A smart plug is one of those devices whose usefulness becomes obvious only when you start using it. In my case, when I received the Tata Power EZ Home Smart Plug with IR Remote, I knew exactly where it would fit. I have a warm-light lamp that I like to switch on at night, especially when I get into bed and read something. It is also that part of the night when you end up doomscrolling, talking to your companion, or simply trying to wind down. The problem is that there is no socket next to the bed, so the lamp sits some distance away. The Tata Power smart plug offered a simple workaround. Instead of getting up to switch the lamp off, I could control its power from my phone. It is a small convenience, but one that quickly becomes part of your routine. Here is how the plug performed, what it can actually do, and whether it makes sense for a typical home.
The EZ Home plug connects to a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi network and works with Tata Power’s EZ Home app. Tata Power provides an Easy Mode for initial setup, while an AP Mode is available if the first method does not work. The company says the Easy Mode configuration generally takes less than 15 seconds. Well, in my experience, my WiFi connection wasn’t playing well with the setup process. A Tata Power product expert also got on a call with me to help me troubleshoot it.
So, before buying, ensure the WiFi connection is compatible with this or any other smart device you buy to avoid any configuration or handshake issues.
With some troubleshooting, I was able to get it working in Easy mode. The AP mode also works, but it takes a few more steps, which may not be easy for everyone.
When it works, it is as simple as you just plug it into an existing socket, connect it to Wi-Fi, and start using it. No physical rewiring, drilling, or changes to the existing electrical setup. For a smart home product, that’s how the setup is supposed to be.
Once the EZ Home Plug is plugged in, you can either control it through the phone app or a physical button on top of the plug itself. You can single-press it to switch he connected socket on or off, while holding it for five seconds resets the device.
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So, the best part about this EZ Home Plug was how I could switch my night lamp on or off from the EZ Home app without reaching for the physical switch.
But that’s not all there is to this device. Thanks to the IR feature, you can control IR-compatible appliances like AC, TV, fan, etc. I decided to use it to remotely control my TV. This also took some time to set up. After adding the TV in the EZ Home app, you get an on-screen remote with controls such as power, volume, channel, and navigation buttons. Not all buttons on my physical remote were working in the EZ Home app, though.
Still, it is convenient to have all the device/appliance controls on our companion/personal phone, and the Tata Power Plug plus EZ Home combination largely does the job.
The EZ Home app also offers power monitoring, scheduling, scenes, and overload protection. These features make more sense when you are using the plug with appliances that you want to monitor or control regularly.
The scheduling feature can be useful if you want to switch an appliance on or off automatically. Tata Power also supports scenes, which can group multiple actions together.
Now, there is an important limitation. The official GWF-SI01-IR manual lists a rated current of 5A and a maximum output power of 1,000W. So while you can use it with devices such as lamps, TVs, and other relatively low-power appliances, it should not be treated as a smart switch for high-load appliances.
This also means that just because the IR remote feature can control air conditioners. The plug can send commands to an AC remotely, but that does not mean the socket itself should be used to power a typical AC.
At Rs 4,999, the Tata Power EZ Home Smart Plug with IR Remote is more expensive than a basic smart plug. Its value comes from the combination of features rather than the smart socket alone. You get remote power control, IR-based control for compatible appliances, scheduling, scenes, power monitoring, and overload protection in a single device.
In my experience, the plug solved a specific problem with my bedside lamp and made it convenient to control my TV from my phone. However, setting it up was not entirely straightforward, and some buttons on the TV’s physical remote did not work through the EZ Home app. The 5A rating and 1,000W maximum output also limit what you can connect to the smart socket. These are limitations worth considering, especially if you expect the device to replace your existing remotes completely.
. While the IR blaster can send commands to compatible ACs, that does not mean you should use the plug’s socket to power one. It is better
The Tata Power plug is suited to lower-power appliances such as lamps and TVs. And I would recommend it only if you have a clear use for both its smart socket and IR control features. If all you need is to switch a lamp on or off remotely, a cheaper smart plug should suffice. But if you also want to control compatible TVs and other IR-based appliances through your phone, this offers more flexibility in a single device.
It is not a must-have smart home accessory, and the setup experience can be challenging for laymen. But if you can make use of its two core functions, it can remove small everyday inconveniences without requiring any rewiring or permanent changes to your home.
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