Few things are more convenient than an in-wall smart outlet when you want to turn a lamp or small appliance on and off, and the devices have been around almost as long as smart switches. But you haven’t been able to install one in a kitchen, bathroom, laundry room, garage, or other damp and wet locations because none of them provided the safety of a GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter). Leviton says it is now offering the first.
The Leviton SmartLockPro GFCI Outlet is a 15-amp duplex electrical outlet with an onboard Wi-Fi adapter (Leviton model number D2GF1, $34.99 and available at Amazon. A 20-amp version is also available, Leviton model number D2GF2, $39.99 and available at Amazon.) As the name suggests, these new devices are outfitted with a GFCI that shuts off all power to the outlet in the event of a ground fault. This will prevent anyone nearby from suffering an electric shock. The National Electrical Code (NEC) requires GFCI outlets in any locations that could be damp or wet (kitchens, bathrooms, laundry room, etc.). Both outlets, however, are designed for indoor use only.
This news story is part of TechHive’s in-depth coverage of the best smart plugs.
Once installed and connected to your home’s Wi-Fi network, Leviton’s new smart outlet will notify you with a (defeatable) onboard alarm if the outlet is tripped due to a ground fault, and it will also send an alert to the My Leviton app on your smartphone. The outlet has a self-test feature, as is required by code, and the app will inform you if the outlet is in self-test mode. If you have multiple Smart GFCI outlets, the app will inform you which ones are tripped.
Leviton has introduced the first smart GFCI outlets: the 15-amp model D2GF1 and the 20-amp model D2GF2 (shown here).
Leviton
Leviton says its Reset Lockout feature will prevent the outlet from being reset if it is wired incorrectly or is otherwise not operating correctly. A color LED status indicator provides additional visual feedback as to the outlet’s state. As an added defense against injury, the outlet is equipped with a shutter mechanism designed to prevent a child from shoving a foreign object into either of its blade receptacles.
Leviton’s new Smart GFCI Outlets do not ship with a wall plate, but they are compatible with Decora and Decora Plus screwless plates. You can find the full specifications for the 15-amp outlet and the 20-amp outlet at Leviton.com.
Updated shortly after publication to correct our reporting that the new smart outlets are part of Leviton’s Decora Smart product line. While they are compatible with the My Leviton app, they are not Decora Smart products. We also added answers to questions we posed to Leviton regarding pricing and other details that we received after the article was published.
Author: Michael Brown, Executive Editor
Michael is TechHive's lead editor, with 30+ years of experience covering the tech industry, focusing on the smart home, home audio, and home theater. He built his own smart home in 2007 and used it as a real-world test lab for product reviews. Following a relocation to the Pacific Northwest, he is now converting his new home, an 1890 Victorian bungalow, into a modern smart home.