Best Smart Plugs for Energy Monitoring in the UK (2026)

Not all smart plugs are created equal, especially when it comes to energy monitoring. If you want to know exactly how much each appliance is costing you, you need a plug that measures power accurately, reports data reliably, and ideally works without sending everything to a cloud server. We've tested the most popular options available in the UK in 2026.

What to look for in an energy-monitoring smart plug

Before diving into specific models, here's what actually matters:

• Energy monitoring accuracy: Some plugs are only accurate to within ±10%. For meaningful cost tracking, you want ±1–2%.
• Local vs cloud: Cloud-dependent plugs stop working if the manufacturer shuts down their servers. Local-first plugs keep working regardless.
• UK plug format: Sounds obvious, but many "UK" listings ship EU adapters. Check for a proper BS 1363 plug and socket.
• Max load rating: Most energy-monitoring plugs handle 13A (3 kW), which covers the vast majority of household appliances.
• Integration: If you use Home Assistant or a similar platform, check that the plug exposes data via a local API or protocol like Matter.

The plugs we compared

TP-Link Tapo P110M (Matter)

This is the plug that ships with every Reveal kit, and for good reason. The P110M supports Matter, meaning it communicates locally over your home network without needing TP-Link's cloud. Energy monitoring is accurate to within 1–2%, and it reports real-time wattage, voltage, and cumulative kWh readings.

Price: ~£13–£15
Energy monitoring: Yes, real-time watts + cumulative kWh
Protocol: Matter (local), Wi-Fi
Max load: 13A / 3 kW
App: Tapo app (optional, not needed with Reveal or Home Assistant)
Verdict: Best all-round choice. Local-first, accurate, affordable, widely available.

TP-Link Tapo P110

The non-Matter version of the P110M. It has the same hardware energy monitoring, but communicates via TP-Link's cloud by default. It can be integrated with Home Assistant using community integrations, but it's less straightforward than the Matter variant.

Price: ~£10–£13
Energy monitoring: Yes, same sensor as P110M
Protocol: Wi-Fi (cloud-based)
Max load: 13A / 3 kW
App: Tapo app (required for setup)
Verdict: Good budget option if you don't mind cloud dependency. Worth the extra £2–3 for the P110M.

Meross MSS310

A popular HomeKit-compatible option. Energy monitoring works well in the Meross app and reports to HomeKit, though HomeKit's energy data presentation is limited. Some users report occasional Wi-Fi disconnection issues.

Price: ~£16–£20
Energy monitoring: Yes, real-time watts + cumulative kWh
Protocol: Wi-Fi, HomeKit, MQTT (with custom firmware)
Max load: 13A / 3 kW
App: Meross app / Apple Home
Verdict: Best for Apple-heavy households. Pricier and less reliable on Wi-Fi than the Tapo range.

Shelly Plug S

Shelly is a favourite among home automation enthusiasts thanks to its fully local HTTP/MQTT API out of the box, no custom firmware needed. The Plug S is compact and accurate, though the UK version can be harder to source than the EU model.

Price: ~£18–£22
Energy monitoring: Yes, real-time watts + cumulative kWh
Protocol: Wi-Fi, HTTP API, MQTT (all local)
Max load: 12A / 2.5 kW
App: Shelly app (optional)
Verdict: Excellent for tinkerers. Lower max load than competitors and less widely stocked in the UK.

Comparison summary

Plug	Price	Local control	Max load	Best for
Tapo P110M	£13–15	Yes (Matter)	3 kW	Overall best
Tapo P110	£10–13	No (cloud)	3 kW	Budget pick
Meross MSS310	£16–20	Partial	3 kW	Apple users
Shelly Plug S	£18–22	Yes (HTTP/MQTT)	2.5 kW	Tinkerers

Why Reveal uses the P110M

We chose the TP-Link Tapo P110M for the Reveal starter kit because it hits the sweet spot: accurate energy monitoring, native Matter support for fully local communication, a proper UK plug format, and a price point that lets us include multiple plugs without blowing the budget. Your energy data never leaves your home network.

If you already own compatible smart plugs, Reveal can work with those too, but for the best out-of-box experience, the P110M is hard to beat.