As summer begins to fall, I can already see stores slowly bringing out some Christmas items, and there's one thing you should have ready in advance: an outdoor smart plug. For outdoor Christmas decorations, Christmas trees, etc., smart plugs that can withstand moisture and cold weather are a must-have. Leviton recently delivered a new Matter-compatible smart plug that works perfectly with HomeKit.

HomeKit Weekly is a series focused on smart home accessories, automation tips and tricks, and everything related to Apple's smart home framework. Why can't you use indoor plugs outside? You might be tempted to think, “A smart plug is a smart plug, right? Why can't I just use my indoor smart plug outside?” Well, it's not that simple. I mean, technically they'll work, but they probably won't last a full season.

Indoor smart plugs lack the weather resistance that their outdoor counterparts have. This includes resistance to rain, snow and even the sun's UV rays if it is in an uncovered area. These aren't just nice-to-have features; they are essential for safe operation and to ensure that the product lasts year after year.

Hardware Information The Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter has strong weather protection, designed to withstand the elements over a wide operating temperature range (-20F to 122F) and an IP65 rating to protect against dirt, dust, moisture, rain, sprinklers, hoses, snow and UV corrosion. Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter Hardware Automation

One thing I really like about the Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter in my testing is that it brings with it hardware automation that I haven't seen in a HomeKit product before. As standard, it has a built-in light sensor that can automatically turn on lights, lights, etc. during evening hours and turn off during daylight hours, without the need to program a schedule or create an automation.

While I have no issues using HomeKit automations, this is a perfect complement to a smart plug. I would like to see more suppliers working with this type of automation in the future. However, if you want, you can disable it in the My Leviton app. It certainly gives me some ideas for future hardware automations that should be built into other products.

Adding a Matter device to HomeKit Much of what made HomeKit easy to use is at the heart of Matter. What Matter makes possible as a HomeKit user is that if you ever want to switch to Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa in the future, you know that all your Matter devices can be easily reused. The QR code-based onboarding of Matter devices is very similar to that of HomeKit devices. Leviton lists the Matter code on the bottom of the device, but they also list it in the manual. Especially for outdoor devices, I appreciate having a backup code in case weather over the years fades the original code.

One thing HomeKit has gotten a lot better at over the years is recommending some automations during setup. As you can see in the photo above, the first two automations are perfect for an outdoor lamp. I want it to come on at sunset, but go off at 11pm.

Summary of Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter Leviton has delivered a great product here with its outdoor smart plug. I love that it supports Matter out-of-the-box without the need for a firmware update. I love the built-in hardware automation. It is a well made device that I will definitely use on our porch this Christmas to power some Christmas decorations. You can purchase the new Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter from Amazon or Home Depot. FTC: We use monetized auto-affiliate links. More.