Protecting your possessions and property from theft or home invasions can be really difficult with how determined thieves are getting these days. It can feel like you need eyes not only on the back of your head but also all around your home.
While that may not be possible, products such as the one we will look at in this SimpliSafe indoor camera review can help you to protect yourself no matter where you are.
SimpliSafe - Indoor 1080p HD Security Camera - black
Contents
Brief Overview Of The SimpliSafe Indoor Camera
The SimpliSafe Indoor Camera is a simple yet effective camera that you can use to monitor your home interior. This can be useful in many scenarios, such as when you’re away on vacation or if there is a more remote area of your property you need to check.
We will go over the main features of the camera throughout this review, but you can expect handy features such as night vision and even intrusion detection, all of which can be streamed directly to your smartphone.
Importance Of Indoor Cameras For Home Security
Ideally, you want to live every day without having to deal with a break-in or theft, but unfortunately, it is something that can happen at any time. Having an outdoor security camera would be the first line of defense, but having an indoor one can be a great second line.
In both cases, these cameras are something you hope you’ll never need, but they’re great to have if something does happen. Having an indoor camera can be great to have, as it can show you someone has broken into your property without having to expose yourself to danger. They can also be a great tool to monitor your home when you’re out.
With the FBI’s 2023 report indicating a burglary occurs every 25.7 seconds in the U.S., the SimpliSafe Indoor Camera emerges as a vital tool in the homeowner’s arsenal against property crime. Its 1080p HD video and night vision capabilities not only offer clear evidence in the event of a break-in but also act as a significant deterrent to potential intruders, directly addressing the homeowner’s need for a secure and monitored living environment. While the indoor camera is a key component of the home security toolkit, it is recommended that homeowners also invest in outdoor cameras as the first line of defense.
– Kirk MacDowell, Home Security Expert
Key Features
1080p HD Video Quality
The SimpliSafe indoor camera records footage in up to 1080p HD resolution. This crispness doesn’t only look nice but can also give you a better view and help identify intruders or things that were stolen for insurance purposes.
Night Vision Capabilities
Most home invasions happen at night, so having night vision capabilities is an incredible feature to have. This means you can still monitor your property without having to leave a bunch of lights on.
Motion And Sound Detection
Having a camera on guard is all well and good, but you may never think to check it if a thief is creeping around like a ninja and making no noise. Luckily, the SimpliSafe indoor camera has motion detecting that can alert you the second it detects movement.
Not only that, but it only does this if it detects the heat signature of a human, so it’s unlikely a pet will set it off.
Smartphone Alerts
This camera can be connected directly to your smartphone or pc, so you can monitor it wherever you may be. Plus, when those alerts we mentioned earlier happen, they will go directly to your phone so that you can know about it as it’s happening.
120 Degree View
Every camera has blind spots, but this particular one has a wide 120-degree view to make those blind spots as minimal as possible. If you want to make sure you choose the right spot, check out this overview we created on the best ways to place your indoor camera.
Remote Privacy Shutter
When you have a camera in your home, you naturally don’t want anyone you don’t know to have a front-row seat to your private life. This camera helps protect your privacy using the built-in stainless steel privacy shutter along with strong encryption to protect you from hackers.
SimpliCam Cloud Subscription Integration
The SimpliSafe camera can be connected to the optional SimpliCam Cloud subscription service with perfect compatibility. This paid service allows you benefits such as cloud storage for the footage you record.
Integration With SimpliSafe Home Security System
While this camera can work brilliantly on its own, it’s at its best when used with the other products in SimpliSafe’s protection line in order to give you the most comprehensive defense you can for your home.
Design
In terms of design, the camera has a simple, muted black design. It may not look super fancy, but that’s actually a positive trait as you don’t want too much attention drawn to it.
The camera is 2.08 x 2.55 x 4.56 inches in size, making it roughly hand-sized. It’s a bit too big to blend completely into its environment, but it should still be inconspicuous enough to not attract too much attention.
Setup And Installation
Setup of the SimpliSafe indoor camera is quick and easy to do. All you need is somewhere to plug it in, the SimpliSafe app on your favorite device, and a wifi connection.
This video by One Hour Smart Home shows you how you will be setting up your camera, and it can serve as a great tutorial to follow once you have the camera. Mostly, he shows how easy it is to get everything up and running
Performance And Reliability
If you look at the review scores on Amazon and Best Buy, you will see that customers on both sites rate the camera really highly. Most people lauded the camera for its simple and reliable recording and detection capabilities.
However, some users did report difficulties in setting the camera up with the QR code, while others seem to have had no issues with that at all. At around $99, this camera serves as great value for money.
There are cameras such as Google’s Nest Cam that offer additional features such as more detailed detection, higher field of view, and better visuals, but these come at a higher price.
It’s up to you to decide if those features are worth the extra cost, but we feel the features of the SimpliSafe camera should be perfect for most average users.
Pros And Cons
As far as we’re concerned, the pros far outweigh the cons with this product. We have covered features such as motion protection, live feed, and crisp visuals as great benefits to this camera. Also, it is priced very reasonably considering the features you get.
The only downsides are that it’s possible you may be one of the unlucky users that runs into difficulties setting it up. The charging cable can also be a bit finicky to plug in and it would be nice if the camera were a bit smaller.
FAQs
How To Mount SimpliSafe Indoor Camera?
The camera comes with a little stand that can allow it to sit on any flat surface. The stand clips in easily, so setting that up should be a breeze. We have also covered how you can mount indoor cameras if you want to try a more permanent mounting method.
How To Reset SimpliSafe Indoor Camera
The camera includes a reset button that you can hold down for 20 seconds to do a reset. Alternatively, turning it off and on again or resetting it via the app can work as well if all else fails.
Does SimpliSafe Camera Record All The Time?
This will be up to you. As long as the camera is plugged in and on then it can record as long as you want it to.
Can I Watch SimpliSafe Camera On My TV And/Or Phone?
As long as you have the app installed, you can view the live feed directly from your phone. Some smart TVs may also support this feature as well.
Do SimpliSafe Cameras Run Off Wifi?
The SimpliSafe indoor camera does need an active wifi connection to record and stream footage, as it does not store footage locally.
Is SimpliCam Cloud Subscription Worth It?
This is another factor that will depend on you. Without the subscription, footage won’t be stored anywhere locally and you will only be able to access a live feed. If you want to be able to keep the footage, then the subscription would definitely be worth it as you can access footage on the cloud.
Conclusion And Where To Buy
In conclusion, in this review, we have seen that a SimpliSafe indoor camera is an excellent option for home security. It may not be a boundary-pushing top-of-the-line product, but it has everything most people need when protecting their homes.
If you wish to purchase your own camera, you can do so from Amazon or Best Buy. Both sites offer the camera for $99, so which you choose will depend on personal preference.
Either way, we highly recommend this indoor security camera to most users who want a bit of extra security for their homes.