Nest recently announced they have gotten into the alarm space with Nest Secure. This new home alarm product is available for pre-order. What is Nest Secure? How does it compare with other alarm systems?
Nest Secure is a home alarm system. It is DIY and includes multiple pieces of equipment. The system is wireless and works through broadband. It is monitored by MONI. MONI is also most likely handling billing issues for Nest Secure.
The Nest Secure Starter Pack comes with 1 panel, 2 door contacts, and 2 entry tags. The panel includes a keypad and a motion detector. The tags work by touching the panel to disarm. A mobile app is included. The cost for the Nest Secure Starter Pack is $499.
The majority of homes with need additional equipment for proper protection.
The cost of the monthly monitoring hasn't been announced yet.
The door contact for Nest Secure can also act as a motion detector. While this seems initially like an interesting feature, it comes with multiple issues. First, the contact itself is bulky. This is a negative if used as a door contact. Aesthetically it looks bad on a door, as it's large and bulky. Secondarily the heavier it is on the door, the more likely it is to fall. This will cause multiple problems and may ultimately lead to the user no longer using the system.
Another issue with Nest Secure are the tags. If the system comes with a keypad and has an app, why does the customer need these tags? Plus what happens if the tags are lost? The system can easily be defeated by a simple touch. The person with the tag doesn't need to know the disarm code! While Nest Secure says that the user can disarm the tags remotely, there is a lag between the time the tag is lost and the user noticing they've lost the tag. During this time the home could be robbed without the user noticing! This piece of equipment is ineffective. There's a reason no other home alarm company offers this piece of equipment.
The keypad is another issue. The keypad was designed to be placed on a tabletop. This is inconvenient as keypads are used to arm/disarm. That means that you have to walk through the home to disarm the system. This adds time to disarm. Plus if you are home with groceries and your winter coat and boots, you now have to rush across your house to disarm the system. Think of the inconvenience. This is style over function. A piece of equipment designed by people with no experience in home security.
All in all the Nest Secure system is unimpressive. Maybe they'll make future improvements. Plus who knows what the monitoring price will be? Plus you'll be dealing with a different company for monitoring and service. There are other DIY options that provide better equipment and service. And at low prices without contracts. Right now we strongly advise shoppers to avoid this product. Nest Secure isn't a quality home alarm product that can properly protect. For the price, it's not worth it.
