There are plenty of Matter-enabled smart plugs on the market, but in-wall smart outlets with Matter are much tougher to find. Now, TP-Link’s Tapo smart home brand has entered the fray with a Matter outlet that can help you save on your energy bill.
On sale now, the Tapo P210M joins a select few in-wall smart outlets with Matter, including the Eve Energy Outlet (which does Matter-over-Thread) as well as the Zigbee-based Aqara Wall Outlet H2 (an EU-only device that requires the Aqara Zigbee 3.0 Hub).
Unlike a standard smart plug that plugs into a wall outlet, an in-wall smart outlet replaces an existing outlet, ideal for avoiding the look of chunky smart plugs while allowing you to remotely control connected “dumb” lights or other not-so-smart appliances.
Of course, the downside of in-wall smart outlets is that they require some expertise to install—either that, or help from a licensed electrician. The location in your home where you install it will also need to have a neutral wire for the Tapo P210M to work properly.
With a maximum power load of 15A, the ETL-certified P210M arrives with individual LED-equipped buttons that let you control each outlet manually, plus overcharge protection that shuts off the juice when plugged-in portable electronics are fully recharged.
The Tapo app enables even more features, from scheduling and an “away” mode (which toggles the power at random intervals to scare off would-be intruders when you’re not home) to timers and a safety feature that cuts off the power when an outlet exceeds a predetermined power draw (up to 1800W).
Even better, the app can track the Tapo 210M’s power usage over time, complete with daily, monthly, and annual charts, plus the ability to estimate your energy bill.
Finally, the Tapo 210M works with Matter, meaning it’s compatible with Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings. And since the Matter specification now supports energy monitoring, you’ll be able to keep tabs on your power usage within the controller apps for those platforms, as well as via the Tapo app.
The Tapo P210M has a lsit price of $29.99, but it’s currently selling on Amazon for just $19.99.
We’ll have a full review of the P210M once we check out a review unit.
Author: Ben Patterson, Senior Writer, TechHive
Ben has been writing about technology and consumer electronics for more than 20 years. A PCWorld contributor since 2014, Ben joined TechHive in 2019, where he has covered everything from smart speakers and soundbars to smart lights and security cameras. Ben's articles have also appeared in PC Magazine, TIME, Wired, CNET, Men's Fitness, Mobile Magazine, and more. Ben holds a master's degree in English literature.