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Simple Amazon Smart Plug Review and Troubleshooting Guide


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Skip to my Amazon Smart Plug Troubleshooting Guide

My Review of the Amazon Smart Plug

I was so excited to be one of the first people to get the Amazon Smart Plug. I have a lamp that is in a hard to reach the corner of my living room due to my sofa having a chaise lounge, and I really wanted to try this out with that lamp.

Unfortunately, my excitement upon receiving my package was short-lived. I spent two hours trying to get the plug to work, I then gave up for the night and tried again the next day. After another two hours, I finally got it to work! I was so happy I plugged in my lamp and headed to bed.

The next morning I woke up and asked Alexa to turn on my lamp and she did! I was beyond happy. As I left for work that day I thought, I wonder if I can set a time for it to turn on every day. I didn’t get to it that day, but the next day I was ready. I got home and asked Alexa to turn on the lamp. It was late and my apartment was dark. (I have my TV plugged into my light switch outlet due to a short wall on that side.)

Nothing happened. My plug had stopped working and my echo let me know it couldn’t find it. I was bummed, so I set about trying to set up the plug again, nothing for two more hours. I gave up. For three days I tried over and over to get the plug to work. I finally sent it back to Amazon and got a replacement.

The Replacement

My replacement took a while to hook up as well, once I did get it working it worked well for a week and then disconnected. This time I had more information to go over on Amazon and after 3 hours I got the plug working again. The best part? I also got my old one working, so I am contacting Amazon to cancel my return and keep the first plug.

What I love most about the Amazon smart plug

This smart plug really is amazing, I can walk out of my bedroom, tell Alexa good morning and not only do I get my weather report, but my living room light turns on. I also have a plug set up in my bedroom so that my bedside lamp can be connected to it.

The cord is stuck behind my nightstand and it’s hard to reach. It’s so nice being able to just turn it on and off with my phone. I could ask my echo dot, but it can’t always hear me from my room.

The plug itself is not huge and you can fit two in an outlet or you have room for something else to the plugin if you just use one smart plug.

You can buy the Amazon Smart Plug here

How to set up your Amazon Smart Plug

1. Make sure your phone is off power save mode.

This is very important as this was the tip that made everything finally work quickly. I am not kidding. I plugged in my replacement plug and two tries later it worked, then I plugged in the old one and it worked right away.

2. Don’t plug your plug into the outlet right away

You may have to scan the back of the plug, though both of mine came with a small sheet with the code on it.

3. Once you plug it in hit and hold the button on the side

You want to hold the button until the light blinks both red and blue. The instructions do not tell you that.

4 Make sure your router settings are right

The plug only works with a 2.4 ghz connection.

Amazon Smart Plug Troubleshooting Guide.

If your smart plug has a red blinking light

Unplug and re-plug the Smart Plug.

  • If it blinks red for a few seconds and goes to Off
    a. You should be able to control after 30-45 seconds
  • b. Go to Alexa app > Devices icon in the button right > Plugs – Look for plugs (Most likely to be named as First Plug or Second Plug)
  • c. Click the plug followed by Three Dots in the top right
  • d. Look for Device Software Version
  • i.  If it is in 1000000, keep the device Off for a few hours which will bring the device to the latest version.

If it blinks red infinitely

  • a. Go to Alexa app > Devices icon in the button right > Plugs > Look for plugs (Most likely to be      named as First Plug or Second Plug)
  • b. Click the plug followed by Three Dots in the top right
  • c. Click Change in Wifi Network > Click Continue
  • d. Hold the smart plug button until it blinks red & blue
  • e. This will allow you to Change / Re-enter your network details.

Comment: Do you have a smart plug? What plug do you have and what do you use your plug for?





23 thoughts on “Simple Amazon Smart Plug Review and Troubleshooting Guide

  1. Holly, I have to say that putting the Smart plug aside you really have the patience to keep trying to get this item to work. It seems that the Designer or Engineer should be it a plug and play connection in the 2nd edition. At the end of the day, I’m glad you got it to work.

  2. That’s pretty cool! If I had lamps in my place, I would definitely use it. But it sounds as if its a bit glitchy. Is it still working?

  3. Hi Holly! This is great review. I’ve also have Alexa for a year now and my husband and I love it. We didn’t hear about Amazon Smart Plug, we definitely need this in our living room and bedroom. Really cool gadget!

  4. Thanks for taking the time to write this. I’ve been looking into smart plugs to use in conjunction with my Ohm Connect account. Now I feel a little more informed!

  5. I have 2 smart plugs and I absolutely love them. We use 1 for the coffee machine and one to automatically make our front room light come on when the door opens.

  6. A really detailed information on setting up and using Alexa…Thank you for sharing your experience ..will be useful to all propective buyers of Alexa..

  7. Yes, I really wanted it to work so I did just keep trying. Once I figured out the trick of turning my powersaving off on my phone I have not had any issues. Persistence works!

  8. I really love it more now with the time change. It’s dark when I get home and I can either turn it on when I walk in the door or I can control it with my phone and turn it on from my car.

  9. That is why I love it so much. I have a limited number of outlets and having it fit and still keep the other open is ideal.

  10. Technology really is something. I wouldn’t have ever thought of something like this. Our living room is so dark that we need extra lamps, but they are hard to reach too. This would be a great addition to our house.

  11. I’m glad you finally got your plug working! That is so frustrating when you can’t get technology to work! This sounds like a really neat product and I’m glad to hear it is all working out.

  12. Wow i never knew Amazon had a smart plug. This is cool that this plug works with Alexa to make your home a super smart home!

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