Aside from protecting your home, the newest home security systems also integrate a variety of convenience and safety features that include lights, locks, thermostats, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, video doorbells, and more. Some even double as routers. Furthermore, for most systems, you can monitor and control all components remotely, with an app on your smartphone.
Unlike other home products, which are purchased with a onetime cost, home security systems may require subscriptions, making it hard to calculate the total amount of money you’ll shell out on a system.
To help you make sense of your options, Consumer Reports has tested a variety of do-it-yourself systems from brands big and small, such as Abode, Cove, Ecobee, Eufy, Honeywell Home, Kangaroo, Ring, SimpliSafe, and Wyze.
