Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug Review

Ever had that moment, after you’ve left the house, where you can’t remember if you’ve turned off that lamp or not? How about being forced to crawl out of a warm bed to flick on the switch to the power outlet, since it should be charging your phone?

When you need remote control over your outlets, the Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug could be your perfect fit. It allows you to turn on or off anything plugged into it, it’s easy to set up, and it’s pretty inexpensive.

That being said, some users had a less pleasant experience. A few discovered issues with the app malfunctioning found it was difficult to sync the app and the plug together, or had the plug stop working entirely.

Are these rare glitches or reoccurring problems? Before you make your final decision, let’s take a closer look at the Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug.

Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug: The Details

Specs

• Product Dimensions: 2.7 x 1.5 x 1.5 inches.
• Product Weight: 12.8 oz.
• Product Type: Smart plug.
• Compatible with Amazon Alexa? Yes.

How Does It Work?

Setting up the Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug is easier than you think. No tech-savvy knowledge is required to make it operational.

First things first, download the Meross app from the Apple or Google app store on your phone. After this, situate the plug into an outlet, and the app will help you connect it to your Wi-Fi.

Once you have that set-up, the app will walk you through syncing the app with the plug, which includes naming the device you want to control. A green light on the plug will activate once it’s connected.

After it’s synced, the controls on the app should work right away to operate the device and whatever is plugged into it. The app can also sync the smart plug with Alexa or Google speakers or devices.

If you want to reset the plug or turn it off manually, there is a toggle on the side. For a factory reset, you can hold the button for five seconds until the light turns amber. Be aware, the amber light also means there is a firmware update occurring.

Meross: The Brand

Founded in 2016, Meross provides smart and Wi-Fi-enabled devices to customers internationally.

The company was founded by experts with previous work experience at Microsoft, Cisco, and MTK, and the brand was created around the principle that smart devices shouldn’t be difficult to set up and/or use.

Their stated mission is to “provide consumers with much easier to use products and exceptional services” and they want to “build a better user experience.”

Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug Review

The Positives

Convenient

What’s more convenient than being able to turn off a lamp or appliance with just the touch of your phone? Not much – and that’s what testers seem to love about this Meross Mini Smart Plug.

Once you have it synced with the app on your phone, you can easily control the power flow to any item plugged into it.

We all have those lazy moments, or perhaps you have a disability that makes it difficult to move around. This plug is great for either situation.

It’s also perfect for those moments after you left the house and can’t remember if the coffee maker is off. With the app and this smart plug, you can keep your home safe, save time, and have better access to your appliances’ power flow.

Easy to Set Up

Testers also appreciated the easy set-up process this device offers. It shouldn’t take you more than a couple of minutes to get the Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug up and running.

Since the app walks you through the majority of the set-up, and there’s absolutely no assembly required on the device, even tech novices will have it up and running effortlessly.

Even those who were a little wary about setting up a smart device were able to read through the instructions and get it installed in no time.

If this is your first step into smart technology, you won’t feel intimidated or frustrated by the set-up process. It’s a great starting tool for beginners and makes a great gift for those who need a small push into the smart-tech world.

Easy to Use

Using the plug may even be easier than setting it up. When you want to turn on a lamp or shut off your coffee maker, simply visit the app, select the icon of the plug you want to operate, choose whether it should turn on or off, and that’s it.

If you are using Amazon Alexa or Google, you need only speak to those devices and let them control the power supply from your desired outlet. This is a very convenient feature for those with accessibility concerns.

These smart plugs allow the user to set up schedules in a variety of ways so you’re sure to have a set up that really works for you. You can program your smart plug around sunrises and sunsets, or you can place them on your own schedule for ultimate convenience.

Need the radio to go on to get you going in the am? Simply set it up to coincide with your morning routine. You won’t even have to worry about forgetting that it’s playing either!

Inexpensive

Testers loved how inexpensive these plugs are. Currently, on Amazon, you can buy a four-pack of smart plugs for less than $50.

That about $10 a piece. There’s very little you can get for $10 these days – and especially not something that is this high tech. That’s not to mention how much easier these devices make your life.

For a low price, you can change how you use at least four different appliances in your home. That’s pretty amazing!

What’s even better is that these little devices will continue to save you money in the long run. We all know the damage that can happen if a curling iron is left on or the damage to your bill that leaving a larger device on can do.

Compact

Several users also appreciated the size of this smart plug. Despite the amount of technology packed into this little device, it’s bite-sized and will not take up more than one outlet.

Outlets can be at a premium in any home, especially if you have multiple people in your house who need to charge cell phones.

Since this smart plug is so compact, it will take up no more space than the power cord of any other device, and won’t look bulky in your home. They come in both black and white so they can blend seamlessly into your decor.

Since they’re small, they don’t require a lot of connectivity from your WiFi, so you won’t need to amp up your bandwidth to accommodate these either.

Customer Service

A number of testers were really impressed with Meross’ customer service department. They were able to lend a helping hand and get issues resolved efficiently.

When contacted for assistance or if a product was cause for concern, Meross was able to send out replacements, instructions or valuable information to help get the device back in working order.

While there doesn’t seem to be a mention of warranty, by partnering with Amazon, Meross is also backed by Amazon’s great customer service that will handle returns and exchanges should your product not function as advertised.

Nevertheless, a company that makes the effort to please their customers, no matter the cost of the product, shows they care and stand behind what they’re making.

The Negatives

App Malfunctions

Unfortunately, not everyone had a pleasing experience with this item. Some users found the Meross app to be rather frustrating.

Mainly, the app would disconnect from the smart plug, forcing users to re-sync it, or the app was buggy and would close down automatically or freeze.

Since this plug isn’t of much use without the app, this is definitely a con. It can surely make a convenient item, less reliable. It looks like Meross has some glitches to work out – and stat!

Difficult to Sync

Some testers found difficulty syncing the plug to the app right from the start. It took multiple tries, and a few users needed to uninstall and reinstall the app before it finally worked.

This issue, combined with the glitches stated above, makes it clear that Meross needs to work on their app.

It appears very buggy, and the connection between it and the smart plug should be more secure. Even a cheap smart device shouldn’t frustrate users with poor interfacing.

Early Retirement 

Finally, a rare number of users found that the plug ceased to work altogether – either shortly after it arrived or after several months of owning it.

While this didn’t happen to everyone, it’s still a manufacturing defect worth noting. Amazon offers replacements for immediately defective ones, but you may run into trouble in the long-term.

As such, testers were displeased with the need to replace these plugs. Sure, they’re priced reasonably, but products that wear out or malfunction so quickly can be discouraging.

Here’s a video showing what the Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug looks like out of the box and set up.

Overall Verdict

After looking over all the positives and negatives, we recommend the Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug. The app needs work, but updates could be available in the near future to rectify these frustrations.

If you experience no defective models, which can typically be handled with your warranty, then you should have a pleasant experience.

These plugs are convenient, easy to set up, cost-effective, and designed with smart homes in mind. If you want remote access to your power outlets, all from the comfort of your phone, these could be an ideal purchase.

Where to Buy the Meross WiFi Mini Smart Plug

Meross may not be a top-known brand in the smart technology world, but they’re definitely making a name for themselves with their affordable smart products.

They have a growing line of smart devices, though the Meross Wi-Fi Mini Smart Plug may prove hard to find both in-store and online.

Meross currently only sells their devices through third-party retailers like Amazon, so for now, that’s the best place to kick-start your search.

That’s the end of our Meross Smart Plug review. Curious to give it a try?