Kasa Smart Plug KP200, In-Wall Smart Home Wi-Fi Outlet Works with Alexa, Google Home & IFTTT, No Hub Required, Remote Control, ETL Certified , White, 1 Pack

I like smart plugs, but I prefer not to see them. That’s why I tried the Kasa in‑wall outlet (model KP200): a full‑size duplex receptacle that turns both sockets into independently controllable smart outlets, no hubs or chunky adapters required. After living with it across a few rooms—lamps in a living room, a coffee setup in the kitchen, and a home office power strip—it’s become one of the tidiest, most reliable ways I’ve added automation to everyday circuits.

What it is and why it’s useful

The KP200 replaces a standard 15A receptacle and connects directly to Wi‑Fi (2.4 GHz, b/g/n). Each of the two outlets can be controlled on its own or together from the Kasa app, through voice assistants (Alexa or Google Assistant), or via schedules and scenes. There’s no hub to manage, and the unit is ETL certified with a 15A/1875W total rating.

Two things stand out in daily use:

• Both outlets are smart. Many in‑wall competitors only make one socket controllable. Here, top and bottom can be named separately and addressed individually or as a pair.
• It cleans up clutter. If you’re tired of wall‑warts or a stack of smart plugs, this puts automation in the wall and frees up space around furniture.

Installation experience

If you’re comfortable replacing a standard outlet, this is straightforward—but there are a few important caveats.

• A neutral wire is required. Most modern homes have a neutral in the box, but older homes may not. No neutral, no go.
• It’s deeper than a basic receptacle. The body is chunky, so shallow or crowded boxes can be tight. I recommend using a deep box (old‑work 22–25 cu in for 14AWG conductors, more if 12AWG) and tidying pigtails to the back. If you have multiple cables in the box, plan on some careful wire management.
• Full‑time hot expected. If you’re replacing a split or “half‑hot” outlet that’s controlled by a wall switch, you’ll need to convert it to always‑hot and disconnect the switched leg. The KP200 doesn’t support being half switched by a wall switch and half always‑on.
• GFCI matters. This is not a GFCI outlet. Don’t replace a required GFCI location (kitchen, bath, laundry, garage, exterior, etc.) with the KP200 unless the circuit remains GFCI‑protected upstream. If in doubt, consult an electrician or your local code requirements.
• Power budget. It’s rated 15A/1875W total across both sockets. If you run two heavier loads simultaneously (say, a space heater and a kettle), you can exceed the rating. For lighting, electronics, and small appliances, it’s perfect.

Once wired, pairing in the Kasa app took a couple of minutes. The app walked me through joining the KP200’s temporary network, it found my Wi‑Fi, pushed the credentials, and that was it. Firmware updated automatically in the background.

App and automations

Kasa’s app is clean and no‑nonsense. I care about three things in a smart receptacle—naming, scheduling, and grouping—and the KP200 covers them well.

• Per‑outlet naming. I labeled the top outlet “Reading Lamp” and the bottom “Corner Lamp,” and I can toggle either one or both with a single action.
• Schedules and timers. You can set multiple on/off schedules per outlet, including sunrise/sunset offsets, and layer simple timers (e.g., “turn off 45 minutes after turning on”). It’s flexible enough for weekday/weekend routines without feeling complicated.
• Away mode. This randomly turns outlets on/off within a window, which is more convincing than fixed schedules for security lighting. I use it on a living room lamp cluster when I’m traveling.
• Scenes and grouping. I grouped the KP200 with Kasa bulbs and a smart switch so “Movie Night” drops the overheads and turns on two lamps to low. A single button or voice command triggers it.

One thing you don’t get is energy monitoring. If you want kWh tracking or per‑device power graphs, the KP200 won’t provide that. For me, the simplicity is fine—I use it for on/off control and schedules—but energy nerds should look elsewhere.

Voice and integrations

Alexa and Google Assistant integration has been solid. The key is the per‑outlet naming; “Alexa, turn off Reading Lamp” hits only the top socket, while “turn off Living Room Outlet” toggles both. Latency is low—usually a second or two from command to click. Kasa also supports IFTTT if you want to connect the outlet to other services or sensors.

There’s no HomeKit or Matter support. If you’re deep in Apple’s ecosystem or trying to standardize on Matter, this is a limitation to note.

Performance and reliability

In daily use, the KP200 has been boring in the best way. It holds a connection, it toggles when I ask, and schedules fire on time. The onboard relay makes a soft click when switching—audible in a quiet room, not disruptive. There’s a small status LED that’s not distracting at night.

A few practical notes from living with it:

• Wi‑Fi stability has been good even at the fringes of my mesh network. If your signal is marginal in a particular room, a nearby access point or Wi‑Fi extender will pay dividends for any smart device, including this one.
• If you use it to power networking gear (modem/router) for scheduled reboots, remember that you’ll lose remote control when the network is off. Keep local access in mind before you automate that outlet.
• Resets and firmware. The app exposes firmware updates and I’ve applied them without drama. A paperclip reset is available on the face if you ever need to re‑pair.

Safety and electrical considerations

• Rating: 15A total, 1875W at 120V. Treat that as a combined budget for both sockets.
• Load types: Great for lamps, chargers, TVs, coffee makers. I avoid large motor loads (big shop vacs, air compressors) or space heaters on schedules—even if within rating—simply because unattended high‑current loads add risk.
• Indoor only: This is for dry, interior locations in a standard box.
• Certification: ETL listed, with normal 0–40°C temperature and 10–90% non‑condensing humidity specs.

What could be better

• Depth. It’s a tight fit in older, shallow boxes. I’d love a slightly slimmer body or angled wire wells.
• No energy monitoring. Useful for tracking vampire loads or seeing if a device is truly off.
• 2.4 GHz only. Not a deal‑breaker, but 5 GHz support would simplify some modern networks.
• No HomeKit/Matter. If you’re standardizing on those ecosystems, this model won’t fit without a bridge workaround.

Ideal use cases

• Lamps and accent lighting: Pair two lamps on one receptacle and control them independently without clutter.
• Small appliance control: Coffee maker on a morning schedule, holiday lights on sunset automation.
• Child/teen screen‑time management: A PC or console power strip through the outlet gives you enforceable on/off windows. Just be mindful of abrupt power cuts if a device doesn’t handle them gracefully.

The bottom line

The Kasa in‑wall outlet hits a sweet spot of clean installation, dependable control, and a thoughtfully simple app. It’s not the flashiest smart home gadget you’ll buy, but it quickly becomes one you stop thinking about because it just works. As long as your electrical box has the space and you’re not trying to replace a required GFCI, installation is approachable for a confident DIYer—and trivial for an electrician.

Recommendation: I recommend the KP200. It’s a reliable, hub‑free way to add two truly independent smart outlets to a single gang, with excellent scheduling and rock‑solid Alexa/Google support. If you need energy monitoring, HomeKit/Matter, or have very shallow wall boxes, look elsewhere. For most homes wanting tidy, dependable automation of lamps and small appliances, this is an easy yes.