Shelly's new smart plug is at home with all major automation systems

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ZDNET’s key takeaways

• The new Shelly Plug Gen4 just launched for $20.
• This new device offers smart features with a strong focus on privacy.
• The Shelly Plug Gen4 is compatible with Matter, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee.

There’s a new smart plug on the market by Shelly. A favorite brand among many smart home enthusiasts, Shelly is launching its new Shelly Plug Gen4, a multi-protocol smart plug that supports Matter, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee protocols. This smart plug offers local control, energy monitoring, and gives you advanced automation features — all with a focus on privacy.

Also: Your smart plug is seriously underutilized: 7 ways I’ve programmed it in my smart home

This smart plug was designed with homes and businesses in mind, according to Shelly, from simple smart home setups with a handful of essential devices to fully functioning, extensive systems. 

A privacy-focused approach

Since it works with Matter, Wi-Fi, and Zigbee, the Shelly Plug Gen4 offers full local control and is compatible with Google Home, Alexa, Apple Home, SmartThings, Home Assistant, and any other smart home automation system compatible with these connectivity protocols. 

This also provides a privacy-focused approach that allows you to run everything locally and lets you control your devices even without internet access through established local networks.

Beyond user-operated control, you can also set up advanced automation, scheduling, power cycling, and integration with other compatible smart devices.

As a plug, the Shelly Plug Gen4 can also monitor, handle appliances, lightings, and electronics up to 1,800W and 15A. It offers real-time energy usage and provides ways to automate savings. The plug features a built-in lux sensor that enables you to trigger actions based on light levels, as well as customizable LED colors that display device status and can serve as a nightlight.

Also: Unplugging these 7 common devices cut my electric bill more than I expected

For tinkerers, the Shelly Plug Gen4 offers custom scripting capabilities through JavaScript and the Shelly Script Library. Shelly features enterprise-level scripting with the Plug Gen4, which can be particularly useful for IT teams, business settings, audio-visual setups, and even commercial deployments, the company said. The Shelly Plug Gen4 can also automatically reboot devices during outages by using pre-built scripts.

Even if you’re not looking to get nitty-gritty with your tech, this smart plug offers easy setup through the Shelly app.

The Shelly Plug Gen4 is now available in black or white for just $20.