Brinks Smart Security Essential Review, Pros & Cons and Specs 2022

THE BOTTOM LINE for Brinks Smart Security Essential

The Brinks Smart Security Essential system supports voice control and works with a host of Z-Wave components, but requires a multi-year monitoring contract and takes considerable time to set up.

Brinks Smart Security Essential PROS

Works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands

Supports Z-Wave home automation components

Fast sensor response in testing

Brinks Smart Security Essential CONS

Requires three-year monitoring contract

Doesn't support IFTTT

Pricey components

Lengthy installation and activation process

BRINKS SMART SECURITY ESSENTIAL SPECS

Upfront Costs                                                 Start at $199

Monthly Fees                                                 Start at $39

Professional Installation Required                 No

Monitoring Contract Required                 Yes

Environmental Sensors                                 Yes

Cellular Backup                                         Yes

Power Outage Backup                                 Yes

Z-Wave/ZigBee                                         Yes

IFTTT Support                                         No

Voice Assistant Compatibility                 Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant

Brinks Home Security offers a number of security systems for those looking to equip their homes with state-of-the-art security and smart home automation devices. The system comes with a 7-inch touch screen control panel and motion and entry sensors, and can be configured with indoor and outdoor cameras and video indoor bells. You can also add several Z-Wave devices such as thermostats, door locks, light switches, and garage door openers, and control them all with your phone or your voice. That said, it took a long time to test the installation process. In addition, you will have a three-year professional monitoring agreement, and you will pay more for additional components with our advanced DIY security picks, SimpliSafe and Wyze Home Monitoring.

Brink pricing and features

The Brinks offers a group of three pre-configured packages and additional components. The revised Smart Security Essential package here is $ 199 and includes a 7-inch touch screen control panel, a motion sensor, two door / window sensors, a yard sign and sticker, and a setup guide.

The Smart Security full package is 9 349 and comes with a panel, a motion sensor, two door / window sensors, a Sky Bell video doorbell camera, and yard sign, stickers, and a manual. The strongest package, Smart Security Ultimate, will run you 699 and includes a motion sensor, three door / window sensors, an outdoor camera, a Skybell video indoor bell camera, all courtyard markers, stickers, and manuals, and Free. Professional installation.

To use the Brinks system, you must adhere to a three-year professional 24/7 monitoring plan, the price of which varies according to your order. Essential system monitoring will cost you $ 39.99 per month, while complete system monitoring will cost up to. 44.99. The Ultimate system will cost you $ 49.99 per month.

In comparison, SimpliSafe's interactive monitoring plan is 24.99 per month, and Wyze charges only $ 4.99 per month for its monitoring service, and no contract commitment is required. In addition, both Wyze and SimpliSafe systems will continue to work if you cancel or suspend monitoring, but if you unsubscribe from monitoring your Brinks, the mobile app will no longer work and you have an emergency There will be no feature of the reaction and no limited control. Domestic automation components through the panel.

The Android-based control panel measures 5.0 x 7.7 x 0.8 inches (HWD) and has a 7-inch capacitive touch screen. It can be hung on the wall or placed on a flat surface using the included desktop stand. Inside are Bluetooth, Z-Wave, dual-band Wi-Fi, and cellular radios, as well as a proprietary RF radio that communicates with sensors, an 85dB siren, and a backup battery that provides 24-hour juice. Incident of power loss. The exterior has a 5-megapixel front-facing camera that will take pictures when the alarm goes off or when someone tries to access the panel. It also has two microphones and a stereo speaker, a two-way audio monitoring center, a microSD card slot, and a power button. A power cord with a terminal at the back of the panel is hard wired.

Door / window sensors measure 2.2 x 1.0 x 0.5 inches and are powered by two 3V lithium batteries (included). They come with pre-installed double-sided tape for easy installation, and have a wireless signal range of up to 600 feet (open air). The motion sensor measures 3.2 by 2.4 by 1.5 inches, is powered by two AA batteries (included), and has an 80-degree detection radius and a 30-foot-by-50-foot detection range.

You can add up to 119 devices to the system, including additional sensors, cameras, garage door openers, smart locks, thermostats and more, but be prepared to pay a premium. For example, additional Bronx indoor / window sensors cost $ 29 each and motion sensors cost $ 59 each, compared to SimpliSafe's ???? 14.99 for each door / window sensor and $ 29.99 each for motion sensors. ? Wise components are even more affordable: you can get three indoor / window sensors for 19.99 and motion sensors for 7.99 each. Other Brink components are also expensive: the glass sensor costs you $ 79 and the smoke detector costs $ 89. The same components go for $ 34.99 and $ 24.99 when purchased from SimpliSafe, while Abode charges $ 50 for its Glass Brake Detector and $ 58 for its All-in-One iota and Smoke Alarm Monitor for Smart Security Kit systems.

The system can be controlled via touch screen panel, mobile app, or web console. The panel's home screen shows the date, time, current weather conditions, and large colorful icons that tell you the status of the system (armed stay, armed era, unarmed). Armed Stay enables door and window sensors but not motion sensors, and ArmedAway enables all sensors. Tap the weather icon to see the four-day forecast for your area. On the right side of the screen is an activity window that tells you if a sensor has been triggered and its current status. The panel will also emit a sound alert that will tell you if a door or window sensor has been triggered.

If there are any messages, alerts, or alarms, a red dot will appear in the upper right corner of the screen. Tap dot to open a screen where you can see the activity history with event details. You can also watch the video tutorial here. At the bottom of the screen is a panic button. Tap it to open a menu where you can send alarms to Ulysses and the fire department. There's also a help button that will connect you to the Bronx 24/7 Emergency Response Center.

Swipe down from the top of the home screen to adjust speaker volume and screen brightness and access system settings, photo frame settings, and language settings. System settings include display, SD card, temperature, device status, automation, and advanced settings. You need to enter the user code to access the Advanced Settings menu, where you can run system tests, add devices, change Wi-Fi settings, reboot the panel, configure panel sounds And add Bluetooth devices.

The mobile app, powered by Alarm.com, lets you do everything you can with the panel, but also allows you to create scenes to control multiple devices with the touch of a button. For example, you can switch the system into disarmament mode and turn on the lights (if installed). You can also control any installed locks, lights, thermostats and cameras, configure geo-fencing settings that will automatically arm and disarm the system depending on your location, and notifications Will enable / disable.

The Brinks system works with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands, but does not support IFTTT applets that allow IFTTT-enabled devices to work together.

Installing and using the Bronx

In our tests, installing this system was much more difficult than it needed to be and required an activation call that lasted more than an hour. I started by following the instructions on the box topper to enter Brinkshome.com/install in a web browser. I clicked Get Started on the homepage, entered my phone number, and plugged into the panel.

I powered up the panel and used the gray bar at the top of the screen to open the settings screen. I tapped Advanced Settings, entered the default user code, and tapped Wi-Fi. Then I selected my home SSID, entered my password, and immediately connected to my network. I then tested a dual path Wi-Fi, which tests both Wi-Fi and cellular. This is where I got my first hiccup: The cellular test failed and I was unable to complete the installation as instructed. I tried a few more times before calling tech support, and was told that cellular service would be started during my activation phone call.

TechSupport connected me to the activation team, started the system reboot, and made it through cellular testing. We then attempted a two-way audio test that connected the panel to the Response Center, but this test failed twice. Eventually, the technician forced a two-way test from his server and the system passed the test.

After that, I received an email asking me to create a username and password and ask me questions about the size of my home, how many people live in it, and who provides me with electricity. Had to give answers. Then it was time to add the sensor, so I went to the Settings menu on the panel, tapped Advanced Settings, and tapped Install. I selected the security sensors from the list, tapped on the AutoLearn sensor, and activated the door sensor. It was immediately recognized and added to my device list. I repeated it for the window and motion sensors, and the system installation was complete. I downloaded the mobile app, logged in, and was finally ready to go.

Once everything was ready and running, the Brinks system worked well. All sensors were very responsive and immediately triggered alerts on the panel, sent push notifications to my phone, and sent me text messages reporting an incident.

The touch screen panel was also responsive, making it easy to disarm and disarm the system and configure system settings. In addition, the system promptly responds to my Alexa Voice commands to disarm, stay-arm, and disarm the system.

Conclusions

If you are looking for a professionally monitored DIY home security system that will also control Z-Wave devices such as smart locks, light switches, and thermostats, then the Brinks Home Security Essential System is right for you. May be. It showed excellent sensor response and gave flawless response to Alexa Voice commands in testing, and the 7-inch touch screen panel is responsive and easy to use. That said, the installation process was difficult and time consuming, and the additional components are relatively expensive. In addition, you must commit to a three-year monitoring plan.

If you are not ready to enter into a multi-year monitoring agreement, consider our Editors' Choice for DIY Home Security, SimpliSafe Home Security System. It is very easy to install, offers self-monitoring and flexible professional monitoring options, and its components are reasonably priced. If finances are tight, the Wise Home Monitoring System (also the winner of the Editors' Choice) is the most versatile and inexpensive system out there.