Great value smart tech to keep your home secure this winter

Home security has fully embraced the internet-connected smart revolution, enabling you to keep a constant watch out for intruders, even while you’re away. 

You can spend hundreds of pounds on smart home security devices, but to help you avoid wasting money on marketing hype, we'll explain what features really matter for a setup that'll deliver peace of mind. 

Plus, setting up smart home security correctly can ensure your tech can fend off the cyber hackers, stay running even when the internet isn’t, and won’t get you in hot water with data privacy laws. 

Check our reviews of smart home devices to see which brands come out on top in our lab-tests.

Smart security tech - what to look out for

Security companies want you to buy enough kit to protect Fort Knox, but such an approach might not suit your needs. The size and type of property you live in will dictate what you actually should buy for your smart home set up.

Think, too, what you particularly want to protect - this might be an expensive car on a driveway, a rear entrance or a garden outbuilding with valuable items in it. You don't need to spend a fortune - using our choices below, you can kit out your home with a smart doorbell, burglar alarm and both indoor and outdoor security camera for around £300.

Outdoor security cameras

What to look out for: Outdoor cameras can easily cost hundreds of pounds, but that'll be overkill for many people's needs. 

• Go for a decent resolution camera. More expensive models with a 2K resolution or higher offer crisp quality, but Full HD (1080p) is good enough for most. You can buy good Full HD cameras for as little as £35.
• Higher-end systems sometimes have multiple cameras, with prices starting from around £200. However, that won't be required if you just want to keep an eye on a single location.
• If you're willing to splash out a bit, more expensive camera systems often work best with 24/7 recording, meaning you constantly capture video, a bit like CCTV. For this, you might need to buy an additional video storage unit. For example, the £160 Ubiquiti UVC-G4-DOME requires an additional £190 Cloud Key Gen2 Plus to store video. 
• Alternatively, a top-end cloud subscription service can cost £10 a month or even more. Unless you want to constantly record footage of an expensive car in the driveway, though, this might not be required. 

Below, we have cameras with Full HD resolution, motion detection, night vision and various options for recording video, starting from around £30. 

Two outdoor security cameras to consider

TP-Link Tapo C310

This outdoor security camera from TP-Link is a budget belter. Fully waterproof, it can be mounted on the outside of your home to monitor an important area. Alongside night vision, it has a visible light that can flash on when motion is detected and an automatic siren feature to warn off intruders (although set it up carefully in order to avoid irritating your neighbours). 

You can record video clips to local storage, so you won’t need to pay for an additional cloud-storage subscription.

See our full verdict on this outdoor camera in our TP-Link Tapo C310 review. 

Imou Cell Go

Imou is a brand with a growing range of smart home security devices, including this IP65-certified outdoor security camera. It has 2,304 x 1,296 resolution (2K) video quality and is powered by a 5,000mAh battery, so it doesn’t need to be wired to the mains. Alongside two-way talk, it has a loud 90dB siren. You can record video to a local storage device, or online to the cloud if you sign up to a subscription.

To see if this camera made the Best Buy grade, see our full Imou Cell Go review. 

On a tight budget? See how you could set up a Smart Home for under £150.

Indoor security cameras

What to look out for: When it comes to indoor security cameras, you have even more budget-friendly choices available. Good models are available for under £50, with very few compromises.

• Again, Full HD resolution is more than enough to capture good quality footage inside during the day and night. Some models boast 2K resolution, such as the TP-Link below.
• Consider the angle of view. It sounds obvious, but a fixed angle camera will only see what is in shot - anything else is going to be missed. Some cameras have motorised pan and tilt, so you can scan around to see what has happened. 
• As with outdoor cameras, you should think about video storage, too. Cameras with local storage are inexpensive – we've found Best Buys for under £20. This allows you to record footage to an SD card or similar for free in case you need it later. 

Watch out for models that push you into signing up to the subscription plan to capture videos to access remotely in the cloud. Prices vary based on the length of time you want to store video and how many cameras you want to cover, but typically start around £3 per month. 

Two indoor security cameras to consider

Ring Indoor Cam (Second Generation)

Amazon's Ring is one of the biggest smart home security brands. Alongside a large range of smart doorbells, it has also has numerous security cameras, including this indoor security model. 

It has Full HD 1080p video with a fixed lens at 143-degree diagonal, 115-degree horizontal and 59-degree vertical angle of view, and features like motion detection and customisable privacy zones. There's also a rotating shutter panel that slides manually over the lens when you want privacy. 

Find out how it fared under expert testing in our Ring Indoor Cam (Second Generation) review. 

TP-Link Tapo C225

This indoor security camera from TP-Link is designed to be placed somewhere inside your home to keep an eye on what’s going on while you’re out. 

The camera has 2K video quality, and unlike the Ring, can be panned and tilted remotely to always get a good view. It can detect a range of different events. Alongside the app, you can control it with your voice using Alexa or Google assistants. There are also video storage options either locally or in the cloud, if you sign up to a subscription.

TP-Link Tapo C225 review reveals how it fared in our tests.

Smart doorbells

What to look out for: Compared to indoor cameras, it's much harder to find cheap smart doorbells that are actually worth buying. Most decent models are well over £100, but you can find a few good doorbells to suit those on a tighter budget. 

• As with outdoor cameras, consider installation. Battery models will be easier to install, but you'll need to know how to remove and charge the battery when it runs out. 
• Other models need to be hardwired to the mains, and potentially connected to a new or existing chime in order to retain the classic 'ding dong'. Unless you're confident with electrical work, you'll need to pay an electrician to do this. 
• Go for Full HD (1080p) resolution at a minimum. Some models have what is known as 'Tall HD', designed to give a better vertical view of what is going on outside your door, allowing you to see if a parcel has been delivered, for example. 

Two smart doorbells to consider

Ring Doorbell Wired

It’s the most basic doorbell in Ring’s range that needs to be hardwired to the power. That means it will probably need to be professionally installed, unless you are very confident with electricals. 

You also can’t use your existing doorbell chime and instead must buy a Ring Chime. A bundle of the doorbell with the chime costs around £80. Another limitation, as with all Ring doorbells, is that you can’t store video clips without signing up to a subscription. So do bear in mind this additional cost. 

See if this doorbell is worth buying in our Ring Doorbell Wired review. 

Ezviz DB1C

Ezviz also has a big range of smart security products, including this budget-friendly smart video doorbell. 

Just like the Ring, it will require hardwiring to the electricity supply, so will probably require professional installation. It has a 1,536p Tall Full HD resolution camera, which is designed to give a better view of what is going on in front of your door. You can store videos either locally on a storage device of up to 256GB, or in the cloud if you sign up to the additional subscription. 

Read our Ezviz DB1C review for the full verdict.

Smart security alarm

What to look out for: You won't be able to get a decent smart security alarm for under £100, but that doesn't mean you have to spend hundreds - we've tested models that are worth buying from around £150. 

• Smart alarms usually consist of kits with an alarm hub and then a range of sensors and detectors that can be placed around your home to protect windows, doors or important rooms. Just bear in mind that the more sensors, detectors and other items you add to the system, the costs will go up.
• You'll also want to get an alarm box to place on the outside of your home. Not only does this make the alarm sound more loudly outside, it also provides a visual deterrent. Some have the box included, but with others you have to buy it separately (for example, Ring's sounder is a £70 extra). 
• Finally, you should consider if you want to monitor the alarm on your own (eg if it goes off you'll need to respond when alerted on the app) or pay a company to monitor it for you. The latter gives more peace of mind, but the costs can really add up over a year. To find out more head to our in-depth guide to alarm monitoring services.

Smart alarms combine the functionality of a traditional burglar alarm with internet-based features. This means you can arm, disarm and control the alarm using either the two included key fobs or an app on your smartphone.

Two smart security alarms to consider

ERA Protect Alert starter kit

This ERA kit includes a traditional white alarm sounder box to warn anyone outside your home. It has a hub to place inside your home, and then two motion detectors and two contact sensors included to protect key entry points. 

You can buy the alarm and manage it on your own, or get ERA to monitor it for you via an alarm monitoring service. See our ERA Protect Alert starter kit for more. 

Ring Alarm

Amazon’s Ring starter alarm kit comes with a base station, keypad for your wall, a contact sensor, a motion detector and a range extender. 

You can buy it as just the five piece kit, or you can increase the senors and detectors, and even add a Ring security camera, with up to 13 piece kits. We'd advise you to go for a set up that also includes an outdoor siren, as that increases both the visual and aural deterrent to burglars outside your home. 

See how it fares in our Ring Alarm with Siren review. 

Six things to consider when choosing smart security tech

Whether you already have smart devices installed or are starting from scratch, you should consider these six key problems - from hidden subscription costs to privacy laws - before switching your system online. 

1. Watch out for blind spots

Whether it's a security camera or alarm motion detectors, consider coverage when placing devices. Look for key points that get lots of traffic – there’s no point monitoring somewhere that not even a burglar will go. With cameras, consider the angle of view and whether there is any distortion to the lens (such as fish eye), and make sure the device isn’t easily reachable by an intruder keen to tamper with it. 

2. Installation complications

Most indoor smart devices are quite easy to set up, but things get trickier outside where they usually need to be mounted and powered. If you’re installing a battery-powered camera, consider how you’re going to easily access it if you need to recharge. Unless you are very confident with electrics, you should not consider a wired power installation, get a professional instead. 

3. Avoid connected drop outs

Your smart devices need good internet to work effectively, so flakey wi-fi will be a problem. Check the wi-fi signal before placing your devices. Wi-fi can also be jammed if someone has the knowhow. Most smart alarms will continue to trigger and sound when offline, but some cameras and doorbells will struggle to work at all. Using an Ethernet (or even better Power over Ethernet) connection can help ensure a steadier connection, if available. 

4. Keep it legal

Data protection laws don’t apply if your camera/doorbell films your private property, but they do outside the boundary, such as the street or neighbouring homes. Anyone captured has the right to have the footage deleted and request not to be filmed in future. Just be responsible - carefully consider where your cameras are filming, consult your neighbours, and put up a sign warning anyone on the street. Read our guide on what's legal when it comes to smart device footage at your home.

5. Don’t have a hackable home

We’ve exposed numerous smart devices that can be easily hacked over the years, bringing threats to your security and privacy. Don’t just assume that if a device is on sale, it's secure. We rigorously test every product for cybersecurity and data privacy, so you can buy with confidence. Plus, we reveal how long brands support smart products with vital security updates, though sadly, many don't commit to a support period at all. 

6. Watch out additional costs

Despite smart devices often being pricey to buy, manufacturers also try to push you to commit to an additional subscription service. This is often for storing video clips in the cloud to access remotely if you need them, but it could unlock other features and functions. Do bear in mind this potential additional cost - which could even double your outlay on the device over a year, depending on what you want - when choosing your set up. See our guide on how to save money on smart tech subscription costs.

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