Our sampling of interesting products can help solve your problems
Now it's possible for you to install a security system that will work for the farthest reaches of your land without having to worry about where to plug in the base station.
STEVE SANFORD
4. Safety without Wi-Fi, electricity worries
If you live in a rural area, your security needs might be at a distant gate or shed door — places your home’s Wi-Fi signal can’t reach. A new type of battery-powered security sensor that works with a cellular signal can ease that concern.
These sensors hook up to gates, doors or windows and alert you electronically when a breach occurs. Flex IO sensors from Alarm.com start at $160, plus activation and service fees. I found these worked so well that I began wondering what else around my home needed security.
If the Wi-Fi signal isn’t a concern, another inconvenience can be a lack of power outlets for some sensors. Some products, such as the $80 SKK Home Security System 2nd Gen, have battery-powered sensors, and its base unit with up to eight hours of battery backup connects with Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant system without monthly subscription fees.
— Risha Gotlieb