SimpliSafe - Whole Home Security System 17-piece - White

Customer Images

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• See
  More

The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products or points for an honest, helpful review.

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Great kit for basic home security

  • Tech Insider Network Member

  This kit comes with a base station and keypad, 8 door/window sensors, two motion sensors, a glassbreak sensor, one indoor and one outdoor camera, a panic button and a key fob. I setup the system using the available app. Setting up the base station and devices was simple, intuitive and painless. Each half of the door/window sensors need to be placed within a couple of inches of each other to established a closed state, but have a decent range if they need to be offset a bit. All of the included devices are mounted with included, preaffixed tape, making installation very easy. I haven't really been able to "test" the glassbreak sensor as I don't have any glass around that I'm willing to smash. The cameras work well enough, and will store recorded data (triggered by an alarm) for up to thirty days, and can be used by Simplisafe to verify an alarm trigger if you opt for that level of monitoring. You can also easily opt to add additional sensors, such as fire and CO detectors, which I have. An additional outdoor alarm speaker is also available. On the downsides, I don't really feel the need for a panic button and probably wouldn't have picked one up if it weren't in this kit, and the key fob, while a good idea, needs to have some sort of locking switch on it to prevent accidental presses. I feel like it would be a bad idea to toss it in your purse with your keys. I was a little concerned about how reliable a wireless security system can be, but so far I haven't noticed any sort of interference or problems due to connectivity or range, and I think it's solid system for general home protection.

  ...See More
  • 
  • 
  • 

  Posted 1 year ago by Cryos

• Rated 3 out of 5 stars

  Limited Recommendation due to Missing Key Feature

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 250 Contributor

  If you are looking for a basic security system that alerts you if someone breaks in then this might work for you. However if you are a work from home parent with kids you might want to consider the following. Working from home with kids in the house I don’t arm the system for obvious reasons. This system only plays a tone when the system is unarmed and someone opens a sensor such as a window or door. Many other alarm systems provide a verbal description of what happened when a sensor is triggered even if the system is unarmed such as “Front Door Open”. For me this is a deal breaker because if I am at my desk working and I hear a tone played I have no idea whether the kids just opened a window or just headed out the door. Sure I can get my phone and open the app and check the devices to see what has happened but by then its long over. Sadly Simplisafe’s system does know the device names and does in fact call the name out when you run diagnostic functions but it only plays beeps when unarmed. I would hope this was an easy software fix but when I checked the web site there have been numerous request for the verbal call out for years but so far Simplisafe has not implemented it. While this does not impact the system’s ability to secure my house when it is armed it does impact the way I can use the system to monitor my house during the day when there is activity going on. As stated below I found the phone app not very intuitive and frustrating at times. So if you don’t need the verbal call out for sensors and can deal with the phone app then the rest of the system works reliably. Control Panel: The control panel by today’s standards if very low tech. No touch screen, instead there is a small screen that is pressed up/down left/right to make selections along with a key pad. Accessing the menu items to check the system, configure devices and arm/disarm the system is fairly easy and unlike the software app there is an indication of open sensors on the main screen. Because all the voice interaction with the system comes from the base station versus the control panel you have to be within a clear listening distance of the base station when operating the control panel. A positive is that you can easily Arm your system without having to enter a code by just selecting the Arm Away key. Software App: The software app is not the easiest to navigate and at times can be quite frustrating. I have a red notification on the app icon on the main phone screen but when I open the app there is no indication as to what that notification was. The main screen shows you the options of arming or disarming the system but to get the general status you have to swipe down on the main screen. I would have expected and wanted the status of the system components on the title screen without having to interact with it beyond opening the app. If an entry sensor – window/door is open there is no indication on the main screen so when you arm the system the base station says that the system is arming and then gives a warning that a sensor is open. So if you are in a hurry and hit Arm Away, drop your phone in your pocket and head into the garage you never hear the warning and think everything is secure but its not. Or if you get in the car and then arm the system using your phone you will never hear the warning. Separate of these issues the app does arm and disarm the system reliably and if you have an iwatch you can operate the app from it. Just be sure to check all your sensors before you arm the system using the app. Base Station: The base station is non distinct and nonintrusive. It needs to be reasonably close to the wireless router and the control panel and where you will be most often so you can hear the voice interaction and tones it plays. The base station also has a led ring around the base that provides some visual indication that something is happening. I had a frustrating event when the base station suddenly started beeping and the ring lit up but I could not find the cause. After digging out my phone and going through the app I found out that there was a software update that needed to be installed. While I understand the importance of the install the method of alerting me sure wasn’t very intuitive. Entry Sensors: The entry sensors are compact but the double stick tape used to mount them to window or frame doesn’t cover the entire base so it can wobble especially if its not being mounted to a flat flush item. The magnets are gigantic compared to the magnets in my old system and because they are so large they have limited mounting options. If you have double hung windows you cannot mount the magnet to one pane and the sensor to the other pane due to the size. This means that you need two sensors, one for the top pane and one for the bottom pane. Also because of their size they have to be mounted on top of the door frame trim which in my case is not flat so this made it difficult to align. See the photo. Other than the mounting issues of the sensor and the magnet they operated reliably. Cameras: This set comes with an inside and an outside camera. The outdoor camera supports up to 1080p with a 140 degree field of view. The camera relies on a magnetic ball mount to keep it attached to the base. This allows an infinite amount of adjustability and easy removal for charging but it also allows others to remove the camera just as easily. Where I placed my camera it does not pick up car traffic so I did not have to adjust the sensitivity or motion zones. The inside camera also supports 1080p and comes with a long power cable so you can put it quite a ways from the nearest outlet. The best feature about this camera is that it has a mechanical shutter that closes when the camera is not being used. This is great for privacy and due to the sound the shutter makes when opening/closing its quite obvious when the camera is engaged. The image quality and audio pick up on both cameras are good. The time to connect is typical of what I have seen in other wireless cameras I have around my house. The apps shows a “waking up camera” icon and about 5 seconds later shows live images. The motion sensing was reliable and the notifications are fast. Like all other security cameras there is an upcharge to record video. Setting up the SimpliSafe system is very straight forward. Once you download the app onto your phone and configure the base unit you can start adding devices. Adding the motion detectors, entry sensors and glass break sensor was simple and quick. Adding and configuring the cameras took more time and was slightly more problematic. Twice the program complained there was an issue and suggested phone or chat help but I just restarted the camera install and everything worked out. The constant notices to sign up for a monitoring subscription was annoying but expected.

  ...See More
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 
  • 

  Posted 1 year ago by explore42

• Rated 5 out of 5 stars

  Complete Home Security - In a Box!

  • Tech Insider Network Member
  • Top 1000 Contributor

  As our neighborhood has grown quickly with new homes and businesses moving into town during the past couple of years we decided it was time to add a whole home security system. The SimpliSafe 17 Piece Whole Home Security Kit was just what we were looking for. As the name implies, this kit supports an entire residence with multiple cameras, window/door sensors, base unit, keypad, etc. It can also be expanded (up to 100 sensors) if needed with additional pieces available from SimpliSafe. In the Box - Base Station (white), Keypad (white), 1 x Wireless HD Outdoor Camera, 1 x Wired HD Indoor Camera, 8 x Entry Sensors, 2 x Motion Sensors, 1 x Panic Button, 1 x Glass Break Sensor, 1 x Key Fob, Yard Signage/stickers and documentation. As we have 7 entry points on the first floor of our home, this package had more than enough sensors to cover them all. Setup - SimpliSafe couldn't make the setup process much easier. There's documentation in the kit that walks through setup as well as the SimpliSafe app that literally walks through the required steps. Once the app is downloaded, create an account, and follow the steps to set up the base station and associated sensors and cameras. There are QR codes on the different accessories that can be scanned to assist with adding them during setup. This package also comes with a free 30 day trial of the monitored system which can be cancelled after 30 days by calling SimpliSafe. One of the features I really like is the magnetic mounting base on the outdoor camera. As the 1080p capable camera is wireless it was super easy to pick a spot and mount the base to the house. Then just connect the camera to the base with the magnet and you're ready to go! The outdoor camera batteries are rechargeable and SimpliSafe also offers a solar panel charger as an accessory. Another welcome feature is that most of the sensors and associated accessories are mounted with tape so there is no hardwiring the system or putting holes in your walls. It also allows for all sorts of options when installing or expanding the system. Mounting the sensors is not only a breeze, there’s no damage to your home. Using the System / Security - Once the system and service are set up the system does what it's supposed to. The cameras functioned perfectly...including spying on our dog! The keypad is super straightforward (Home, Away and Off) and easy to use and the unique pins is a great feature. Multiple unique pins can be created for multiple users on the system. So far we haven’t had any issues with the system. The cameras have a number of customization features for day and nighttime use including sensitivity and resolution settings. One of the new additions to this system which our previous system did not have is the key fob. For me, it’s important to have ease of functionality and the key fob is one of my new favorite accessories. Pros: - Systems easily supports a large residence or business with 17 total pieces - Great build quality of base, keypad and accessories - Ease of setup and overall system configuration and use - Ability to add to the system such as water sensors or solar chargers for outdoor cameras - DIY installation and no service fees if you choose that route - The Key Fob makes an easy to use system even easier! Cons: - Haven't come across any after a couple weeks of tinkering and use with the system Overall, the SimpliSafe 17 Piece Whole Home Security Kit is a great value, easy to setup and use and it's expandable as needs change. It can be used free or there are a couple levels of paid monitoring services offered. I would certainly recommend this system to anyone looking to add the security of a whole home security system to their home or even a small business.

  ...See More
  • 

  Posted 1 year ago by mstanleynh