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The Gen3 is the better buy for most Home Assistant users: it ships with an upgraded Zigbee chip, an enhanced RF module, and non-disruptive OTA firmware updates that keep whatever is plugged in powered throughout a software upgrade — something the Gen2 cannot do. The Gen2 remains a capable plug worth considering at a meaningful discount, but where the two generations sit at similar price tiers, the Gen3 is the obvious pick for anyone starting fresh. If you already own Gen2 plugs and they are working well, there is no urgent reason to replace them.
| Product | Best for | Price tier |
|---|---|---|
| ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen2 (single) | Budget energy monitoring, existing setups | Budget |
| ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen2 (4-pack) | Kitting out a whole home on a budget | Budget |
| ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen3 (single) | Best all-round pick for new buyers | Mid-range |
| ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen3 (4-pack) | Building or expanding a Zigbee mesh | Mid-range |
ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen2 (with Energy Monitoring)
The Gen2 (model 3RSP02028BZ) is a Zigbee 3.0 smart plug rated for 15 A on a 100–120 V AC circuit, ETL certified for North American safety standards. It introduced real-time energy monitoring over the no-monitoring Gen1, and that addition made it the go-to ThirdReality plug for Home Assistant users for several years. It pairs over ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT without any cloud dependency, and every unit doubles as a Zigbee router, strengthening your mesh automatically.
Who it is for: Anyone already running a stable Zigbee mesh who wants to add monitored outlets without paying a premium, or existing Gen2 owners evaluating whether an upgrade makes sense.
Strengths
- Full energy monitoring suite in Home Assistant. The Gen2 exposes voltage, current, power factor, real-time wattage, and cumulative kWh readings through both ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT — a detailed set of entities that feeds automations and energy dashboards well.
- Power-state restore on Home Assistant. You can configure whether the plug returns to on or off after a power outage, supported directly in ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT — a critical feature for anyone automating heaters, pumps, or network gear.
- Space-saving, mesh-strengthening design. The low-profile body does not block the adjacent socket, and the built-in Zigbee router function extends mesh coverage without any extra hardware.
Drawbacks
- Firmware updates interrupt power. Updating the Gen2’s firmware cuts power to whatever is plugged in. For a lamp that is fine; for a NAS, aquarium pump, or dehumidifier it is a genuine nuisance.
- Power-restore state is platform-limited. The on/off restoration after power loss is only supported on Home Assistant (ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT) and the ThirdReality Hub Gen2 — not SmartThings or Hubitat out of the box.
ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen2 — 4-Pack
The same 3RSP02028BZ hardware sold in a four-pack that brings the per-unit cost down meaningfully. Each plug is still a Zigbee repeater, so buying four at once improves whole-home signal coverage as well as your outlet count. Because the specs are identical to the single unit, the same strengths and weaknesses apply — including the power-interrupting firmware update limitation.
Who it is for: Budget-conscious builders who need several monitored outlets and are comfortable with the firmware-update caveat.
ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen3
The Gen3 (ASIN B0G4VZB6NC) is ThirdReality’s direct successor to the Gen2. It keeps the same 15 A / ETL-certified hardware foundation, but replaces the internal radio with an upgraded Zigbee chip and an enhanced RF module running an optimised router relay algorithm. The headline addition for power users is non-disruptive OTA firmware updates: the plug stays live while it updates, so connected appliances never lose power during a software upgrade. Energy monitoring is calibrated to ±1% accuracy and is supported in Home Assistant (ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT), SmartThings, Hubitat, and the ThirdReality ecosystem. Compatibility extends to the Echo Show 8 Gen3, Homey Bridge/Pro, and the ThirdReality Smart Bridge — a broader device list than the Gen2.
Who it is for: Anyone building a new Zigbee setup, or existing Gen2 users who keep critical appliances — aquariums, servers, dehumidifiers, networking gear — permanently plugged in and cannot tolerate brief power interruptions during OTA updates.
Strengths
- Non-disruptive OTA firmware updates. Firmware can be pushed without cutting power to the outlet, which means always-on appliances keep running through updates. This is the single biggest real-world improvement over the Gen2 for Home Assistant power users.
- Metering-only mode. The Gen3 can monitor energy consumption without ever controlling the outlet’s power state — useful for refrigerators, servers, or any device that must never be accidentally switched off by an automation error.
- Stronger Zigbee repeater hardware. The upgraded chip and RF module, combined with an optimised router relay algorithm, extend mesh coverage further than the Gen2, which matters in large homes or multi-floor setups. See our guide to Best Zigbee Hub for Home Assistant if you are still choosing a coordinator.
Drawbacks
- Power reporting update interval complaints. Some Home Assistant users have reported that the Gen3 sends power-state updates roughly every 15 minutes rather than near-instantly, which delays automation triggers — a “laundry done” notification, for example, may fire long after the cycle ends. ThirdReality has acknowledged the issue on their forum, but it was not fully resolved for all users at time of writing.
- Non-disruptive OTA limited to select platforms. The seamless firmware update feature only works on Home Assistant, Hubitat, and the ThirdReality platform. SmartThings users do not benefit from this key upgrade.
ThirdReality Zigbee Smart Plug Gen3 — 4-Pack
All the Gen3 hardware improvements in a four-pack bundle. Each unit acts as a Zigbee repeater with the upgraded RF module, so deploying four simultaneously produces a meaningful jump in mesh coverage compared to adding a single plug at a time. The per-unit cost is lower than buying singles. Weaknesses are identical to the single Gen3 — watch for the power reporting interval issue if you rely on tight automation triggers.
Who it is for: Anyone equipping multiple rooms at once who wants the best available ThirdReality Zigbee hardware without paying a premium per unit. Check out our Best Zigbee Smart Plugs with Energy Monitoring roundup if you want to compare these against competing brands before committing.
Gen2 vs Gen3: Head-to-Head Comparison
| Feature | Gen2 | Gen3 |
|---|---|---|
| Protocol | Zigbee 3.0 | Zigbee 3.0 |
| Max load | 15 A | 15 A |
| ETL certified | Yes | Yes |
| Energy monitoring | Yes (voltage, current, watts, kWh, power factor) | Yes (±1% calibrated accuracy) |
| Power-state restore | HA (ZHA/Z2M) + TR Hub Gen2 only | HA (ZHA/Z2M) + TR Hub Gen2 |
| Non-disruptive OTA | No | Yes (HA, Hubitat, ThirdReality) |
| Metering-only mode | No | Yes |
| Zigbee repeater | Yes | Yes (upgraded chip + RF module) |
| Home Assistant (ZHA/Z2M) | Yes | Yes |
| Homey Bridge/Pro | Limited | Yes |
| Price tier | Budget | Mid-range |
Which Should You Buy?
For new purchases, the Gen3 wins without much debate. Non-disruptive OTA and metering-only mode are genuine quality-of-life improvements, and the stronger repeater hardware benefits anyone who needs a rock-solid Zigbee mesh. If you are still choosing a coordinator, our Zigbee Hub vs Dongle guide is a good starting point.
The Gen2 still makes sense if you find it at a meaningfully lower price and have no always-on appliances where live OTA matters. Existing Gen2 owners who are happy with their setup have no pressing reason to replace working hardware.
How We Chose
We assessed both plugs based on verified manufacturer specifications from ThirdReality’s official product pages and user manuals, the Gen3 launch announcement, and real-world feedback from the Home Assistant Community forum and ThirdReality’s own support discussion boards. We focused on features that matter specifically to local-control Home Assistant users: ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT compatibility, power-state restore behaviour, OTA update handling, and mesh repeater capability. No cloud-dependent features were weighted positively. Both products require a Zigbee hub — there is no Wi-Fi fallback on either generation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the ThirdReality Gen3 plug work with Zigbee2MQTT and ZHA out of the box?
Yes. The Gen3 is a standard Zigbee 3.0 device and pairs with both Zigbee2MQTT and ZHA in Home Assistant without any custom drivers or cloud accounts needed. Energy monitoring entities, the power-state restore option, and the relay switch are all exposed locally.
Will my Gen2 plugs keep working after the Gen3 launched, or is support being dropped?
There is no indication that ThirdReality is ending support for the Gen2. It continues to be sold and documented on the manufacturer’s website. If your Gen2 plugs are pairing and reporting correctly in Home Assistant today, they will continue to do so — Zigbee 3.0 compatibility is handled at the protocol level, not through manufacturer cloud services.
Is the Gen3’s non-disruptive OTA update feature available on SmartThings?
No. At launch, the live OTA update feature is only supported on Home Assistant, Hubitat, and the ThirdReality platform. SmartThings users on the Gen3 will still experience the same power interruption during updates as they did with the Gen2.