If you’re looking for the best wireless outdoor security cameras, best indoor cameras, and best home safety systems, you should seriously consider the Nest DIY home security systems. Nest is a Californian company that offers a number of electronic systems that help make your home a better place, from thermostats to alarm systems. Nest wireless outdoor security cameras come with a range of options and prices, ranging from $600 smart home security cameras to simpler plug-and-play models. They have a few thermostat options, as well as a doorbell, alarm system, smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, as well as a number of accessories. If you want, you can easily make your home a smart home using only Nest’s products.

Nest security cameras and home safety systems are all high quality. They are very durable and you can expect good weatherization from their outdoor security cameras. They have a sleek styling that looks innocuous and modern. With a Nest system, you don’t have to worry about placing clunky, foreboding security cameras and sensors around your house. All Nest systems communicate with Nest’s mobile app. You won’t need to download one app for your Nest outdoor wireless security camera and another for your Nest thermostat. The Nest app has been recently redesigned and has a very friendly user interface. You can create a family account so that everyone receives alerts from the Nest systems, or customize it for every individual on the family account. Overall, Nest home safety and security systems are some of the most modern you can find.

Of course, this also makes them more expensive than some other options. You get a lot of bang for your buck, but you need a number of bucks. You’ll get more cameras for less money with other brands. The install process can also be buggy for some of their products, which is the result of the Nest products’ complexity. Sometimes there are recognition issues with using multiple devices in your home. The biggest issue consumers have with Nest is that they push their subscription services through their app with an annoying banner ad.

Picking out the best security camera in the Nest range requires a bit of analysis. With so many features, it’s important to know exactly what they can do for you and what you’re paying for. The Nest systems are compatible with a number of accessories that allow you to personalize them for your home. We’ve assembled a list of the best wireless security cameras for home security and the best of Nest’s other home safety systems. We’ve broken down every system’s features as well as what they can and cannot do for you. Take a look and see if these Nest products are right for your DIY home security system.



Product Features

These weatherized and waterproof wireless outdoor cameras will take video at either 720p or 1080p, with bandwidth needs to match. They can capture video 24/7 and also provide two way audio.  These cameras need to be plugged into a wall outlet in order to get power. The power cords are 25 feet long. The cameras have night vision out to 25 feet, with their motion detection extending out about 10 feet. The range for the Wi-Fi on these cameras is about 50 feet. The mount for these outdoor wireless security cameras use a magnetic mount that anchor to your wall or ceiling, allowing you to move reorient the cameras as needed. As with all Nest products, you can monitor these cameras via your app. Also, these cameras have been configured to work with Alexa, which is very uncommon.

Pros

  • The Alexa compatibility is useful, especially if you already have Alexa or are considering integrating it into your home.
  • These cameras send out an alert to your Nest app when they detect motion.
  • The long power cord, magnetic mount, and the included cable clips allow you to place these cameras in a variety of place throughout your home and orient them however you need. The clips will help you make sure that the camera power cords stay in place.
  • Two way audio is a great addition to help keep your home more secure.

Cons

  • Unless you subscribe to Nest Aware, you will only get the live feed from these cameras. You won’t get zone alerts and you’ll get only get photo snapshots of alerts, not video. Also, you can only store up three hours of snapshots (no video) without the subscription. In order to get all the features advertised, you have to subscribe to Nest Aware, which is not cheap, though there are a variety of plans available.
  • You might find that the magnet mount is not secure enough for your peace of mind. Proper installation can reduce this issue but will not mitigate it entirely. All wireless outdoor security cameras have similar problems, since their cords can be cut or they can usually be turned away, but if the simple movement of the magnet mount bothers you, this is not the wireless outdoor security system for you.
  • The power cord is not attractive and fairly inflexible, since it is weatherized.
Conclusion

These are great cameras, though you will only really get your money’s worth out of them if you subscribe to Nest Aware. The Alexa functionality is unique but it is not enough to purchase Alexa just to pair with these cameras.  The installation is easy to set up the way you want, but that is a double-edged sword, since the easy installation features do make the camera easy to steal or circumvent. That is an issue for all wireless outdoor security systems, however. Evaluate your budget and installation options before you invest in these Nest outdoor security cameras.


Product Features

These indoor wireless security cameras share a lot with Nest’s outdoor security cameras. These cameras record in crisp 1080p. They have two way audio, allowing you to hear sounds as well as speak through the cameras. They need to be plugged into electrical outlets using 10 foot long power cords. These cameras also have night vision with enough distance for you to see across any regular sized room. As with the Nest wireless outdoor security camera system, you can monitor and control these wireless home security cameras with the Nest app.

The mounts for these cameras rotate around, allowing you to place them on shelves, tables, and walls with ease. They’re also magnetic, allowing you to stick them to metal and other magnetic surfaces.

Pros

  • Being able to talk through these cameras make them good baby and/or animal monitors. As demonstrated on Nest’s website, you can even use it to confuse your dog.
  • The mounting system allows for you to place these wireless indoor home security cameras in a variety of places and make sure they are looking at the area you want.
  • You can turn off the recording when you want via the app.

Cons

  • Once again, if you want all the features of these security cameras, you need subscribe to Nest Aware.
  • Brighter lights will interfere with the night vision, including moonlight.
  • The motion detection is a bit hypersensitive. Passing headlights are an issue noted by many consumers.
Conclusion

These wireless indoor security cameras are one of the best wireless security camera systems for home monitoring and are a good choice if you’re willing to spend a bit of money. Because these are indoor wireless security cameras, Nest Aware is less necessary than it is for the outdoor cameras, but having access to all the features will make the money you spent worthwhile. The two way audio means that you can use these security cameras for a lot of different uses, including checking on your pet or as a reliable baby monitor. The rotating, magnetic bases mean you can place these cameras just about anywhere you want. Consider these cameras if you’re looking for a diverse, quality option to monitor your home both visually and aurally.


Product Features

This Nest smoke and carbon monoxide alarm links to the Nest app, like all Nest products. It will automatically send you an alert when there is an issue. The sensor is a split-spectrum sensor. That means it monitors two wavelengths of light to look for fast burning fires and slow burning fires. It will not mistake steam for smoke. The carbon monoxide sensor is good for 10 years. You can easily attach the alarm to a ceiling or wall. It runs on three AA batteries.

Pros

  • This smoke detector tests itself automatically once a month to see if it needs batteries and to see if its speaker works. Don’t worry about being woken up by the speaker in the middle of the night, since you can set when it runs. The whole test takes less than 5 seconds. You’ll get an alert from the Nest app 5 minutes before the sound check beings, so you can cancel it if you want. If there’s an issue with the speaker or the batteries, the alarm will send you an alert about that. You’ll never have to hear your fire alarm’s chirps again.
  • You can use the app to silence the alarm if you know it’s just getting set off by burnt popcorn.
  • It will still work as a fire alarm even if your Wi-Fi goes out.
  • Since it’s a combined smoke alarm and carbon monoxide alarm, you won’t need to buy two devices to make sure your home is safe from fires or carbon monoxide.
  • You can install this alarm where your old interconnected one was. It comes with an extra wire nut for you to place a cap on the end of the interconnect wire.
  • A 10 year lifespan is much longer than you average smoke or carbon monoxide alarm, which last about 7 years.
  • These alarms work with the Nest thermostat, which is discussed below, as well as the Nest indoor security cameras. If the alarm detects a fire, the camera will make a recording that is stored to the cloud so you can see what happened.
  • Also, smart appliances from other companies will work with this alarm, most notably the Rheem water heater, which will turn off the gas in an emergency.

Cons

  • This is very expensive fire alarm and carbon monoxide detector.
  • If you have several of these alarms in your home, they have to run their tests all at the same time. You cannot set the one in the baby’s room, for instance, to go off at a different time

 

Conclusion

If you’re looking for a new smoke alarm, the Nest Nest Protect Smoke & Carbon Monoxide Alarm is a good choice. It doesn’t take much to update the tech on a smoke/carbon monoxide alarm, but the ability to schedule its quick sound and battery checks are just what everyone always wanted out of a smoke alarm but never knew they did. It is, however, much more expensive than your average fire alarm.


Product Features

This latest generation Nest thermostat is designed to help you save energy in your home. After you make some initial adjustments, this thermostat will start learning your habits and offer you options to help increase your home’s energy efficiency. It looks great and comes in four different colors. The large text is readable from across the room. This thermostat will also work with Alexa’s voice commands. You can auto schedule temperature changes. The average setup takes 30 minutes. Like all Nest products, it works with the Nest app.

Pros

  • This thermostat will work in concert with Nest compatible home appliances to help increase energy efficiency. Just look for the labels that say “works with Nest”. It also works with Nest Protect alarm to turn off heat in the event of a carbon monoxide leak and turn off the fan if the alarm detects smoke.
  • It is incredibly convenient to be able to control your thermostat with an app on your phone.
  • It will alert you to issues that you likely wouldn’t have caught yourself. If the temperature starts dropping rapidly in your home, for instance, it will tell you so you can fix the problem before you have pipes freeze and burst.
  • Nest not only included instructions in the package, they also have a YouTube video to help you install the thermostat easily.
  • You can customize the display in a number of ways, including displaying the current room temperature and even displaying the current outside weather.
  • Have you ever seen a better looking thermostat?

Cons

  • This is a very expensive thermostat, costing more than two times as much as a regular one.
  • The controls take some getting used to, especially after dealing with regular thermostats all your life.
  • The system sometimes has small quirks, like thinking your home when you’re not.
Conclusion

This thermostat is a must if you’re looking to turn your house into a smart home. It looks great and being able to control it from anywhere, at home and outside of it, is a great feature. It will help you save money and keep your home safe with its smart features.  If you have the money, this is a great buy.

Accessories

As a part of their effort to help you create a safe smart home that’s personalized for your needs, there are several items that will help you make your Nest home security system fits in with your décor and protect your wireless outdoor security cameras.


Manufactured by Wasserstein, this cover and mount system has been manufactured to fit the Nest Cam Outdoor. You can get it in white or black. It will mount the camera securely at 90 degrees. All you have to do is insert the Nest Cam Outdoor into the silicone and then screw it onto the mount. It maintains the elegance of Nest products but keeps the camera more secure, while allowing for an angle the manufacturer mount does not. It can be a bit difficult to install, so make sure you have help on hand when you go to put it on your wall.


This cover is also made by Wasserstein. It fits over your Nest Cam Outdoor and its manufacturer mount easily and provides extra protection against the elements. They’re also a great way to camouflage your wireless outdoor security cameras (or have them stand out, if you want). It does not impair the magnetic mount in any way. These cameras are available in blue, beige, black, brown, gray, green, white, and camouflage. The only thing really missing is some form of cover for the power cord.


This case will provide a fun look and some drop protection for your indoor Nest Cam. The cartoon character look is very cute. This might be a great way to protect your camera in a nursery while having it blend in.  It fits very well and is easy to install over your Nest Cam. It won’t really camouflage the camera and will really draw attention to it, in fact, but it helps make it more of a cute decoration rather than a blatant security camera.


For slightly more mature cover for your indoor Nest Cam, you can purchase this sunflower cover. It fits very nicely on the camera, though it does not provide a lot of protection or generally much camouflage. If you have a Nest Cam Outdoor, it will fit on that and might be a good choice if you have the camera placed among sunflowers if no one looks too closely. This is a nice way to help spruce up your indoor Nest Cam. It might not always like to stay on and its cheap price does show. Sometimes you need to air it out because it can have a very distinct smell when you first open it.

Conclusion

It should be noted that all Nest products have great customer service. The company is looking to engage with its customer base, as well, asking for stories or even notable videos from Nest users. Check out their blog for tips about home security as well as staying up to date on what the company is up to.

Nest home security systems are among some of the best DIY home security systems you can find. They offer a lot of options and some great designs. If you’re looking into a self-monitored DIY home security system, the Nest product line is a good way to go if you’re willing to pay for it. Nest is constantly innovating and updating their products, so keep an eye on what they offer.

Have any other favorite Nest products that have helped you make your home more secure? Let us know!