Amazon Basics Matter Plug: Apple Home Support for $10
Smart home gear keeps getting more expensive — except, apparently, at the very bottom of the price ladder, where things are getting delightfully cheap. Case in point: Amazon’s Basics-branded Matter smart plug now delivers full Apple Home support for less than the price of lunch.
Why this little plug matters (pun intended)
According to 9to5Mac, the key points are:
- Under $10 — one of the cheapest ways to get a device into Apple Home
- Matter support, the cross-platform smart home standard
- Works across ecosystems — because it’s Matter, it isn’t locked to Alexa; Apple Home control works out of the box
- A refreshing counterpoint to the price increases hitting the rest of the tech world
My take: Matter is finally doing what it promised
For years, the catch with HomeKit-compatible gear was the “HomeKit tax” — the same smart plug would cost $15 more with the Apple-certified badge on the box. Matter was supposed to fix that by making one device work everywhere, and a sub-$10 Amazon plug that happily lives inside Apple Home is exactly the proof that it’s working.
Smart plugs are also, hands down, the best first smart home device. No installation, no electrician, no risk. Plug in a lamp, a fan, or your holiday lights, and suddenly you’ve got scheduling, automation, and voice control. At this price you can sprinkle them around the house without thinking twice — and that’s when smart home automation actually becomes fun instead of a novelty.
One practical tip: you’ll need a Matter controller (an Apple TV or HomePod for Apple Home users, or an Echo for Alexa households) to get remote control and automations. Most people shopping for this plug already have one.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Absurdly cheap entry point into Apple Home
- Matter means no ecosystem lock-in — switch platforms later without rebuying
- Perfect starter device: zero-risk installation
- Great for lamps, fans, chargers, and seasonal lighting
Cons:
- Requires a Matter controller (Apple TV, HomePod, or Echo) for the full experience
- A smart plug can only switch things on and off — no dimming
- Basics-tier hardware; don’t expect premium build quality
Verdict: who should buy it
- Buy it if you’re smart-home-curious and want the cheapest possible way to try automations in Apple Home, Alexa, or Google Home.
- Buy several if you already run a smart home — at under $10, automating every lamp in the house is finally rational.
- Skip it only if you need dimming or energy monitoring; those features live in pricier plugs.
Related: Nanoleaf sitewide LED sale · Echo and Fire TV open-box deals · More smart home coverage
Source: 9to5Mac