Here at the Strategist, we like to think of ourselves as crazy (in the good way) about the stuff we buy, but as much as we’d like to, we can’t try everything. Which is why we have People’s Choice, in which we find the best-reviewed (that’s four-to-five-star reviews and lots of ‘em) products and single out the most convincing. While we’ve written before about the best digital cameras, according to professional Instagrammers, the best dash cams, and even a certain budget tripod, here we’re looking into the best-reviewed home security cameras and systems on Amazon. (Note that reviews have been edited for length and clarity.)
TRENDnet's high-definition NVR surveillance systems are comprehensive and cost-effective camera management solutions. TRENDnet's NVRs allow you to easily manage your entire surveillance network from a single interface. Centralized video controls enable you to easily view, manage, and store your surveillance footage all in one place. Apr 20, 2016 Foscam NVR Review: Specifications. The Huntvision (a Foscam company) 720P NVR Kit Security System includes a 1 TB hard drive and four IP-based cameras. Whereas NVR kits in this price range typically come with analog cameras, the Huntvision Foscam NVR kit sports digital IP cameras that generally provide better image quality than analog.
Best Dom Wireless IP Security Camera
YI Dome Camera 1080p HD Pan / Tilt / Zoom Wireless IP Security Surveillance System
“I have to say, I am blown away by this camera. For the price, there is no better camera. The picture quality (day and night) is excellent, and the build quality is outstanding. You can see the specs on this camera in the listing, and it has every function I could want in an indoor security camera (Full HD, IR night vision, pan and tilt, two-way audio, motion detection and tracking, etc.). The app is excellent. It is simple but fully functional and easy to use. This thing does it all, and it does it for a fraction of the price of the competitors. I am planning to buy several more of these for around the house. This is an incredible camera at a budget price.”
Best Wireless Home Security Camera With a Stand
YI 1080p Home Camera, Indoor Wireless IP Security Surveillance System
“Love this camera! I actually bought it so I can keep my eye on my dog while I’m away at lunch for work, and it’s awesome. It’s super easy to set up and has really neat features on it like motion detection and sound detection, so if for some reason the dog (or baby) cries, it’ll alert you directly on your phone so you can pull up the video. This also allows you to speak to whoever is on the opposite side of the camera through your phone, so I can calm my dog down should I ever need to. For the price of this, it’s definitely all it’s cracked up to be. Thinking about ordering another!”
Best Outdoor Wired Security Camera
I’ve used four or five other brand IP cams before, both name-brand and no-name cameras. This one is the highest resolution, it can be configured to use H.265 to save bandwidth, and the picture is fantastic in daylight and the IR view is pretty decent in the dark. Setup was very easy. I plugged in a POE injector and then the Ethernet cable into a switch box. I first installed their Android phone app, Danale, and it found the camera very quickly. Next I installed their UC2 Video Surveillance client on my laptop, which I downloaded from the SV3C website, and it also found the camera right away. One more test, I tried software I’d been using for my Hikvision cameras — iVMS-4500 — and it also recognized the camera. I’ll be ordering more of these and expect to have a new NVR (with built-in POE) that also supports H.265 within a week. For double the price, these cameras would be competitive; for $60, these are an incredible bargain.
Best CCTV Outdoor Security Camera
Zosi HD 800TVL 24PCS IR-LEDs CCTV Home Security Camera
“Our peaceful, safe neighborhood has recently become a target for crime. Houses and cars have been broken into almost daily. So we decided to purchase a security system before we were hit. This was our first-ever security-camera purchase. I did not know anything about how to pick one, so I did a lot of research and eventually decided on this one. It arrived fast and with great packaging. The picture is crystal clear even in pitch-dark. We couldn’t believe how good it was in night vision. Daytime is just as clear. We have it hooked up to a computer screen that was not being used and it’s perfect. We have recommended it to everyone. Great system, crystal-clear pictures, and good customer service. Luckily, we have not caught anyone trying to break in yet. But if we do, we will be ready.”
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Best Outdoor Security Camera With an Alarm System
Ring Floodlight Camera Motion-Activated HD Security Cam Two-Way Talk and Siren Alarm
“I cannot speak highly enough for what a wonderful product this is. The quality of the Ring Floodlight itself is great, and the quality of video is superb in both day and night. I understand the limitations of night vision, but it is still fantastic, the notifications are awesome, and if you set your perimeters properly, you don’t get a bunch of extra annoying notifications. It is simple to use and installed for me from out of the box, connected to Wi-Fi, and was up and working in less than 30 minutes. This is a must-have … I have shown five co-workers today how it works live, and pretty sure Amazon will have five orders this evening. I will be getting another one for the side of my house that I never thought I could do anything about, and a Ring Camera for the backyard. Thank you, Ring, this should win an award for best product of the decade!!”
Best Four-Channel Outdoor Surveillance System
“I did a lot of research before purchasing this, based on other reviews — price, quality, length of cables for what you get. I love this unit, I have it hooked up to our bedroom flat-screen TV, and it’s awesome to be able to quickly see everything and go about my business. Love the app on my phone, it’s so cool to pull it up anytime I want to see what’s going on. I wanted a wireless unit at first, but most reviews said they had issues, so I decided to go with this wired unit instead. Night vision! I’ve had this unit for seven to eight months, no issues, and very happy with this purchase. Fully recommend!!”
Best Eight-Channel Outdoor Surveillance System
“I recently got this setup after attempting a cheaper IP wireless camera. For my needs, the IP camera was a wash and difficult to set up and use. I decided to bite the bullet and spend a little more for this system. I do not regret it one bit! The setup is relatively easy, although wires are almost always a pain. After testing the system, I installed three of the four cameras. The included cables are more than generous in length. Once installed, the system is a breeze to set up. As it has a built-in hard drive, it’s so much easier than getting a cheaper system that requires an additional hard drive. I like that I can see playback, and even record segments from my phone. In addition, the included DVR is easy to use and maneuver through. This is the first security system I ever installed, and I now feel like an expert after doing this myself. I would absolutely recommend this system, and I’ve actually already convinced a few neighbors to get the same system.”
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