SONOFF S40 Lite Zigbee Smart Plug: A Budget-Friendly Way to Try Zigbee
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A smart plug that can't talk to your phone sounds useless — but if you're already running a Zigbee hub, that's exactly the trade-off that makes the SONOFF S40 Lite this cheap. It's built specifically for Zigbee ecosystems, making it a natural fit for anyone already running a hub like SmartThings, Home Assistant, or a Zigbee-based Aqara/Amazon setup and looking to add one more outlet to the mix.
What It Is
The SONOFF S40 Lite is a compact smart plug that runs on Zigbee instead of Wi-Fi. That distinction matters: instead of connecting directly to your router, it talks to a Zigbee hub or bridge, which relays commands to your phone or voice assistant. In practice, you need a Zigbee coordinator already in your home — an Amazon Echo with a built-in hub, a SmartThings hub, a Home Assistant setup with a Zigbee dongle, or similar — or this plug does nothing at all.
Once paired, it works like any smart plug: plug in a lamp, fan, or small appliance, then control it remotely, on a schedule, or by voice, provided your platform supports it.
Who It's For
This is a plug for people already in the Zigbee camp, or willing to get there. It's a poor match if your smart home gear is all Wi-Fi with no Zigbee hub in sight — you'd be buying a plug that can't talk to anything. But if you've got a Zigbee mesh going, this is a low-friction way to extend it to one more outlet — a reading lamp, a space heater, a coffee maker — without spending much.
It's also a reasonable pick for someone building their first automation setup around Zigbee rather than Wi-Fi, since Zigbee generally means less router congestion and often snappier local response.
Key Features & Specs
- Protocol: Zigbee 3.0 (requires a compatible hub/bridge — not standalone Wi-Fi)
- Form factor: Compact, single-outlet design that shouldn't block adjacent sockets on a power strip
- Control: On/off switching remotely and via automations/schedules through your Zigbee hub's app
- Brand: SONOFF, a well-known name in the budget smart home space with a large catalog of Zigbee and Wi-Fi devices
- Price: Currently listed around $12.99 — genuinely inexpensive for a smart plug, though worth double-checking at checkout since listings like this can shift
Pros
- Very low price point, even for the budget end of the smart plug category
- Zigbee mesh benefits — lower Wi-Fi router load, and Zigbee devices often help strengthen your mesh for other Zigbee gadgets nearby
- SONOFF has a solid track record for basic, no-frills smart plugs
- Simple footprint, easy to tuck behind furniture or in a crowded outlet strip
Cons
- Zero use without an existing Zigbee hub — this isn't plug-and-play with your phone out of the box
- No energy monitoring or advanced metering mentioned in the listing, so if you want to track power usage, look elsewhere
- As a budget pick, don't expect extras like a physical button lock, a companion light ring, or the app polish pricier plugs sometimes include
- No Amazon rating or review history yet for this specific listing, so you're leaning on SONOFF's general reputation rather than a track record for this exact model
The SONOFF S40 Lite costs less than most smart plugs in this category, and that's the entire pitch: a cheap, functional way to add a Zigbee outlet to a system you already own. It's not chasing energy monitoring or app polish — it's a utilitarian add-on for an existing Zigbee mesh, priced to match.
If you've already got the hub and just need one more switched outlet, buy it — the risk here is minimal. If you're starting from zero with no Zigbee hardware, skip it; pair a hub purchase with a plug bundle instead, or just go Wi-Fi for simplicity.
Ready to add it to your setup? https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LV53X62?tag=thebenchtest-20&tag=thebenchtest-20
