home. My cheap one is sitting in a drawer right now, I gave up after the third time the app logged me out right when I was trying to set a timer for a lamp in my living room. It's weird how a $10 device can make you feel like you're wasting $10 every time you use it.

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