Spring is here at last, and with it comes important tech sales, notably Amazon’s big spring week of discounts. As the weather warms up, home safety, often moves to the top of mind — and loads of security devices are now on sale just in time for your upgrade.
This year, I’ve spotted Amazon spring sale discounts of 30% to 50% off on top smart security products, including many that I’ve personally tested and can highly recommend. Here are the best options I’ve found, how much you save and why the products are worth it.
Best home security cam deals
Blink Outdoor 2K Plus: $65
Blink’s latest Outdoor model keeps everything great about this compact camera while improving features such as resolution and two-way audio. Setup is particularly simple and a Wi-Fi hub is included along with the cam. I really like this model as an all-purpose home security camera with an excellent app. As long as you have a spot to screw in a small mount, you can use this camera — and the batteries can last up to two years before needing replacement.
Eufy Indoor Cam E220: $40
Eufy cameras offer strong specs like this model’s 2K resolution, night vision, and pan/tilt with motion tracking. It also offers free object detection and an object to enable onboard storage with a microSD card so you don’t have to worry about subscription fees. It would make a great nanny cam deal.
Blink Wired Floodlight Camera: $45
While this camera isn’t battery-powered like the Blink Outdoor model, it does include two powerful floodlights for 2,600 lumens of brightness. It’s very hard to find a floodlight camera for prices this low, making it a great choice if your yard has lots of shadows. Just note that unlike some Blink cams, this model doesn’t come with a bundled hub for local storage, so you would need to buy that separately.
Arlo Essential Camera 2K 2nd-Gen: $36
We love Arlo’s high-end cams, but they’re too expensive for many buyers. The 2nd-gen Essential 2K cam is a perfect substitute for saving money while getting those excellent Arlo features, and with this deal you can save even more, making it one of our favorite security cam picks of the sale. This model is especially durable for all kinds of outdoor weather and includes a spotlight as well as other smart bells and whistles. Just keep in mind you may need to get an Arlo subscription to unlock everything.
Kasa Smart Indoor Pan/Tilt Security Camera: $22
Kasa is an excellent brand for extra cheap security cameras that don’t disappoint. This HD model has pan/tilt features and object tracking for a 360-degree look around your home. It also includes important extras like night vision, two-way audio and support for both Alexa and Google Home. If you want to buy a microSD card, you don’t even have to worry about paying for video storage.
Tapo TP-Link 2K C120: $25
If an indoor cam is a little too restrictive for you but you long for a cheap, cheap budget model, the Tapo C120 is here with an excellent 2K resolution and indoor/outdoor capabilities. You get two-way audio, color night vision and totally free person/pet/vehicle detection. Also, with the microSD card slot, there’s no need to pay a subscription for video storage.
Blink Video Doorbell (Latest Model): $36
Blink’s doorbell frequently makes our recommendations for a great cheap video doorbell, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen it quite this cheap! If you’ve been wanting a video doorbell but don’t have a lot of money to spend on one, this is your best choice. Blink’s model includes important features like two-way audio, chime alerts, motion detection, live viewing from the app and Alexa compatibility. You will need to add a subscription for online video storage, but this model comes with a Sync hub for local storage for free.
Ring Outdoor Cam Plus: $60
Ring’s outdoor cam is ready for action and includes valuable features like color night vision, two-way audio, motion alerts and more. This discounted model is a battery version, too, so you can move it around to get the best angles or bring it inside if necessary. While Alexa is supported, you’ll need a subscription for cloud video storage.
Google Nest Cam Indoor/Outdoor: $150
This versatile Nest camera comes with a magnetic mount that makes it easy to position and detach for charging when necessary. The 1080p cam also offers three free hours of video storage, which is usually enough to check up on an event when you get an alert, so you don’t necessarily need a subscription with this camera. Google’s object detection is also top-notch, with the ability to detect people, animals and packages for free.
Best home security bundle deals
Arlo Home Security System 2-Sensor: $114
Two sensors may not seem like a lot for a security system, but Arlo’s kit ranks high on my suggestions for renters and anyone who wants an effective, minimalist system with great app controls. The secret is those sensors house eight different functions, from sensing motion and open/close situations to monitoring temperature, CO levels and even water leaks. Put them wherever you have an issue you want to target. The keypad has multiple disarm options, and you can include a fob that works with Arlo’s doorbell, too.
Ring Alarm 8-piece kit (2nd gen): $200
Ring’s system is easy to set up and easy to expand if you ever want to add any more Ring products like a security camera, etc. This Alexa-friendly system includes four contact sensors, a motion detect, a keypad and even a range extender. You can add professional monitoring, but it’s not neccesary to use this system.
Best smart lock deals
Tapo Smart Door Lock: $110
Tapo is known for its budget smart devices that still typically deliver solid performance. This doorbell is a good example, with its keypad and fingerprint combination that supports Alexa and Google Home. You can create guest access, set auto-locks, view log histories and manage other important lock features. The only thing I don’t like here is the rechargeable battery, which requires a USB-C charge every so often, but that’s a small price to pay if you want to save money.
Yale Security Assure Lock 2: $200
Yale’s Assure lock is rugged and powerful, with Wi-Fi capabilities built in and control via the Yale App or Apple Watch. It includes important features like auto-locking as well as a keypad, making it an excellent choice for a first smart lock on a home. If you want to keep your existing deadbolt, consider the Yale Approach retrofit lock instead, which is also on sale.
Aqara Smart Lock U100: $140
Aqara’s smart lock has a huge number of control options, from geofencing to working with Apple Home or Bluetooth proximity (with more features added using an Aqara hub). It’s also sturdy, responsive and has great fingerprint capabilities. If you need a smart lock, it’s currently one of our favorites and it’s now on sale.
August Home Smart Lock: $145
August has updated it’s retrofit smart lock (that means you don’t have to remove the full deadbolt during installation) a number of times, slowly reducing its bulk and making the lock easier to use. The result is this 4th-generation lock that’s more compact than ever and won’t present any DIY installation problems. August’s app is very user friendly, and provides features like digital passes, autolocking, remote control and voice assistant compatibility with Alexa, Google, Siri and more.
Philips Wi-Fi Smart Lock Bundle: $160
This complete lock set lets you reinvent your front door, adding a smart deadbolt and stylish handles inside and out. You can use fingerprints, the app, a code, voice assistants or an old-fashioned key to unlock as desired. There are also plenty of smart features like autolocking and detailed app controls. The lock is made to fit standard front doors.
Best security platform pick
Abode home security deals
Abode is doing things a little differently this spring with a new type of deal that could net you extra devices. If you’re willing to spring for a yearly plan, Abode is offering up to 50% off its kits. The company will also throw in a free security camera and two free smart bulbs for your experiment with, making this one of the best “get free stuff” deals I’ve seen for security this spring.
Abode excels at third-party smart home support, making it one of the best options for those who have a variety of smart home devices already but want to add security.
When’s the best time to buy home security devices?
When a sale like this one rolls around, it’s usually the best time to check out any smart home device for discounts, including home security. The only tricky part is nabbing a great deal before supplies run out, so if you see a notable deal, it’s time to make a buying decision sooner rather than later.
How we choose the best security device deals
At CNET we have a team of expert shoppers and deal hunters with years of experience. Our goal is to make sure buyers understand which major sales and deals — such as Black Friday, Prime Day, Memorial Day and countless other shopping events — are legitimately good and which are more routine. We’ve gotten very good at weeding out scams and superficial deals so you see only the best offers on security devices from retailers all over.
We look for real discounts, quality reviews and remaining sale time when choosing a deal to show you.
- Real discounts mean exactly that. We look at the price history for that product to make sure no manufacturers are inflating prices to make the discount seem more substantial than it is.
- Reviews are important for any product, but especially for deeply discounted items. If an item breaks the first time you use it, the deal isn’t a good one at any price.
- Remaining sale time is a huge part of our vetting process. If a deal seems like it will be around for only a short while or will be available only for the remaining stock, we’ll let you know up front so you don’t come back to the deal later only to be disappointed.
We keep our articles as up-to-date as possible to bring you the best current prices.
Impulse Buys Under $25 That Make Surprisingly Great Gifts
See all photos
Read the full article here