The Best Indoor Security Cameras

[Karlston]

The Best Indoor Security Cameras

Security cameras offer peace of mind, but you want to choose carefully when you're inviting one into your home.

 

 

I used to have a security system setup in my apartment that included door and motion sensors but no security cameras. I thought it would make me feel safer, but the motion sensor was frequently triggered by shadows, which activated a loud alarm. It was jarring when I was home, but even more worrisome when I was away and got notifications on my phone. With no camera, I was left wondering what happened and if my pets were OK.

 

Cameras now give me peace of mind, but I have a love/hate relationship with them. They offer a level of safety knowing that I can quickly make sure everything is well at home even if I'm miles away. But you do expose yourself to privacy risks. You should take precautions if you want to use a security camera in your home. We break down what you should keep in mind when shopping for one, and rounded up our favorites after rigorous testing.

 

Be sure to check out our many other guides, including our picks for the Best Pet Cameras and Best Password Managers.

 

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  Photograph: Kami Home Security

  Take Our Advice

  How to Stay Safe

   

  Security cameras are great tools, but you need to protect your security from those cameras. You don't want to find out that someone has accessed your camera and is watching you sit in your bathrobe bingeing trash TV for the third day in a row. Or worse, people have reported being watched during their most intimate moments. This is not to scare you away from security cameras. Follow these tips and you can stay a vigilant and conscious consumer, and still feel like your home is protected while you're away.

  • Avoid no-name cameras: If you type "security camera" into Amazon’s search bar, you’ll come up with hundreds of cheap options from brands you’ve never heard of. We don’t feel comfortable recommending one of them for a product with real privacy threats. You should always go with brands with a solid reputation that clearly outline privacy policies and make it easy to set up security protocols. That doesn't mean they can't be hacked—Wyze, Nest, and Ring have all had breaches—but you probably won't be left in the dark with an unequipped brand that can seemingly disappear the moment something happens.

  • Set a strong password and set up two-factor authentication: Setting a strong password that you don't use for anything else is extremely important. You should also change the password for your Wi-Fi network from the default it comes with if you haven't already. Set up two-factor authentication as soon as you create an account with the camera brand you've bought. It will make it harder for a hacker to gain access to your device, even if they do figure out your password.

  • Keep it updated: Make sure you're frequently checking for software updates (for your camera and router) that can patch any security issues that may have come up. Set your camera to auto-update if possible.

  • Turn it off: When you're home, or at least when you're doing something personal you wouldn't want someone to see, turn the camera off. Cover the lens, and/or turn it around for good measure, too.

   

  

• Photograph: Wyze

  Best Overall

  Wyze Cam Pan

   

  With the Wyze Cam Pan, you get a 1080p 360-degree camera for a pretty unbeatable price. OK, it's not actually a 360-degree camera. It, as the name suggests, pans horizontally on its base so you can see everything around the camera, and the camera can tilt move vertically, too. You can set it up to automatically show a scan of your home when you open the live feed (and it does it in three seconds), or you can manually peruse through with the controls on the app screen.

   

  It's dead simple to set up with the Wyze app, has easy-to-use controls, and it does a great job of tracking motion. You also get crisp two-way audio, in case you wanted to check in on your pets. The downsides? Motion notifications are slightly delayed when they show up on my phone and the video's color quality isn't as nice as some of the other cameras in this guide, but it does the job. It records 12 seconds of activity when it detects motion, and these clips are stored in the cloud for 14 days. You can also store clips locally using your own Micro SD card.

   

  $38 at Amazon

  $30 at Wyze

   

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  Photograph: Kami Home Security

  Another Great Camera

  Kami Indoor Camera

   

  The Kami is very similar to the aforementioned Wyze in that it can pan and tilt 360-degrees to cover all parts of the room. You can easily control exactly where the camera is looking, and motion tracking means you won't miss anything, even when you aren’t tuning in to the live feed. The motion tracking is not without flaws—once, during testing, the camera focused on my shadow against the wall instead of the action in the room. Still, I like how you can set location bookmarks, like the front door and living room windows, so you can get the camera's focus back to that exact spot without having to fuss about with the controls.

   

  If you sign up for the Emergency Response plan, you can contact emergency services using an integration with the Noonlight app directly from your camera feed, too. Unfortunately, this camera doesn't have two-factor authentication, though you can set a pin separate from your password to view the live feed. (If you sign in using Facebook, you can use two-factor authentication, but Facebook has its own security issues.)

   

  $70 at Amazon

  $60 at Yi Technology

 

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  Photograph: Nest

  If You Prefer Google Assistant

  Nest Cam IQ Indoor

   

  Some time ago, we tested Nest's Indoor and Outdoor cams and found them attractive and unobtrusive, but expensive. In particular, the smart indoor cam has fun (if slightly unnecessary) features like facial recognition and Supersight, which will let the camera’s focus ping-pong around your room, tracking peoples’ faces and making sure you don’t miss any important moments.

   

  However, the best reason to buy a Nest camera is if you, like us, prefer Google Assistant to other voice assistants. If you’re already seamlessly controlling your Nest thermostat through commands to your Nest Hub, you might as well add a Nest cam to your home. —Adrienne So

   

  $299 at Best Buy

  $294 at Amazon

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  Photograph: Arlo

  A Solid Veteran

  Arlo Q

   

  The Q is one of Arlo’s oldest cameras, but it still gets the job done with ease (we gave it a 7/10 in our review). It's easy to set up and the 1080p video quality is clear, even compared to the Arlo Ultra’s 4K resolution. Its live feed is a few seconds behind the action and it takes a while for a motion detection video to show up in the library, even after receiving a notification for it. The Q isn't cheap, but it is more affordable than some of the other models out there—and it comes from a brand with a solid reputation.

   

  $128 at Amazon

  $200 at Arlo

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  Photograph: TP Link

  Honorable Mentions

  Other Good Security Cameras

   

  There are a lot of security cameras out there. The following are ones we like but aren't as great as our picks above.

  • Wyze Cam V2 for $26: If you’re noticing a theme, Wyze makes quality products for a fraction of the cost of other companies (we also like its smart bulb). This compact camera outputs solid 1080p video quality, has night vision, and two-way audio. Considering the price is so close to the Cam Pan, it makes more sense to spend the few extra bucks instead of going with the V2.

  • Kasa Spot for $35: I tried the Spot and the Spot Pan Tilt, and both are impressive and inexpensive offerings from TP-Link. They have a wide field of view and decent motion detection that alerts you instantly. Sadly, neither camera has two-factor authentication.

  • Ring Stick Up Cam for $180: We tested the Ring Stick-Up Cam a year ago. Since then, the company has come under harsh scrutiny for many reasons, like their controversial partnerships with law enforcement, a string of hacking, and how they contribute to the creation of a virtual surveillance state. Ring has attempted damage control, with mandatory two-factor authentication, hitting the pause button on third-party analytics services, and making it easier for customers to opt-out of sharing their data with third parties. This camera we tested is easy to use, but the company's history might make any option from Ring an iffy choice, especially when there are so many alternatives out there. —Adrienne So

   

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  Photograph: Phil Barker/Getty Images

  DIY It

  Use an Old Smartphone

   

  You don't need to spend money on a new security camera—an old smartphone will do as long as it can still connect to Wi-Fi. Popular apps like Alfred just need to be downloaded on your old and new phone; then sign in with the same email address. Find a spot to mount your the device and keep it charged. Your current phone will be able to view the camera feed, though the field of view won't be as wide as other security cameras (and the setup won't look as elegant).

   

  Still, it's a quick and easy way to set something up essentially for free (besides the original cost of the phone, of course). Alfred is available for iPhones and Android. It offers motion detection and it can set off an alarm when it detects someone.

 

 

Source: The Best Indoor Security Cameras (Wired)