This review delves into the EIGHTREE Matter Smart Plug, a budget-friendly option for expanding your smart home setup. We'll examine its ease of use, focusing on the Matter integration process, its performance, and overall reliability. We'll also discuss its physical design, addressing its size and comparing its Wi-Fi connectivity to the alternative Thread protocol. This review aims to provide a comprehensive assessment of the EIGHTREE Matter Smart Plug, highlighting its strengths and weaknesses to help you determine if it's the right choice for your smart home needs.The EIGHTREE plugs offer a simple yet effective solution for controlling appliances remotely. This review will explore whether the affordable price point compromises performance or functionality. Key features including local control via Matter, multi-admin support across various smart home ecosystems, and overall ease of setup will be thoroughly evaluated. We will also consider the value proposition offered by the four-pack compared to similar smart plugs on the market, offering a balanced perspective on its advantages and limitations.
Pros And Cons
- Affordable (especially with discounts)
- Matter standard allows easy integration with different smart home ecosystems (HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings)
- Matter functionality runs locally, allowing access even with internet outage
- Simple setup and unboxing experience
- Relatively large size, plugs don't fit easily next to each other
- Uses Matter over Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz) instead of Thread, potentially less efficient for simple on/off control
- Initial setup attempt failed, requiring alternative method
Read more: AMI Meter Reading Guide: Understanding Your Smart Electricity Meter
Unboxing and Initial Impressions
The EIGHTREE Matter Smart Plug arrived in a simple package, containing the plugs themselves and some minimal documentation. The design is sleek and minimalist, a RAM-style plug that looks clean and modern. However, the size is a bit larger than I’d prefer; they don’t fit side-by-side in a standard outlet.
The Matter code is printed directly on the device, but it's a good idea to save it digitally as a precaution. This is standard practice for Matter devices, and ensuring you have a backup is always recommended.
Setup and Matter Integration
Adding the plugs to HomeKit via Matter was mostly straightforward. The process involves adding devices, scanning the Matter code, and completing the pairing process. While my initial attempt failed due to scanning the QR code too early, adding the code first proved successful.
The multi-admin functionality of Matter is a significant advantage. This allows seamless integration with various smart home ecosystems such as Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings, providing flexibility and control.
Connectivity and Wi-Fi Considerations
These plugs use Matter over Wi-Fi on the 2.4 GHz band. If you have a dual-band router, separating the 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz networks might be necessary to ensure successful pairing. This is common with many Matter over Wi-Fi devices.
This contrasts with Matter over Thread, a low-power mesh network protocol. While Thread offers better communication between devices, particularly for low-data tasks like switching lights and plugs, Wi-Fi is likely more cost-effective for manufacturers.
Performance and Local Control
The EIGHTREE plugs are simple and effective. Their main function is to turn devices on and off, and they perform this reliably. The use of Matter ensures local control, meaning that even if your internet is down, you can still operate the plugs through your smart home hub.
This local control feature is a significant advantage during internet outages, providing uninterrupted operation of your connected appliances.
Pricing and Conclusion
At the time of this review, a four-pack is available for a reasonable price, potentially even cheaper with available coupons. This makes the EIGHTREE Matter Smart Plug an attractive budget-friendly option.
Overall, it's a solid performer with reliable functionality, excellent Matter support, and local control. The larger size and reliance on Wi-Fi (rather than Thread) are the main drawbacks. However, considering the price and capabilities, these are minor issues for most users. It is a good option for anyone looking to start with Matter.