The Best Home Alarm Systems

Benefits of an Alarm System

Besides the obvious benefits of increasing the security of your home, an alarm system is capable of reducing your insurance premiums. It’s such a good deterrent that your home will be considered less at risk, keeping you paying less. According to a survey from Which?, 71% of burglars are put off by the presence of a home alarm system, which is a reassuring percentage. The best alarm system for your needs will give you this peace of mind.

Because of the new technology the best home alarm systems have, you can personalise how yours works. Contact sensors can be placed wherever they are best suited and you can buy more separately if you need to. This is the same for PIR sensors as the system will all be interlinked to the main hub, but some systems have a better range than others. Your best alarm system can be monitored or unmonitored too, giving you control over how you want it to function.

What Is a Monitored Alarm System?

Where some systems are simply plug and play and you have complete control of them through your smartphone, others have a professional team that looks after your home when you’re not in. A monitored system is an extra service that you have to pay for, usually on a subscription basis, either monthly or yearly. If you’re looking for the most amount of security, the best alarm system for you will feature a monitored service.

With a monitored alarm system, you have a reliable team of professionals looking after your home, observing if any of the contact points are broken or an intruder is detected. They usually have the option of contacting you first before alerting the emergency services. On the whole, monitored systems are more technologically advanced, which is why they tend to be considered the best alarm system, but they do come with the price tag as well.

Read our guide to home security systems to find out more.

How Many Sensors?

The sets you can buy come with a certain number of window/door sensors, but how many you need really depends on the size of your home. The best alarm system for your needs might not be the one with all the bells and whistles because you won’t necessarily need it all.

A ground floor flat, for example, will need an additional entry sensor compared to a flat that’s on any other level as it’s easier to access. Likewise, the more bedrooms you have in your home, the more likely you are to need a bigger and better alarm system, possibly even a monitored alarm system. On the other side of the scale, too many sensors can also render your system obsolete. For tips of how many sensors you need for the best alarm system for you, see the table below.

Subscription Service

Monitored alarm systems can be the best alarm system for you but they come with a service that you will have to pay for. You can purchase unmonitored alarm systems, but these will not give you the level of attention that a monitored system will. However, they are less expensive, don’t come with monthly or yearly subscriptions and give you more control over your system. Whether the best alarm system for you needs a subscription service is dependent on your situation.

3 Best Home Alarm Systems

Yale IA-320

The best alarm system that’s unmonitored is the Yale IA-320 Sync (5-piece). It features a 200m wireless range, internal and external sirens with a 94dB alarm, the main hub, keypad and a window/door sensor. It also has a backup battery that lasts for 8 hours during a power cut. Boasting Secured by Design accreditation, Yale has gone all out to make the best alarm system that even works with smart speakers. If you choose to have this installed through Yale, they will charge you £280.

eufy 5-Piece Home Alarm Kit

The best alarm system from eufy is their 5-piece home alarm kit, which features an internal siren at 100dB, the main hub, keypad and two window/door sensors. Although there is no backup battery, they specify a two year battery lifespan on the motion and contact sensors and six months for the keypad. There is no option for external monitoring, but the system can be added to with other eufy products, making it a best alarm system in terms of customisability.

Hive Window/Door Sensor

Perhaps the best alarm system on a budget, the Hive window/door sensor can come singly or in packs of three or five. Although they are just an entry sensor, they can be connected to your Hive system, giving you alerts for every time a window is opened and closed. They do not come with a siren, but do have rechargeable batteries and are perfect as a cheaper security measure.

3 Best Monitored Alarm Systems

SimpliSafe Essentials Package

In terms of monitored alarm systems, the best alarm system is from SimpliSafe. Their Essentials Package gives you an internal siren at 95dB, a hub, keypad, three entry point sensors and one motion sensor. The backup battery lasts for a full 24 hours as well, giving you peace of mind in a power cut. The package also includes an indoor camera, which features heat detection and sensor activation alerts, sent straight to your mobile. The only downside is that there’s no external alarm.

Monitoring packages start from £12.99 a month.

Ring Alarm 5-Piece Kit

Ring produces their own best alarm system, which features a base unit, keypad, window/door sensor, motion detector and range extender. The backup battery lasts for 24 hours but you can also subscribe to a mobile data connection in case the Wi-Fi goes down. The Ring system can also call three chosen emergency contacts if you don’t respond.

While there is no siren, you do have the option to add an external 104dB version on the next package up. It is also smart speaker compatible, which the best alarm system should be, and this one can link with other Ring devices.

Subscriptions for the monitoring service start at £8 a month or £80 a year.

Abode Smart Security Kit

Our final best alarm system with a monitored package is the Abode Smart Security Kit. It features a 93dB internal siren in its hub, comes with a motion sensor and two entry sensors. The backup battery only lasts 8 hours, but the system itself can connect up to 160 devices, giving you complete control over how this system works. Abode’s best alarm system comes with a key fob, enabling you to arm or disarm your system remotely. It is also smart speaker compatible.

Monitored packages start at £3.59 a month, but better security features are available with higher paid subscription packages.

Want to know more? Take a look at the best security cameras.