Brinks Review: Best DIY Home Security System

We really enjoy DIY installation because it does not cost anything. Still, we got assistance over the phone with this system anyway, without shelling out any money. Also, if we had opted for the Smart Security Ultimate pack, we would have got pro installation for free. When we installed the Brinks home system, we conversed on the phone with an expert who assisted us with every step of the whole process. After setting up the system, we did a fake alarm call and covered how the system functions. The whole process took us about half an hour. It was actually pleasant, as far as any home security setup goes.

Brinks gives some pre-configured packages and several add-on elements. The Smart Security Essential package costs about $200. It has a six-inch touch-screen control panel, a setup guide, a yard sticker and sign, a couple of window & door sensors, and a motion sensor. The Smart Security Complete package costs about $350. It comes with a motion sensor, the panel, manuals, stickers, a yard sign, the Skybell video doorbell camera, and a couple of window & door sensors. The complete package, The Smart Security Ultimate, will cost about $700 and comes with free professional installation, manuals, stickers, yard signs, a Skybell video doorbell camera, an outdoor camera, several window & door sensors, and a motion sensor.

To utilize the Brinks system, the user has to commit to a lengthy three-year pro round-the-clock monitoring, which differs in price depending on what system you want. The monitoring for the essential system costs about $40 per month, while monitoring for the Complete system goes to $45. The Ultimate system costs about $50 per month. In comparison, the interactive monitoring plan of SimpliSafe goes for $25 per month, and Wyze costs only $5 per month for the monitoring service, and neither needs a contract commitment. Also, both SimpliSafe and Wyze will continue to function if you suspend or cancel monitoring. Still, if you cancel your monitoring subscription here, the mobile app will no longer function. You will have no emergency response features and only restricted control of the home automation components through the panel.

The control panel is Android-based and has a six-inch capacitive touch screen. It can be placed on a wall or located on a flat surface using the desktop stand that is already included. Inside, you will get cellular, dual-band Wi-Fi, Z-Wave, and Bluetooth radios, as well as an RF radio that communicates with the sensors, a siren, and a backup battery that gives up to a day of power in the event of any power loss. The exterior has a front-facing camera that will get the images when an alarm is triggered or when anyone tries to access the control panel. It also contains a couple of stereo speakers and microphones for audio conversations with the monitoring center, a power button, and a microSD card slot. A power cord is also hardwired to the terminal on the back of the control panel. The system can be controlled by utilizing a web console, a mobile app, or the touch-screen panel.

The panel's home screen gives the current weather conditions, time, and date. There are big colorful icons that inform you about the system status, such as disarmed, armed away, and armed stay. Armed stay enables the window and door sensors but not the motion sensor. The armed away enables all the sensors. You can tap the weather icon to get a forecast of your area for the coming days. An activity window on the right portion of the screen informs you if any sensor has been triggered and its present status. The panel also emits a voice alert that tells you if any window or door sensor has been triggered. If there are any alarms, alerts, or messages, a red dot will come in the top right corner of the display. Tap the dot to open another screen to see an activity history with all the event details.

Here, they can see the video tutorials. At the bottom half of the screen is a panic button. You can tap it to open a menu where the fire departments or the police can get the alarms. An auxiliary button also connects the user to the Brinks emergency response center. To adjust the screen brightness and speaker volume and access the language settings, photo frame settings, and system settings, you have to swipe down from the top half of the home screen. The system settings include Advanced Settings, Automation, Device Status, Temperature, SD Card, and Display. You have to enter a user code to get to the Advanced Settings menu. Here, you can run the system tests, add Bluetooth devices, configure the panel sounds, reboot the panel, modify the Wi-Fi settings, add devices, and run system tests.

In the Brinks review, setting up this system was more trouble than it should have been and needed an activation call that lasted for nearly sixty minutes. We started by following the instructions on the packaging to enter the official website in a web browser. We clicked on the opening page to get started, entered our phone number, and plugged in the control panel. We powered up the panel and utilized the gray bar at the top half to open the Settings screen. We tapped on advanced Settings, entered the default user code, and tapped the Wi-Fi. Then we selected the home SSID, entered the password, and were instantly connected to the network. After this, we performed a dual-path Wi-Fi test. This tests both the cellular and the Wi-Fi. Here is where we ran into our first hiccup.

We could not pass the cellular test at the start of this Brinks review. So, we could not complete the setup process as had been instructed. We tried a few more times before relying on tech support. We were informed that the cellular service would be started during the activation phone call. The tech support contacted the activation team, started a system reboot, and then passed the cellular test. We tried performing an audio test that also connects the panel with the response center, but that test failed a couple of times. Finally, the technician started the test from their server's side, and we passed that test. After that, we got an email asking us to create a username and password. Then, we had to answer questions about the size of the home, how many members were in it, and who gave the electricity. After this, it was time to add all the sensors.

So, we went to the Settings menu on the control panel, tapped on Advanced Settings, and tapped on installation. We selected the Security Sensors from the list, tapped on Auto Learn Sensor, and triggered the door sensor. It was recognized immediately and added to the device list. We repeated this for the motion and wino sensors. Finally, the system installation was over. We downloaded the mobile app and were ready to go.

Suppose you want a professionally monitored DIY security system that will also control the Z-Wave devices such as thermostats, light switches, and smart locks. In that case, the Brinks home security system might be good for you. It had a great sensor response and responded well to the Alexa voice commands in the testing. In our Brinks review, the six-inch touch-screen panel was easy to use and responsive. That said, the setup process was time-consuming and problematic, and the add-on components were a little expensive. Also, you have to commit to a lengthy monitoring plan. Suppose you are not willing to get into a multi-year monitoring agreement. In that case, you can think about the SimpliSafe Home Security System. It is quite easy to install, gives flexible, professional monitoring choices, self-monitoring, and reasonably priced components. If the finances are good, one of the most affordable and versatile systems is the Wyze home monitoring system.