Review: Meross Smart Power Strip and Plug Offer Affordable and Versatile HomeKit Sockets, but Setup Difficulties Can Cause Frustration

[sashka]

Ha! I just received two-pack of outlets and this article forced me to install. I have Unifi as wifi, with both 2.4Ghz and 5Ghz on the same SSID. Out of the box, I was not able to configure it in HomeKit. So I googled manual and found, that after holding power button for 5 seconds device will factory reset. After factory reset, I was able to add device to HomeKit without issues.

Note, that device connected to wifi and was reachable on port 80 (simple http web server with username admin/admin), so not sure why HomeKit refused to add the device. Perhaps something with timing.

Anyway, firmware upgrade requires an app, which is... buggy. had to force quit for it to show firmware update is available for device, but after upgrade that http server on port 80 no longer reachable. So recommend updating firmware.

Overall, I'd give so far 4 out 5 for this outlet.

 

[Unity451]

I have the Meross Smart Plug Mini and they work fine. I use them instead of a timer for my Christmas lights.

View attachment 1691558

I've purchased several of these recently. Great price, quality, and setup is a breeze.

 

[[AUT] Thomas]

It's very common that IoT devices need a 2.4 GHz only WiFi SSID. If you have a router that supports a combined 2.4 and 5 GHz SSID then you should either separate them into two different SSIDs or, if you can, create a separate SSID that is only 2.4 GHz for these IoT devices.

This. Create a separate 2,4GHz SSID (and preferably network) for your HomeKit stuff if you can.
While you are on it, put the TV in the guest network. Just like other stuff that's potentially spying on you. Preferably switch on client isolation for the guest network if supported by your accesspoint/router.

 

[phatrumour]

+1 on ease of setup as well. Have 4 plugs and 1 power strip. Previously split my home WiFi between 2.4GHz and 5GHz so now I just disconnect my phone from 5GHz, connect to 2.4 and then do the HomeKit setup. Has worked perfectly each time.

 

[steve62388]

I've bought two 3-packs of plugs. I had absolutely no problem setting them up in the Home app, but I did need to use the Meross app (which requires a login) to upgrade the firmwares. They seem to work fine, but... being Chinesium, we'll see how long that lasts. I will say though that *something* is flooding my network with broadcast packets. I added these and a few HomePod minis about the same time, so it could be either.

Check out the Homepods. The AppleTV is known to sometimes flood your network with DHCP requests. Maybe this bug has surfaced in the Homepods, it wouldn’t be surprising since they’re both based on iOS.

 

[ID_Field_Blank]

Can anyone tell me why companies are spending time building smart socket ‘adapters’ rather than socket replacements? Why do I have to plug in a smart plug adapter and why can’t I just replace the actual socket?

 

[Beerstalker]

There are smart outlets available from a few suppliers, but not nearly as many as plug in adapters.

I think this is because many people want to easily be able to move them around, rather than install them in one place and leave them there.

 

[iAdamator]

Thought I would chime in here as I recently started using meross products after "discovering" them on Amazon.

We decided to get our first smart plug for our outdoor Christmas lights and in searching/looking on Amazon I saw this brand, saw they were very affordable, and Homekit compatible so I bought a pair.

I did have issues with them connecting to Homekit unfortunately and after searching the internet for a solution I found a post by someone that helped out a ton. In order to get the device to connect without issue, I needed to have my phone AND Homekit Hub (In my case an apple TV) BOTH on my 2.4 Ghz network. Once I did this, the plugs connected to Homekit without issue. I knew my phone needed to be on 2.4 Ghz as the instructions mentions that, but also having my hub on the same band was key. They clearly need to document this better, but in the end they did connect to my network just fine.

Since getting the plugs, I was so happy with them I have went on to replace several of our wall switches with meross smart switches. We have a few lights in the house I wanted to make "smart" but I didn't want to spend a lot of money to do so. Our other switches in the house are Lutron Caseta and while they are excellent, they are expensive. Their dimmer switch is $50+ where as a meross smart switch is under $20. I now have 1 meross smart switch and 2 3 way smart switches from them.

One nice thing I will add about their 3 way switch is that it works with the other switch being a normal mechanical switch. Most other smart switches that are 3 way seem to require you to replace both switches, or make one switch become basically a "remote" to the first switch. The meross switch wires exactly like a regular 3 way switch. (It needs a neutral wire, of course.)

Anyway I have found them to be good, affordable homekit products.

 

[cmonkey1976]

I have the Smart plug... was easy to set up and I think it feels far better quality than the Eve Plug! (So disagree with it feeling cheap).

its so much quicker to respond than Eve too...

 

[JDMNN]

I do not understand the use case of a HomeKit power strip. I get maybe having a lamp you want to turn on on a schedule. Can someone explain to me the use case here. How would this improve someone life, why would they want/need this?

I’ve got one attached to a few different lights and a charger. Certainly could do with one behind the entertainment system (TV, console, speakers etc)

 

[petsk]

I bought a 4-pack smart plug during black friday, only 46€ after taxes. They were called Refoss but other buyers said it’s the same product as Meross.

I too had problems connecting them, because I had not turned off 5GHz on my apple time capsule router. This was mentioned in the manual and connecting them worked fine afterwards. You can enable 5GHz once you have them connected. I did not install their own app, it wasn’t needed and you have to register which I passed on.

I’ve only had them for a week but so far I’m very pleased. Sometimes they have disconnected for whatever reason but once you tap them in homekit they reconnect within a few seconds.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

My experience with HomeKit was not 'comfortable'.

I got the Philips hue, and I had to enable HomeKit, and that was fine, but I also had to use their own app, and enter a lot of information, and allow a lot of 'uncomfortable' things. I was not comfortable with their app needing so much information, and thought that HomeKit was more anonymous and didn't require any intrusive information.

I ended up not enabling the hue hub, and the lights are useless. I've been less likely to try anything else HomeKit'.

I mean, if it requires a special proprietary app to work, and that app wants to vacuum up my personal info, and keeps track of what I do, and when I do it, I'll hard pass. That is the biggest beef that I had with the Nest thermostats. Aside from the first version not working well with my heating system, the idea that it was 'watching' me, and reporting back when people did, or didn't walk by the sensor was a little too much for me. *shrug* Having them have 'moments' and need to be reloaded wasn't helping me feel the love... Now they are HomeKit devices? Yeah, ebayed mine, and the winner was so ecstatic at the price they got both of them for. Yeah, you got a great price on an auction on ebay because no one else wanted to bid on them!

 

[mazz0]

Are they small enough to have multiple next to each other, or do they effectively take up three sockets each (one they’re plugged in to and two surrounding it which are unusable)? The IKEA ones are small anelugh to fit in the space of a single socket, the Eve ones very much aren’t. I’m using UK ones.

 

[hagjohn]

I've purchased several of these recently. Great price, quality, and setup is a breeze.

The only problem I had is that camera on my iPhone 12 Pro Max had a problem focusing on the QR code. Used my iPad instead.

 

[ericesque]

Recently installed two of their smart light switches and two of their smart multicolor bulbs. They all connected to HomeKit with no trouble at all and have been rock solid.

The only complaint I have with the bulbs is that the color of the lights doesn’t match the color selection wheel in HomeKit. Same deal when I tell Siri to set the bulb to a specific color. As I understand it, Siri should be able to set most of the HTML color names. https://www.w3schools.com/colors/colors_names.asp I’ve asked for orange and gotten yellow. Asked for gold and gotten green. Since these are my first HomeKit bulbs I don’t know if this is typical. If anyone with Hue bulbs cares to comment, I’d appreciate it.

 

[Statusnone88]

I have about 10 of the smart plugs in my home and they work flawlessly. I also have Verizon FIOS 1Gbps home internet with Verizon’s awesome mesh WiFi6 routers that work well with all my other smart devices as well.

 

[jimthing]

I bought a 4-pack smart plug during black friday, only 46€ after taxes. They were called Refoss but other buyers said it’s the same product as Meross.

I too had problems connecting them, because I had not turned off 5GHz on my apple time capsule router. This was mentioned in the manual and connecting them worked fine afterwards. You can enable 5GHz once you have them connected. I did not install their own app, it wasn’t needed and you have to register which I passed on.

I’ve only had them for a week but so far I’m very pleased. Sometimes they have disconnected for whatever reason but once you tap them in homekit they reconnect within a few seconds.

I strongly suggest downloading the app, as they have an immediate update to make them work better. And in future, they're updatedable via said app to improve them even more. (And NO, to those suggesting 'spying' via the app: that's utterly ridiculous!)

Anyway I got the UK 4-pack (£45). Turned off 5Ghz temporarily on my router (AS THE PRINTED INSTRUCTIONS MAKE CLEAR: For setup ONLY, they need 2.4GHz, like many IoT devices!); scanned QR code on them; connected in Home app within 2mins each; turned 5GHz back on. Done.

 

[jimthing]

The design of the outdoor double socket makes little sense to me, because as soon as you plug-in a plug to one or both sockets, their covers are then open to the elements (rain, snow, damp, etc.). 🙄

 

[CrazySuzyn]

I’m so glad I wasn’t the only one having trouble setting this thing up. Still haven’t because I resent having to dumb down wifi to use it.

 

[JosephAW]

I need to find ones that work on my intranet and with fixed up addresses. For now the rf outlet switches work for me.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

My experience with HomeKit was not 'comfortable'.

I got the Philips hue, and I had to enable HomeKit, and that was fine, but I also had to use their own app, and enter a lot of information, and allow a lot of 'uncomfortable' things. I was not comfortable with their app needing so much information, and thought that HomeKit was more anonymous and didn't require any intrusive information.

I ended up not enabling the hue hub, and the lights are useless. I've been less likely to try anything else HomeKit'.

I mean, if it requires a special proprietary app to work, and that app wants to vacuum up my personal info, and keeps track of what I do, and when I do it, I'll hard pass. That is the biggest beef that I had with the Nest thermostats. Aside from the first version not working well with my heating system, the idea that it was 'watching' me, and reporting back when people did, or didn't walk by the sensor was a little too much for me. *shrug* Having them have 'moments' and need to be reloaded wasn't helping me feel the love... Now they are HomeKit devices? Yeah, ebayed mine, and the winner was so ecstatic at the price they got both of them for. Yeah, you got a great price on an auction on ebay because no one else wanted to bid on them!

So, 'jimthing', did they fix the app for Hue? I gave the whole mess away. It sounded like a great idea, but all the 'you need our app', and 'we want a lot of info from you' turned me off of HomeKit, and hue...


I'm hue. Prepare to be assimilated...

 

[JayBlueBird]

The main problem with these over the much better EVE ones (albeit 3 times the price) is that they have a very low Amp limit. If you have a large fan, these keep varying the voltage so that it powers up, down, slowing down, speeding up and then just powering off.

No problem with the much better EVE ones.

 

[bv1507]

I bought a dual outdoor plug (MSS620) to control my Christmas lights.

The manual says, for iOS, I should use HomeKit instead of the Meross app, so I started there. When I scanned the QR code on the device, my phone HomeKit app recognized it as “outlet,” but when I told it to connect, it sat for several minutes, then said “accessory not found.” I tried the “I don’t have a code” option as recommended in the user manual, but nothing ever showed up.

I reset the device, and tried using the Meross app instead of HomeKit. No problem; it immediately showed up in HomeKit, and has since been totally reliable as noted in the review.

I let Meross support know that they needed to update your instruction sheet, and they replied "... the instrustion should be correct, for all MSS620HK, it need to be set up with Homekit first, then Meross app." I didn't see the need to contradict them, since I now have a working device.

 

[name99]

I've got a couple of the individual sockets and they are working great, good to finally have a reasonably priced option here in the UK. As others have said, I initially had issues connecting them. As soon as I turned the 5GHz wifi off, they connected straight away. To be fair, it does say you should do this several times in the leaflet that comes with them.

What amazes me is that customers (like you) are willing to justify this.
It's 2020 FFS! I expect a product to ship working with normal WiFi setups (including 5GHz, mesh, wide channels, channel hopping, etc) not to have to engage in contortions to deal with their unwillingness to match the spec.

 

[name99]

Can anyone tell me why companies are spending time building smart socket ‘adapters’ rather than socket replacements? Why do I have to plug in a smart plug adapter and why can’t I just replace the actual socket?

One good reason is that specifications are just too much in flux right now.
For example there are, essentially, three normal radio mechanisms by which a smart device can connect -- Bluetooth, WiFi, or Zigbee/Z-Wave.
All three are problematic in some way.
Then there is the whole issue of Google vs Amazon vs HomeKit (vs other wannabe's like Samsung).
It makes zero sense to hardwire in products that will probably be obsolete along some of these dimensions in a few years. (Honestly, it's irritating/depressing to deal with things like Smart Garage Door Openers that require a limited amount of being "wired in", or Smart Blind, for this reason).

Will things get better? The new Thread specification *should* fix things along both dimensions -- a radio spec incorporating the best aspects (for smart devices) of all three of BT, WiFi, and ZigBee, and support by Apple, Google, and Amazon. The first supporting product is out on the Apple side (the HomePod Mini), and hopefully over the next three years or so, all major device classes will move to Thread.

At which point, perhaps, it will start to make sense to hardwire smarts into fixed hardware like sockets.