Best outdoor smart plug: Tapo Smart Outdoor Plug P400M
The P400M has two outlets you can switch and schedule separately, an IP65 rating and an operating range of -4°F to 122°F (Tapo). It’s Matter certified, so it sets up in Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home or SmartThings. Tom’s Guide (March 2026) and Matter Alpha (October 2024) both rank it first. There’s no energy monitoring, and Tom’s Guide found the cord short.
- Two outlets, each controlled on its own
- Matter: works with Apple Home, Alexa, Google Home and SmartThings
- IP65, rated from -4°F to 122°F
- No energy monitoring
- 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only
Skip it if you want to dim string lights. The Tapo P430M is the dimmer version.
Best outdoor dimmer plug: Tapo Outdoor Smart Dimmer Plug P430M
The P430M dims plug-in string and landscape lights and tracks their energy use in the Tapo app, with an IP65 rating and Matter (Tapo). It has one outlet and is rated for up to 150 W of LED or 300 W of incandescent lighting, so use it only for dimmable lights, never for pumps or heaters. Matter Alpha notes it’s unclear whether the energy data shows up in Matter apps.
- Dims plug-in outdoor lights
- Energy monitoring in the Tapo app
- Matter certified, IP65
- One outlet
- Dimmable lights only: up to 150 W LED or 300 W incandescent
Skip it if you need to power a pump, heater or anything that isn’t a dimmable light.
Best outdoor plug for Kasa homes: Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug EP40M
Kasa’s EP40M has two individually controlled outlets, Matter and the same -4°F to 122°F range, with an IP64 rating (Kasa). It makes most sense if you already use the Kasa app indoors, for example with our favorite indoor plug, the Kasa KP125M.
- Two outlets with separate schedules
- Matter certified
- Sits in the Kasa app next to your indoor Kasa plugs
- IP64, a step below the Tapo P400M’s IP65
- No energy monitoring
Skip it if you don’t already use Kasa. The Tapo P400M has a higher weather rating for about the same price.
Setting one up outside
From Tapo’s instructions for the P400M, plus two tips of ours:
- 1Plug it in with the outlets facing down, so water can’t get in.
- 2Keep it at least 12 inches off the ground, and secure it with the clamp provided.
- 3Keep the weatherproof cover closed on any outlet you’re not using.
- 4Check your Wi-Fi at the spot with your phone first. If setup fails, our 2.4 GHz fix usually solves it.
- 5Put the lights on a sunset schedule: see how to turn lights on at sunset.
What about Ring?
Ring’s outdoor plug needs a Ring Bridge or a compatible Echo to work (Tom’s Guide), so it only makes sense in a home already built around Ring.
Where these facts come from
We haven’t tested these plugs ourselves. Specs come from the makers; the rankings and the caveats come from published reviews, checked on September 29, 2026:
