Are you in the market for a smart plug? With so smart plug choices, it is hard to know which one is right for you. Shelly makes great smart home products, so naturally, when looking at smart plugs, I check to see what Shelly offers. I have previously reviewed the Shelly Plug US, and at the time I thought it was one of the best smart plugs out there. The Shelly Plus Plug US is its successor. How much, if any, does it improve on its predecessor? Read on to find out.
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Table of Contents
Shelly Plus Plug US description and specifications
- Shelly Plus Plug US is a Next-Generation Wi-Fi operated smart Plug (ETL certified) with a power monitoring and integrated countdown timer for pre-set actions – switch on/off. Shelly Plus Plug US can automatically monitor and control lighting, heating, or any other connected electrical appliance at home with power up 1800 watts at 15A
- SAVE MONEY & ENERGY- Shelly Plus Plug US gives you precise consumption information for each electrical appliance plugged in it. Choose the best power mode for your home and save on excess energy without sacrificing your comfort. Pay less for energy and live more comfortably with your Shelly Plus Plug US.
The Shelly Plus Plug US is a smart plug that also does energy monitoring. Like other smart plugs, it gives you the ability to remotely control power to devices. You can set schedules and integrate them with Alexa and Google Home
| Size (HxWxD): | 1.5 x 3.3 x 2 inches |
| Weight: | 2.47 oz |
| Power consumption: | < 1 watt |
| Maximum current: | 15 Amps |
| Overload protection: | Yes (current, voltage, and power) |
| Power monitoring: | Yes |
| Wi-Fi Protocol: | 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth Protocol: | 4.2 |
| API/Protocol support: | MQTT, mJS, Webhooks, Cloud, App, REST |
Over the last couple of years, Shelly has upgraded many items in its product line to “Plus” versions. For example, their excellent Shelly 1 relay series of relays now have corresponding Shelly Plus 1 versions.
Key differences between Shelly Plug US and Shelly Plus Plug US
The upgrades, in my opinion, have been all positive. In this case, the Shelly Plus Plug US adds the following capabilities to the original model:
- Bluetooth capabilities to make setup and pairing even simpler than it was before if you use Shelly’s app
- They can work in AP, client, and Bluetooth modes at the same time
- The ability to run MQTT and still have access to cloud control
- An increased number of webhooks triggered by device actions
- A brand new streamlined user interface
Even after adding these features, it still maintains all of the functionality of the Shelly Plug US, including an embedded web server, power monitoring, native integration with Home Assistant, and a 15 amp capacity that matches the ratings of most US household circuits.
Shelly Plus Plug US setup and use
Setting up this device is really just like all the other Shelly devices I have owned. Plug it in and then connect to its Wi-Fi access point and configure it via the embedded web server. You can also use the app, which is probably even easier, but I don’t use that. You can follow the same instructions I outlined for the Shelly 1 relay, but the user interface will be more modern.
The above screenshot is the home page of the updated interface. It shows watts, voltage, amperage, and protections. You can customize the overpower, overcurrent, and overvoltage protection cutoffs.
The rest of the interface for all of the functions and features has been similarly streamlined and modernized.
I should also mention that this smart plug does not block additional outlets, as you can see from this picture below
Integration with Home Assistant and other ecosystems
Integration with other ecosystems like Home Assistant, SmartThings, Homey, Hubitat, openHab, Google Home, and Alexa is natively supported. Home Assistant has a native integration that supports power monitoring and on/off features. The setup takes seconds.
You can always use the MQTT or REST API if you don’t have a native integration with your smart home controller of choice, or if you want to set up a custom integration.
Final thoughts
There original Shelly Plug US was already my go-to smart plug because of its price, reliability, easy integration capabilities, and power monitoring features. The Shelly Plus Plug US adds more capabilities while maintaining favorable pricing. It is my new go-to smart plug and it should be on your shortlist when you are looking for one.
If you want to compare the Shelly Plus Plug US against other options, be sure to check out the HomeTechHacker Smart Plug Technology Advisor for personalized advice on which smart plug you should choose.
Do you have a favorite smart plug? Let me know in the comments or on Twitter.
