Smart plugs are everywhere these days, with every company connected under the sun having their own convenient controllers. The fairly simple nature of smart plugs, although it does not offer too many ways to differentiate products, which leads to choosing what is cheaper and supports the smart platform at home.

The lack of differences is especially evident in the HomeKit world, where fans have only a handful of options that are outside the mold with a single outlet. One of the latest plug-ins to enter the market, however, Meril Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug aims to consolidate the category, offering a slightly larger plug that offers two outlets in one.

I tested the new plug in the last few weeks and found that it offers almost everything you could want in a smart outlet. Affordable pricing, responsive controls, easy pairing and support for HomeKit, Alexa and Google Assistant, it has it all. In addition, it comes with the added bonus of having the additional outlet independently controlled.

Two in one

Meross Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug: features

At first glance, the Smart Meross Dual Wi-Fi plug looks similar to most smart plugs on the market, except for the slightly wider design and the presence of a second socket. The plug has a white plastic body, with a slight entrance lip that unfolds around the face to give it a slightly more visual flame. The plug measures about 4.5 inches at its widest point and is only 1.6 inches high, which allows it to operate without locking the second container in the standard North American electrical outlet.

Around the right side of the plug is a physical button that acts as a way to switch the power of both outlets with a simple push. The button is also used to perform a factory reset, which is engaged by pressing and holding for a few seconds. The output has a single LED indicator light on the front, which glows solid green when an outlet is turned on and flashes in pairing mode. Apart from the button, the light and the sockets themselves, the only landmark of the hardware is the HomeKit configuration code, which is attached to the top of the plug.

The dual plug accepts a maximum of 10 amps and has no weather resistance, as it is intended for indoor use only. For smart functions, the plug communicates to home networks via 2.4 ghz Wi-Fi without a dedicated hub and can be associated directly from the box with the Apple Home application on iOS. When paired in this way, a separate application download or account registration is not required; however, for Android users, both are required to get it up and running.

Once connected, both jacks of the device are available for remote controls through various applications or voice controls. The output points can be controlled independently, which means that you can switch one off while the other remains on, although this can only be done via the remote controls, not the physical button. With HomeKit, each socket is available for use in scenes and automation, and through the Meross app, you can set timers and programs, but scenes are limited to Meross devices only.

Still weak

Meross Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug: What I like

As with other HomeKit accessories, setting up the Meross Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug is quick, easy and hassle-free. The plug-in can be associated directly with HomeKit via the Home application, without the need to download the Meross application or register an account. In combination with the simple plug and play nature of the product category, it only takes a minute or two to start switching and disabling remotely connected devices.

Turning to the design, I like that the dual plug is so thin that it doesn't block the other socket on the wall. While you certainly can’t use a bulky plug above or below the outlet, it works with typical heads, which can be crucial if the space is excellent. Of course, with the slim design, I just had to try to connect two of the dual sockets in the same container and I'm happy to report that they really fit well.

Speaking of space, another thing I like about the dual jack is that it offers a lot of space between the two sockets on the device. During testing, I tried to connect a larger combination of bricks and power plugs and found that the dual plug was able to accommodate almost anything I could throw at it, only the largest blocks used for things like cable modems causing a problem. Finally, despite the spacious camera and slim design, the double stopper is not as wide as you would expect, which prevents it from sticking too much to the wall.

The performance of the plug-in was about as good, with fast response times and a stable and reliable connection to the HomeKit. Switching a socket in the Home or Siri app changed the device in a second, with most cases feeling like it happened instantly. The dual plug did not offer me any situation in which it does not respond through the Home application and I did not see any case in which the plug took a little more than a second or two to update its status.

-One for two?

Meross Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug: What I do not like

Even though the sockets on the double plug can be controlled individually remotely, there is only one device with a physical button. When pressed, the button activates both sockets at the same time, which is not the biggest offer, as I don't expect to use the controls on the device often, but the separate buttons are a bit of a strange omission. .

Another minor complaint I have is that Meross Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug does not support power monitoring. I assume this is due to the desire to keep costs low, which is a perfect compromise, but being able to check the amount of energy a device uses can be quite useful. It is something that only adds general value.

My final issue is that the Meross app and an account are required to perform firmware updates, as with other Meross products I've tested. I would definitely like Meross to implement a way to request access to HomeKit data, which would automatically bring the company's accessories into the app without the registration process to keep things simple.

Twos great

Meross Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug: Bottom line

4.5
of 5

With an affordable price and two individually controlled sockets, there is no doubt that Meross Smart Wi-Fi Dual Plug is one of the best smart plugs available today. Add great performance, high levels of reliability and support to all your important voice assistants and get an incredible accessory.

Sure, there are some minor flaws, such as just one button on the device and a lack of power monitoring, but it's so much loved about the dual Meross plug. If you need two outlets in a space-saving design or just one smart outlet in general, it's hard to go wrong with this smart combination.