I get where you’re coming from—ease of replacement is a big deal. I went with smart plugs for my garden path lights for the same reason. The only thing I noticed is some plugs don’t handle rain as well as they claim, so I had to add weatherproof covers. Not a huge deal, but worth mentioning if anyone’s thinking about outdoor setups.
I ran into the same thing last summer—thought I was clever using smart plugs for my patio string lights, but a surprise thunderstorm proved otherwise. Ended up with a soggy mess and had to rethink the whole setup. Honestly, I started leaning toward smart switches inside the house for anything permanent outdoors. It keeps the tech out of the weather, and you can still get creative with zones and scenes. Just something to consider if you’re tired of wrestling with outdoor covers every time it rains...
Honestly, I started leaning toward smart switches inside the house for anything permanent outdoors. It keeps the tech out of the weather...
Yeah, I learned that lesson the hard way too. Tried to save a few bucks with outdoor-rated smart plugs, but even with those big covers, water still found a way in. Swapping to an indoor switch was way less hassle (and cheaper in the long run). Plus, no more crawling around in the mud to reset stuff.
I get what you mean about the outdoor plugs—been there, done that.
That’s the worst part, honestly. I do wonder if there are any truly weatherproof options out there, but every “outdoor rated” thing I’ve tried eventually fails. Indoor switches just seem smarter for anything permanent. Only downside is if you want to control individual lights or zones, it gets tricky... anyone figured out a good workaround?no more crawling around in the mud to reset stuff
Smart Switches Are Great, But Don’t Count Out Outdoor Plugs
I get the appeal of keeping everything indoors—less mess, less hassle when something inevitably needs a reset. But honestly, I’ve had better luck with some of the newer outdoor plugs than I expected. Maybe it’s just luck or maybe the tech’s finally catching up, but my last set survived two winters and a hurricane (well, almost... one got a little crispy but still worked). I do agree that “weatherproof” is often just marketing speak, though.
For me, the big win with outdoor plugs is flexibility. My house is old—like, knob-and-tube-in-the-walls old—so running new wiring for indoor switches isn’t really an option without tearing up plaster. Outdoor smart plugs let me add zones wherever I want without touching the original wiring or drilling holes in 100-year-old brick. If one fails, it’s a $30 swap instead of a weekend project.
The zone control thing is tricky with indoor switches unless you’re willing to go all-in on rewiring or use smart bulbs everywhere (which gets expensive fast if you’ve got a lot of fixtures). I’ve tried those battery-powered remotes that mimic switches—they’re not perfect, but they let me control individual lights from inside without crawling around outside or messing with my walls.
Not saying outdoor plugs are perfect—they definitely have their quirks—but for older homes where rewiring isn’t practical, they’re sometimes the only real option. Just gotta accept that every few years you might be buying replacements... kind of like light bulbs themselves.
