Let me tell you, these Amazon Basics Smart Plugs are the unsung heroes of my smart home setup. I've been using them daily for months to control my living room lamps and coffee maker, and they've become as essential as my morning caffeine fix.

The setup is ridiculously easy - like "blink-and-you'll-miss-it" easy. I literally plugged it in, said "Alexa, discover devices," and boom! Connected in under 30 seconds. No hunting for obscure apps or dealing with complicated pairing processes like some other brands I've tried (and returned).

What really shines is the seamless Alexa integration. Being able to say "Alexa, good night" and have all my lights turn off while I'm already cozy in bed feels like living in the future. The scheduling feature has been perfect for my coffee maker - waking up to freshly brewed coffee without leaving my bed is a game changer.

Now, they're not perfect. The compact design that saves space also means they can block adjacent outlets if you're using bulky plugs. And while they've been rock solid for me, I did notice one reviewer mentioned occasional unresponsiveness after a few weeks - though a simple unplug/replug fixed it.

At this price point for a 2-pack, especially compared to single plugs from other brands that cost more, these are an absolute steal if you're already in the Amazon ecosystem. They may be "Basics," but their performance is anything but basic.