Here's why you shouldn't plug a power strip into a smart plug
Key takeaways
- Smart plugs can be convenient and efficient, but they should really only power one device at a time.
- Proxima Studio/Shutterstock How often do you check your devices' power specifications before plugging them in?
- You might even find yourself considering plugging a power strip into a smart plug to add the convenience of remote controls, voice commands and scheduling to a handful of devices at once, rather than individually.
Smart plugs can be convenient and efficient, but they should really only power one device at a time.
Proxima Studio/Shutterstock How often do you check your devices' power specifications before plugging them in? If the answer is "pretty much never" (no judgment!), you're not alone — but knowing those numbers is really important when it comes to safely managing the load going into a given outlet. And the smart home era has brought an extra layer of complication. Nowadays, you may not always be plugging a device directly into a wall socket or power strip, but instead into a smart plug that serves as a go-between.
You might even find yourself considering plugging a power strip into a smart plug to add the convenience of remote controls, voice commands and scheduling to a handful of devices at once, rather than individually. For the most part, though, that's a setup you're better off avoiding. Why? It all goes back to those specs.