Sonoff iPlug Gen2 Type B Review: A 15A Matter Plug That Tracks What Your Appliances Cost
A compact Type B smart plug with Matter over Wi-Fi, real-time energy monitoring with electricity cost tracking, and adjustable overload and overcharge cut-offs.
The Sonoff iPlug Gen2 Type B (S61STPB) is a Matter over Wi-Fi plug aimed at North American outlets, rated for 15A and 1875W, which is enough headroom for space heaters, kettles and window air conditioners rather than just lamps. Matter is the whole point of this model: the QR code on the body commissions it straight into Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings or Home Assistant, with no bridge and no vendor account in the middle. On top of the switching it reports live voltage, current, power and consumption, applies your own electricity rate to turn that into a running cost, and lets you set current, voltage and power thresholds that cut the load automatically. The trade-offs are the usual ones at this size and price: 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only, indoor use only, and a single outlet with no USB ports.
- Matter households
- Energy cost tracking
- High-draw appliances
- Multi-ecosystem homes
- Budget buyers
Pros
- Matter over Wi-Fi, so it joins Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings or Home Assistant directly
- 15A and 1875W rating, enough for heaters, kettles and other high-draw appliances
- Real-time energy monitoring with electricity cost tracking at your own rate
- Overload and overcharge protection with user-set current, voltage and power thresholds
- Physical button for local on and off control without the app
- Two-year warranty
- Compact body designed to leave the neighbouring socket free
Cons
- 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only, with no 5GHz band
- Indoor only, with no weather resistance rating
- Single outlet and no USB charging ports
- Not a Zigbee device, so it does not extend a Zigbee mesh
- White is the only colour offered
Who is the Sonoff iPlug Gen2 Type B for?
This is a plug for a North American home that has already picked a smart home app and does not want another one. Because it joins over Matter, the same unit works in Apple Home, Google Home, Alexa, SmartThings or Home Assistant, so it fits equally well in an iPhone household and in a self-hosted Home Assistant setup, and it can be shared across more than one of them at once. The 15A and 1875W rating puts it in the group of plugs you can safely put in front of a real appliance, and the energy reporting makes it the right choice when the question is not just whether something is on, but how much it is adding to the bill.
What stands out on paper
Three things carry this model. First, Matter over Wi-Fi: scanning the code on the body adds it to any Matter app, which is what removes the usual choice between ecosystems. Second, the metering: it reports real-time voltage, current, power, runtime and consumption as charts, and applies a custom electricity rate, including peak and off-peak pricing, to convert that into money. Third, the protection: overload and overcharge cut-offs with thresholds you set yourself for current, voltage and power, so the plug drops the load before a problem reaches the appliance, backed by a flame-retardant PC housing. It also keeps the basics right, with a physical button that switches the load without a phone or network, timers, schedules and scenes, and a two-year warranty, which is longer than most plugs in this class carry.
What to know before you buy
The radio is 2.4GHz Wi-Fi only, which is normal for this category and generally an advantage for range through walls, but it can make pairing awkward on a combined 2.4/5GHz network name. It is an indoor device with no weather rating, so it stays away from patios and garages that get wet. There is one outlet and no USB ports, so it controls a single appliance and cannot double as a charger. It is a Wi-Fi device rather than a Zigbee one, so it adds nothing to a Zigbee mesh, and it ships in white only. Its footprint is compact and designed not to block the second socket, but it is a 60 by 38 by 54 mm body, so on a crowded power strip it is still worth measuring.
Is the Sonoff iPlug Gen2 Type B worth it?
For a budget-tier plug, the spec sheet is unusually complete: full Matter commissioning, appliance-grade 15A and 1875W ratings, per-outlet metering with cost tracking, user-set safety thresholds and a two-year warranty. Compared to the cheaper plugs in the catalog that only switch, the metering and the configurable cut-offs are what justify the step up; compared to the higher-current European models in the same family, the ceiling here is set by the North American 15A standard rather than by the hardware. If the plan is to measure a few big loads and control them from whatever app the household already uses, this covers it without a hub.
Frequently asked questions
Does the Sonoff iPlug Gen2 Type B need a hub?
No. It is a Matter over Wi-Fi device, so it connects to the router directly. You still need a Matter controller for the ecosystem you use, such as a HomePod or Apple TV for Apple Home, a Nest speaker or display for Google Home, a compatible Echo for Alexa, or a Home Assistant or SmartThings hub.
Which smart home platforms does it work with?
Apple Home, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, Samsung SmartThings and Home Assistant, all over Matter. The manual documents the pairing flow for each of them, and Matter is multi-admin, so it can be added to more than one at the same time.
How much power can it handle?
It is rated for 15A at 100 to 125V, which works out to a maximum load of 1875W. That covers most North American household appliances, including space heaters, kettles and window air conditioners.
Does it measure energy use?
Yes. It reports live voltage, current, power, runtime and consumption with charts and data export, and it can apply a custom electricity rate, including separate peak and off-peak prices, to show what a connected appliance costs to run.
Can it turn off automatically if something goes wrong?
Yes. It has overload and overcharge protection, and you can set your own current, voltage and power thresholds in the app so it cuts the load when a limit is crossed. The housing is flame-retardant PC plastic.
Does it work on 5GHz Wi-Fi?
No. It supports IEEE 802.11 b/g/n on 2.4GHz only. If your router broadcasts both bands under one network name, it can help to separate them or use the router app during pairing.
Can it be used outdoors?
No. Sonoff lists it as an indoor product with no weather rating, and the Amazon listing states IP20, so it should stay in dry indoor locations.
