Martin Jerry Mini WiFi Smart Plugs are Compatible with Alexa, Google Home, Smart Home Devices to Control Your Appliance, no Hub Required, WiFi Smart Socket (Model: V04) (2 Pack)

This is the same review I posted for the V01. The devices, per the manufacturer are identical except for physical dimensions.The device, and the required app (Smart Home/Smart Life by Tuya) is better than most competitive products. But it does suffer from a few problems.Reading through the comments posted by support on various reviews, and through the many questions that were answered reveals several problems. I'll get to those in a moment. Let me start with the positives:SETUP / INSTALLATION / PAIRING1. I found it really easy to install the Smart Life app on my android tablet and get it paired.2. The App didn't require needlessly nosy permissions (didn't feel like my privacy was being invaded as with some other apps)3. The app works pretty well. No serious usability blunders, and no obvious mistakes translating from a foreign language into English.(The MartinJerry website, however does have some obvious flaws - see attached photo.)4. Adding the skill to Alexa was easy.5. Adding the device to Google Home control... less obvious. Unfortunately the instructions for doing so are not on the Martin Jerry website. It seems really silly that support keeps offering to "mail instructions" to people who raise this issue when they could solve the problem by putting the documentation in an obvious place and pointing to it. It may not be Martin Jerry's fault that Google Home is more complicated, but absent clear instructions, I'm blaming Martin Jerry.6. To confuse the matter, there are apparently TWO applications that can be used "Tuya Smart" and "Smart Home Smart Life by Tuya". I avoided Tuya Smart7. The device ONLY works on 2.4Ghz, and only if you use PSK (single password) authentication. That means it will NOT work in many office environments or dormitories which require UserId and Password for authentication.Other possible pairing/operational problems include: 1. Overloaded wi-fi network (too many devices), 2. Too few configured available addresses, 3. Out of range, 4. Harsh radio frequency interference ("noisy appliances", ham radio), 5. Excessive Wifi Channel collisions (e.g. from your neighbors), 6. Overlapping wifi channels with the same SSID (network name).DEVICE DIMENSIONSFrom comments and questions, it's clear there are different physical shapes for the device. My device  (V4)  is squared off and not round (unlike the  V01 ). The squared off sides make the V4 fit better in standard US style electrical outlets (see photo). I can use the smart plug in one socket, and a normal size grounded extension cord in the other. I cannot fit two Martin Jerry smart plugs in the same outlet (see photo). Having multiple versions available with identical behavior is a little confusing.DEVICE CONTROLIt starts getting a little shady here. I bought the device to control my Christmas Lights and was really happy to see that even though the plug is in my garage, and the wifi router at the far other side of the house, it *sometimes* works. However sometimes is relative. Right now Alexa is telling me "Sorry, Christmas Lights Outdoors is not responding". The Smart Life app comes up, shows that the smart socket is turned off. But shortly thereafter, it indicates it is "Offline". "Detect Network Status" says "Poor Network Conditions" and "Please keep your phone and device under the same Wi-Fi"... well it's *not a phone*, and that doesn't make sense anyway... shouldn't I be able to control my smart plug at home from my office or while in the car using my phone over the carrier network? I'm pretty sure you can, but inaccurate descriptions / answers confuse the issue of what does and doesn't (will and won't) work.I was able to use the application to set up a schedule to turn my Christmas lights on and off on a schedule. The device elegantly replaced a manual timer that was really awkward to use - except for the reliability problem. I can also use Alexa (Echo Dot), and the App to manually turn the lights on and off. It would be nice to know what is required for the schedule to work, exactly. I *believe* the schedule is saved in the "cloud" with your account and the control is actually via your WiFi by remote control (meaning the device you created the schedule with can be off).Configuration to work with Alexa (via Alexa Assistant) is easier than Google Home. There are no instructions (yet) for Google Home and Google actually makes the process more difficult than it should be. It happens, that "Google Assistant" works only on the 'Latest' generation devices, so you won't be able to configure operation (OR EVEN FIND THE GOOGLE ASSISTANT App) unless you use a recent, fully upgraded android device.The local control button is a nice feature. My other smart devices (bulbs) don't have that option, but there is a downside...THE BLUE LIGHT PROBLEMWhen the device is on, it indicates that fact by turning on a rather bright blue light. While that might seem like a good thing, I find it annoying. I'd never put one in my bedroom without taping over the light with heavy gaffers tape. But the light is ALSO the manual switch to control it locally. I would love it if the light could either be disabled, or set down to "just barely glow". The device also clicks when it turns on or off. Not loud, but might wake a light sleeper with the noise if the blue light didn't already wake you.SUPPORT PROBLEMSAnd this is where things start getting grim. You see, support has been eager to answer a lot of questions, but the answers are often short and incomplete. In one review, a customer complained that of the 5 plugs purchased they ALL go offline unlike a competitive product. What was support's answer?: "As you said that you have ordered 5 smart plugs from us, it is very strange that all 5 plugs have the same problem. All of the plugs were tested in the factory at least 200 inches away from the Router. And lots of buyers from the US are using our products and they work quite well."This is a complete miss. Might as well tell the customer he's a liar. It neglects to take into account the MANY things in a wifi environment that can cause problems (I provided a list of 6 issues above). It is also silly to say "at least 200 inches" that's 17 feet - about the size of one large room. Real people don't collocate all of their plugs in the same room as their router. If the description read: "device must be in the same room as your router to work" almost nobody would buy it.Fortunately my experience is that the device works BETTER than the competitive products I've tried.IN SUMMARYI have had a devil of a time with one of my 3 LIFX lights. A similar problem with a Eufy bulb, and it seems the problem also extends to my smart plug from Martin Jerry... but of the three devices, the Martin Jerry is the most reliable.Since in my environment it is not at least 95% reliable, I rate it 4 stars. Once Martin Jerry straightens out the Google Home instructions I'll increase my rating to 4 stars, for now it is 3. [And YES, I use both Amazon Alexa *and* Google Home!]PS: Support - don't bother answering me here with how to connect Google Home. It doesn't count in my book until the instructions are on your website because here you'll only be helping me, on your website you'll be helping EVERYONE. The instructions in the App are insufficient, by the way.

Super simple install, I was done in less then 2 mins, but I have also used this app before. Pros East to install and easy to use, the cons you can not stack them in a standard socket or plug anything other then a standard plug above it.

We purchased 2 boxes of 2 plugs to continue increasing our smart home. They were a bit tricky getting them to sync up with Alexa but that probly had more to do with our lack of electronics skills. Once connected they work like a charm. Recommend to anyone wanting to increase their smart home quest.

I really love these plugs my MJ and recommend them. They are SmartLife ready and configure easily. I have 6 in my home for my lamps and desk lights. Great work martin Jerry!

I do not give it a 5 star just because the site claims that it works with Google Assitant but there are no instruction available on how to make it work!! Besides that plugs work great and can be synced with google.

Love the product. Very easy to install using Alexa. I think it took me 5 minutes and that was to read the directions too. I highly recommend this product. I hope the pricing goes down over time like every new thing does because I would like to have these all over my house!

These are easy and work great, would be sweet if you could still use lights with their standard knob/switch but not sure if any competitive products offer this function

They work great but you have to remember they only work with wifi 2.4ghz connection.