Smart homes might center around smart speakers, lights and interesting gadgets, but smart plugs are the unsung heroes, quietly turning everyday devices into the smartest versions of themselves. The $30 Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini by TP-Link does just that with a simple setup, great scheduling options and Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant compatibility.

The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini fits into any standard outlet, and its rectangular design keeps the plug from blocking outlets above or below it. With so many smart plugs on the market, that's a requirement for me these days. An LED on the side of the plug indicates connectivity, and a manual power button on the end offers a way to turn the plug on and off at the outlet.

Setting up the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini doesn't take much time at all. Plug it into your outlet and watch for the LED to blink amber and blue to indicate pairing mode. Download the Kasa app, then log in or create an account. The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Mini works with your Wi-Fi, so you'll need a good 2.4GHz internet connection. 

Once you've paired the plug and connected it to your Wi-Fi by following the steps in the app, everything is ready to go. The entire setup process took me less than 10 minutes. I tested out the smart plug with a table lamp, but supported load types reach up to 1,500 watts for appliances like heaters and irons.