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May 2, 2019

Essential Apartment Security Gadgets to Keep Your Pad Safe and Sound

It’s time for your apartment security strategy to be about more than just your front door key. This year, you should get some home tech involved.

From smart locks that open with the touch of a finger to gear that ensures no one nabs your packages, these apartment security gadgets and apps will ensure your home — and your stuff — is as safe and sound as possible.

YOUR FRONT DOOR

Its 2016—why shouldn’t we be able to open a locked door with the touch of a finger? The future is here, people. Image courtesy of Kwikset.It’s 2016—why shouldn’t we be able to open a locked door with the touch of a finger? The future is here, people. Image courtesy of Kwikset.

First things first: your front door. Your home security strategy should ideally begin before you even walk through it. And when there are hundreds (if not thousands) of tutorials online about how to jimmy a lock, it’s worth upping the ante and going digital.

Kwickset’s Kevo Smart Lock is one clever option. Its Bluetooth-enabled, touch-to-open interface turns your smartphone into a key—and when it senses that you’re near, a single press of your finger is all that’s needed to open up shop. (Handy for those days when you’ve accidentally bought more than you can carry at your local bookstore or farmers market, too.)

Then there’s August, whose Smart Lock allows you to remotely control your front door via a smartphone app. Got friends (or Airbnb guests) coming to town but stuck at work? A couple quick swipes and you can let ’em in from miles away. Add August’s Doorbell Cam to the mix (which lets you video chat with whoever is at your front door remotely) and your home security sitch is already vastly improved.

PACKAGE DELIVERY

Sick of those “Sorry we missed you!” slips? This app lets you choose when your stuff gets delivered (like when you’re actually home). Image courtesy of Doorman.Sick of those “Sorry we missed you!” slips? This app lets you choose when your stuff gets delivered (like when you’re actually home). Image courtesy of Doorman.

Now that we’re officially in the holiday season, it’s time to tackle that perennial pre-gift swapping anxiety: What if someone (egads!) tries to swipe the packages straight from your stoop when you’re not around?

It’s tech to the rescue, with a two-pronged approach. Tackle the problem preemptively with Doorman. Instead of giving you 10-hour delivery windows, the app lets you schedule your packages down to the hour, from morning to midnight.

Most urbanites suffer from porch paranoia (or stoop scare), but no more! This gizmo tells you if your package is moved from its drop spot. Image courtesy of Package Guard.Most urbanites suffer from porch paranoia (or stoop scare), but no more! This gizmo tells you if your package is moved from its drop spot. Image courtesy of Package Guard.

If you still can’t make it home in time to collect your goods, then you may want to invest in a Package Guard. No, not a bodyguard who mans your front door (though that would be kinda cool), but a Kickstarter-funded gadget that’s designed to prevent theft. A Frisbee-sized device that alerts you when you receive a delivery, it’ll send notifications to your phone (or to your neighbors’ phones, if you want to loop them in) and sound the alarm if someone tries to nab your stuff. 

ALL-AROUND SECURITY SYSTEMS

How can something so small do such big things for home security? We’re not sure, but wires are probably involved. Image courtesy of Nest.How can something so small do such big things for home security? We’re not sure, but wires are probably involved. Image courtesy of Nest.

Your safeguarding measures shouldn’t end at the porch—and there are lots of nifty apartment security gadgets designed for inside your home, too.

Like the Nest Cam. This streaming security camera keeps a 24/7 eye on your stuff, meaning you can watch your pets—or even catch burglars in the act—remotely. You won’t have to keep one eye on the feed at all times, either; the camera is smart enough to distinguish humans and loud noises, and will alert you if it thinks something is up. 

Aptly named “presence,” this security monitor doesn’t just detect motion—it identifies whether it’s a person, animal, or car. Image courtesy of Netatmo.Aptly named “presence,” this security monitor doesn’t just detect motion—it identifies whether it’s a person, animal, or car. Image courtesy of Netatmo.

Netatmo offers another approach to apartment security. Its sleek and discreet Indoor Security Camera packs some powerful tech: namely, face-recognition software that lets you know who’s home. It also messages you if your fire alarm goes off, boasts LED night vision, and only records when something’s happening, so you don’t have endless footage of your empty pad. Couple the security camera with Netatmo’s Indoor and Outdoor Tags, which sense when doors and windows are opened, and you’re looking at one secure home. 

See what your pets get up to while you’re away with this discreet gadget. Image courtesy of Canary.See what your pets get up to while you’re away with this discreet gadget. Image courtesy of Canary.

And there’s more where that came from. Piper and Canary are two more nifty apartment security gadgets that help you keep tabs on your pad from afar.

Whatever you choose, now’s the time to invest in some gear. After all, no home is as sweet as one that’s also safe and sound.