How We Research
Every guide on FoyerFirst starts with one question: will this product work for the person who is shopping for it? For our DIY home alarm guides, that means your home, your doors and windows and what you want to pay each month.
Here is how we answer it.
1. We start with your home
The number of doors and windows, the size of your home and whether you rent decide which kit fits. A small apartment kit and a house kit suit different needs.
We check what each kit includes and what you'd need to add. When your home limits the choice, we say what to count.
2. We compare specs and features
We look at the base station, keypad, door and window sensors, motion sensors, siren, battery backup and cellular backup. We also look at what works with Alexa, Google and other smart-home tools.
Ring, SimpliSafe and the other makers describe their systems in their own words, so we name the brand for every claim. We say what a kit does and nothing more.
3. We look at monthly plans
A kit's cost is only part of the picture. We look at what the optional plans include, such as professional monitoring, cellular backup and video storage, and what still works with no plan.
Plans change often, so we don't list prices. We point you to the maker's site for the current cost.
4. We look at buyer feedback
We read through what buyers report after using a kit. We look for patterns, like false alerts, sensors that drop offline, short battery life, app problems or hard setup.
One angry review doesn't sink a product. A pattern does.
5. We score each product
Our score weighs specs, features and buyer feedback against what you're shopping for. A product that's great for one home may score lower in a guide written for another.
Scores spread out on purpose. A 10 is rare.
6. We keep pages up to date
Products change, and some disappear from stores. Ring and SimpliSafe each sell many kits with similar names, so we check each kit name and we only link new units.
When we update a guide, the "Updated on" date at the top changes with it.
What our picks are not
Our picks are research, not lab tests. We don't claim to have installed or used every kit we cover.
We don't promise that any system will keep you safe, stop a break-in or prevent crime. We make no privacy or security claims about any brand.
Alarm permits, false-alarm fines and insurance rules are local, so check with your city, county and insurer. When a maker makes a claim, we label it as the maker's claim.