As Thanksgiving approaches, I’ve noticed retail outlets gradually displaying Christmas merchandise, making it essential to prepare one item in advance—an outdoor smart plug. For outdoor festive decorations, including Christmas trees, it’s crucial to have smart plugs that can withstand both moisture and cold temperatures. Leviton offers a fantastic solution: a Matter-compatible smart plug that integrates seamlessly with HomeKit.
HomeKit Weekly is a series dedicated to smart home accessories, automation insights, and all aspects of Apple’s smart home ecosystem.
Why should you avoid using indoor plugs outside?
You might wonder: “Isn’t a smart plug just a smart plug? Can’t I use my indoor smart plug outside?” The answer is more complex. While indoor plugs might function temporarily, they may not endure the outdoor conditions for long. Indoor smart plugs lack the necessary weatherproofing found in outdoor models which safeguards against rain, snow, and UV rays from sunlight in exposed areas. Such features aren’t merely optional; they are vital for both safety and longevity of the product.
Hardware Details
The Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter boasts robust weather resistance engineered to handle environmental exposure with an operating temperature range of -20F to 122F and an IP65 rating, shielding it from dirt, dust, moisture, rain, sprinklers, hoses, snow, and UV degradation.
Automated Features of the Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter
One feature I appreciate about the Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter during my testing is its innovative hardware automation, a first in HomeKit products I’ve encountered. Straight out of the box, it includes a built-in light sensor that automatically activates lights or lamps at night and turns them off during daylight, eliminating the need for pre-programmed schedules. While I manually set up HomeKit automations, this built-in feature enhances the smart plug’s usability. I would love to see more manufacturers incorporate such automation into their products. Of course, it can be disabled in the My Leviton app, sparking ideas for future integrated hardware automations.
Integrating a Matter Device into HomeKit
The ease of use that HomeKit offers is deeply rooted in the functionality of Matter. For HomeKit users, Matter facilitates a seamless transition to Google Assistant or Amazon Alexa in the future, as all Matter devices can be easily integrated across platforms. The onboarding process for Matter devices, which relies on QR codes, closely resembles that of HomeKit-only devices. Leviton has included the Matter code on the device’s underside and within the user manual—a thoughtful touch, especially for outdoor devices where the outdoor elements may fade the original over time.
Another improvement with HomeKit over the years is its capability to suggest automation during the setup process. As illustrated in the photo above, the initial two automation options are ideal for outdoor lighting: triggering at sunset and turning off at 11:00 PM.
Conclusion on Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter
Leviton has produced an outstanding product with its outdoor smart plug. I appreciate its Matter compatibility right out of the box without requiring a firmware update and its integrated hardware automation feature. This well-constructed device will undoubtedly be put to good use on our porch this Christmas for our festive decorations.
You can find the Leviton Outdoor Smart Plug with Matter available on Amazon or at Home Depot.
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