Best Home Security Systems Consumer Reports - See the full list of Best of Bed & Bath Awards 2023 winners and how we chose our winners
It's a new era when it comes to home security. Rather than being found only in the warehouses of big companies, it's relatively easy and common to bring a compact security camera into your home – so you can monitor who's coming and going, and get alerts when a person or sound is present. Something you don't expect.
Best Home Security Systems Consumer Reports
Single-camera models aren't compatible with in-depth security systems, but they're a useful starting point that can help keep you informed and protect your home in the process.
The Best Home Security Systems Of 2023, Tested By Ediors
In this guide, you'll find our top picks for the best home security cameras to buy in 2023, along with insights from home security experts on what types of cameras actually work and how you can best use them.
Skip ahead Best Home Security Cameras of 2023 | How to Buy Home Security Cameras | How secure are home security cameras? | Key features to note | Are there home security cameras without monthly fees? | Where should I place the outdoor security camera? | Is it better to have a wired or wireless home security camera?
To compile this list, I combined my own experience testing smart home cameras with advice from security system experts. Here's what I kept in mind when coming up with the top-rated picks for this list:
The following home security cameras all require Wi-Fi and offer motion alerts. I've used my own experience testing home tech gadgets to include top-rated picks based on customer reviews from popular retailers like Amazon.
Customer Reviews: Simplisafe Outdoor Camera Home Security System White Osk211
This ring model is an excellent choice for placement in areas that do not receive much light. It comes with a pair of spotlights – built-in light sources that can illuminate your camera's surroundings to ensure visibility at all times. Two-way communication makes it easy to listen to any guest speaking on the camera speaker and communicate with guests or potential intruders.
As a wired model, you'll need professional installation and connection to your home's wiring, but its various smart features like motion detection, Alexa compatibility for voice control, and real-time notifications in the Ring app make it a popular choice. (It has an average rating of 4.7 stars on Amazon from over 7,000 reviews.)
With an average 4.3 star rating from nearly 5,000 reviews on Amazon, a video doorbell like this Arlo model is a very useful alternative to a prominent camera outside your home. It provides a view in front of your door, acts as a notification system when couriers arrive and depart, and allows visitors to contact you easily with a two-way microphone and speaker. Another big plus is the versatility of this model, as you can buy it in both wired and wireless versions. It has a night vision function and packet/motion detection alerts.
For a sleeker, understated design, consider the Google Nest Camera. This indoor model features Full HD resolution and smart AI features that can distinguish people, animals and cars – ensuring that any alert has detailed information. You can also check up to three hours of video history without an add-on subscription, and the camera will store up to an hour of footage even if the Wi-Fi goes down suddenly. Having tested this model extensively, I can say that it offers all the features you need for an everyday indoor security camera, while generally blending in very easily with its surroundings.
Best Smart Home Security Systems Of 2023
The highly rated Wyze Cam v3, which we included in our guide to the best pet cameras, has an average rating of 4.5 stars from over 70,000 reviews on Amazon. With two-way audio, night vision, full HD video, motion and sound alerts, compatibility with Alexa/Google Assistant devices, and an IP65 water resistance rating (meaning it's protected from water jets like rain), it's a decent outdoor security camera choice — for your home Just one way to plug it into power.
The Arlo Essential XL is a nice spot camera with a spotlight, color night vision features, a 130-degree viewing angle, two-way audio that lets you hear sounds around the camera and talk to anyone nearby through the speaker, and a cable. - Free connection for easy installation anywhere around your home. Its projector lights up when it detects motion and sends short video clip alerts directly to your smartphone. In my experience using this camera regularly, I found that the battery needed frequent charging - often with lots of traffic prompting it to record.
If you're looking for high-quality video, the Arlo Ultra may be the home security camera for you. It comes with 4K Ultra HD resolution with four times the detail of Full HD models, so you can see exactly what's going on in your home. As a weather-proof model, it is safe for outdoor use as well. (It gives you the option of using it on battery power or a plug-in outlet.) Unlike other Arlo models, you need an Arlo SmartHub to power it up, so it's not the most convenient model on our list. . However, in my experience, it's still a good choice for those who want clean, crisp 4K visual fidelity along with other smart features.
The Blink Mini is one of the more budget-friendly options on our list, and in my experience, it's very convenient thanks to its compact shape that makes it easy to fit anywhere you need it. Despite its small stature, it still features full HD video, black and white night vision, and two-way audio with motion alerts. Since Blink is an Amazon-owned brand, it's designed to work with Alexa devices.
Customer Reviews: Simplisafe Home Security System With Outdoor Camera White Wsk211
Not sure what's most important when buying a home security camera? Here are the key things to note.
According to some experts, home security cameras, while useful, have limited use as a security measure. We spoke to Barak Rohn, CEO of Shree. For more information, Locks, a New York-based security system installation and service specialist.
Are you coming The question is how long will it take you to get in and how loud will you make it,” Ron says. "There's not a lock that won't open... If someone really wants to get in, they can."
He adds that "most thefts and security breaches occur when the user or home owner fails to follow basic security features such as locking the door."
Customer Reviews: Simplisafe Home Security System With Indoor And Outdoor Cameras 12 Piece System White Kt021 01rus
The main benefit of a home security camera may be more about personal convenience than protecting your possessions and assets, notes Ron. People are using more security systems for the convenience of monitoring dog walkers, cleaning staff and babysitters — they want to know when and where someone is walking into or around their home, he says. However, the mere presence of a camera can be enough to deter an intruder and help flag a break-in event as it happens in real time.
Our experts say the most important features of a home security system are its ability to respond to its environment and alert you accordingly. Motion sensors, in particular, are an important feature to look out for, according to Ron. They can respond to the camera's eye movement and instantly send a notification to your phone. They can record when motion triggers the camera, ensuring the battery doesn't drain quickly, he says.
Ron says other popular features like night vision, which lets you see movement more clearly in the dark, are nice to have, but not as critical as motion sensor alerts.
Add-on subscriptions add cloud storage to ensure any video footage is safely stored in the cloud – instead of using local storage, you'll have to manage it yourself, like an SD card.
Best Home Security Cameras Of 2023
It's possible without a cloud subscription, as many models will send short video clips to your phone in response to motion or sound alerts, although Ron notes that secure storage is good for peace of mind.
Also, look for models with some kind of weatherproof rating so you can be sure it's protected from the outside.
We spoke to Hooman Shahidi, Senior Vice President of Products at security specialist Simplisafe, to find out how to get the most out of your camera. (We spoke to Shahidi for shopping guidance only — he did not influence or make recommendations for specific products on our list.)
He recommends placing your camera six to eight feet off the ground at a 30-degree downward angle at the entry and exit points. However, if your camera is facing a busy area, the motion sensor on your camera may be working with a lot of traffic, sending you endless recordings of people and cars, which can quickly drain the battery. "You should avoid showing areas with irrelevant traffic and movement because that's only going to drain the battery," says Shahidi.
Best Home Security Systems For 2023 Reviewed
Wireless cameras are more versatile
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