Smart Action plug does its job, but at what cost?

The Action’s smart plug is extremely popular and very affordable. He does his job more than well, but nobody knows about your privacy. We have extensively tested the smart Action plug and this is our review.

Review: Smart Action plug extensively tested

You know Action from the knick knacks, but for some time now the discounter has also been selling smart home items. The smart doorbell and smart plug are especially popular.

Not so strange, because Action’s smart home items are incredibly cheap. You get the smart Action plug for 7.49 euros at home, while alternatives from competitors can easily be two to three times more expensive.

Is cheap expensive, or do you get a great product with the Action WiFi plug? We put it to the test and in this review you can read our experiences.

to install

Installing the Action smart plug is child’s play. You simply download the app, plug your ‘dumb’ device into the input of the plug and connect it to the electricity network. You are ready.

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Do keep the network details to hand, because while setting up the Action plug you have to enter the password of the WiFi network, among other things. Then the plug connects to your network and it pops up in the app. You can operate the plug from here.

So the installation is really very simple. By the way, a physical manual is supplied with the plug, but it is not very clear. It’s probably better to just follow the directions from the app itself.

Also useful to know: the smart Action plug does not have its own app. Instead, you use the so-called LSC Smart Connect app. There is a QR code on the packaging that you can scan with your iPhone camera, but you can also download the app from the App Store.

You do not only use this app for your smart plug, but also, for example, when you buy smart lighting or a smart doorbell from Action. You add new products by tapping the plus button at the top right of the screen.

This is how the app is put together

The LSC Smart Connect app is also very well put together. From the home screen you have three tabs at the bottom. On the first screen you can view your ‘smart home’ family, the ‘Smart’ tab gives an overview of all your set routines and on the last screen – ‘Profile’ – you can for example boost the security of your account.

Let’s talk about the second tab on the home screen: Smart. In this window you can set all kinds of automations. For example, it is possible to connect your plug to the lighting and initiate a chain of actions at the touch of a button. You can also get started with Siri Shortcuts.

You can go as far as you want with this. For example, connect a motion sensor to the smart switch to automatically set the lighting to a brightness determined by you. If you don’t feel like it, or if you don’t have any other Smart home items from the Action at home, then leave this window for what it is.

Operating the Action smart plug

If you want to operate the smart Action plug, select it on the first tab of the app. You will then see a large on/off button appear on the screen. This one works as you would expect.

For example, I use the smart plug for a lamp that is difficult to operate because the switch is in a difficult place. If you press the on button, the light switches on without you having to press the button yourself.

In the second window at the bottom – ‘Timer’ – you can get started with specific time schedules. Here you indicate, for example, that your lamp switches on automatically at 07:00 in the morning and goes out again at 22:00. You can also split this schedule per day and thus create a different routine for the weekend, for example.

With the ‘Settings’ tab at the bottom right, you can, for example, turn on the childproofing of your Action smart plug. You can also view the switch log here, for example.

translation errors

There is very little wrong with ‘the app’ of the smart Action plug. The application does what it is supposed to do and is generally clearly structured. However, the application is not flawless. For example, you come across language errors here and there and it is obvious that the translator of LSC Smart Connect is not (fully) proficient in the Dutch language.

Also a pity: the smart plug cannot handle all WiFi networks. It only works on the 5GHz band. If you have a network on the 2.4 GHz frequency, you will not be able to get the Action plug to work. Furthermore, there is no HomeKit support and you cannot operate the plug from the Home app.

Privacy of the Action smart plug

In conclusion, we have little to complain about the functioning of the smart Action plug. The WiFi plug does what it’s supposed to do and is very reasonably priced.

The gadget’s biggest doubt is privacy. Or rather, the uncertainty surrounding privacy. No one knows exactly what happens to your data. How does this work?

To answer this question, we need to take a few steps back. The smart plug is not made by Action itself, but by Tuya. This Chinese company was founded by the people behind Alibaba, the well-known junk shop where you can buy fake iPhone chargers, for example.

Action is the box pusher here. The company buys the smart plugs – and all its other smart home products – and has nothing further to do with them. The discounter is therefore not behind the LSC Smart Connect app: the party behind it is Tuya.

Data to China

This means that all your data travels the world and ends up in China. What are they doing here with your data? We do not know that. The app’s privacy policy only states that Tuya “will not misuse your data.” We do not know what will happen to your data and what the security is like.

Of course iPhoned contacted the Chinese company. We would love to know exactly what the privacy is like. Unfortunately we have not received a response yet. As soon as this is the case, we will of course update this review.

For the time being, therefore, we have to make do with Tuya’s promise. That said, the company has yet to face any privacy scandals. Tuya is therefore a huge player and not just the first best company. The company is gigantic and supplies smart home items to many retailers worldwide, including Hema for example.

Another nuance is that Tuya is certainly not the only tech company with a puzzling privacy policy. Most tech companies are not transparent about what they do with personal data. However, this is not a solid argument, because as a consumer you simply have to be able to control how your personal data is used.

But what kind of data is that? The LSC Smart Connect app collects your exact location, GPS data from your phone and your contact details, among other things. So, for example, the app is aware of your phone number.

Conclusion of the smart plug Action review

In summary, we can be very brief. The Action’s smart plug does what it was made for and is also very affordable. This makes it an especially attractive option for people who are starting to make their home smarter. Even if you are not yet sure whether you want a smart home, it is worth considering.

The biggest drawback of the smart Action plug is privacy. You are doing business with a Chinese company and it is unclear what happens to your personal data. Whether you feel comfortable with this is a personal choice.

All about smart homes

On iPhoned we regularly write about smart homes. For example, we list the best smart doorbells without a subscription, select fine thermostats and indicate whether it is smart to buy a smart doorbell from Action. For all our stories, go to the smart home overview page, or click on one of the articles below.