Tens of thousands of burglaries take place every year in France. Connected alarm systems are a deterrent weapon that allow you to find peace of mind. They are increasingly advanced and offer additional security options to better protect your home. But which model to choose? In this buying guide, we have selected the best connected alarms of the moment for you.
Nearly 200,000 households were victims of burglary in France in 2021 according to the latest statistics from the Ministry of the Interior. The figures are generally stable over the past 5 years, with the exception of 2020 when burglaries increased by 20%. The risks of break-in with successful theft or vandalism are therefore not negligible for a household taken at random.
More and more households have adapted to the context and are equipped with an anti-intrusion alarm system to better secure their home. With the arrival of increasingly sophisticated connected alarms, burglars must take more risks. It is a deterrent factor that makes this kind of device essential Nowadays.
Our selection of the best connected alarms in 2022
The connected alarms are delivered as a system, with a set including a basic gateway for the link, a siren (sometimes integrated into the gateway), but also opening detectors to be placed on doors and windows. Most systems also incorporate a motion detector, or even a surveillance camera.
Xiaomi Mi Smart Sensor Set
With this connected alarm system, Xiaomi remains faithful to the strategy that has made it successful in all the markets in which it operates. The brand offers here a pack within the reach of all those looking for an affordable solution to secure their home. For a price of 79 €, the pack contains a basic gateway called Mi Control Hub and which has an integrated siren. You also have two motion detectors and two opening detectors. Finally, the box contains a control button that serves as a remote control to control the essential functions of the system.
The Connection Hub plugs into an electrical outlet and communicates with all other accessories via the ZigBee protocol. The connection between the hub and the Internet is only via WiFi. You can install everything easily by yourself and configure the system step by step via the mobile application. Both triggers can be attached to a door or a window and react very well to the slightest break-in attempt. Motion detectors, despite their small format, also play their role very well.
Note that the siren does not make a lot of noise, but it is enough to put any intruder in a situation of discomfort and is therefore a deterrent. Especially since you receive notifications from any distance via the mobile application, even when you are not at home. The opening detectors use batteries with an advertised autonomy of two years.
Ring Alarm Surveillance Kit (2nd Generation)
With the Ring Alarm (2nd generation), you get a connected alarm with finishes worthy of an Amazon-owned brand. Nothing very complicated here. The basic pack contains all the accessories to configure an efficient alarm system and it is fully scalable. When purchased, the box contains a connection gateway with integrated siren, a contact sensor (opening detector), a motion detector, a range extender and finally a numeric keypad for control.
All the devices communicate with each other using the Z-Wave protocol with a range of 76 meters in an open field. The 5-piece kit is offered at a price of 237 € but we regret that it only includes a single opening detector. Fortunately, you can complete as many as you want. Each sensor costs €45 on average. With the range extender, you can extend the coverage of the basic bridge to several meters. It is a very practical accessory to operate all the sensors in a large house.
Like any good connected product from Amazon, the Ring connected alarm system is compatible with Alexa. The base unit incorporates a powerful 104 dB siren. It is also possible to complete the pack with an outdoor siren for complete protection. Finally, the connection bridge connects to the Internet both wired (Ethernet) and WiFi. And when there is a power cut, the built-in battery takes over for 24 hours.
Ring has also provided a relay for the connection in the event of an Internet failure. Everything continues to function normally and you receive notifications remotely via the GSM network. But this option is charged and it costs 10 € per month.
Netatmo video alarm system
The Netatmo brand, which needs no introduction, offers here a system made up of three of its products which form a set serving as a connected alarm system. The pack thus contains an interior camera, a powerful 110 dB siren and a set of three opening detectors. Surveillance includes the video aspect since the device that serves as the central is the interior camera.
You can configure face recognition so that the system is triggered if any stranger enters. The first step in the configuration is to link the camera and the siren. The connection is made via Bluetooth. The two products must therefore be positioned in the same room. The connection between the control unit and the opening detectors is made via a long-range radio protocol according to Netatmo (unspecified). Once configured, the detection of break-in attempts works perfectly.
Important clarification: the camera does not have a wall mounting system. You will therefore have to put it on a piece of furniture. As the system does not have a control keyboard, all configurations are done via the Netatmo Security application.
Somfy Home Alarm Advanced
The Home Alarm Advanced system effectively meets the need for securing a house or an apartment. It comes in a pack with complete elements at the base, but which you can evolve according to your specific needs. This connected alarm system consists of a gateway, an indoor siren with a power of 110 dB which is audible from several meters away and strong enough to be a deterrent. In the basic pack, there is also a motion detector, three IntelliTAG triggers, two badges that serve as remote controls, but also a control keyboard.
The Home Alarm Advanced has another major advantage: the possibility of continuing to receive alerts via the GSM network even in the event of a power cut or Internet connection. This feature requires a monthly subscription of €2.99 per month. But by buying the alarm system, you get a free subscription for 5 years. You therefore have 60 months to go without worrying about the fees to be paid to benefit from this very practical option.
The system is easily configurable by oneself. Just follow the steps described in the instructions. The central gateway connects via WiFi or via a wired Ethernet connection. It is able to communicate with other accessories over a distance of 200 m in free field. But in a closed house with obstacle walls, you benefit from a real coverage of about fifty meters. It is therefore important to mount the control unit optimally so that it can communicate well with all the detectors.
The connection is made via the Somfy Protect radio protocol (868.1-869.5 MHz). The badges communicate with the gateway using Bluetooth. In this case, you benefit from a range of about ten meters. IntelliTag detectors can be attached to your doors or windows with a strong adhesive. You can purchase additional detectors in case the three basic built-ins are not enough.
Each detector is sold for around fifty euros. Finally, the Home Alarm Advanced connected alarm system is sold for €679. You also have the option of adding an outdoor siren which costs €149.
Why install a connected alarm system at home?
Connected weapons are not among the unimportant high-tech gadgets in the field of home automation. They meet a real need: securing homes against the high risk of burglary. More and more homes are equipped with a connected alarm. These security systems represent an effective deterrent that considerably reduces burglary attempts and even more successful burglaries.
What are the criteria for choosing the right connected alarm system?
Connected alarms are always delivered as a Kit. In our buying guide, we have selected models that are efficient and easy to install by the user. All you need to do is read the guide included in the box to set everything up. This is therefore an aspect that should not be overlooked. Functionally, any good system must incorporate a motion detector and a siren that is sufficiently audible to alert those around you.
Make sure that your connected alarm kit is upgradable. For example, you must be able to purchase additional opening detectors. In some cases, the kit includes a range extender to extend the coverage of the Central Hub. This is the case, for example, of the Ring Alarm Kit from Amazon. There is another important advantage that not all systems offer: the GSM relay which ensures the transmission of notifications in the event of an Internet failure. But this option is usually paid and requires a monthly subscription.
