Smart technology has helped us control nearly every aspect of our daily lives, and when it comes to the safety and security of your home, it should be no different. The first thing many new home buyers consider is how safe a particular neighborhood or suburb is. From this they’ll be able to make a call on whether or not to install a home security system, or perhaps a medical alert system should they require it. Check out Gizmodo.com’s review of top medical alert systems to help you make the right choice.
While some of these devices and systems can come at a high cost, people would generally hope that these systems are worth the money they spend on installation, equipment, accessories, and the additional monthly subscription fee.
As the demand for better, and more technologically advanced smart home devices and security systems increases, with a predicted market value of more than $68 billion by 2026, it can be hard to choose one which will suit your security needs.
With an array of options, and devices available, we’ve recapped some of the most popular systems currently available in the market. Whatever your budget, from the dirt cheap to the overly-priced, these systems offer an endless amount of features and can easily be integrated with your other smart home devices.
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Best Medical Alert and Safety System
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Starting the list, we look at medical alert systems that cater to the elderly, and those retiring in place. Users who make use of some of the best medical alert systems on the market have found that it gives them a sense of security, and peace of mind when it comes to their medical needs.
The current top contender in this category is Medical Guardian, an in-home or personal emergency response system, or PERS for short. In comparison to other similar devices or systems, Medical Guardian can easily be connected to a landline or via AT&T cell services.
It’s received TMA Five Diamond Certification, and costs between $29.95 and $49.95 per month. The system can be worn as a pendant, wrist button, or wall button and has voice activation for in-home use with a range of 1,300 feet.
There’s no denying the quality you receive from Medical Guardian, as users can easily communicate with their loved ones, and caregivers in the event of a medical emergency.
Best Door and Window Safety System
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Z-wave is a smart home product that is mostly used to monitor doors and windows. The Z-wave Hub can easily connect to your Wifi and other smart home devices for added security monitoring. While some devices in the category can be extremely complex to use, the Z-Wave hub is a user-friendly and convenient system that features a mobile app, and can also be controlled from your home operating system.
Something to keep in mind is that the Z-Wave is simply a hub or central service for additional security features. From this one hub, you will be able to control lights, thermostats, pet doors, garage doors, and windows.
The Animus Heart, which most likely controls most of the outlying systems, starts at $199.00 per unit. Then there’s the Homey Pro and the Thinka Z-Wave, priced at $399.00 and $410.00 respectively. Smart Z-Wave motion sensors and glass break detectors will range between $79.00 to $210.00 per unit.
There are also membership fees, which can start from as little as $250.00 for an installer plan to $65,000 for a founding membership plan. Unfortunately, Z-Wave hubs and accessories are some of the most expensive on the market, but it gives the best home security anyone can ask for. It puts people in control of nearly everything in their homes while adding a sense of security.
Best Basic Home Security System
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While some people may look for tech-savvy security gadgets and smart home devices, a basic home security system such as SimpliSafe will most likely also do the trick. This is all dependent on your personal needs, the area in which you reside, and of course how much you’re looking to spend.
SimpliSafe has been rated as one of the most affordable and best home security systems for people on a budget. It’s also been ranked as the best for installation, and most of the time, people will rate it 9 out of 10.
You can arm and disarm the system via your cell phone, it uses low levels of electricity, is easy to install, has low monthly fees, and there’s a selection of five different packages which you can choose from.
Packages start from as little as $229.00 once-off, and the bundle monitoring package is an additional $183.00. More advanced systems which will include additional features and accessories can range between $449.00 once-off package cost, and the bundle monitoring packages costing $391.00
For added security, you can choose from a plethora of accessories such as SimpliCam ($99.00), Video Doorbell Pro ($169.00), cloud video storage ($4.99 per month), Smart Lock ($99.00), and additional sensors will cost anything between $24.99 and $34.99.
SimpliSafe has everything you need, and more. This system looks to bring convenience and user-friendliness to the home security market.
Best Outdoor Security Camera
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So now you finally have an eye on what’s going on inside the house, it’s time to take a look outside as well. Today, you’ll be happy to know that most standalone cameras can easily connect to your wifi and other smart home devices. This makes it quicker and much more convenient to set up.
The Google Nest Camera, which can be mounted inside and outside has been rated as one of the most popular choices among consumers. The camera features night mode, zoom, cloud storage, wifi connectivity, two-way audio, 24/7 monitoring, 130-degree vision, and 1080p quality.
The Nest Cam is mostly used outside, as it has some of the best outdoor capabilities for cameras in this range. The price per camera is $199.00, and additionally, you can pay for Nest Aware membership, with the basic plan priced at $6.00 per month, and the Nest Aware Plus plan for $12.00 per month.
The membership gives you better access to cloud storage, reviewing older footage, smart alerts, AI features such as face recognition and monitoring, and you can customize activity zones around your house.
This has to be one of the ultimate outdoor security cameras, not only from a price point of view but also the ease of installation and connectivity to other devices via the internet.
Final Considerations
While home security systems remain an important part for many people, finding the right fit for you can be a challenge. Although there’s a magnitude of devices and systems to choose from, one should consider your security needs before making any type of purchase.
Finally, there can be alterations, combining certain devices will help cut down on costs, and subscription fees, but will make it a lot simpler for you to have access to all home security features in one place.
