The 10 Best Home Security Cameras To Keep an Eye on Your Home While You’re Away

If you want Dr. Manhattan level omnipresence (OK, maybe not that extreme), a home security camera gives you eyes and ears around your home even when you are away. You can keep an eye on your kids or pets when you are in the office or running a long errand, or add extra protection from porch pirates nabbing your Amazon deliveries. And stored recordings and event notifications can provide useful video verification when needed.

Here’s a list of features you’ll want to look for when deciding on a home security camera:

• High-quality recording – 1080p recording and streaming should be a standard feature.
• Motion detection – Automatically turns on and records when motion is detected.
• Free local and cloud storage – Some devices you need to pay for a subscription for cloud storage of recorded video. Free cloud storage is a huge bonus.
• Two-way voice –This allows you to hear and speak with whoever is on camera.
• Voice control compatibility – Some devices are Alexa and Google Assistant-enabled so you can get alerts, notifications and control features with your voice.

A home security camera is a quick and often affordable way to upgrade the security throughout your home. Even if you just miss your dog and end up using this thing as a pet camera, or you want to protect your home from potential break-ins, a home security camera provides peace of mind when you’re out of the house.

Here are our recommendations for the best home security cameras.

1. TP-Link Kasa Smart Outdoor Camera

BEST OVERALL

This home security camera boasts a 4.5-star average on Amazon with almost 1,400 ratings. That’s due to the crystal clear 1080p video and features like reliable motion detection recordings and free cloud storage (for two years). You can connect it to your Alexa enabled devices to receive alerts and control your camera with your voice. Speaking of . . . well, speaking, the two-way voice capabilities sound great. Plus, there’s even a built-in siren to scare would-be intruders away.

2. Arlo Pro 3 Spotlight Camera

SPLURGE PICK

It’s pricey, but the features packed into this camera are fantastic. For starters, it is suitable for both indoor and outdoor use. Smart motion detection can automatically track movement within a 130-degrees area. And a spotlight provides color night vision for who or whatever is lurking around your home at night. It has two-way voice capabilities and a siren to scare away would-be intruders. Plus, it integrates with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant for voice control.

3. Wyze Cam V2

BEST BUDGET BUY

Home protection doesn’t need to cost a pretty penny. With features like motion and sound detection, the Wyze Cam V2 will automatically record when triggered and will send 12-second video snippets of the event to your phone. It stores the recordings locally and provides free cloud storage as well. Another awesome feature is the adjustable stand that is also magnetic, so it can be placed on more than just a tabletop, making it an ultra-versatile indoor home security camera.

4. Ring Stick Up Cam

ALSO GREAT

This completely wireless camera records video and stores it in the cloud (with a cloud subscription), so you can have video verification available if you need it. It provides clear 1080p video recordings and has motion detection to catch anything trying to sneak in or around your home. It doesn’t require a hub of any sort and works with Alexa.

5. Wyze Cam Pan 1080p

BUDGET PICK

Even though you can get this home security camera on a budget, its feature-set certainly doesn’t feel like a budget camera. It pans 360-degrees and has motion tracking, so it will keep whatever’s moving in sight. It stores recordings both locally and in the cloud for up to 14 days — and cloud storage is free. All of this for under $40. Tough to go wrong here.

6. Arlo Ultra

GREAT OUTDOOR OPTION

You can stream 4K video and save recordings to the cloud (rolling 30-day recording storage) with Arlo Ultra. It features motion detection and two-way voice, so not only will you receive alerts when it detects motion, but you can also speak to whoever is outside of your home. It does require a hub, but features like an extended 180-degree field of view and enhanced night vision make it worth the added equipment.

7. Blink Indoor

IMPRESSIVE BATTERY LIFE

You can expect about two years’ worth of battery life from just a single pair of AA batteries with this option. You can stream live video and record on-demand video, but the on-demand video will reduce battery life. Beyond taking sharp 1080p recordings, you can also set temperature thresholds and get alerts when your home falls out of that range. This home security camera does require a hub but has a lot of great features that make it a good pick for your home security needs.

8. Ring Floodlight Cam

CAMERA PLUS SMART LIGHTING

When the motion sensor detects any movement, it will automatically turn on the lights and start recording. The lights are bright enough to easily light up a driveway and spook whatever or whoever is trying to sneak around. It is Alexa enabled, so you can receive voice alerts from other Alexa devices when motion is detected as well as have video delivered to your smartphone or tablet. Add the Ring Protect Plan and you can store recorded video on the cloud for up to 60 days.

9. Yi Indoor Wireless WiFi Camera

MOTION AND SOUND DETECTION

This nifty little camera detects both sound and motion and automatically records events when those sensors are triggered. It features motion tracking, so it will track moving objects as it records. The sound detection is mostly marketed as a crying baby alert and will send notifications to your phone when detected. Local recording storage is free but cloud storage costs around $55 a year.

10. Nest Cam IQ

FACIAL RECOGNITION

An indoor camera with serious smarts, the Nest Cam IQ has advanced technology that is truly impressive. It recognizes faces — yep, the facial recognition technology will send you alerts of who was by the camera and when, and will alert you when someone it doesn’t know is around. They don’t have to get close either thanks to great zooming capabilities. It also tracks motion, records in 1080p and takes pictures that are 4K quality. It is on the expensive side and you’ll want to buy a Nest Aware subscription to take advantage of all the features.

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