TP-LINK HS100

With over two decades of activity, TP-LINK has established itself as a significant player in the network equipment arena. Keeping pace with the spinning flywheel of the technological progress engine, the Chinese brand has rolled out a tandem of smart sockets that add a little “smartness” to household appliances.

Ergonomics

The younger model HS100 is assembled in a white plastic case with a grey painted plug connection. For greater safety, the holes in it are covered with protective shutters, which gently move to the side upon contact with the connected device. Also at the disposal of smart sockets are grounding contacts. Naturally, they only work when the TP-LINK HS100 is plugged into a grounded main outlet.

Smart component

The "passport" of the smart device claims to work in networks of 100-240 V with a maximum load of 16 A and a connection power of not more than 3500 W. These parameters fit the lion's share of home appliances, including powerful heaters, air conditioning and water heating systems. The “smart” component of the model is revealed together with the Kasa mobile application for a smartphone, in the menu of which there are items for setting the socket busy schedule, a power on and off timer, and viewing the current connection status. The menu interface of the programme is in English, and besides, it is not very convenient in terms of timer settings.

Wireless connection

The socket connects automatically via a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi network. An illuminated icon on the power button indicates active pairing with the router. The green and red indication of the key indicates the presence and absence of a wireless connection, and the yellow flashing mode indicates the state of resetting the outlet to factory settings. The model also has an "elder brother" in the face of TP-LINK HS110, which keeps track of energy consumption.