The Press and Journal (Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire)
SAFE AS HOUSES
Your home is more vulnerable to break-ins during the long, dark nights of winter, so it’s important to make it as secure as possible. Derek Uchman looks at gadgets to keep you safe
Keep your property and family safe with these gadgets, from doorbells to security cameras.
RING VIDEO DOORBELL 4 £174.99
Most of you will have heard of this gadget. In fact, a lot of you will own one. It is the video doorbell that all others are measured up against. Why? Well, it’s promoted big-time by parent company Amazon, but it’s also hard to beat in terms of reliability and ease of set-up.
It doesn’t have a stack of unique features, but you know it’ll work well.
Not cheap (but do consider the older models), it supports two-way chat, which is handy if you’re out of the house.
SWANN CORECAM, £99.99
For a security camera, this is seriously feature-packed. It’s 100% wireless with each charge lasting up to three months.
It detects heat as well as motion, so won’t be set off by things like bushes.
It also has a siren as well as a two-way talk function, and finally, video clips are stored free to the cloud for 24 hours, so a contract isn’t vital unless you go away on holiday. A security camera that’s hard to fault.
PHILIPS HUE OUTDOOR MOTION SENSOR, £44.99
This isn’t a standalone device but works in conjunction with any Hue lights you may have already installed.
Stick it on the side of your house and it’ll switch on lights inside (or anywhere else) should someone walk past. Also handy for setting off outdoor lamps, if you have a dark doorway or drive.
Only annoyance was that changing the batteries is so fiddly I worried I was going to snap the plastic.
ARLO ESSENTIAL DOORBELL £179 (BUT SHOP AROUND)
A direct competitor to Ring’s doorbell, Arlo’s entry does have a couple of advantages – the camera gives a wider view and it’s a better all-rounder.
Also, there’s an in-built siren, which can be controlled automatically or through the app. On the downside, there’s no two-way chat facility.
Like the Ring you’ll need to take out a subscription service to get access to all the facilities. A serious competitor.
EZVIZ C8C, £129.99
Not the most handsome of outdoor security cameras, but, thankfully, behind the almost retro exterior lies some serious tech.
There’s a motor inside, so it can pan and tilt its 1080p camera. Thanks to AI, it recognises human shapes, and will let you know immediately it spots one.
Also, it has full-colour night vision. Impressive.
It is expensive, plus the online storage option isn’t the cheapest. One other factor to consider – Ezviz is a Chinese state-owned company. I’ll let you decide if that’s an issue or not.