TP-Link Tapo P300 smart Wi-Fi 240V/USB-A/C power board (energy review)

The TP-Link Tapo P300 smart Wi-Fi power board has three 240V smart plugs, 2 x USB-A QC 3.0 ports and a USB-C PD18W port. It can also be voice-controlled.

When this arrived for review, I wondered what Joe and Jane Average would do with it. After all, aren’t we overcomplicating a simple power board? Yes and no.

Smart homes are coming – 44% of Aussies use smart home devices to make their lives easier (Source NBN). Of course, take-up varies by device – 20% have robot vacuums, 19% have security cameras, and 18% have smart bulbs and plugs. Most of the other 56% plan to add at least a smart speaker next year. To be fair, most don’t realise that they have a smart TV with powers beyond playing TV or movies.

The TP-Link Tapo P300 power board adds smarts and voice control to everyday lights and appliances.

What is the TP-Link Tapo P300 smart Wi-Fi 240V/USB-A/C power board?

Think of it as three individually controllable smart plugs you can turn on or off manually via the App or voice assistants. As a bonus, it has 2 x USB-A QC 3.0 ports (5V/3A/15W or 12V/1.5A/85W) and a USB-C 18W port – these are not Wi-Fi controlled.

We won’t discuss smart plug use as we covered this fully in the TP-Link Tapo P110M Wi-Fi/Voice/ plug review. Note that the review covered energy monitoring and Matter compatibility, which this does not have.

Back to use. Many devices have a sleep mode and, in theory, consume <1W. In practice, they can consume much more, and it does not hurt to turn them off when not used. Link that to a voice assistant, and you can turn that TV/Set-top-box on and off at will.

Because it supports automation, you could control floor or desk lights or kitchen appliances – ensuring they are off at night and on at sunrise. It can be set to a default status – On, Off, and previous power status.

And before you ask – yes, it can be a dumb power board.

Australian Review: TP-Link Tapo P300 smart Wi-Fi 240V/USB-A/C power board

Website	Product Page
Price	$69
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. You can click on most images for an enlargement.

First Impression – Pass+

It is very well-made, as we have come to expect from TP-Link Tapo. Physically, the RNZ-certified power board has three 240V individually switchable smart ports (maximum 240V/10/2400W) and 2 USB-A and one USB-C port.

It has a 1.5m cable, 260 × 64 × 38mm and multiple protection safeguards – Surge/Overload/Overheating Protection, flame retardant, and anti-rust bronze contacts.

Set-up – none or use the App

Download the Tapo app for Android or iOS and connect to Wi-Fi. Name each of the three 240V outlets that is it. You can enable voice assistants via the app.

In our P110M review, we carefully dissected the privacy terms, which are safe to sign. It collects minimal data and is stored in the Singapore cloud.

App features

• Schedule
• Timer
• Away
• Smart routines
• Share with others

Tests – Pass+

• USB-C 12V/1.5A/18W, 9V/2A/18W or 5V/3A/15W – Pass with 3W cable
• USB-A 5V/3A/15W Pass
• All three USB ports – share 5V to a total of 18W. Pass
• Single 240V port – 10A – Pass
• Three 240V simultaneous use share 10A

CyberShack’s view – TP-Link Tapo P300 Wi-Fi 240V/USB-A/C power board adds smarts to your dumb devices

For what it is – a smart power board, it scores 10/10. It meets or exceeds all advertised parameters and has TP-Link’s build quality and a 2-year warranty.

Don’t be put off by its smart features – you may find a use for them. If not, OK, it is a well-made power board with USB charging at a similar cost to the HPM USB Charger Powerboard with smarts you may use one day.

Rating

It is a 10/10 both as a dumb and smart power board.

• Features: 10 – Ideal for tech-savvy users that can implement routines
• Value: 10 – Similar cost to other brands with USB charging, and this is a smart device
• Performance: 10 – Meets or exceeds performance specs
• Ease of use: 10 – 2-year warranty and straightforward set-up in the app.
• Design: 10 – Well-made, quality and contemporary lines.