Wyze Sense Security System: An Expert Review
Wyze has been making a name for itself due to its extremely affordable security cameras. They have recently released their own home security system called the Wyze Sense, and in this post we will be taking a close look at how it stacks up.
We are constantly striving as consumers to find ways to improve our lives through technology. Many homeowners across the United States have found out they can use modern technology to create a smart home. Another thing that homeowners are looking for is a way to incorporate smart technology into their current home security setup.
Before we go over the basic features of the Wyze Sense, we would like to give our readers some background information on Wyze. Wyze is a Seattle based company that specializes in making home security cameras. They were founded in 2017, and have recently branched out their product line to make home security and smart home automation products. Wyze’s motto is to make high-quality security, video, and smart home automation equipment that is extremely affordable.
Wyze Sense Equipment
The Wyze Sense is not your average security system. It doesn’t have a main hub like many of the other systems out on the market. It instead works by piggybacking off your Wyze Cam’s WIFI connection to connect all of the devices that are used for the Wyze Sense. The Wyze Sense uses the Wyze Sense Bridge to make this possible.
Wyze Sense Bridge
The Wyze Sense bridge is like a hub in a sense, but instead of you being able to control the features of your Wyze Sense system through the Wyze Sense Bridge, you will do all of the controlling of your Wyze Sense system through the Wyze app. You simply insert the Wyze Sense Bridge into your existing Wyze Cam to connect it. This means you will have to own a Wyze Cam or Wyze Pan Cam for you to be able to use the Wyze Sense system. One Wyze Sense Bridge will allow you to connect up to 100 Wyze Sensors to it.
Wyze Contact Sensor
The Wyze Sense comes with a few different types of intrusion sensors that are used to protect the inside of your home. The first type of intrusion sensor they offer is the Wyze Contact Sensor. These sensors are used to protect the door/windows of your home. They have a compact design and an adhesive stick-on application that allows the sensor to easily be placed on the frames of the doors or windows you are wanting to secure. The contact sensors are battery operated and connect to your Wyze Sense wirelessly through the Wyze Sense Bridge and you will receive instant alerts anytime your Wyze Contact Sensors have been triggered.
Wyze Motion Sensor
The other type of intrusion sensor offered is the Wyze Motion Sensor. Wyze Motion Sensors are really great at providing protection for larger rooms inside your home. These sensors are placed in the corner of a larger room, and they will detect motion for the room in which they are placed. These motion sensors have a 120-degree field of view so they can cover a large area of your home easily. When motion has been detected by a Wyze Motion Sensor you will get an instant alert. Wyze Motions sensors are wireless and battery operated, and they also work by connecting to your Wyze Sense wirelessly through the Wyze Sense Bridge.
The Wyze Sense is a newer security kit out on the market today, so they don’t have a wide variety of basic security equipment. We do like the fact that you can connect up to 100 sensors to your Wyze Sense system. We also like the fact that the setup is pretty simple. However, we do wish they had found another way for consumers to use the Wyze Sense without the need of a Wyze Cam.
Wyze Monitoring Services
The only monitoring service that is currently offered by Wyze is self-monitoring. Their self-monitoring service is done through the Wyze app which is free to download, and it works for Android and Apple devices. The Wyze app will send you instant alerts anytime your Wyze Sense sensors have triggered an event. You will also be able to arm and disarm your Wave Sense sensors right through the Wyze app. You will receive instant alerts any time you have left a door open with a Wyze Contact sensor on it. You will be able to combine and use all of your Wyze equipment, such as Wyze Cams, right from the Wyze App.
You are a bit limited when it comes to the monitoring services that Wyze has to offer. We like that their self-monitoring services are free to use. Their self-monitoring services are pretty standard when compared to other security companies with the exception of being able use video monitoring services at no cost. Take a look at Alarm.com powered monitoring services. You’ll be glad you did.
We do wish that they offered professional monitoring for their Wyze Sense as well, and we believe the Wyze Sense system will not work for every consumer due to the limitations on how you can monitor the system.
Home Automation
Wyze Bulb
As homeowners we are always looking for ways to cut down on our expenses per month. One way to do this is to invest in a smart home device that can save you some money on your home’s energy costs per month. They Wyze Bulb can do just that.
The Wyze Bulb is smart bulb that can connect wirelessly to your Wyze Sense system allowing you to expanded it to use some smart home automation devices. You do not have to have a Wyze Sense system to use the Wyze Bulb, and it will connect wirelessly to your home’s WIFI network.
The Wyze Bulb has a variety of customizable light settings that allow to control brightness, color, and even the temperature of the bulb which can help cut down on your home’s energy cost per month. The Wyze Bulb is 60 watts, and only use an astounding 9.5 watts of power.
You can set custom timers for your Wyze Bulbs through the Wyze app for smartphone devices. You can also set your Wyze Bulbs to be motion activated using the motion sensors from your Wyze Sense system so that when you enter or leave a room they will turn on or turn off.
You can customize the features such as the brightness of your Wyze Bulbs as well control multiple Wyze Bulbs at once through the Wyze app. Another really cool feature of the Wyze Bulb is the ability for you to control it by using voice commands through smart home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa.
The Wyze Bulb is a really great addon to your Wyze Sense system. We really like how energy efficient the Wyze Bulb is. We also really love all the customizable features that the Wyze Bulb has to offer. The pricing for the Wyze bulb is pretty great when compared to other smart bulbs that are currently out on the market.
Wyze Plug
Another great money saving smart home device that you can add onto your Wyze Sense system is the Wyze Plug. The Wyze Plug has not officially launched yet, but it will be released later this month (September 2019), and you do have the option to get early access to the Wyze Plug by signing the up with your email through the Wyze website.
The Wyze Plug is a smart switch used to control small appliances. The Wyze Plug has a single outlet design that plugs directly into an AC power source. It then connects wirelessly to your Wyze Sense system to make for one cohesive home security/automation system. Just like with the Wyze Bulb you do not have to have a Wyze Sense system to use the Wyze Plug, and it will connect directly to your home’s WIFI network. The Wyze Plug has an electrical output of 15A at its max which allows you to use a variety of small appliances with it.
You can customize timers for your Wyze Plugs that will automatically turn on and off any small appliance that is connected to it. You can also use the motion sensing technology of the Wyze Sense to have your Wyze Plugs turn on and off when motion is detected. You can fully control your Wyze Plug along with all your Wyze devices through the Wyze mobile app. And jst like with the Wyze Bulb you can use smart home assistants like Amazon’s Alexa to use voice commands to control your Wyze Plug.
Since the Wyze Plug has yet to be released we will have to wait a while to get a good feel of how the Wyze Plug is received by consumers. We do really like its compact design. We also really like its energy output, and the ability it gives you to use a variety of small appliances with it. We really like that you can control it and all of your Wyze devices right from the Wyze app.
Wyze Pricing
The Wyze Sense system is extremely competitively priced as compared to other security systems that our currently on the market. You can purchase the Wyze Sense Start Kit which includes 2 contact sensors, 1 bridge, and 1 motion sensor for only $19.99. They have a couple of more options that include different amounts of the equipment listed above. You can purchase the Wyze Contact Sensor Kit which includes 4 contact sensors for $19.99 (you will have to have purchased a Starter Kit to use this equipment, and the follow package’s equipment). They also have Motion Sensor Kit which includes 4 motion sensors for $19.99.
We are concerned about the quality and reliability of the hardware, given the prices are so low. $20 for so much security equipment is pretty much unheard of.
If you’re concerned as well, take a look at Link Interactive. Link Interactive is also a DIY security company that focus on easy to install home security equipment, and although it doesn’t cost $20, it is competitively priced and is often chosen over other security companies like ADT by consumers on a daily basis.
Wyze Sense vs Link Interactive
The Wyze Sense system is DIY(do it yourself), so setup is extremely simple and even someone who is not tech savvy can set it up in a matter of minutes.
The good thing about the Wyze Sense system is that it not only functions as a security system, but also allows you to turn into a home automation system as well. The pricing for the Wyze Sense is competitive, and it is much cheaper than other security/home automation systems that are currently out on the market.
However, the downside is that they do not have a large variety of equipment as of yet, especially when it comes to home security and home automation. The type of security the Wyze Sense system offers is also very non-traditional. There is no central hub; instead the hub is the Wyze Cam.
If you’re looking for a proper home security system with a control panel, a number of keypads and then would also like to maybe add a variety home automation devices like garage door openers, door locks and thermostats, give Link Interactive a look.
At Link Interactive, we provide DIY home security at affordable rates without sacrificing on customer service. Our system itself is state of the art, with touchscreen control panels, robust security sensors and video cameras.
To get a quote, please see our offer here. You may also call us at (877) 826-5443.
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