Rolling out a 4-pack of smart plugs across the house

What you’ll need

• A 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network
• The plugs' app
• Four target devices

Step by step

1. 1

   Pick the four best targets

   Good candidates: a living room lamp, a bedroom lamp, the media cluster, and a seasonal fan or heater.

2. 2

   Pair them all in one sitting

   Set them up back to back while you have the app open and the Wi-Fi password to hand. Name each after its device.

3. 3

   Assign each plug to a room

   Rooms let one voice command or scene control several plugs, which is what makes the pack more useful than one plug.

4. 4

   Add one schedule each

   Lamps on at sunset and off at bedtime; the media cluster off overnight. Keep it to a single rule per plug at first.

5. 5

   Review after a week

   Move any plug that never gets used to a better device. The pack is only worth it if all four earn their place.

Energy-saving tips

• Compact plugs matter — a bulky one blocks the second socket in the outlet.
• Check the amp rating before using any smart plug with a space heater.
• Group all four into an 'away' scene for holidays.