TP-Link Tapo Smart Plug with Energy Monitoring

[Mr Gus]

£9.99 delivered currently.

Talk me into / out of buying a few please folk.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Tapo-M ... XHTW&psc=1

[Stinsy]

“Dispatched in 1-2 months”

[Mr Gus]

Showing as 2 weeks for me, more than acceptable.
Anyway, the item? ..anyone have experience as to efficiency, & how "rapey" the data is on the app?

[Stinsy]

This is what it shows for me:



I have a bazillion of the TP-Link Kasa smartplugs and they work pretty well. I don't really know how much data or power they consume but I don't think it is anything notable. I've never understood why TP-Link have two products that essentially do the same thing but are incompatible...

[Mr Gus]

Yeah, generational rebuilds or clones that software / hardware fiddling doesn't fit the production & side by side servicing plans.

[Andy]

£9.99 delivered currently.

Talk me into / out of buying a few please folk.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/TP-Link-Tapo-M ... XHTW&psc=1

from the first 1 star review. I do have some but hadn't read the policy as usual

"To use the plugs, one must install the Topo app. It is only when one installs the app that one comes across its privacy policy, which is intrusive and impossible to accept. Following are highlights of the policy:
TP-Link will collect information about the devices connected to the plugs (Point 2.3). They may collect IP address, location, mobile device information, user name, email address, shipping address, log-in and password details [!!], communications via phone calls, e-mail, social media, … the list is extensive and alarming (Point 4). Not only will TP-Link be allowed to use such information itself, it is also allowed to transfer such information to third parties (Point 5.2). Furthermore, customer information may be transferred to parties that may acquire TP-Link in the future (Point 5.4).
One buys a wifi-enabled plug to connect to one’s devices to power supply remotely. It must be able to manufacture plugs that do just that without requiring an app to set up. More importantly, there is no reason for the plug to collect so much information from its customers. There is even less justification for them to pass our personal information to third parties. Whether or how they may be able to collect such information is secondary. I cannot grant them permission to do so.
Therefore I intend to return the product."

[Mr Gus]

That degree of data intrusion did it, thank you.

[Andy]

That degree of data intrusion did it, thank you.

Thought it might I'm still trying to find a plug that is easy to integrate in to the home setup, is cheap, doesn't need the cloud. Very hard to find.

[Oldgreybeard]

I'm coming around to the view that the only safe and private way to do automation like this is to either go down the DIY route (actually not that hard - although needs care if working with mains voltages) or to use one of the devices that can be hacked to run on open source firmware. I know I keep mentioning Home Assistant, but a large part of that is because lots of people have found ways to get commercially available devices to be integrated with it, without needing to use the proprietary privacy infringing apps they come with.

The core device for a lot of remote control and measurement stuff is the ESP32. This chip is used in a lot of home automation gadgets, and for some of them it is fairly easy to replace the intrusive firmware they come with with open source firmware that is locked down just to your local network. There is a group that have specialised in this, ESP Home, and the list of devices that they've got working is growing every day, but here is a starter: https://www.esphome-devices.com/

There are "smart plugs" in that list, like this one, for example: https://www.esphome-devices.com/devices ... e-jh-g01b1 or this one: https://www.esphome-devices.com/devices/woox-r4785 If you want power monitoring as well as control then there is this device: https://www.esphome-devices.com/devices/Gosund-UP111

There is a bit of technical know how needed to re-flash the original firmware in these devices with the spyware free open source code, but it is well documented in the main and not too difficult to do.

These can be integrated with Home Assistant running locally, and without an internet connection if you wish. I run Home Assistant on an old Raspberry Pi model 3B, and give it very limited internet access (just access for HA updates and to the internet time clock).

[cojmh]

from the first 1 star review. I do have some but hadn't read the policy as usual

"To use the plugs, one must install the Topo app. It is only when one installs the app that one comes across its privacy policy, which is intrusive and impossible to accept. Following are highlights of the policy:
TP-Link will collect information about the devices connected to the plugs (Point 2.3). They may collect IP address, location, mobile device information, user name, email address, shipping address, log-in and password details [!!], communications via phone calls, e-mail, social media, … the list is extensive and alarming (Point 4). Not only will TP-Link be allowed to use such information itself, it is also allowed to transfer such information to third parties (Point 5.2). Furthermore, customer information may be transferred to parties that may acquire TP-Link in the future (Point 5.4).
One buys a wifi-enabled plug to connect to one’s devices to power supply remotely. It must be able to manufacture plugs that do just that without requiring an app to set up. More importantly, there is no reason for the plug to collect so much information from its customers. There is even less justification for them to pass our personal information to third parties. Whether or how they may be able to collect such information is secondary. I cannot grant them permission to do so.
Therefore I intend to return the product."

I have TP link Kasa and TP link Tapo devices - Like Stinsy I don't know why they have two incompatible ranges.

I dislike the way companies monitor everything and monetise the data for their own gain - however I am not as concerned about these devices. If we look at the specific information they collect:

Info about devices connected to the plug - not sure what info they can get apart from usage info.
IP address - Of course they will need this as will any internet connected device.
Location - A reasonable location can be gathered from your internet connection (iplocation) If you register the device they they will have any address you give them - like most other companies these days.
Mobile device information - If you use the app then they will have this - just like most of the other apps on your phone (and some websites you visit!)
Username - you specify this so make it unique.
email address - most people's email address are all over the place anyway - you could always give them a secondary email address you don't care about.
Shipping address - I think this only applies if you order directly from them/get a replacement or you give it to them. Not sure Amazon would give them the info?
log-in and password details - again you specify this so make them unique?
communications - you choose how to communicate so don't use social media accounts if you don't want them - although if you use a common email address they will probably be able to link it.

I think it is wise to check these details and try to minimise the personal info out there - but the bulk of what they are talking about is either already out there or under your control so you can choose what info to give.

From the point of view of getting a product that does not need the cloud or collect some user information - I think this is unlikely as most people want the connectivity and that is who they will cater for. We are in a minority until the masses realise what they are actually doing and even then I suspect convenience will override sense - how many people use facebook login for third party sites for example?

TP-link as far as I am aware are a reputable company - I think the larger risk is network devices from more questionable sources (unbranded door bells anyone?) So risk is at the lower end.

Just my 2p worth - but you should definitely do what you are comfortable.