The Best Home Security Cameras

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber
Published on
June 3rd, 2019

Expert BioExpert Bio

Ben has over a decade of experience in cleaning projects of all types along the entire eastern seaboard of the United States. Ben’s formal training and certifications in cleaning include the AMRT (Applied Microbial Remediation Technician), WRT (Water restoration technician), CCT (Carpet Cleaning technician), as well as several other certifications from the IICRC. Ben has managed teams involved in cleaning projects around the United States. Ben’s passion for cleaning and leading teams goes back as far as he can remember.

The Cleaning Institute

You’ve invested time, energy, and money into cultivating and maintaining your home. A security system can help to keep your belongings and your family safer, but only if you invest in the right system. At The Cleaning Institute, we have 35 years of experience in helping homeowners find a wide range of tools to improve their homes. Here we’ll fill you in on the best security cameras available on today’s market.

Testing Categories

Video Quality – The point of a security camera is to help you gain a better view of vulnerable areas and identify intruders if an attack occurs on your property. We took video quality into account based on the clarity of the footage they provided. Crisp, clear footage is an absolute must.

Sound Detection – Sound detection is also an important factor, as this is often one of the first signs of an intruder within the home.

Motion Detection – Most cameras are motion activated as a means of saving power. We made sure each camera wasn’t too sensitive or too insensitive, so it could easily pick up signs of suspicious motion and activity.

Storage Capacity – If you’re going to be gone for an extended period of time, you want to make sure your security camera can adequately record and save footage from that period on the off-chance something goes wrong. We found that the best cameras had both a Cloud storage system and an SD card.

Top Pick

Blink XT
Home Security
Camera System

The Blink XT Home Security Camera System has been optimized for both indoor and outdoor usage. Customers can rely on its HD capabilities and motion detection to keep their homes safer.

Price Check

Despite a few issues with battery life, we find this camera to be an absolute winner. It’s the all-around best choice for those looking for a premium video security system to protect their homes.

Most notable upside: One of the first positive qualities we noticed about this home security camera is how easy it was to set up. Installing the camera was an absolute breeze and took little time at all. Once the camera was officially installed, we found the picture it provided was incredibly crisp and clear—definitely worthy of being called “HD.” The camera even works well at night, allowing you to easily separate familiar people from strangers by their basic features. Its motion detection is also top-notch. This camera’s battery feature is another wonderful perk; it allows you to place your camera absolutely anywhere you wish without worrying about it running out of power as it observes its surroundings. On top of this, the batteries last a good while. On average, you can expect them to span anywhere between one and 1.5 years, provided that you use the camera the average amount (between five and 10 camera triggers each day). The final perk is cloud storage, which comes automatically included with this camera and can hold up to 15 days’ worth of footage.

Biggest downsides: Some reviewers felt the battery life wasn’t quite as long as promised, due largely to the amount of power the camera needs to function. Despite being weatherproof, the lenses can still be prone to fogging up. Blink recently removed this camera’s compatibility with certain smart devices, which may hurt usability for some customers. Finally, Blink’s customer service could use a tune-up; many reviewers experienced issues getting in touch with the company when things went wrong.

5/5
Video Quality
5/5
Sound Detection
5/5
Motion Detection
5/5
Storage Capacity

Honorable Mention

Amcrest
ProHD 1080P
WiFi Camera

The Amcrest ProHD 1080P WiFi Camera is capable of maintaining a seamless wireless connection and recording HD footage at any time of day. It comes with a companion app with real-time monitoring.

Price Check

This WiFi-connected camera is ideal for tech-savvy homeowners who want to be able to keep a close eye on their homes at all times. It’s worth noting this camera is primarily meant to be used indoors.

Most notable upside: Our team (and reviewers alike) love the mobile compatibility this camera offers! Very few security cameras available on today’s market offer the ability to receive push notification updates in real-time, especially during those time-sensitive moments. While this camera isn’t battery-powered like the above option, it does come with an extra-long cord to help you maintain some portability. This camera comes with multiple surveillance options to choose from as well. The motion detection, picture quality, and sound are all well-programmed and of high quality. On top of this, the camera comes with an SD card that can hold plenty of footage. Amcrest’s customer service team also provides excellent assistance with any question or issue you may have.

Biggest downsides: Most reviewers wished there was some sort of zooming feature included with the camera controls. Many also found this camera to be hard to set up, especially when it came to connecting it to the WiFi, as it can be very finicky with certain connections. Some also found the app to be clunky to use. Finally, the recordings can be choppy at times, leading to several seconds’ worth of missing footage.

5/5
Video Quality
3/5
Sound Detection
4/5
Motion Detection
5/5
Storage Capacity

Also Consider

Wyze Cam 1080p HD
Indoor Wireless
Smart Home Camera

Wyze Labs’s is compatible with Amazon Alexa & possesses high-quality sound recognition. It also comes with powerful cloud storage & is capable of recording 1080p footage.

Price Check

This security camera does come with a few software and hardware issues. However, we find it to be reliable enough for the price you’ll pay for it.

Most notable upside: The majority of reviewers expressed that you get quite the large bang for your buck. While inexpensive, this camera boasts a number of handy features. You’ll get a clear image, as well as wide-spanning night vision; its precise range sits between 15 and 20 feet. The footage can be saved to either the Cloud (which can hold approximately two weeks’ worth of film) or an SD card. It also connects easily and seamlessly to WiFi connections and can easily be accessed through said connection.

Biggest downsides: This camera is not made to be used outdoors. Setting this camera up is easy enough, but you won’t be able to rely on the instructions for help; they’re too ambiguous to follow. Its hardware is also unreliable and prone to breaking. Some users found the motion detection to be unstable and the app that the camera comes with to be unreliable and difficult to use. You also have limited control over what data remains in the Cloud from your camera, and the alert recordings tend to be too short to be useful.

4/5
Video Quality
4/5
Sound Detection
3/5
Motion Detection
4/5
Storage Capacity

All Our Picks

Tips for Effective Home Security Cameras

Most professionals will recommend you install your security cameras in at least three main places: any windows that do not face your neighborhood streets, at your back doors, and at your front doors. These areas of your home are the most vulnerable to intruder attacks. A surprising amount of intruders try to get in from your front door—34 percent, to be precise. A few other places worth considering include your driveway, garage, the second floor of your home, and inside the basement. Take a walk around your home and consider which areas may be the most vulnerable to attacks.

A Note About Safety and Storage

As you figure out where you will install your security cameras, keep in mind that the images and footage you receive will only be as good as the lighting within the installation area. Your camera won’t be able to help you if its footage is too poorly lit for you to see anything. You may want to invest in outdoor lights if you plan to use your camera outside. Furthermore, if you do plan to use outdoor security cameras, make sure that they are actually suitable for outdoor use. This can keep you from having to shop for a replacement too soon down the line.

The Best Home Security Cameras

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Blink XT
Home Security
Camera System

Video Quality

Sound Detection

Motion Detection

Storage Capacity

Amcrest
ProHD 1080P
WiFi Camera

Video Quality

Sound Detection

Motion Detection

Storage Capacity

Wyze Cam 1080p HD
Indoor Wireless
Smart Home Camera

Video Quality

Sound Detection

Motion Detection

Storage Capacity

All Our Picks

Blink XT
Home Security
Camera System

Amcrest
ProHD 1080P
WiFi Camera

Wyze Cam 1080p HD
Indoor Wireless
Smart Home Camera

Tips for Effective Home Security Cameras

A Note About Safety and Storage

Quick Links

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The Best Home Security Cameras

Your guide to this review today is by Cleaning expert Ben Thurber

The Cleaning Institute

Testing Categories

Blink XT Home SecurityCamera System

Video Quality

Sound Detection

Motion Detection

Storage Capacity

AmcrestProHD 1080PWiFi Camera

Video Quality

Sound Detection

Motion Detection

Storage Capacity

Wyze Cam 1080p HDIndoor WirelessSmart Home Camera

Video Quality

Sound Detection

Motion Detection

Storage Capacity

All Our Picks

Blink XT Home SecurityCamera System

AmcrestProHD 1080PWiFi Camera

Wyze Cam 1080p HDIndoor WirelessSmart Home Camera

Tips for Effective Home Security Cameras

A Note About Safety and Storage

Quick Links

Sign Up for Our Newsletter

Blink XT
Home Security
Camera System

Amcrest
ProHD 1080P
WiFi Camera

Wyze Cam 1080p HD
Indoor Wireless
Smart Home Camera

Blink XT
Home Security
Camera System

Amcrest
ProHD 1080P
WiFi Camera

Wyze Cam 1080p HD
Indoor Wireless
Smart Home Camera