TP-Link Tapo P110M Wi-Fi/Voice/Matter Smart Energy Monitor plug (smarthome review)

The TP-Link Tapo P110M Wi-Fi Energy monitor smart plug provides a remote-controlled 240V/10A power plug that measures energy use. As a bonus, it can be voice-controlled and meets the new Matter standard.

Why a smart energy monitor plug?

How much does running that fridge, beer fridge, TV, Wi-Fi system, washing machine, or dryer cost? You may be surprised that most of the lower-cost TVs, including brand names like Samsung and LG, are <3 Energy Star rating, with only four of the current models scoring an 8-star rating (Source). The difference between 1 and 8 stars is $ 435 versus $120 a year to run based on 10 hours of use a day.

Don’t you want to know too? I do. Using a smart energy monitor plug, I tracked down the energy-hungry monsters in my home and saved hundreds of dollars by implementing schedules and replacements over time.

This is a mini-review, primarily because it is a tiny plug with power pass-through that fits a standard power point, leaving space for another plug on a double point.

Matter – does it?

We wrote a guide, Does it Matter? Not with new smart home compatibility standards, which is in the process of being updated. You need to know that Matter-certified IoT devices work with any other certified device regardless of brand. TP-Link Tapo is one of the premium Smarthome brands to support Matter, as do the major voice assistants, Google Home, Alexa, HomeKit, SmartThings and HomeKit.

TP-Link Tapo P110M uses

• Voice assistant to turn on or off. ‘OK, Google, turn on the TV.’
• Remote smart phone to turn on or off.
• Tapo App or Matter controlled.
• Manual on or off.
• Real-time energy use tracking with an informative day/month/year readout.
• Scheduling and away mode.
• Auto-off timer to prevent leaving the iron switched on.
• RCM Certified with over-load protection, dual-relay design, flame retardant and anti-rust contacts.

Note: This is the P110M (Matter) version, not the P110 version.

Australian Review: TP-Link Tapo P110M Wi-Fi Energy monitor smart plug with Matter support

Website	Product Page and User Guide
Price	$29
From	CE retailers like Harvey Norman, JB Hi-Fi, Amazon AU, Bing Lee, Officeworks and computer stores.
Warranty	24-months
Company	TP-Link (Est 1996) is a privately owned Chinese company. Products include high-speed cable modems, wireless and mobile routers, range extenders, switches, IP cameras, powerline adapters, switches, print servers, media converters, wireless adapters, power banks, USB Hubs and SMART home technology devices.
More	CyberShack TP-Link news and reviews

‘We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.’We use Fail (below expectations), Pass (meets expectations) and Exceed (surpasses expectations or is the class leader) against many of the items below. We occasionally give a Pass ‘+’ rating to show it is good but does not quite make it to Exceed.

You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Pass+

You have no idea how many smart plugs, wall chargers and devices we get to test that will not fit a standard double power point, leaving one free. This does so, and it earns significant points for that.

It is a double-height, standard width (which allows a double power point to be used), pass-through PowerPoint with a manual on/off button.

Set-up via the App

Download the Tapo App for Android or iOS. It is the same app for its cameras, lights, hubs, sensors, and robot vacuums. As such, it is well-developed and easy to use.

We have included the Privacy and Terms of Use at the end of the review. The policy and terms are benign. The Singapore cloud is used for storage and is subject to the law of the United Kingdom. It is safe to sign.

The App provides (smart energy plug specific)

• Power on/off
• Energy use (today, past 30 days, year)
• Schedule
• Timer
• Away
• Firmware update

It also provides interaction between other Tapo devices

• Routines (leave and arrive home, bedtime, sunset and sunrise actions)
• Automations – When/Then
• Link to Google Assistant, Alexa, Samsung SmartThings or IFTTT.

App screen shots

Set-up via Matter

Matter is new, and most people won’t initially use this feature. There are two ways – one harder and one easier.

You may need a Matter-compatible controller. This will likely be a TP-Link Deco Mesh router. Models scheduled to support Matter are BE85 V2, BE65, XE75 Pro V2, XE75 V2, X60 V3.2, X55, X50, X24 V4 and X10. Although it can be any other mesh controller – Matter is brand agnostic. Next, the router needs to use IPv6 instead of IPv4, which involves a separate account and static IP, for which most ISPs charge a little more.

Or you can connect the easy route directly to a voice assistant.

Does it Matter? To be blunt, not at this time. If you have many Matter-compatible devices from disparate brands, then yes. If not, using a voice assistant is far easier.

Tests – Pass+

• Ease of set-up in the App – Pass+
• App link to Google Assistant – Link Tapo app, and it finds it automatically, Pass+
• Ease of Matter setup with Google Assistant – Pass+
• Effective maximum Wi-Fi distance 2.4Ghz – about 30 metres, Pass+
• Energy use accuracy with timeline graph – Pass+

CyberShack’s view – TP-Link Tapo P110M Wi-Fi/Voice/Matter Smart Energy Monitor plug is must have

We have used expensive and complex energy measurement equipment for our reviews. This $29 device blows them away. Thanks TP-Link Tapo.

We discovered some new energy hog devices, which are now turned off unless summonsed by OK Google. Sure, they now take a few seconds to boot.

We have added the device to some outdoor lighting with the sunset/sunrise routine (it’s not IP-rated, so it needs to be placed out of rain-accessible areas) and to control the pool/filter instead of the old analogue controller. The only caveat is that Wi-Fi-connected devices need to be in range.

Rating

We have no benchmarks for this type of device, so it is unfair to rate it. Suffice it to say that it is a 10/10 with or without Matter support (PM110 version) and a must-have device.

• Features: All I could wish for is an IP65-rated device.
• Value: $29 is excellent value for what it can do.
• Performance: With an effective range of 30m from the nearest router or mesh node, it is easy to place anywhere.
• Ease of Use: 2-year warranty, simple App or voice assistant setup.
• Design: Leaves room for other devices on double power points.

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