The Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug is one of the simplest smart home devices you can buy today, and affordable too at just $17, depending on the style. You can easily link the device to Amazon's smart assistant Alexa just by setting up the Kasa Smart app, and then connecting this to the Amazon Alexa app, both on your mobile device. From there you can control your Kasa smart plug with your Alexa app and also with Alexa devices.

Here are the steps to take. We were able to link the two in about five minutes.

In the Alexa app, select the Kasa Smart icon to set up your smart plugGearBrain

Getting started

After connecting and setting up your Kasa Smart Wi-Fi plug, open up your Alexa app and follow these steps:

• From the Home page, click on "Devices" at the bottom of the screen

• Click on the "+" button at the top right

• Click on "Add Device," from the pop up menu

• The app will ask you, "What type of device are you setting up?" Kasa is one of the bigger brands that works with Alexa, so the icon will be right along the top.
• Click on the "Kasa" icon.

You'll be told to set up your TP-Link Kasa app. This is actually now called, "Kasa Smart." If you haven't set this up, this review of the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug, will walk you through that step.

The Kasa smart plug is an easy way to start a smart homeGearBrain

After setting this up, you'll now:

• Click on "Continue" at the bottom of the screen

• You'll be taken to a screen to download and install the TP-Link Kasa Alexa Skill.
• Click on "Enable to Use" to install this skill.
• You'll then be asked to enter the email and password you used to set up the Kasa Smart app. Enter these, and then the Skill will be added to your Alexa app.

Before you can actually use the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug, however, the app needs to discover it.

• A pop up menu will ask permission to do this. Give this action permission.
• It can take about 45 seconds for the Alexa app to locate, via Wi-Fi, the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug.
• After discovering the smart plug, it will ask permission to "Set Up Device." Click on this button.

You can then add the plug to a group, like a specific room, or you can skip that step.

You can link the Kasa TP-Link app to the Amazon Alexa appGearBrain

Using Alexa with the Kasa Smart Wi-Fi Plug

Once you finish this step, all you need to do now is go into the Alexa app or speak to Alexa through an Alexa-enabled device like the Echo Plus, and you can turn on the light, a fan, or whatever you have plugged into the smart plug, just by asking, "Alexa, turn on the…."

Do keep in mind, you should remember what you've named the smart plug in the Kasa Smart app. You'll want to ask Alexa to turn this on and off specifically. For example, "Alexa turn on the bedroom smart plug."

Alexa may offer you a suggestion if you're pretty close to what you've called it. For example, if you ask, "Alexa turn on the kitchen plug," but you've actually named this "smart plug," Alexa will say, "Do you mean, smart plug?" If you say yes, the smart assistant will turn on the right device. But it's better to remember the name and use it exactly.