Arlo Essential Home Security Camera Reviewed

With COVID restrictions lifting across the UK and as we begin to become more adventurous, you may be looking for a boost to your home-security set-up! When travelling, enjoying days out and visiting all those places we’ve been missing out on for so long, your home is unguarded.

Thankfully, there are a range of security systems and cameras on the market, which offer both peace of mind and act as deterrent for potential burglars.

The Arlo Essential home security camera does just that for modest sum of £130! This sleek and aesthetically modern camera is 100% wire-free, weather resistant and comes packed with a range of tech to keep your home safe.

Installation

Installation is simple, just download the Arlo app, set-up an account and turn on your camera. The app then guides you through a series of very easy-to-follow steps, taking just minutes to complete.

Packed with smart-tech

The device allows you to stream or record video in 1080p and comes with a generous 130° viewing angle. Bit of a shame to not see 4K as an option here but the clarity of the image is still sharp enough and detailed enough to give you that critical view of your home. Enhanced night-vision allows you to see colours in darkness, a nice touch if you need to report the colour of a passing vehicle or an intruders clothes, for example.

Within the 100% weatherproof design a battery is housed. According to the brand this offers up to 365 days of protection from one charge, but this is heavily impacted by where you place the camera. Put it in a busier area and you’ll likely churn through the batter life a lot more quickly.

Two features are baked into the Arlo Essential which you don’t always see on other home security cameras of this price. The first is a super-loud, integrated siren that can be triggered when motion is detected or you can even choose to trigger the alarm to put off any potential intruders. The second surprising (but welcomed), feature is a spotlight – most cameras seem to rely on their night-vision, however, the Arlo Essential gives you the option to cast a light on intruders too.

Another handy feature is 2-way audio. This allows you to converse with someone who appears on camera, we also noticed that noise from wind and other external noise is minimal, a nice touch!

Clever app and customisation features

Aside from the hardware, Arlo have created a raft of digital features which really enhance the Essential and gives it even greater relevance for day-to-day life. Person, vehicle, package and animal detection works impressively well, with the camera able to distinguish each of these individually, delivering personalised notifications when triggered Activity zones can also be set, this allows you to only receive notifications when motion is triggered in defined areas of the camera’s view.  You can choose to view the camera then from your smartphone, tablet, Apple Watch or Alexa and Google home hubs.

It is worth noting, a lot of the smartest features of the Arlo Essential (person detection, activity zones, etc) require the Arlo Service plan (3 months included free). Critically, no cloud storage is included in your basic package, you will only have your data stored for later viewing by upgrading to either the Secure or Secure Plus plans.

Plans start at £2.79 a month for a single camera. Although, this is not a bank-breaking fee, it is still more than you would pay with a Google Nest device for example (no monthly fee) and there are a range of cameras on the market offering 4K or HRD visuals with no extra costs. With that in mind though, you can pick up an Arlo Essential at very low prices at the minute, making this still a very compelling package. Final word of caution, your camera is not protected from theft unless you have a Service Plan, so ensure you protect your device by signing up as soon as possible.

What’s in the box?

3 Month Trial of Arlo Secure Service Plan

1 x Arlo Essential Camera

1 x Wall Mount & Screw Kits

1 x Charging Cable

1 x Quick Start Guide

Find out more here.