The newest addition to GMYLE’s family of smart home devices, the GYMLE Mini Smart Plug is a Wi-Fi enabled switch that lets you control things like lamps, tabletop fans, coffee makers, and other small appliances, using your Android or iOS mobile device. It supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, and offers hourly, daily, and weekly scheduling.
Design and App
At 1.4 by 3.8 by 2.4 inches (HWD), the Mini Smart Plug isn’t all that mini. In fact, it’s a tad wider than the Zuli Smart Plug $15.72 at Amazon (1.4 by 1.6 by 2.7 inches) and the wall switch in the iDevices Smart Home Essentials Kit (1.5 by 2.7 by 1.6 inches), but it’s small enough that you can fit two of them together in a two-socket outlet. The switch sports a glossy white finish and has a three-prong outlet on its face, along with an on/off button and a tiny LED indicator that blinks white and amber during setup and glows a steady white when the switch is on. Around back is a three-prong plug.
The Mini uses the same Android and iOS app as other GMYLE devices. The app opens to a home page that displays a list of all installed GYMLE devices and their status (on, off, not detected). The Mini has a button that lets you turn the switch on and off from within the app. In the top right corner of the page is a pencil icon that allows you to reset devices and edit the names and pictures that identify each one. At the bottom of the page are buttons for Rules, More, and Devices.
The Rules page is where you go to set up schedules for the switch, configure the timer, and set up an Away Mode, which turns devices such as lamps on and off at different times to make it look as if someone is home. You can schedule the Mini to turn on or off at specific times and on specific days, or you can have it turn on and off when the sun rises and sets. The More button takes you to a page with settings that allow you to enable/disable Remote Access and set the switch up for use with If This Then That (IFTTT) recipes.
Installation and Performance
The Mini Smart Plug connects directly to your Wi-Fi network and doesn’t require a home automation hub. To install it, download the app, plug the switch into a wall outlet, go to your phone’s Wi-Fi settings, and connect to the Mini’s SSID. When you open the app, a setup screen will launch and ask you to name the switch and if you want the app to remember your Wi-Fi settings. After about 30 seconds, the Mini will appear on the device list.
Overview of the product features
- Works with Amazon Alexa, turns on or off appliances by voice control.
- Easy to install. All you need to do is setting up your Smart Plug with wifi network, plug in and register the appliances.
- Countdown function allows you to turn on or off appliance automatically, preventing power waste and over-charging.
- Schedule automatically. Set up worry-free schedule by using timer function. Turn on/off your devices based on specific time you set; Never come back to a dark house. Schedule the fan to turn on before you arrive. Sync lights and devices to pre-set times automatically.
Pros
- Easy to install.
- Works with Alexa and IFTTT.
- No hub required.
- Nice scheduling options.
Cons
- Doesn’t track energy usage.
- No HomeKit support.
Why should you buy it?
With GYMLE WiFi smart plug mini, you can set up any number of time- or day-based schedules. For instance, with two plugs you can turn a bedside table light on and a sleep machine off at a specific time or when the sun rises. There’s also a handy “away mode” that turns a lamp’s lights on and off at random intervals to make it appear as if you’re home. Because the GYMLE works with platforms like Nest, you can also configure the plug to turn on a specific light when your Nest Learning Thermostat recognizes that you’re home.
In all of these scenarios, the smart plug worked almost flawlessly. Occasionally, the app was sluggish or would get hung up, but that seems to be the norm for pretty much every dedicated smart device app these days. Apple households may miss HomeKit compatibility and the ability to use Siri, but given all the other smart platforms that do work with the GYMLE, that pining will probably be brief.
Conclusions
The GYMLE Mini Smart Plug is a great smart home accessory for people who don’t like smart home accessories. It’s affordable, easy to setup and use, and lets you automate everyday devices in your home without committing to a single smart home platform.
The GYMLE WiFi Mini Smart Plug provides an easy way to convert lamps and other small appliances into smart devices that you can control from your smartphone. It offers plenty of scheduling options, supports IFTTT recipes, and voice commands with Alexa and Google Assistant. It’s also a breeze to install and performed wonderfully in testing. That said, for an additional $15, the GYMLE Insight Switch does everything the Mini does, and gives you daily and monthly energy usage and cost reports. As such, it remains our Editors’ Choice for smart power outlets.
