Abode starter kit pairs with a voice assistant to protect your home

Why it matters to you

With its easy setup and monitoring capabilities, the Abode security system hopes to keep you and your loved ones safe.

You’re a strong, independent woman or man, so why depend upon a security company to take care of your home? Instead, just depend on your favorite voice assistant and a new security solution from Abode. Heralded as a “beautiful, easy to install, professional-grade security solution, the Abode starter kit includes a Z-Wave and ZigBee hub with a built-in sire, one gateway and two door/window sensors, one remote key fob, and one motion sensing camera. Connect all of that to Alexa, and start taking care of business — or at least, your property.

Capable of connecting to lights, locks, thermostats, garage door openers, and other smart appliances in your household, Abode allows you to automate and control just about every aspect of your home. Setting up the starter kit begins, of course, with the download of its companion app. Available on both Android or iOS, the app must be paired with each accessory.

As for actually installing these accessories themselves, feel free to leave your power drill in the garage. All wall, door, or window-mounted hardware comes complete with an adhesive backing so there are no screws or nails necessary.

Once everything has been set up and installed, you are ready to begin monitoring. The Abode Hub connects to your Wi-Fi router by way of an included Ethernet cable and power adapter and features a 93-decibel siren that will hopefully scare away intruders. Your door and window sensors are meant to track any motion and while the security camera and motion detector do not provide live-streaming options, it will take three photos whenever motion is detected.

As for the key fob, you can use this handy accessory to arm or disarm your system from afar.

Like other home security systems, aside from the initial cost of the hardware, you also have to pay for continual monitoring. The company gives you three days of free storage when it comes to keeping tabs of recorded events and other activity. If you are interested in temporary professional monitoring (for when you’re out of town, say), Abode charges $8 for three days or $15 for seven days of 24/7 monitoring.

You can also purchase cellular backup for your recorded content for $10 a month or $96 a year (which features a 14-day storage timeline), or pay $30 a month or $240 a year for 24/7 professional monitoring as well as cellular backup and a 90-day storage timeline.

The fact that Abode works well with Alexa, Nest, and If This Then That makes the actual monitoring of this security system a breeze, so if you are looking for a way to keep yourself safe, this may just be the way to go.