Lutron unveils durable Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug with HomeKit, adds new features to Smart Motion Sensors

Lutron is kicking off CES 2021 with a new addition to its lineup of HomeKit-compatible smart accessories. The company is expanding its Caseta Smart Lighting Control System with a new Outdoor Smart Plug, which will be available in “late March” for $79.95.

For those unfamiliar, Lutron currently sells a variety of smart switches and other HomeKit accessories. Here at 9to5Mac, we’re especially big fans of the Lutron Caseta system, which makes it easy to turn your lights into smart lights without changing the actual bulbs themselves.

The new Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug is IP-65 rated for durability, designed to protect against “the finest dust and heaviest rainfall.” Lutron says the smart plug can “withstand severe weather season after season.”

Ideal for smart control of landscape and string lighting, holiday lights and inflatables, and some motors and pumps, the new Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug gives homeowners convenient control of their exterior lights via the free Lutron app. For example, a homeowner can set their patio string lights to come on 15 minutes before sunset, adding a touch of magic to the perfect summer evening with family or friends.

The Caseta Outdoor Smart Plug integrates with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit, Google Assistant, and Ring video doorbells and cameras. It also has a built-in smart timer. No bridge is required, but Lutron says you can add a Smart Bridge for “increased reliability and responsiveness.”

Finally, Lutron has also announced new features for is Caseta Smart Motion Sensors:

The smart motion sensor, already capable of setting various timeouts and sensitivity levels, can now be set to trigger the lights on/off at any time of day. The sensor can be configured through the app to determine the period of activity, what happens to each light, and what time periods sensors can be auto triggered on or off. In addition to these new settings, users can adjust time out periods and sensitivity settings on the device itself. This new feature is available to all Caséta customers in the latest Lutron app update.

The Caséta Outdoor Smart Plug will be available late March for $79.95 from retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Home Depot, and Lowe’s. The new motion sensor features are available now via the Lutron application.