If you're looking to dip your toe into the smart home waters, a smart plug like the myTouchSmart Wi-Fi Smart Plug from Jasco ($34.99) is a good place to start. This single-outlet plug connects to your home's Wi-Fi and offers multiple scheduling options as well as Alexa and Google Assistant voice control. It's very easy to install and gives you a nice selection of scheduling options, but it lacks the support for third-party integrations that you get with our Editors' Choice, the iHome iSP6X SmartPlug.
Design and Features
At 1.5 by 3.5 by 1.3 inches (HWD), the myTouch Smart Plug is wider than the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini, but not quite as wide as the dual-outlet Syncwire 2-in-1 Mini Wi-Fi Smart Outlet. The front of the plug holds a single three-prong outlet and a backlit On/Off button that glows solid blue when the plug is on and flashes blue when you hold it down for 10 seconds to reset the plug. The back has a three-prong plug that is positioned in such a way that allows the device to be used with a typical power strip or a two-outlet wall receptacle without blocking access to neighboring outlets.
The myTouchSmart Plug is controlled using a free Android or iOS mobile app. When you open the app you see a Device screen with a list of all installed plugs and two buttons. The All On button turns all of your myTouchSmart plugs on at once, and the All Off turns them off.
Tap the light bulb icon at the far right of each plug tab to turn that plug on or off, and tap the pencil icon to edit the plug's name, add a picture, check the firmware version, and delete the device. Tapping the plug name takes you to a Programs screen with several scheduling options including Evening, Dusk to Dawn, Morning, My Countdown, My Extra Programs, and All Programs.
Similar Products
Belkin WeMo Insight Smart Plug
iHome iSP6X SmartPlug
iHome iSP100 Outdoor SmartPlug
Aukey Wi-Fi Smart Plug
iDevices Switch
Belkin Wemo Mini Smart Plug
TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini
The Evening and Morning presets are customizable and can be run every day of the week or only on specific days. The My Countdown program lets you set a countdown timer ranging from one minute up to 24 hours, and the Dusk to Dawn program turns the plug on at dusk and off at dawn using your local sunrise/sunset schedule. As with the above-mentioned programs, you can use this every day of the week or only on specific days, and the times are customizable. My Extra Programs is where you go to create your own custom schedules, and you can use the All Programs screen to see what programs are active and to turn each one on or off.
Use the buttons along the bottom of the Devices screen to add new devices and to create groups that allow you to control two or more devices at the same time. The Support button contains FAQs, a place to leave feedback, programming instructions, and directions on how to set the plug up to work with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.
Installation and Performance
Installing the myTouchSmart plug couldn't be easier. I plugged it into a wall outlet, downloaded the app, created an account, and tapped Find New Device. Once I entered my Wi-Fi password and tapped Connect, the plug was installed.
The myTouchSmart Plug worked as advertised. It responded instantly to on and off commands using the app and followed my custom programs without issue. Alexa voice commands also worked without a hitch.
While you can turn the plug on and off with your voice, it doesn't directly integrate with other smart devices or support IFTTT applets that allow it to trigger other IFTTT-enabled devices. It also lacks the support for Apple's HomeKit platform that you get with the iHome iSP6X SmartPlug, the iDevices Switch, and the iHome iSP100 Outdoor SmartPlug, and it doesn't provide power usage reporting like the Belkin WeMo Insight Smart Plug and the TP-Link Kasa.
Conclusions
The Jasco myTouchSmart Wi-Fi Smart Plug offers an easy way to turn things like lamps and small appliances into smart home devices. You can use one of the preset schedules to have the plug turn on and off at certain times of the day and days of the week, or create your own custom schedule. The plug can be turned on and off with the mobile app, and with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. But it doesn't support Apple HomeKit or Siri voice commands, nor does it integrate with third-party devices or support IFTTT applets. The iHome iSP6X SmartPlug does, and it costs $5 less, which is why it remains our Editors' Choice.
The myTouchSmart Wi-Fi Smart Plug from Jasco lets you control lamps and other small appliances from your phone and with your voice, but it doesn't do much else.
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