Smart Plugs / Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M vs Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)
Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M vs Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)
Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M
Six metered, individually switched outlets — and one shared 1,875W budget.
Wins overall by 2.4 points
Quick Verdict
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M is the stronger all-round pick, ahead by 2.4 points. Six metered, individually switched outlets — and one shared 1,875W budget.
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M and Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) are both closely matched smart Plug models, and the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) is $38 cheaper than the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M ($11.99 vs $49.99). On Local Control, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M leads (8.5 vs 2.5/10) — whether switching and schedules survive an internet outage, or depend on a vendor cloud. On Ecosystem Support, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M leads (9.0 vs 4.0/10) — matter, HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Home Assistant coverage. On Build & Safety, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M leads (8.5 vs 4.0/10) — certification, flame-retardant housing, overload protection, recall history and warranty. Overall, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores 7.8/10 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 | Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M | Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $11.99 |
| Release Year | 2025 | 2022 |
| Max Load | 15A / 1,875W total at 125V, shared across all six outlets | Sources conflict: Emporia's store lists 10A max continuous, 15A peak for up to one hour a day, and separately '1800W @ 120V'. 10A continuous is 1,200W |
| Motor / Inductive Rating | Not published by TP-Link | Not published. Emporia explicitly advises against refrigerators, freezers, medical equipment, pet heat lamps and pumps, and networking gear |
| Energy Monitoring | Yes, measured per outlet — watts, kWh and estimated cost in the Tapo app | Yes, measured — this is the product's entire purpose |
| Radio & Protocol | Matter over Wi-Fi (2.4GHz) | Wi-Fi 2.4GHz to the Emporia cloud. No Matter, no HomeKit, no Zigbee |
| Hub Required | No for the Tapo app; a Matter controller is required for Apple/Google/SmartThings | No |
| Works Without Internet | Yes — Matter control is local once commissioned | No documented local API; the app and schedules depend on Emporia's cloud |
| Switched Outlets | 6✓ | 1 |
| Pack Size | 1 | 1 |
| Price per Switched Outlet ($) | 8.33✓ | 11.99 |
| Dimensions | 360 x 63.3 x 37.5 mm (14.17 x 2.49 x 1.48 in), 1.55 lb | Not published by Emporia |
| Blocks Second Outlet | Not applicable — 37-inch cord, occupies one wall socket | Not published by Emporia |
| Weather Rating | Indoor only | Indoor only |
| Warranty | 24 months | 12 months |
| Colors | White | White |
Category Scores
Load Headroom
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M leads clearly here, 6.0 against 2.0 — a 4.0-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 9.0 — a 0.5-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 Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M does not close the gap elsewhere.
Ecosystem Support
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M leads clearly here, 9.0 against 4.0 — a 5.0-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 Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M leads clearly here, 8.5 against 2.5 — a 6.0-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 Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) leads clearly here, 6.0 against 5.0 — a 1.0-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 Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M does not close the gap elsewhere.
Build & Safety
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M 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 Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M 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 Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) leads clearly here, 8.5 against 7.5 — 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 Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M does not close the gap elsewhere.
Best For
Choose the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M if…
- • Local Control matters most to you — the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores 8.5/10 here (whether switching and schedules survive an internet outage, or depend on a vendor cloud).
- • Ecosystem Support matters most to you — the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores 9.0/10 here (matter, HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Home Assistant coverage).
- • Build & Safety matters most to you — the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores 8.5/10 here (certification, flame-retardant housing, overload protection, recall history and warranty).
- • Load Headroom matters most to you — the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores 6.0/10 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).
- • App & Automation matters most to you — the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores 8.5/10 here (scheduling, away modes, sunrise/sunset triggers and how good the controlling app is).
Choose the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) if…
- • You want to spend less — it's $38 cheaper.
- • Your main use case is indoor-mini.
Pros & Cons
Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M
Pros
- +Per-outlet metering is the cheapest honest way to find out what each device on a desk actually draws
- +Six switched outlets at $8.33 each undercuts buying six individual metered plugs
- +Matter certified, so it can be shared across Apple, Google, Alexa and SmartThings — TP-Link's own HS300 cannot
- +Surge protection and overcurrent cut-off built in
Cons
- −1,875W is the budget for all six outlets combined, so one space heater consumes most of the strip
- −TP-Link publishes the Type 3 SPD voltage clamps but no joule rating, which is the number surge buyers actually compare
- −Retail pricing is inconsistent — $49.99 at B&H against $59.99 at Best Buy for the same SKU
- −14 inches long and 1.5 lb; it is a strip, not something to hide behind furniture
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
Shop by Need
FAQs
Is the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M or Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) better overall?+
Based on our 8-category scoring, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M 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 Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M or the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)?+
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores higher on Local Control (8.5/10 vs 2.5/10) — whether switching and schedules survive an internet outage, or depend on a vendor cloud.
Which is better for Ecosystem Support, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M or the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)?+
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores higher on Ecosystem Support (9.0/10 vs 4.0/10) — matter, HomeKit, Alexa, Google, SmartThings and Home Assistant coverage.
Which is better for Build & Safety, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M or the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)?+
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M 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 Load Headroom, the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M or the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)?+
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M scores higher on Load Headroom (6.0/10 vs 2.0/10) — 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.
Is the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M worth the price difference over the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)?+
The Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) is the cheaper option at $11.99 versus $49.99. Whether the pricier model is "worth it" depends on how much you value its lead in Local Control.
Which is better suited to my use case?+
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M is the better fit if you mainly care about power-strip or matter. The Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) is the better fit for indoor-mini.
What's the warranty on the Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M vs the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack)?+
The Tapo Smart Wi-Fi Power Strip P316M ships with a 24-month warranty; the Emporia Energy Monitoring Smart Plug (1-Pack) ships with a 12-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.
Specifications and prices for both products last verified . Scores are calculated from published specifications — see how we compare products.