TP-Link HS110 Smart Plug Review and Setup Guide

TP-Link HS110 Smart Plug Review

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“If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” seems to be TP-Link’s motto when it comes to the TP-Link HS110. Virtually unchanged since 2017, this smart plug packs a lot of options into 1 smart device. It supports the typical on/off functionality of a smart plug, but also has energy monitoring functionality. The device itself is very user friendly. All you have to do is set up the Kasa Smart app, which is available from Google Play and the Apple App Store, and connect the plug to your WiFi. The HS110 is quite large, and unfortunately covers the 2nd plug in your outlet. While this is a bummer, it does not effect the usability of the smart plug; only the surrounding area. This plug is a little more expensive than other smart plugs because of the added energy monitoring functionality. It is not worth the extra cost if you don’t plan on using this function. One of the big advantages of the HS110 is that it supports local control, which means you can control it without internet access, as long as its still connected to your WIFI. Most importantly, it also integrates easily with both Alexa and Home Assistant. So, no matter how you set up or control your smart home, the TP-Link HS110 is a good option for getting it all started.

TP-Link HS110 Setup Guide

In order to set up this plug, you will first need to download the Kasa Smart app from the App Store or Google Play.

1. After opening the Kasa Smart app and creating an account, click the + in the top right corner of the screen.
2. When given the options What would you like to add? Tap Device.
3. On the Add a Device screen, choose Smart Plugs.
4. On the Add a Smart Plug screen, tap Smart Plug HS100 HS110.

5. Plug in your TP-Link HS110 Smart Plug and tap Next.
6. Wait until the WiFi light blinks orange and green. Tap Next.
7. The next page will instruct you to go to your device’s settings, and connect to your Smart Plug’s WiFi network. If you are already connected to it, you can click the bottom of the screen where it says I’m Already Connected.

5. From your WiFi settings, find TP-LINK_Smart Plug and connect to it. Then go back to the Kasa Smart app.
6. From the Kasa Smart app, select the WiFi network you want to connect the plug to
7. On the next screen, enter your WiFi password.
8. Now your device will attempt to connect to the network.

9. Once the device is connected you can change the device’s name.
10. After you have named the smart plug, you can choose to customize the icon, or upload images from and album or the camera.
11. Once everything is successfully set up, you will get the Congratulations page.
12. Now you can control the smart plug from the Devices page in the Kasa Smart app.

TP-Link Alexa Integration

The Alexa integration for the TP-Link HS110 is simple. All you need to do is enable the TP-Link Kasa skill.

1. From the Devices menu, click the + in the upper right side of the screen and choose Add Device. From the Setup page, select Kasa Smart.
2. Next you will see a few instructions, telling you to first set up your smart plug. Since you have already done this, you can continue by tapping Next.
3. On the next screen click Enable to Use.
4. Log in to the TP-Link Kasa skill using your TP-Link login credentials.

5. Close the window after linking the TP-Link Kasa skill.
6. Tell Alexa to discover devices, and it will attempt to find your new smart plug.
7. When Alexa finds the new smart plug, you can finish this process by tapping SET UP DEVICE, which will let you add the new plug to a group.

8. Once the set up is complete, your new device can be controlled with Alexa or through the Alexa app!

Factory Reset the TP-Link HS110

To restore the TP-Link HS110 to factory settings, hold down the Settings button on the top of the plug for 10 seconds, or until the relay inside the device clicks.

Conclusion

The TP-Link HS110 is an easy to use smart plug. It provides the user with options not offered by similar devices; mainly local control and energy monitoring out of the box. Unfortunately, the HS110 feels outdated compared to other options on the market, mainly because of its size. The plug is just too big. It ends up making the other outlet inaccessible, which is no longer acceptable. TP-Link also makes the HS103 and HS105 which have smaller profiles, but do not have energy monitoring capabilities.