Outdoor security cameras
The worry: You dread the prospect of being woken at midnight and having to arm yourself with a flashlight to go investigate whatever (or whoever) it is that’s causing a ruckus by the back door, behind the garage, or anywhere else that gives you the heebie-jeebies.
The solution: An outdoor Wi-Fi camera can cover all the areas around your home that a smart doorbell camera can’t capture—a hidden corner of the front porch, the garbage cans, the back deck, or even parts of the yard. Like a doorbell camera, an outdoor Wi-Fi camera includes a microphone, a speaker, and a motion sensor, and it not only allows you to look around the house in real time but also sends you a notification when it detects motion; in addition, it stores recordings so that you can access them whenever you need. Plus, one of the best ways to convince a burglar not to burgle is to let them know that they’re being watched with your conspicuously placed security camera.
Top pick
This battery-operated outdoor Wi-Fi camera provides clear 2K images. With the paid subscription, it can also distinguish between people, animals, vehicles, packages, and general motion.
If you want a completely cord-free option, we recommend the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera, which provides clear 2K images and color night vision and has an Auto Zoom and Tracking feature that automatically zooms in to follow any notable moving object in the camera’s field of view. Currently, it’s only sold in multi-packs, which are more expensive and also require a pricier Arlo Secure subscription as a result. For $20 per month, you’ll get support for unlimited cameras, the ability to record clips, and the cameras gain the ability to distinguish between people, animals, vehicles, package deliveries, and general motion (that way, you aren’t inundated with false alarms).
Smart door locks
The worry: You may have left the door unlocked. You think you left the door unlocked. Could you have left the door unlocked? Wait—are the kids locked out? Also, you don’t want the hassle of giving your kids, a babysitter, a neighbor, your in-laws, and your plumber their own sets of spare keys and keeping track of them all.
The solution: A smart lock eases all those worries instantly. Because you can variously use a customizable PIN code, a fingerprint, or an app to unlock your door, you no longer need to copy or hand out keys. You can use the app to check on the status of the door lock and get notifications whenever it opens or closes—and even who is coming and going. And because you can connect to a smart lock remotely, it allows you to unlock it through the app when you aren’t home, a nice bonus if you need to grant temporary access to a family member, friend, or mail carrier. You can find models without keypads, too, but we find keypad models to be more convenient, especially for households with family members who don’t have smartphones.
Top pick
This extra-tough commercial-grade lock is easy to install and use. It doesn’t have add-ons such as a fingerprint reader, but it does offer a built-in alarm and dead-simple operation.
We tested dozens of locks, but the Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt is the easiest to install and the most intuitive. It doesn’t have high-tech features, such as a fingerprint reader, but it does offer a built-in alarm and strong battery life of about six months, depending on use. Also, we think the ease of use and reliability make this extra-tough commercial-grade lock the best choice. If you want Apple Home compatibility, the pricier Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt adds support for Apple’s Home Key, which lets you unlock the Encode by tapping it with your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Smart LED lighting
The worry: Along with learning how to move comfortably around the layout of your new home, you’ll quickly discover all the unexpected noises and forbidding dark corners that emerge inside and all around your home.
The solution: Smart lighting is a reliable antidote to the creep factor that comes with suddenly occupying a new place. You can easily program smart lights to turn on and off at preferred times of day, but you can also set them to turn on with a trigger from other smart devices, such as security cameras and motion sensors—or even when you arrive home. That way, you never have to roam around in a dark house searching for a light switch. You can find a wide range of smart-lighting options for both indoors and outdoors, from hardwired fixtures to solar-powered footlights and accent bollards, but the easiest and most cost-effective approach is to use one or more smart light bulbs. These bulbs screw into lamps and fixtures just like traditional bulbs do, making it dead simple for you to add smart lighting to any area inside or outside your home without having to fuss with wiring.
Top pick
This affordable smart bulb provides bright light, an excellent color range, and an array of features, including remote control, scheduling, and timers.
The WiZ 60W A19 Color LED provides bright everyday lighting with an output of 800 lumens—the equivalent light output of a 60-watt bulb. You can schedule it to go on at specific times or on certain days, and you can tweak the color of the light to whatever warmth, hue, or dimming level you like. The WiZ bulb also has a clever Vacation Mode, which turns it (and, if you like, other WiZ bulbs in your home) on and off randomly to mimic the effect of someone being at home when you’re actually not. Although indoor smart bulbs aren’t technically rated for outdoor use, they should be fine if shielded from the elements in a weathertight fixture; if you’re concerned about your sconces, or if your area gets brutal weather, opt for smart lights that are rated for outdoor use.
This article was edited by Jon Chase.
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Outdoor security cameras
The worry: You dread the prospect of being woken at midnight and having to arm yourself with a flashlight to go investigate whatever (or whoever) it is that’s causing a ruckus by the back door, behind the garage, or anywhere else that gives you the heebie-jeebies.
The solution: An outdoor Wi-Fi camera can cover all the areas around your home that a smart doorbell camera can’t capture—a hidden corner of the front porch, the garbage cans, the back deck, or even parts of the yard. Like a doorbell camera, an outdoor Wi-Fi camera includes a microphone, a speaker, and a motion sensor, and it not only allows you to look around the house in real time but also sends you a notification when it detects motion; in addition, it stores recordings so that you can access them whenever you need. Plus, one of the best ways to convince a burglar not to burgle is to let them know that they’re being watched with your conspicuously placed security camera.
Top pick
This battery-operated outdoor Wi-Fi camera provides clear 2K images. With the paid subscription, it can also distinguish between people, animals, vehicles, packages, and general motion.
If you want a completely cord-free option, we recommend the Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight Camera, which provides clear 2K images and color night vision and has an Auto Zoom and Tracking feature that automatically zooms in to follow any notable moving object in the camera’s field of view. Currently, it’s only sold in multi-packs, which are more expensive and also require a pricier Arlo Secure subscription as a result. For $20 per month, you’ll get support for unlimited cameras, the ability to record clips, and the cameras gain the ability to distinguish between people, animals, vehicles, package deliveries, and general motion (that way, you aren’t inundated with false alarms).
Smart door locks
The worry: You may have left the door unlocked. You think you left the door unlocked. Could you have left the door unlocked? Wait—are the kids locked out? Also, you don’t want the hassle of giving your kids, a babysitter, a neighbor, your in-laws, and your plumber their own sets of spare keys and keeping track of them all.
The solution: A smart lock eases all those worries instantly. Because you can variously use a customizable PIN code, a fingerprint, or an app to unlock your door, you no longer need to copy or hand out keys. You can use the app to check on the status of the door lock and get notifications whenever it opens or closes—and even who is coming and going. And because you can connect to a smart lock remotely, it allows you to unlock it through the app when you aren’t home, a nice bonus if you need to grant temporary access to a family member, friend, or mail carrier. You can find models without keypads, too, but we find keypad models to be more convenient, especially for households with family members who don’t have smartphones.
Top pick
This extra-tough commercial-grade lock is easy to install and use. It doesn’t have add-ons such as a fingerprint reader, but it does offer a built-in alarm and dead-simple operation.
We tested dozens of locks, but the Schlage Encode Smart WiFi Deadbolt is the easiest to install and the most intuitive. It doesn’t have high-tech features, such as a fingerprint reader, but it does offer a built-in alarm and strong battery life of about six months, depending on use. Also, we think the ease of use and reliability make this extra-tough commercial-grade lock the best choice. If you want Apple Home compatibility, the pricier Schlage Encode Plus Smart WiFi Deadbolt adds support for Apple’s Home Key, which lets you unlock the Encode by tapping it with your iPhone or Apple Watch.
Smart LED lighting
The worry: Along with learning how to move comfortably around the layout of your new home, you’ll quickly discover all the unexpected noises and forbidding dark corners that emerge inside and all around your home.
The solution: Smart lighting is a reliable antidote to the creep factor that comes with suddenly occupying a new place. You can easily program smart lights to turn on and off at preferred times of day, but you can also set them to turn on with a trigger from other smart devices, such as security cameras and motion sensors—or even when you arrive home. That way, you never have to roam around in a dark house searching for a light switch. You can find a wide range of smart-lighting options for both indoors and outdoors, from hardwired fixtures to solar-powered footlights and accent bollards, but the easiest and most cost-effective approach is to use one or more smart light bulbs. These bulbs screw into lamps and fixtures just like traditional bulbs do, making it dead simple for you to add smart lighting to any area inside or outside your home without having to fuss with wiring.
Top pick
This affordable smart bulb provides bright light, an excellent color range, and an array of features, including remote control, scheduling, and timers.
The WiZ 60W A19 Color LED provides bright everyday lighting with an output of 800 lumens—the equivalent light output of a 60-watt bulb. You can schedule it to go on at specific times or on certain days, and you can tweak the color of the light to whatever warmth, hue, or dimming level you like. The WiZ bulb also has a clever Vacation Mode, which turns it (and, if you like, other WiZ bulbs in your home) on and off randomly to mimic the effect of someone being at home when you’re actually not. Although indoor smart bulbs aren’t technically rated for outdoor use, they should be fine if shielded from the elements in a weathertight fixture; if you’re concerned about your sconces, or if your area gets brutal weather, opt for smart lights that are rated for outdoor use.
This article was edited by Jon Chase.
The Best Smart Security Devices to Make Your New Home Feel Safe
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