If you already have Philips Hue and want to transform your lamps into smart lights, the Philips Hue Smart plug is the ideal fit. It will work seamlessly with your other smart devices as well. The downside is that it is more expensive than other brands of smart plugs.
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How does Philips Hue Smart Plug Work
The Philips Hue Smart Plug looks almost identical to lots of other commonly available smart plugs, it’s a squat, wide, single-outlet device that fits almost into a single socket on your wall outlet. It is short enough and just wider than the wall plate, which means it will not block the other socket from being used.
This unassuming, small plug allows you to turn any light into a smart light and you have ability to control it through voice or Hue app. If you have Hue bridge, you can unlock more features, but you also can control it without Hue bridge.
You can toggle your Hue smart plug on or off within the Hue app. You also can create your favorite routines to automate them. For example, you can create a goodnight routine to turn the plug off during the night.
In addition to this, it also works with Google Home and Echo. It can sync with HomeKit without extra setup. It is also great as a standalone device with Bluetooth if you don’t need Homekit. It is very handy to control on either Phone or Apple Watch using Siri.
As we mentioned above, the Hue smart Plug supports Bluetooth out of the box, which means you can control it without the Zigbee Hue Bridge and still can use some functionality like Google Assistant control and Alexa.
However, if you step outside of the Bluetooth range, all of the features go away. I suggest you buy a Hue bridge or a Zigbee hub such as Echo plus if you don’t have them in your home.
Given its reasonable price, the Hue smart plug provides awesome value. It’s also one of the most versatile plugs in the world.
How to set up a Hue Smart Plug
Philips smart plug is a small accessory along with a setting manual, which is easy to set up and work alongside your other smart devices.
You have two kinds of settings to explore. The simple one is the Bluetooth option, the advanced one is the Hue Bridge model.
If you have the Philips Hue smart switch then you can pair it directly with your Hue smart plug through Zigbee. Through the Hue app, you can control a maximum of 10 lights within 2 rooms at a time with the Hue Dimmer Switch.
Using the Hue Bridge (Zigbee mode)
The Hue Bridge uses the Zigbee and it is the brains of the Philips Hue smart lighting ecosystem, unlocking the full suite of your smart lighting functionality. You can use Philips Hue bridge to control up to 50 lights and 12 accessories throughout your whole home.
Zigbee is an awesome protocol used to link smart devices like plugs, lights, and others to your home network. Zigbee is similar to Wi-Fi, Z-Wave. The largest differences are their supported devices, Zigbee provides more in terms of smart plugs and lights where other protocols support different smart devices.
With Zigbee-powered Hue bridge, you can control your smart devices through your smart speakers or app.
Once you have connected your Hue bridge to Hue app, you can do some steps.
- Open Hue app
- Go to Settings
- Go to “Accessory setup”
- Add a new Accessory
- Tap “Hue smart plug”
After several seconds, it will find all of your Hue smart plug that is powered on and in the range of your Hue bridge.
All is done, you can turn on and off your lights in a smart way. For example, the Philips Hue smart plug can be controlled by your voice, it’s compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit. You also can set automated schedules and pair them with your dimmer switch for remote control.
With Hue bridge, you can unlock lots of features. But if you don’t have it and don’t want to buy it, you can still control your Hue smart plug in a simple way via Bluetooth.
Using Bluetooth
With the Hue Bluetooth app (available on Android and iOS), you can control your Hue smart plug directly from the smartphone, without Hue bridge. After the app is set up, just say “Add light”, although it’s not a light.
Although you will see a “Hue Lamp” when you pair them, it is actually Hue Smart Plug. Just click yes, great, it is time to test the on and off feature for your smart plug through the app.
Is it worth buying Philips Hue Plug?
When you want to turn your non-connected lamp into a smart light, you may want to buy a smart plug. Once you compare some smart plugs on the market, you will find the Hue smart plug is more expensive than others. You might want to know why.
Zigbee smart devices can be notoriously more expensive than Wi-Fi devices designed for the same basic purpose. But the cost of Zigbee is somewhat mitigated so you don’t need to buy repeaters separately.
Zigbee is supported by a wide range of the most popular multi-tech hubs such as Wink, SmartThings, HomeSeer, Vera, Hubitat, and more. It is a more reliable network, and the Zigbee devices usually work together much better in your home than most Wi-Fi smart devices.
Why Hue smart plug costs more than competitor’s smart plug, I think there are three main factors:
- Zigbee devices cost more than Wi-Fi devices.
- Philips Hue tends to be a high-end brand, which providers better products.
- Philips Hue smart plug also features Bluetooth, and most other smart plugs just support Zigbee or WiFi.
Just like the best smart lights, whichever type of smart plug you opt for, they will use Bluetooth or Wi-Fi to connect to your smartphone and allow you to control them from an app. If you want a cheaper smart plug, you can check for Innr smart plug that is compatible with Zigbee and can still achieve the same effect.
What’s the max watt amperage of the Hue Smart Plug
Wattage/amperage In America
- Supply voltage: 120V
- Rated load current: 15A
- Maximum power: 1800W
Wattage/amperage In UK
- Supply voltage: 220-240 Vac
- Rated load current: 13A
- Maximum power: 2860W
In mainland Europe, the maximum wattage is 2300 watts. You can find this information in the manual or the box.
It works perfectly in Hue systems, and find for your appliances as long as the maximum wattage is not exceeded.
Every country has different sorts of sockets and different regulations apply, generally, your Philips retailer will give you the right version.
Does the Philips Hue Smart Plug work without the Hue Bridge?
Yes, if you don’t want to make a deeper investment into your Hue ecosystem, you don’t need to buy Hue bridge, you can still control your smart plug with just your tablet or smartphone via Bluetooth or Hue Dimmer Switch.
Bluetooth control: Within the Hue Bluetooth app, once you paired the Hue Smart plug, you can control them via your smartphone.
Dimmer Switch control: Make sure the dimmer switch is near your smart plug first, and hold your dimmer switch down for at least 10 seconds. You can control up to 10 devices easily using Zigbee.
When combined with your Hue Dimmer Switch, you can have smart control to your air purifiers, fans, chargers, and more. Because the plug only supports on and off, you can program the dimming buttons on your Dimmer to control other accessories in your home.
I suggest you buy Hue bridge if you don’t have it since it can unlock any advanced features in your whole home.
Does Hue Smart Plug Work with Homekit
Yes, this compact plug can work seamlessly with Apple HomeKit to get voice control.
In terms of HomeKit setup, It is very easy. Because the Philips Hue bridge is the device that is exposed to HomeKit. So it treats your Philips Hue smart plug as a child device. So once all is in sync between the Hue app and HomeKit, means you are ready to go. You will be able to use all of the common HomeKit scenes and triggers.
Can you dim lights with Philips Hue’s smart plug?
No, you can’t use the Philips Hue smart plug to dim your lights that are either dimmable bulbs or smart bulbs. But you can buy a specialized, dimmable smart plug. You also have to make sure that your bulbs are capable of being dimmed.
When it’s time for your kid to go to bed, you can dim your lights in their rooms to ease them towards dreamland. You also can make sure there are sufficient lights for them to start their days energized. But why you can dim your lights, what’s the principle?
If you want to dim your lights, you can lower the brightness levels by reducing the amount of voltage supplied to your lights. You can dim your normal/dumb lights with the dimmer switch. Whereas smart lights have a power regulator to achieve this function.
Insteon is the only exception that provides a dimming smart plug but it can’t pair with a normal floor lamp. You should make them compatible.
Does Hue Smart Plug Offer Power Consumption Monitoring?
Are you dealing with rising energy costs in your home? Energy monitoring is important to you. So you should want to know if Hue smart plug has an energy consumption monitoring feature. No, it doesn’t have this feature.
Hue smart plug is an awesome alternative for turning your lights on and off via the Hue ecosystem. It also has an additional button on the socket to turn on and off your light. But not much more besides these features.
I’m obsessed with anything Philips Hue. The Philips Hue brand is also worth the price for a high-quality item. I think they should offer energy consumption monitoring at a higher price, but they don’t offer it.
Does Philips Hue Smart Plug Work with Google Home and Alexa?
The Philips Hue Smart Plug can be controlled by voice, it’s compatible with Google Assistant, Amazon Alexa, and Apple HomeKit as well. Using the bridge is also the only way that you control your devices when you are out of your home.
This nifty gadget connects your fan, regular lamp, coffee maker, kitchen appliance, or almost anything else to your smart home for voice control and automation. It’s an affordable and easy way to get more out of your smart home platform.
When considering which smart plug you will buy, the most important thing is to ensure that it’s compatible with your existing smart home ecosystem. If you have a Siri, Google Assistant, or Alexa smart speaker, you need to ensure that the smart plug will really work with it.
Can the Hue Smart Plug act as a Zigbee repeater?
Yes, the Hue Smart plug can act as a Zigbee repeater. All Hue items that are not battery-powered are repeaters. It can make your Zigbee home network have a longer range and more robust.
If you want to use your Hue Smart plug as a node in the Zigbee mesh network, you can configure it within your Hue app.
In this case, it is better than Wi-Fi smart devices. It can still work even if there is a temporary blip with your Hue bridge. But if your internet router fails, your Wi-Fi smart devices would be stopping working.