Philips Hue Smart Plug test: a useful connected plug in the Hue ecosystem

Better late than never. Even though the Hue Smart Plug was released in 2019, we’re trying to catch up. The smart plug is one of the most compact we’ve tested. At 51mm wide, 80.6mm deep and just 100g, it fits into any outlet. Only the Konyks Priska Max Easy is more discreet.

In white plastic, it is made up of a type E plug, obviously compatible with French sockets. Only one ground plug is present on the Philips, which is quite classic for a socket. However, Meross surprised us by equipping its Smart Wi-Fi Plug MSS310 with two earth plugs. Very practical when connecting the device, but this remains a detail.

Traditionally, a switch sits on the side of the socket to turn it on and off. A LED then lights up in red or green depending on its state.

The Hue Smart Plug delivers up to 2300 W and 10 A, the equivalent of the Amazon Smart Plug. If that may seem weak, the Philips Hue makes up for it with more than appreciable connectivity. Indeed, the socket is compatible with both Bluetooth and ZigBee. To make this last connection, you have to go through the Hue Bridge. This connects to the home’s Internet network via Ethernet and then communicates with the Hue devices via ZigBee.

If it is possible to control the socket remotely via the app, other devices are capable of it. The Bridge actually allows Hue equipment to interact, and therefore to switch on the socket via the Smart Button or a motion detector, for example.

The Smart Plug is also compatible with various voice assistants. We find the unbeatable Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, but also Apple HomeKit and Microsoft Cortana, the latter two only via the connection bridge.

Apart from these features, the Philips smart plug is basic to say the least. No timer or even Away mode to simulate being at home. Above all, the Smart Plug does not offer consumption monitoring, which is very popular on the TP-Link Tapo P110.

We start by pairing the Hue Smart Plug via the ZigBee connection bridge. You must then plug it in near the Bridge and open the Hue app. The procedure goes smoothly: the Hue Bridge is quickly detected, as is the connected plug which now appears in the app, in the “lamps” category.

Indeed, Philips naturally considers that the Smart Plug commands a new lamp, which is not necessarily the case. The user can indeed choose to integrate a non-connected lamp into the Hue universe by plugging it into the connected socket, but a multitude of options are available to him. He may prefer to connect a fan, a coffee maker, an air purifier. In short, anything is possible.

Once registered, the socket is operational. Some features are unlocked on the app, even if they are very limited. In particular, it is possible to create routines to turn the Smart Plug off or on at fixed times. But it is above all the automations that are interesting. Thanks to this option, the connected objects integrated into the Hue universe can interact. The user can decide to switch on the socket when he wakes up at the same time as his lighting, for example. This is all the more significant that by connecting to your Hue account, the equipment can be controlled remotely, outside the home. If this functionality is an undeniable asset, it is unfortunately one of the only ones offered by the Smart Plug.

We then decide to pair the socket via Bluetooth. It’s happening this time on the Hue BT app. While the pairing procedure is different, it’s just as simple. Once Bluetooth is activated, the app detects the socket which is then available. Via this procedure, there is no need to buy a connection bridge to benefit from the options; however, it is not possible to control the socket remotely. It’s up to you to decide which option is best for you.