Smart Plugs / Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) vs Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)
Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)
$11.99
VSKasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)
$32.99
Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) vs Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)
Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)
The cheapest way to get four metered plugs, if you can live without Matter.
Wins overall by 2.5 points
Quick Verdict
A 2.5-point gap makes the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) the straightforward choice here. The cheapest way to get four metered plugs, if you can live without Matter.
The Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) and Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) are both current-generation smart Plug models, and the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) is $21 cheaper than the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) ($11.99 vs $32.99). On Local Control, the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads (8.0 vs 2.5/10) — whether switching and schedules survive an internet outage, or depend on a vendor cloud. On Build & Safety, the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads (8.5 vs 4.0/10) — certification, flame-retardant housing, overload protection, recall history and warranty. On Size & Fit, the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads (9.5 vs 6.0/10) — whether it blocks the second outlet on a duplex receptacle, and how it mounts. Overall, the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores 7.9/10 across our 8 scoring categories versus 5.4/10 for the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack). Below, we break down the full spec sheet, category-by-category scores, and exactly who should buy which one.
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Spec | Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) | Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $11.99 | $32.99 |
| Release Year | 2022 | 2022 |
| Max Load | Sources conflict: Emporia's store lists 10A max continuous, 15A peak for up to one hour a day, and separately '1800W @ 120V'. 10A continuous is 1,200W | 15A / 1,800W at 120V (resistive) |
| Motor / Inductive Rating | Not published. Emporia explicitly advises against refrigerators, freezers, medical equipment, pet heat lamps and pumps, and networking gear | 1/6 HP — the weakest motor rating in this table (TP-Link EP25P4 spec sheet) |
| Energy Monitoring | Yes, measured — this is the product's entire purpose | Yes, measured — real-time W and historical kWh, Kasa app only |
| Radio & Protocol | Wi-Fi 2.4GHz to the Emporia cloud. No Matter, no HomeKit, no Zigbee | Wi-Fi 2.4GHz with native HomeKit; no Matter, no Thread |
| Hub Required | No | No |
| Works Without Internet | No documented local API; the app and schedules depend on Emporia's cloud | Yes — Kasa keeps LAN control if the internet drops; HomeKit automations still need a home hub |
| Switched Outlets | 1 | 1 |
| Pack Size | 1 | 4 |
| Price per Switched Outlet ($) | 11.99 | 8.25✓ |
| Dimensions | Not published by Emporia | 66.5 x 38 x 40 mm (2.62 x 1.50 x 1.57 in), plug pins excluded |
| Blocks Second Outlet | Not published by Emporia | No — slim enough to stack two on one duplex outlet |
| Weather Rating | Indoor only | Indoor only, 32-104°F |
| Warranty | 12 months | 24 months |
| Colors | White | White |
Category Scores
Load Headroom
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads clearly here, 4.5 against 2.0 — a 2.5-point margin on how much of the nameplate 15A you can actually use continuously, and what the plug is rated to do with motors, compressors and heaters — the spec buyers most often get caught by. If that is what you are buying for, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Energy Monitoring
The Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.0 — a 1.5-point margin on whether power is genuinely measured, what quantities are reported, and where you can see them. If that is what you are buying for, the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Support
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads clearly here, 7.0 against 4.0 — a 3.0-point margin on matter, HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Home Assistant coverage. If that is what you are buying for, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Local Control
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads clearly here, 8.0 against 2.5 — a 5.5-point margin on whether switching and schedules survive an internet outage, or depend on a vendor cloud. If that is what you are buying for, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Size & Fit
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 6.0 — a 3.5-point margin on whether it blocks the second outlet on a duplex receptacle, and how it mounts. If that is what you are buying for, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Build & Safety
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 4.0 — a 4.5-point margin on certification, flame-retardant housing, overload protection, recall history and warranty. If that is what you are buying for, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
App & Automation
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.0 — a 1.5-point margin on scheduling, away modes, sunrise/sunset triggers and how good the controlling app is. If that is what you are buying for, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Value
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) leads clearly here, 9.5 against 8.5 — a 1.0-point margin on what a switched, metered outlet actually costs once the pack size and any required hub are counted. If that is what you are buying for, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $21 cheaper.
Choose the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) if…
- • Local Control matters most to you — the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores 8.0/10 here (whether switching and schedules survive an internet outage, or depend on a vendor cloud).
- • Build & Safety matters most to you — the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores 8.5/10 here (certification, flame-retardant housing, overload protection, recall history and warranty).
- • Size & Fit matters most to you — the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores 9.5/10 here (whether it blocks the second outlet on a duplex receptacle, and how it mounts).
- • Ecosystem Support matters most to you — the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores 7.0/10 here (matter, HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Home Assistant coverage).
- • Load Headroom matters most to you — the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores 4.5/10 here (how much of the nameplate 15A you can actually use continuously, and what the plug is rated to do with motors, compressors and heaters — the spec buyers most often get caught by).
Pros & Cons
Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)
Pros
- +The metering is the product, and it slots straight into Emporia's whole-home energy dashboard
- +$11.99 single or $34.99 for four direct from Emporia — the cheapest per-plug metering in the category
- +Emporia is unusually honest about its limits, publishing a continuous rating and a do-not-use list
Cons
- −10A continuous, not 15A — the 15A figure is a peak good for one hour a day, so the real ceiling is about 1,200W
- −Emporia's own store tells you not to plug in a fridge, freezer, pump, heat lamp or router
- −Roughly 80,000 North America Smart Plugs sold July 2022 to May 2023 were recalled by CPSC in September 2023 for inadequate grounding (electric shock hazard); check what you receive
- −Alexa and Google only — no HomeKit, no Matter, no local control, no Home Assistant path
- −Emporia publishes no dimensions, so you cannot tell in advance whether it blocks the second socket
Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)
Pros
- +Roughly $8 a plug with real measured energy monitoring — nothing else here is close on price-per-watt-meter
- +Native HomeKit, so Apple users do not need a Matter controller or a Thread border router
- +LAN control means schedules keep running through an internet outage
- +2-year warranty, double the 1 year Wyze, Eve, Emporia and SwitchBot give
Cons
- −1/6 HP motor rating — fine for lamps and fans, not for a compressor, pump or shop vac
- −1,800W resistive means a 1,500W space heater sits at 83% of rating continuously; TP-Link does not endorse heater use
- −No Matter, so it cannot be shared into SmartThings or Google as a Matter device
- −TP-Link's current 4-pack listing title dropped the 'with Energy Monitoring' wording the 2022 launch press release used, and Home Assistant users report the newer hardware revision reports 7-day/30-day totals instead of lifetime kWh
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) or Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) comes out ahead overall. See the full breakdown in the scores section above — the right pick still depends on which categories matter most for your use case.
Which is better for Local Control, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) or the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)?+
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores higher on Local Control (8.0/10 vs 2.5/10) — whether switching and schedules survive an internet outage, or depend on a vendor cloud.
Which is better for Build & Safety, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) or the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)?+
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores higher on Build & Safety (8.5/10 vs 4.0/10) — certification, flame-retardant housing, overload protection, recall history and warranty.
Which is better for Size & Fit, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) or the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)?+
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores higher on Size & Fit (9.5/10 vs 6.0/10) — whether it blocks the second outlet on a duplex receptacle, and how it mounts.
Which is better for Ecosystem Support, the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) or the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)?+
The Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) scores higher on Ecosystem Support (7.0/10 vs 4.0/10) — matter, HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Home Assistant coverage.
Is the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) worth the price difference over the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)?+
The Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) is the cheaper option at $11.99 versus $32.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Local Control.
What's the warranty on the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) vs the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack)?+
The Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) ships with a 12-month warranty; the Kasa Smart Plug Mini EP25 (EP25P4 4-Pack) ships with a 24-month warranty. Always confirm current terms on the manufacturer's site before buying.
Should I wait for the next model instead of buying either of these?+
If either model is more than two years old, a successor may be close — check the "Latest Model" link on each product page. Otherwise, both are current, well-supported options and there's no strong reason to wait.
Premium Option
Kasa Matter Smart Plug KP125M (KP125MP4 4-Pack) — $37.93
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.