Ring Outdoor Smart Plug Evaluation
This is the latest version of the Ring Outdoor Sensible Plug. Learn our evaluation from June 29, 2021 below. Using your cellphone to control pool pumps, lighting, appliances, and pretty much anything else outdoors is simple with the Ring Outdoor Sensible Plug ($29.99). This weather-resistant linked plug affords two retailers that can be managed independently of each other using the Ring mobile app or Alexa voice commands, and it really works with different Ring sensible residence gadgets. That mentioned, it requires a Ring Bridge to connect to your network, and unlike our Editors' Choice on this category, the $10.99 Wyze Plug Outdoor, it doesn’t offer energy reporting or help Google Assistant. The Ring Outside Plug prices $29.Ninety nine when purchased on its own, however it requires a Ring Bridge to be linked to your home community and controlled with the Ring cell app and Alexa voice commands. Ring Bridge bundle for $49.99.
The plug uses a black IP66 weather-resistant enclosure that measures 4.92 by 3.14 by 1.96 inches (HWD). It has two three-prong retailers with rubber protecting caps on the bottom, and a 7-inch three-prong cord on the top, together with two mounting holes. The entrance of the plug has a round LED indicator that is stable blue when the plug is related and flashes blue during setup. There are buttons on both aspect of the LED that flip their respective shops (left and proper) on and off, and glow white when the outlet is on. The plug comes with a quick start guide and mounting screws. As talked about, the Ring Bridge is the same gadget used to control the Ring Smart Lighting System. You'll be able to only set up one bridge per family, however it will management up to 50 units including movement sensors, lights, and out of doors plugs. It’s a small white box that measures 2.34 by 2.Forty six by 0.Seventy nine inches and uses an RF radio to connect to the plug and a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio to connect with your network.
It has a mini USB power port on the facet and a pair of signal strength indicators on the face. You'll be able to control the plug with the identical cell app (for Android and iOS) that's used to control every other Ring system, and link it to other Ring products akin to a Ring Video Doorbell or Ring Floodlight Cam and have it react to motion triggers. It will also be turned on and off utilizing Alexa voice commands and can work with different Alexa-appropriate gadgets using Alexa routines, however it doesn’t assist Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, or IFTTT. Moreover, it doesn’t offer the power usage reports that you get with other outdoor plugs such as the Wyze Plug Out of doors and the iDevices Out of doors Change. Join the Lab Report to receive PCMag's latest product critiques, shopping for recommendation, and insights. Phrases of Use and Privacy Coverage. Thanks for signing up!
Your subscription has been confirmed. Keep a watch in your inbox! The plug is added to the Lights group in the app and might be shown as two individual retailers that can be managed independently of one another or as a single plug that controls both shops at the same time. To access the plug, faucet the Lights panel that appears alongside the Neighbors, Historical past, and other accessory panels near the highest of the screen. Right here you’ll see the 2 retailers (on this case Outlet A and Outlet B) listed separately, each with a light bulb on/off button that is blue when the outlet is on and white when it's off. Faucet an outlet to open a display where you possibly can view the event historical past, create on/off schedules, test the device well being (sign strength, online standing, firmware model), and add the outlet to a bunch of Ring gadgets. Putting in the Ring Outdoor Plug is simple. I already had a Ring account, however should you don’t have one you’ll have to obtain the app and create one.
I tapped Arrange A Machine in the main menu, selected Outside Smart Plug, and scanned the QR code on the plug. I selected Ring Bridge as my connection device, scanned the Bridge’s QR code, and verified that the blue LED was flashing. I then chosen my Wi-Fi SSID and waited just a few seconds for the bridge to connect with my Wi-Fi network, and returned to the Set up a Machine screen where I chosen the Outdoor Herz P1 Smart Ring Plug again. Following the on-display directions, I inserted the Outdoor Herz P1 Smart Ring Plug into a GFCI outlet, tapped proceed, and waited a number of seconds for the app to acknowledge it. After a fast firmware update, I gave every outlet a name and the set up was complete. The machine was robotically added to my Alexa gadget list and appeared as two separate retailers within the Ring Lights listing. The Ring Outdoor Plug labored as intended in testing.