Your entertainment center has six devices plugged in. Your desk setup has four. Your kitchen counter has three. Every single one of them draws power around the clock — even when they're "off." And you're paying for every watt.

A smart plug can fix one outlet at a time. But when you have an entire entertainment center, office desk, or charging station draining power in parallel, plugging in five individual smart plugs gets expensive and cluttered fast. That's where smart power strips come in.

One strip. Multiple individually controllable outlets. Built-in surge protection. Energy monitoring. Voice control. You manage your entire TV setup or desk from a single device — and you kill phantom power across all of them at once.

Here are the best smart power strips for energy saving in 2026, what each one does best, and exactly how to set them up to slash your bill.

Key Takeaways

  • Smart power strips let you control 3-6 outlets individually, killing phantom power across entire setups at once
  • The Kasa HS300 is the best overall pick with 6 controllable outlets and built-in energy monitoring for ~$35
  • Matter-compatible strips like the Meross MSS425F work across all smart home ecosystems without extra bridges
  • Most households save 10-20% on their electric bill by eliminating standby drain from entertainment and office setups
  • Surge protection built into smart strips protects your electronics while saving energy — two problems solved in one device
  • Pair your smart power strip with a home energy dashboard to track savings over time
30-80W Standby drain from a typical entertainment center
$25-100 Smart power strip price range
10-20% Typical savings on your electric bill
6 Max individually controlled outlets (HS300)

Why a Smart Power Strip Beats Individual Smart Plugs

Think about your TV area. You've got the television, a soundbar, a streaming device, a gaming console, maybe a lamp. That's five devices. Five individual smart plugs would cost you $40-75 and create a tangled mess behind your TV stand.

A single smart power strip handles all of them for $25-40, with one cord going to the wall. You get individual outlet control through the app, so you can shut down the gaming console while keeping the TV on. You get built-in surge protection, which you'd need a separate power strip for anyway. And many models include energy monitoring that shows you exactly how many watts each device pulls.

Smart power strips also make automation simpler. Instead of creating separate schedules for five smart plugs, you set one routine: "Kill everything on this strip at midnight except outlet 3 (the router)." Done. Your entire entertainment center stops draining power while you sleep, and your internet stays on.

The bottom line: if you have three or more devices clustered in one spot, a smart power strip is cheaper, cleaner, and easier than individual plugs.

Top 5 Smart Power Strips for Energy Saving (2026)

Best Overall

Kasa Smart Power Strip HS300

~$35 · 6 smart outlets + 3 USB ports

The Kasa HS300 is the gold standard for smart power strips. Six individually controllable outlets, three USB charging ports, and built-in energy monitoring that tracks real-time wattage for each outlet separately. The Kasa app displays daily, weekly, and monthly energy usage with cost estimates, so you know exactly which device is costing you the most. Setup takes about two minutes, no hub required, and it works reliably with Alexa and Google Home.

Pros

  • Per-outlet energy monitoring with usage history
  • 6 individually controllable outlets + 3 USB
  • Works with Alexa and Google Home
  • Excellent app with scheduling and Away mode
  • ETL certified with surge protection

Cons

  • No Apple HomeKit or Matter support
  • 2.4GHz WiFi only
  • Strip is physically quite long (16 inches)
Check Price on Amazon →
Best Matter-Compatible

Meross MSS425F Smart Surge Protector

~$30 · 4 smart outlets + 4 USB ports

The Meross MSS425F stands out for one big reason: Matter support. This means it works natively with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings — no separate apps or bridges needed. Four individually controllable outlets, four USB ports, and 1080 joules of surge protection. If you run a mixed smart home ecosystem (say, Alexa in the living room and HomeKit in the bedroom), this strip keeps everything unified.

Pros

  • Matter support — works with every major ecosystem
  • 1080 joules surge protection
  • 4 USB ports for charging
  • Compact design with spaced-out outlets
  • Affordable at ~$30

Cons

  • No per-outlet energy monitoring
  • Only 4 smart outlets (vs 6 on the HS300)
  • Matter setup can be finicky on first try
Check Price on Amazon →
Best for Apple HomeKit

Eve Energy Strip

~$100 · 3 smart outlets

The Eve Energy Strip is the premium pick for all-Apple households. Three individually controllable outlets with detailed energy monitoring — and all your data stays on-device, never touching a cloud server. It connects via Thread (through your HomePod or Apple TV hub), which means rock-solid reliability without clogging your WiFi. The build quality is noticeably better than anything else on this list. You're paying a premium, but you're getting the most polished Apple HomeKit experience available.

Pros

  • Full Apple HomeKit and Thread support
  • Per-outlet energy monitoring
  • No cloud — all data stays local and private
  • Premium build quality
  • Doesn't rely on WiFi (uses Thread mesh)

Cons

  • Apple only — no Alexa or Google
  • Expensive at ~$100
  • Only 3 outlets
  • Requires Apple Home Hub (HomePod/Apple TV)
Check Price on Amazon →
Best Budget

TP-Link Kasa KP303

~$25 · 3 smart outlets + 2 USB ports

If you want a smart power strip that does the job without breaking the bank, the KP303 delivers. Three individually controllable outlets, two USB charging ports, and the same solid Kasa app you get with the HS300. No energy monitoring on this model — but for simple scheduling, phantom power elimination, and voice control, it covers the basics at the lowest price on this list. A great starter strip for a desk setup or bedroom charging station.

Pros

  • Cheapest smart power strip worth buying
  • Same reliable Kasa app and ecosystem
  • Works with Alexa and Google Home
  • Compact 3-outlet form factor
  • No hub required

Cons

  • No energy monitoring
  • No Apple HomeKit support
  • Only 3 controllable outlets
Check Price on Amazon →
Best for Google Home

GE CYNC Smart Power Strip

~$40 · 4 smart outlets + 2 USB ports

GE's CYNC strip is purpose-built for Google Home users. Four individually controllable outlets integrate seamlessly with Google Home routines, and the CYNC app offers straightforward scheduling and grouping. The standout feature: native Google Home integration that's faster and more reliable than most third-party strips. If your house runs on "Hey Google," this is the strip that responds the quickest and most consistently.

Pros

  • Best-in-class Google Home integration
  • 4 individually controllable outlets
  • Built-in surge protection
  • Reliable Bluetooth + WiFi connectivity
  • Backed by GE brand reputation

Cons

  • No energy monitoring
  • No Apple HomeKit support
  • CYNC app is basic compared to Kasa
  • Slightly pricier than comparable options
Check Price on Amazon →

Smart Power Strip Comparison Table

Strip Price Outlets Energy Monitor Alexa Google HomeKit Best For
Kasa HS300 ~$35 6 + 3 USB Yes (per-outlet) Yes Yes No Overall pick
Meross MSS425F ~$30 4 + 4 USB No Yes Yes Yes (Matter) Multi-ecosystem
Eve Energy Strip ~$100 3 Yes (per-outlet) No No Yes Apple / Privacy
Kasa KP303 ~$25 3 + 2 USB No Yes Yes No Budget pick
GE CYNC ~$40 4 + 2 USB No Yes Yes No Google Home

Where to Use a Smart Power Strip First

Not every room needs a smart power strip. Focus on the spots where multiple devices cluster together and draw standby power. Here are the highest-impact placements, ranked:

  1. Entertainment Center (TV + soundbar + console + streaming stick) Draws 30-80W combined on standby. The single biggest phantom power drain in most homes. One HS300 handles the whole setup.
  2. Home Office Desk (monitor + laptop charger + speakers + printer + desk lamp) Pulls 15-40W on standby. Schedule everything to shut off after work hours and you'll stop paying for an office that's closed.
  3. Charging Station (phones, tablets, earbuds, smartwatch) Chargers draw 0.5-2W each when plugged in with nothing attached. A KP303 kills them all during the day when nobody's charging.
  4. Kids' Gaming Setup (console + monitor + headset charger + controller dock) Schedule the strip to cut power at bedtime. No more sneaking in late-night gaming sessions, and no more standby drain.
  5. Kitchen Counter (coffee maker + toaster oven + instant pot + electric kettle) These small appliances draw 2-8W each on standby. A smart strip automates your morning coffee AND kills the rest.

Setting Up Your Smart Power Strip for Maximum Savings

Buying the strip is step one. Setting it up properly is where the real savings happen. Here's the playbook:

Step 1: Name Every Outlet

As soon as you plug in your strip, open the app and rename each outlet to the device it powers: "TV," "Soundbar," "PS5," "Streaming Stick." This takes 30 seconds and makes voice control and scheduling dramatically easier. "Hey Google, turn off the PS5" is way better than "turn off outlet 4."

Step 2: Identify Your Always-On Devices

Some devices should never lose power. Your router. Your DVR (if it records overnight). Your security camera. Plug these into specific outlets and mark them as "always on" in the app. Everything else gets scheduled or voice-controlled.

Step 3: Build Your Schedules

Entertainment Center Schedule

  • TV, soundbar, and console off at midnight (or 30 minutes after your usual bedtime)
  • Everything back on at 5pm (or whenever the family gets home)
  • Streaming stick can stay on if you use it as a smart home display

Home Office Schedule

  • Monitor, speakers, and desk lamp on at 8am
  • Everything off at 6pm
  • Printer on only during work hours (these draw 5-10W on standby for nothing)

Weekend Override

  • Entertainment center stays on until 1am (movie nights)
  • Office stays off all day Saturday and Sunday
  • Charging station powers up Saturday morning for weekly device charging

Step 4: Track and Adjust

If you went with the Kasa HS300 or Eve Energy Strip, check the energy monitoring data after the first week. You'll spot which devices are the worst offenders. That cable box pulling 25W on standby? Now you know, and you can schedule it more aggressively. Build a home energy dashboard to track your total savings over time.

Smart Power Strips vs. Regular Power Strips vs. Smart Plugs

This is where people get confused, so let's clear it up:

Regular power strip: Provides extra outlets and basic surge protection. No automation, no scheduling, no individual control. All outlets are on or off together (you pull the whole plug to cut power).

Smart plug: Controls one device per outlet. Great when you have individual high-draw devices spread around the house — a space heater here, a window AC there. See our full smart plug roundup for single-outlet picks.

Smart power strip: Controls 3-6 devices in one cluster. More cost-effective than multiple smart plugs when devices are grouped together. Built-in surge protection means you don't need a separate strip. The best choice for entertainment centers, desks, and charging stations.

The smart play: use smart power strips where devices cluster, and individual smart plugs for standalone appliances like space heaters and old fridges.

How Much Will You Actually Save?

Let's do the math. A typical entertainment center draws 40-60W on standby. That's roughly 350-525 kWh per year just sitting there doing nothing. At the national average of 17.45 cents per kWh, that's $60-90 per year in pure waste.

Add a home office setup (20-35W standby) and a charging station (5-10W standby), and you're looking at $90-150 per year in phantom power from just three areas.

A Kasa HS300 for the entertainment center ($35), a KP303 for the desk ($25), and another KP303 for the charging station ($25) = $85 total investment. You break even in about 8-10 months, and then you're saving $90-150 every year after that.

If your utility uses time-of-use pricing and you schedule high-draw devices to avoid peak hours (4pm-9pm), the savings jump even higher. Some households report 15-20% reductions in their total electric bill after implementing smart power strips across their main energy hubs.

Ready to Take Control of Your Energy Bill?

Start with the Kasa HS300 for your entertainment center. Six outlets, energy monitoring, and it pays for itself within months.

Get the Kasa HS300 on Amazon →

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. A smart power strip lets you control 4-6 devices from a single strip, cutting phantom power across an entire entertainment center or office setup at once. Most households save 10-20% on their electric bill by eliminating standby drain and scheduling devices to run during off-peak hours.
A smart plug controls one device per outlet. A smart power strip gives you 3-6 individually controllable outlets in one unit, often with built-in surge protection and energy monitoring. Power strips are more cost-effective when you need to manage multiple devices in the same area, like an entertainment center or desk setup.
Most smart power strips include built-in surge protection. The Meross MSS425F offers 1080 joules, the Kasa HS300 provides basic surge protection, and the Eve Energy Strip includes overvoltage protection. Always check the joule rating before plugging in sensitive electronics like computers or TVs.
Yes, that is the main advantage. The Kasa HS300 lets you name and control all 6 outlets independently through the app or voice assistants. You can turn off your TV while keeping your router powered, or schedule your gaming console to shut down at midnight while your modem stays on 24/7.
The Meross MSS425F is one of the first smart power strips to support Matter, the new universal smart home standard. Matter compatibility means it works across Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings without needing separate apps or bridges for each ecosystem.
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