Does the Neos SmartHome Security Kit live up to its reputation? Keep reading to find out what we thought...
Home security is such an important topic, we all want to feel safe in our own homes. Fortunately there are a range of products on the market which can help us feel more secure, from alarms to motion detector lights, to cameras.
The Neos SmartHome Security Kit at a glance
This kit comes with two open/close detectors (called Smart Contacts), a bridge which plugs into the back of your SmartCam, and a SmartMotion detector that detects movement. The SmartContacts come into play when a door or window opens or closes – or even the fridge – and sends you an alert via the app. The SmartMotion sends a message via the app when motion is detected within its range.
There are also three SmartLeak Sensors in the box - enough to place in designated areas of your home. The leak sensors work on the same principle as the motion detector in that an alert is sent to your phone if a leak (even a single drop) is detected. If water is detected, it not only informs the app but emits a regular beeping sound from the unit, thereby physically alerting you to the fact there is a leak so it can be dealt with as soon as possible. There's a reset button under each SmartLeak unit with which to turn the beeping off.
Product specification:
Kit contains:
2 Neos Smart Contact Sensors
1 Neos Smart Motion Sensor
3 Neos Smart Leak Sensor Kit
Smart Bridge
The SmartMotion has an 18-month battery life.
To buy visit www.shop.neos.co.uk
Price:
SmartHome Pack £99 (save £11)
SmartCam £30
SmartMotion £35.99
SmartLeak £44.99
How did this product make your life easier?
Having tested the SmartCam in the past and been very impressed with its performance for the price, I was keen to see what the SmartKit could do. This kit allows you to manage all the devices on one app as all notifications come in via the app to alert you. All you need do is adjust the Settings so that the SmartCam kicks in automatically when you leave the house. Smart.
Both the SmartMotion detector and the SmartContact are really easy to fit, just peel the sticky backing off and position them where you want them. The SmartContact has to be positioned with the two pieces quite close together so that they can make a connection and alert you if this connection is broken. It suggests you can use it on a catflap or even the fridge door(!) and there are two supplied in the box.
I put the motion detector in my porch, just outside my front door, as that's the main point of entry to my house and probably the most accessible. The SmartContacts I placed on the inside of my front door so each time the door was opened (when the connection is broken) I got an alert on my phone via the Neos app and another one when it was closed (panic over).
Checking the SmartCam allowed me to confirm it was an authorised visitor (ie my husband!) and not someone breaking into my house - or even someone leaving. This could be useful if you have elderly relatives living with you - or it could be set up in their own home so you could be alerted to them leaving unexpectedly. It's also very useful if you have more than one door/point of entry into your house, or even have young children in your home.
The SmartCam is not only very useful for keeping an eye on things when you're out of the house, but fun to use. We had been having problems with other cats coming in the catflap and not only stealing our cat's food, but prowling round our house. Setting the SmartCam up near the catflap not only confirmed our worst suspicions but meant we were able to take action (microchip catflap now installed...)
I put a SmartLeak detector in our old pantry next to the washing machine (which has leaked spectacularly in the past!) one in the bathroom next to the shower cubicle (which was under suspicion but I couldn't pin it down) and also one in the cupboard in the downstairs loo, also a previous victim of leaking.
These sensors not only detect leaks but also record humidity so you can see if there's a potential problem or even if someone in your household hasn't opened the bathroom window after a shower!
Would you recommend this product?
Certainly, this is a very effective kit at a very affordable price. The instructions on the app are so very simple and user friendly (especially for a technophobe like me). The leak sensors come with a SmartBridge but you can use the one that comes with the SmartMotion Kit (as only one can be plugged into the back of the SmartCam at any one time).
Would you choose this product above all others on the market?
If you want a very affordable home security system which is controlled and set up by you then the SmartKit fits the bill. At around £99 for all three (SmartCam SmartLeak and SmartMotion) it's a snip for peace of mind. There's online support/tech help via the app for when you have any queries. You can also chop and change where you put any of the sensors and position the camera in different places each time (though note it is only for indoor use as it needs main electricity) depending on your preferences or needs at the time. They are also portable and setting up and reprogramming them is a doddle so you can take them with you when you move house or even go on holiday!
What changes would you make to this product?
The downsides are the camera can only be used indoors and occasionally the signal will drop out and the system goes offline but that happened only rarely and the age-old advice of turning it off and turning it on again seemed to do the trick. You also only get 12-second video clips which are stored for 14 days for free in the cloud and are encrypted, but you can insert a MicroSD card (available separately) and store them on there, or upgrade to Neos Boost from £2.49 a month and get 1-minute clips and extra storage.