Find the Best Alarm System for Your Home

Determining the best home security products is by no means and easy task. But each year, the judging committee and Electronic House magazine selects from numerous submissions entered by many manufacturers the top products and systems for your home. The judges consider innovation, uniqueness, and practical benefits to end users when choosing the winners of categories including audio, video, home control and automation, home theater, smart lighting, and home security. In this, our fifth announcement of our Products of the Year, (go here to see all of the entries) we present the best alarm system, surveillance camera, and smart door lock of 2017. We will reveal the winners of the remaining categories in the weeks ahead, so be sure to visit electronichouse.com often.

 

Access Control: Smart Door Locks, Motorized Gates, Intercom Systems, Etc.

WINNER: Kwikset Convert Lock

Kwikset Convert is Kwikset’s new Z-Wave Smart Lock Conversion Kit. The kit can turn mechanical locks–even non-Kwikset locks–into smart, electronic locks, bringing the convenience of keyless entry and home automation the front door.
The Kwikset Convert allows you to transition to a smarter lock but still maintain the style of the front door or match an existing handleset. It also precludes you from having to change you’re your existing deadbolt.

Z-Wave-based, the Conversion Kit enables true remote locking and unlocking so you can access the lock from anywhere in the world, using a smartphone, tablet or Internet-connected device. This way you can remotely provide access to your home for service providers, guests or other family members.

Kwikset Convert also addresses an overlooked market: renters who are not allowed to change out the locks on their front door. It is also ideally suited for owners of condominiums and vacation property whose homeowners associations require all exterior locks to be uniform in appearance.

Price: to be determined

Security Systems

WINNER: Elk Products Inc. C1M1 Dual-Path Alarm Communicator with Remote Services

Seconds count in an emergency situation to save lives and assets. ELK’s new C1M1 Dual Path Communicator reduces transmission time of emergency messages. It connects directly to the M1 Control and does not require dial capture or data bus decoding which leads to delays with other communicators. In addition, there is no cloud server to compromise or delay the communications.

The C1M1 provides super-fast, full data communications to Central Monitoring Stations over IP and cellular pathways. Transmissions are automatically directed over the best pathway for quickest communications. Periodic tests are sent over both pathways to ensure reliable communications and C1M1 can automatically report a pathway outage over the remaining pathway.

C1M1 also supports remote access with no port forwarding or extra fees. Without any incurring additional expense, you can use Elk’s free ElkLink mobile app to arm/disarm the M1 control and view system status, accessing recent history, and receiving email/text alerts.

The ELK-C1M14GSM supports GSM cellular for areas covered by AT&T, T Mobile and Rogers Canada. ELK-C1M1CDMA supports CDMA cellular for areas covered by the Verizon cellular network.

Price: 414.21  

 

Surveillance Cameras

WINNER: Ring Video Doorbell Pro

Ring Video Doorbell Pro calls a user’s smartphone when a visitor at the front door pushes it. This enables homeowners to keep an eye on and protect their homes from anywhere. Since it’s hardwired to a constant power source, Ring is able to pack this new connected security device with premium features like a 1080p HD camera, advanced motion detection with the ability to create custom motion zones, infrared LEDs and 5gHZ Wi-Fi compatibility – all in a tiny (and stylish) 4.50-inch x 1.85-inch x .80-inch product.

 

Plus, with Live View, users can check in on their property at any time for on-demand video and another layer of security. You can see and speak with visitors to dismiss salespeople or say goodbye to kids as they head off to school via their smartphone, tell the courier to leave a package with a neighbor and protect their package deliveries from porch pirates.

 

Ring Video Doorbell Pro can be installed in a matter of minutes and comes with everything you need for installation; from a screwdriver to a level. Apple HomeKit-enabled Pro also comes with a choice of four faceplates so you can custom fit the product to your home.

 

Ring Video Doorbell has proven itself to be effective. In early 2016, Ring partnered with the LAPD to install its products on 10 percent of homes in the Wilshire Park Neighborhood of Los Angeles. In the first six months of Ring Video Doorbells being installed in the neighborhood, there was a 55 percent drop in crime.

 

Ring Video Doorbell Pro is compatible with Wink, Kevo, Lockstate, ADT Pulse and Wemo. With IFTTT integration, Ring Doorbell Pro is also compatible with a number of other smart devices.

Price: $249

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