The AiDot Linkind Matter Smart Plug is a versatile single-outlet plug that works with all of the major home automation platforms including Alexa, Google Assistant, HomeKit, and SmartThings. It can be controlled with voice commands and will interact with other smart home devices via IFTTT applets, and it works seamlessly with other AiDot devices. Starting at $19.99 for one, it’s a solid deal if you want to automate small household items like lamps, but if you want a Matter-enabled plug that will tell you how much power it's using, the similarly priced TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug Slim With Energy Monitoring (KP125M) remains our Editors' Choice winner.
Design and Features: A Matter Retrofit for Any Outlet
Available on its own ($19.99), in a two-pack ($36.99), or a four-pack ($69.99), the Linkind plug is a 120-volt 15-amp plug with a single three-prong outlet and an LED indicator on the front, a three-prong plug on the back, and a power button on the right side. The LED blinks green and orange when the plug is ready to be set up, quickly blinks orange while connecting to the network, shines solid green when the plug is powered up and connected, shines solid red when the connection is lost, and blinks red when the plug has been reset to factory defaults.
Measuring 1.4 by 2.6 by 1.2 inches (HWD), the plug is small enough to use in a two-outlet wall receptacle without blocking the second outlet. It uses an embedded 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio to connect to your home network.
The plug works with Alexa, Google, HomeKit, and SmartThings home automation platforms and can be controlled with Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri voice commands, but you’ll need a Matter-certified hub such as an Apple HomePod, an Amazon Echo, a Google Nest Hub, or a SmartThings Hub. It also works with IFTTT applets that allow it to interact with third-party devices such as cameras and thermostats, and you can create routines in the AiDot app to have the plug interact with other AiDot devices. Missing are the energy reports with cost estimates that you get with the TP-Link Kasa KP125M and the Eve Energy Outlet ($49.95), which are helpful if you're looking to keep an eye on power-hungry appliances.
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The Linkind plug uses the same AiDot mobile app (available for Android and iOS) as the other AiDot devices such as the WELOV Matter P200 Pro Smart Air Purifier and the Linkind Wi-Fi Matter Smart Light Bulb. Its panel on the app’s home screen displays a picture of the plug, its name, and an on/off button. Tap the panel to open a screen with a larger plug icon, an on/off button, a Timer button, and a Schedule button. When the plug is powered on, the background turns blue and a spinning ring appears around the plug icon. When power is off, the background is gray and the spinning ring disappears.
Use the Timer button to have the plug turn off after a set period of time. You can set a custom timer of up to 11 hours and 59 minutes, or use the one-touch buttons quickly to set a one-hour, two-hour, four-hour, or eight-hour timer. The Schedule button lets you create on and off schedules for specific times and days of the week.
At the bottom of the screen is a panel with ads for other AiDot devices, and in the upper right corner is a gear icon that takes you to a device settings screen where you can assign the plug to a specific room, create routines to have it work with other AiDot devices, share control of the plug with other users, view an activity record of all on/off events, and update the firmware. There are also two User Mode options if there’s a power outage: While set to Safe Mode, the plug will remain off until you turn it back on, and in User Mode, the plug will automatically revert back to its previous state.
Installation and Performance: Plug and Play
Installing the plug is easy. Simply download the AiDot mobile app, create an account, and plug the device into a wall outlet. The plug will automatically show up in the app as a new device. Tap Add Now, select your Wi-Fi SSID, enter your Wi-Fi password, and tap Join when prompted. Within a few seconds, the plug will be paired with the app. You can then give the plug a custom name and assign it to a room to complete the installation.
To use the plug with Alexa, Google, and HomeKit, make sure your Matter controller is on and connected to the same network as the plug. Tap Add Device in whichever app you're using to control the plug, scan the Matter code found in the manual and on the side of the plug, and give the plug a name.
The Linkind Smart Plug worked faultlessly in testing. Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands to turn the plug on and off worked correctly, and the plug responded to AiDot, Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, and Google Home app commands just as quickly. My Alexa routine to turn the plug on when a Ring Floodlight Cam detected motion worked as intended, as did my AiDot app routine to turn the plug on when a WELOV Matter P200 Pro air purifier was turned off.
Verdict: A Simple Way to Add Smarts
The AiDot Linkind Matter Smart Plug is a good choice if you use multiple home automation platforms to control your smart devices. It provides a fast and easy way to smarten up lamps, coffee makers, and other electronics; it supports Alexa, Google, and Siri voice commands; and it works with lots of AiDot and third-party devices. That said, the TP-Link Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug KP125M remains our Editors' Choice winner—it offers most of the same functionality for a similar price, along with the ability to monitor energy usage.
The AiDot Linkind Matter Smart Plug is a single-outlet plug that uses the Matter standard to work with multiple home automation platforms and scores of third-party smart home devices.
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