They could probably use the fire/C02 detecter as a speaker as well - which is already a speaker on your ceiling, and part of the ecosystem - this project has some refinement to do
The only reason they did the 30-second alarm is to give you a chance to disarm your system when you walk in your house. Otherwise every time you would walk into your house to enter your code or use a nest tag to disarm your system the alarm would sound, and it would get very annoying. But still, I agree with you that the 30-second alarm thing is stupid and should have more options. Also, you get notified if your system breaks. so if your nest guard breaks your other nest devices will know and through wifi will notify you.
They updated the software, now there is no 30 sec delay. For a small house its a perfect solution and very loud. for a bigger homes then yes you need something else.
Just read this on nest blog For Nest Secure owners, soon you’ll find new features in the Nest app settings. Choose the instant alarm, so the alarm goes off right away when someone opens a door or window. And enable the door chime, so you know when a door or window opens while the alarm is disarmed. You’ll know when your kids go out the back door or someone lets the dog out. This free software update will be available automatically in the coming weeks.
Great review. I most certainly agree about leveraging the motion sensors in not only the thermostat but each fire alarm has a motion sensor and I could get really good motion coverage if the alarm used the motion sensing in the fire alarms. Believe Nest really missed the boat on that one. Also fully agree in regard to all your remarks regarding the main unit but I would like to add that it looks large and clunky and doesn’t really fit in with where ever you put it. My take...never buy version “A” of anything.
Can it use other nest products around the house to relay the siren? Things like the nest smoke detector or the google minis I have sitting around the house?
No, an obvious omission. Google I/O is on May 12th, 2020 so hopefully they address this. It seems like an easy layup that strengthens the value proposition of staying within their ecosystem. #FingersCrossed
To answer Mark's question, not too sure about using the phone as a repeater, but I totally agree with having the control panel separate from the keypad. The control panel should always be hidden from plain view. Make it as hard as you can for the intruder to reach the panel.
I sent Nest feedback as well... I want it to instantly siren when the door is opened... why give a criminal 30 seconds? I hate this. Also would have appreciated it siren through the Nest protects as well. They are all connected after all.. and would also provide a hard to reach and or destroy siren for criminals.
Yup! An initial missed opportunity to leverage and compel you into buying into their expensive ecosystem. The good news is that Nest was recently pulled into the Google Hardware team so I am hopeful that that they will integrate with Google Mini's in the future as well.
Do the nest detect access a door Monitor and sensor at the same time will it let me know if someone walked past the sensor if I have it setup to let me know when the door opens
What they need to do, in my opinion, is make the nest protect integrate with this as well. So, if you have a security alert, you could set it to set off alarms on all of your nest protect devices throughout your house as well. Also, what about the motion sensors on the protect? And the sirens....
Can you customize it to arm with motion on some sensors and not on others? I have a large dog downstairs that will trigger the motion sensors. But I’d like to have motion sensors upstairs
Very informative, I was all gung ho to get one, as I've got 2 Protects and a 2nd Gen thermostat. Seeing the 3rd gen thermostat being so much better I felt ripped off and I see now Nest is repeating their habits of getting out to market with bare bones hardware before the others. I'm sure the 2nd or 3rd gen of this unit will be more polished.
This was the best Nest Secure review I have seen. All valid points and concerns with the entire system. I wish they could allow the siren and speech to filter through the Amazon Echo or Google Home. This would eliminate the need to make additional devices.
Thanks +Kevin H. Great idea to integrate with Google Home or Amazon Echo. A chorus of alarms going off as an intruder enters would certainly be an intimidating system to encounter. Could also have you arm/disarm your system with a voice-matched verbal command.
There was a report somewhere that said the nest IQ could recognize faces and and it would announce it over all your Home speakers. I think when the doorbell comes out
I can't see the point of a home alarm system which doesn't have an external siren/ external visual deterrent.If this isn't monitored any thief who gains access can just pick up the hub and smash it.
Totally agree with you, very good review, I just called the Nest and asked them same question (the horn, keypad, and the brain). Thanks for excellent review.
Great post...Thank you......Now that you have had it for a while... what's your take on it now? Has some of your concerns and flaws been addressed...i am in the market for a wireless alarm system and have had Frontpoint but looking to ditch them for another system.
One of the positive changes made since I produced this video is the ability to set the alarm to sound immediately when a door is opened. Another nice change is the ability for you to schedule the alarm to arm itself at a specific time via Google Assistant (with Google Home). You have to manually disable it (for security reasons) but the auto-arm at night (for instance) is nice to assure that your security protection is enabled when you go to bed.
I'm glad I saw this review, exactly!! Why would you give a 30sec delay. You're going to have less than 3sec if a intruder gets in your home, and now days they are stupid enough,or bold enough to come in while you're home
For what its worth, the siren can be configured to alert immediately now. They fixed that problem in software a while back. Still ponderous why they left it out when the shipped but I thought you should know it has since been corrected.
So if you lose WiFi, the cellular backup allow the sensors to connect to the base or you lose this connection? So basically it doesn't do anything as the sensors won't connect without wifi. Will the system work in a power outage with battery backup and no wifi just cellular?
According to nest, "The Nest Detects in your home work a little differently than other Nest products do. Detects don’t use Wi-Fi to communicate with the Nest Service. Instead, they talk directly to your Guard. Your Guard then uses Wi-Fi to send alerts and other information to the Nest app on your phone. So even if your home Wi-Fi goes down, your Detects can still tell Guard to sound the alarm (but you won’t get a notification on your phone unless you have a cellular backup subscription)".
Thanks for your video. You answered a lot of concerns I had about this system. Think I'll pass. On another subject, what video camera are you using ? Your video looks and sounds great !!
Thanks for your kind words. The camera I use is the Sony A6300. All the audio, video, and computer gear I use is listed here: www.amazon.com/shop/themadhermit
Apart from the price. It would have been perfect if only it had an accompanying siren that you can mount on the exterior of your home. A siren that can be heard by neighbous within the immediate vicinity, it is far the biggest deterrent when someone breaks in.
Agreed! They are missing good features like a remote keypad, outdoor siren, better motion sensors and better integration with their existing smart home devices.
Purchased Nest Secure April 2018, Nest had already updated the Base software now there a choose for sound the alarm as soon as the sensor detects motion or door opening w/o 30 sec delay! So you can go buy it now! Love this thing
This is a JOKE! The thing blurts out that it is going to go off along with flashing lights. It leads the intruder to the unit so he can grab it and put it in the toilet. These people have no real world experience. Don't waste your money!!
Thank you for the honest review of the Nest Secure. Other reviews just talk about how convenient it is and don't talk about the deficiencies of the product. This is the first time I'm learning about the poor coverage angles of the Nest Detects. While I love the concept of Nest Secure and the simplicity it brings along with it's good looks I had some of the same concerns. The fact that the whole system (honestly) is subject to "smash and grab" is a clear red flag. For the price, Nest should have broken up the alarm functions or included multiple Guard units. It's clear that Nest didn't think this product out very well. I look forward to their next iteration.
Thanks, I agree. Usually nest knocks it out of the park, but this one falls a little short IMHO. There is a lot of opportunity for it, especially since nest got absorbed into Google's Home division, but the initial release did not live up to what it could have been.
Yea, I agree. I have the original Nest Thermostat and it has served me very well over the years. Love it! That's why this iteration of Nest Secure is such a disappointment. Hopefully they will come out with a new version I can feel confidently buying.
I have the Nest thermostat, 2 outdoor Nest cameras, the Nest video doorbell and the Nest smart lock. I'm feeling secure enough thank-you. This costs twice as much as it should - not interested.
good review! I had the same doubts. most relevant issue is the requirement of an extra outdoor or inner siren (also a touch panel from to place it in other room).
For decades all thief’s had to do was drop the Control panel of an alarm system into a bucket of water. I really am a nest fan but this product isn’t cheap and is so simple to counter. This like the new camera that streams constantly and eats your network or the previous version I noted you have with a wire thats one cut away from offline and you have to say Nest have a lot to learn in home security.
Pier-Alexandre Lemay : some people may wish to turn their phones off or put it on do not disturb at night when they sleep. By having an extra key pad it would alert you during a night break inperiod without having that available you would have to leave your phone on all night and not Everyone likes to do that.
The siren noise isn't much like a traditional alarm, it's a bit weird. I see your points about the system's vulnerabilities. Nest may release additional keypads and sirens for the system, who knows. Someone else suggested in the comments that the Nest Protect products, if you have any, should be able to be used as additional sirens, I agree with that. I understand the Nest Protect units also have motion sensors built into them, if that's true, these could be used as motion detectors for the security system. Having said that, there may be issues using the other Nest products as additional detectors/sirens for your security system because of course the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Protect both use Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi isn't the most reliable technology out there, could there be some lag or latency issues or other problems that could arise if you use these devices as additional components for your Nest Secure?
Great review. Couldn’t find a review which looked at the weaknesses and you’ve made them very clear. Just one question, my telephone cable comes in by the front door and then to my router. Do you know how the system would react if someone cut those cables before attempting to enter the property (besides not providing notification)? Would the alarm still sound?
Just n FYI. I don't know if this device has this, but the now discontinued LG Smart Security camera hub if it was broken or smashed or unplugged ADt would start calling ASAP. Because the alarm was already sent to ADT, and ADT was waiting for the disarm. Once the connection was lost, they assumed someone broke in. I found out when I didn't have my phone (iut was dead) and i couldn't disable to alarm so I unplugged it. A few minutes later I found out my wife got a call from ADT and got my neighbor to check on me since she was out of town. I would assume Nest would work the same way, but maybe not. Can someone test it?
+Allen S So currently, if the nest guard is disconnected you will get a pretty immediate text message-like notification on your phone. If you are self monitoring it's something, but not great if you are sleeping and your phone is in another room, you are a deep sleeper, or your phone is turned off. If you pay for monitoring I can see them using this information much like you described. The information is there and it would be odd if that data was not processed in some way. Good question though.
I like that the central unit speaks, telling you specifically what's wrong but, you're right, it needs to be separated into multiple units with an option to have a repeater in your bedroom. Can you use your smartphone at that repeater? While not a 'smart home' product, SimpliSafe is an excellent, configurable DIY security system that also has fire, smoke, freeze, water, glass-breaking detectors and now camera options. Cheaper to buy, cheaper for central monitoring. I'm not affiliated with the company, but have had the SimpliSafe for a number of years. I'm not convinced a smart home is all that useful. I have a programmable thermostat that was much cheaper than Nest and does the job. Just not comfortable talking to my house, I guess.
+Mark Furukawa At this moment you cannot use your Smart phone as a repeater, but certainly something they could change via software if nest so desired. Not the best solution but certainly a quick work-around. SimpliSafe is certainly another contender but they really have to update their hardware's industrial design. Their system looks so antiquated, though from the sound of it, has a lot more coverage and versatility then what nest is offering at the moment.
I guess that's the difference in the age of the beholders. What you see as "industrial design", I see utility (not necessarily a bad thing) while Nest et al looks scifi modernistic to me - at odds with my interior design.
+Mark Furukawa You are 100% correct. The most important thing is utility. The nest is nice to look at, the software is great, but from a security standpoint, some of the elements are concerning. I hope that point was clear. :)
The Mad Hermit Completely agree with the 30 second maximum allowed time to turn off the system. They have to understand that most people will have the Nest guard right next to their main entrance or door so very easy for the intruder to just smash the unit. They need to quickly address this major floor in the system. I’d personally need just 5 seconds. My other major issue is not being able to set ‘home and guarding’ with certain Nest detects still sensing motion. I need my system to be fully armed downstairs whilst any detects upstairs are turned off so on a night the kids can wonder about. Currently with the sensors I have I’m only able to protect the front and back door. Intruders coming in downstairs through skylights, windows and anywhere else can do what they want. Come on Nest we deserve better. Encourage customers to buy new hardware by making the system customisable to their needs!
One of the most informative and honest reviews on TH-cam. I was debating on getting it but will do some research on other competitors to see what they have to offer. Thanks.
What about the fire monitoring and integration with the Nest Protect? I called Nest and they advised MONI does not monitor for Fire but you’d get an alert through the Nest App. So no ones coming to your rescue if your incapacitated or trapped! Please do a video on this point, no one has talked about it on TH-cam to my knowledge.
You were spot on with your review. It seems as though the product may have been rushed to the market. While looking to buy into a smart ecosystem and move away from a mix of Simplisafe and other branded wireless camera system I came across nest. The thermostat is industry leading and the camera offering is solid, however when I looked at the heart of the smarthome system ( home security) they failed miserably. I ultimately chose to go with the Ring product offering and will be awaiting the Ring Alarm release as it allows for separate keypad/base and the option to have multiple key pads and the sensors appear to have a much better range.
+Dadof four Thanks. It hurt me to make this video because I love nest but I just call balls and strikes. I agree with your sentiment as well and am looking forward to what ring ultimately releases. I am hopeful some clever Google home integration can breath some life into this thing.
Quick extra thought (above what I've posted in your Hermit FB page) -- I'm only now discovering your content, so perhaps I'll find it, but before I go looking... Have you already DONE a Ring review? I only ask because I'd imagine that if you had, you'd link to it in THIS video's description, so absent that, I figured I'd ask -- cuz then if/when you DO, you can also update THIS vid's desc text with a cross-link. ;) (Y)
Great question. I have not done a Ring review because I wasn't impressed with their offering and felt nest would be a better match for me given that I like their IDs, have their thermostats and cameras, and am already in their ecosystem. The benefit to that is that I only have to launch a single app to manage everything. That's not to say I won't try something else from a different vendor, but the value proposition has to be compelling enough to make me tolerate having another app on my phone to interact with it. Plus, because I am buying these things with my money, I can't afford to buy something I don't intend to use.
@@TheMadHermit - fair enough, sir; and thank you for taking a minute to reply. :D I probably ought to have mentioned my thinking re seeing whether or not RING might send you a unit / set to "try & review" .. ie with no (or minimal, if at all?) cost to yourself.. Of course it makes perfect sense & logic to use a brand with which you're already familiar _and_ have some of their other products already. :) Thank you for your review of the NEST system here!
How loud is the voice in the guard? I live in a single story hone and want to be able to hear if my front door is opened if I'm in my living room watch tv. Seen other reviews that says it is quiet.
+Skylor Swope Good question. I wouldn't call the voice loud, but I also wouldn't call it quiet. It's somewhere in the middle. I think it is generally audible in a single story setting. Not so much if you live in a two story home. With that said, Google just announced yesterday that the nest team is joining the google hardware group (the one in charge of pixel, chromecast and home) so hopefully we will see better/quicker integration and leverage across google's hardware product line.
They could probably use the fire/C02 detecter as a speaker as well - which is already a speaker on your ceiling, and part of the ecosystem - this project has some refinement to do
The only reason they did the 30-second alarm is to give you a chance to disarm your system when you walk in your house. Otherwise every time you would walk into your house to enter your code or use a nest tag to disarm your system the alarm would sound, and it would get very annoying. But still, I agree with you that the 30-second alarm thing is stupid and should have more options. Also, you get notified if your system breaks. so if your nest guard breaks your other nest devices will know and through wifi will notify you.
They updated the software, now there is no 30 sec delay. For a small house its a perfect solution and very loud. for a bigger homes then yes you need something else.
Just read this on nest blog
For Nest Secure owners, soon you’ll find new features in the Nest app settings. Choose the instant alarm, so the alarm goes off right away when someone opens a door or window. And enable the door chime, so you know when a door or window opens while the alarm is disarmed. You’ll know when your kids go out the back door or someone lets the dog out. This free software update will be available automatically in the coming weeks.
Good to hear they are addressing this. Hopefully they will come out with more solutions to address the other issues as well. Thanks for sharing!
Great review. I most certainly agree about leveraging the motion sensors in not only the thermostat but each fire alarm has a motion sensor and I could get really good motion coverage if the alarm used the motion sensing in the fire alarms. Believe Nest really missed the boat on that one. Also fully agree in regard to all your remarks regarding the main unit but I would like to add that it looks large and clunky and doesn’t really fit in with where ever you put it. My take...never buy version “A” of anything.
Can it use other nest products around the house to relay the siren? Things like the nest smoke detector or the google minis I have sitting around the house?
No, an obvious omission. Google I/O is on May 12th, 2020 so hopefully they address this. It seems like an easy layup that strengthens the value proposition of staying within their ecosystem. #FingersCrossed
The Mad Hermit this is pretty much the best information I was able to find anywhere. If they fix that then I’ll buy the nest secure.
To answer Mark's question, not too sure about using the phone as a repeater, but I totally agree with having the control panel separate from the keypad. The control panel should always be hidden from plain view. Make it as hard as you can for the intruder to reach the panel.
I sent Nest feedback as well... I want it to instantly siren when the door is opened... why give a criminal 30 seconds? I hate this. Also would have appreciated it siren through the Nest protects as well. They are all connected after all.. and would also provide a hard to reach and or destroy siren for criminals.
Yup! An initial missed opportunity to leverage and compel you into buying into their expensive ecosystem. The good news is that Nest was recently pulled into the Google Hardware team so I am hopeful that that they will integrate with Google Mini's in the future as well.
Great idea. I have one of those by my bed. I'd love the chip on a door open or close as youd' mentioned.
Just set either alarm option to "No Delay". It will instantly sound the alarm.
Do the nest detect access a door Monitor and sensor at the same time will it let me know if someone walked past the sensor if I have it setup to let me know when the door opens
What they need to do, in my opinion, is make the nest protect integrate with this as well. So, if you have a security alert, you could set it to set off alarms on all of your nest protect devices throughout your house as well. Also, what about the motion sensors on the protect? And the sirens....
brilliant idea!
Can you customize it to arm with motion on some sensors and not on others? I have a large dog downstairs that will trigger the motion sensors. But I’d like to have motion sensors upstairs
Very informative, I was all gung ho to get one, as I've got 2 Protects and a 2nd Gen thermostat. Seeing the 3rd gen thermostat being so much better I felt ripped off and I see now Nest is repeating their habits of getting out to market with bare bones hardware before the others. I'm sure the 2nd or 3rd gen of this unit will be more polished.
This was the best Nest Secure review I have seen. All valid points and concerns with the entire system. I wish they could allow the siren and speech to filter through the Amazon Echo or Google Home. This would eliminate the need to make additional devices.
Thanks +Kevin H. Great idea to integrate with Google Home or Amazon Echo. A chorus of alarms going off as an intruder enters would certainly be an intimidating system to encounter. Could also have you arm/disarm your system with a voice-matched verbal command.
There was a report somewhere that said the nest IQ could recognize faces and and it would announce it over all your Home speakers. I think when the doorbell comes out
nest.com/blog/2017/10/04/google-assistant-do-more-with-nest/
Good review! The cons you mentioned are a deal killer for me with Nest. Hope they watch this and correct the obvious shortcomings.
I can't see the point of a home alarm system which doesn't have an external siren/ external visual deterrent.If this isn't monitored any thief who gains access can just pick up the hub and smash it.
Totally agree with you, very good review, I just called the Nest and asked them same question (the horn, keypad, and the brain). Thanks for excellent review.
Great post...Thank you......Now that you have had it for a while... what's your take on it now? Has some of your concerns and flaws been addressed...i am in the market for a wireless alarm system and have had Frontpoint but looking to ditch them for another system.
One of the positive changes made since I produced this video is the ability to set the alarm to sound immediately when a door is opened. Another nice change is the ability for you to schedule the alarm to arm itself at a specific time via Google Assistant (with Google Home). You have to manually disable it (for security reasons) but the auto-arm at night (for instance) is nice to assure that your security protection is enabled when you go to bed.
Thanks for your response....is it just the door that would be instant or would the windows and motion detectors set off the alarm instantly too?
According to nest, "if you choose “No delay” the alarm will sound immediately if your Detect senses motion or a door or window opening."
I'm glad I saw this review, exactly!! Why would you give a 30sec delay. You're going to have less than 3sec if a intruder gets in your home, and now days they are stupid enough,or bold enough to come in while you're home
For what its worth, the siren can be configured to alert immediately now. They fixed that problem in software a while back. Still ponderous why they left it out when the shipped but I thought you should know it has since been corrected.
Good decent review, and agree with all your points.
Thank you. :)
So if you lose WiFi, the cellular backup allow the sensors to connect to the base or you lose this connection? So basically it doesn't do anything as the sensors won't connect without wifi. Will the system work in a power outage with battery backup and no wifi just cellular?
According to nest, "The Nest Detects in your home work a little differently than other Nest products do. Detects don’t use Wi-Fi to communicate with the Nest Service. Instead, they talk directly to your Guard. Your Guard then uses Wi-Fi to send alerts and other information to the Nest app on your phone. So even if your home Wi-Fi goes down, your Detects can still tell Guard to sound the alarm (but you won’t get a notification on your phone unless you have a cellular backup subscription)".
Thanks for your video. You answered a lot of concerns I had about this system. Think I'll pass. On another subject, what video camera are you using ? Your video looks and sounds great !!
Thanks for your kind words. The camera I use is the Sony A6300. All the audio, video, and computer gear I use is listed here: www.amazon.com/shop/themadhermit
Apart from the price. It would have been perfect if only it had an accompanying siren that you can mount on the exterior of your home. A siren that can be heard by neighbous within the immediate vicinity, it is far the biggest deterrent when someone breaks in.
Agreed! They are missing good features like a remote keypad, outdoor siren, better motion sensors and better integration with their existing smart home devices.
Purchased Nest Secure April 2018, Nest had already updated the Base software now there a choose for sound the alarm as soon as the sensor detects motion or door opening w/o 30 sec delay! So you can go buy it now! Love this thing
Thanks for the update.
This is a JOKE! The thing blurts out that it is going to go off along with flashing lights. It leads the intruder to the unit so he can grab it and put it in the toilet. These people have no real world experience. Don't waste your money!!
How did you make your system announce what door was being opened when chime is on?
You label each sensor via the app and it will announce the sensor by name or location when it is tripped.
Thank you for the honest review of the Nest Secure. Other reviews just talk about how convenient it is and don't talk about the deficiencies of the product. This is the first time I'm learning about the poor coverage angles of the Nest Detects. While I love the concept of Nest Secure and the simplicity it brings along with it's good looks I had some of the same concerns. The fact that the whole system (honestly) is subject to "smash and grab" is a clear red flag. For the price, Nest should have broken up the alarm functions or included multiple Guard units. It's clear that Nest didn't think this product out very well. I look forward to their next iteration.
Thanks, I agree. Usually nest knocks it out of the park, but this one falls a little short IMHO. There is a lot of opportunity for it, especially since nest got absorbed into Google's Home division, but the initial release did not live up to what it could have been.
Yea, I agree. I have the original Nest Thermostat and it has served me very well over the years. Love it! That's why this iteration of Nest Secure is such a disappointment. Hopefully they will come out with a new version I can feel confidently buying.
Do the nest detach
Make sure you don’t put your keys with the tags attached by the nest guard. This product makes no sense.
+goprocbr Agreed. Tags work well but seem gimmicky. Maybe good for a guest that is visiting? I don't use them at the moment.
Nice review. Thanks for your honesty.
Thanks for you kind words.
I have the Nest thermostat, 2 outdoor Nest cameras, the Nest video doorbell and the Nest smart lock. I'm feeling secure enough thank-you. This costs twice as much as it should - not interested.
good review! I had the same doubts. most relevant issue is the requirement of an extra outdoor or inner siren (also a touch panel from to place it in other room).
If I have the nest protect, along with the alarm and brinks monitoring, will it notify brinks of a fire?
For decades all thief’s had to do was drop the Control panel of an alarm system into a bucket of water. I really am a nest fan but this product isn’t cheap and is so simple to counter. This like the new camera that streams constantly and eats your network or the previous version I noted you have with a wire thats one cut away from offline and you have to say Nest have a lot to learn in home security.
"A button adorns the tip"? Thanks for the review. A bit formal. Very good point about destroying the base unit.
Can you have a sensor program to a window and by pass it while you leave the window open over night?
Wow good job
Secure your home with Wi-Fi is a complete joke. Those are some big azz sensors to be sticking on your doors.
Not sure how having a separate keypad in your bedroom is any different than recieving notifications on your phone. Seems to be even better in my mind.
Pier-Alexandre Lemay : some people may wish to turn their phones off or put it on do not disturb at night when they sleep. By having an extra key pad it would alert you during a night break inperiod without having that available you would have to leave your phone on all night and not Everyone likes to do that.
I would love to see the sirens set up with the best protect. Setting off the alarms of the 3 smoke detectors would also help scare people off.
The siren noise isn't much like a traditional alarm, it's a bit weird. I see your points about the system's vulnerabilities. Nest may release additional keypads and sirens for the system, who knows. Someone else suggested in the comments that the Nest Protect products, if you have any, should be able to be used as additional sirens, I agree with that. I understand the Nest Protect units also have motion sensors built into them, if that's true, these could be used as motion detectors for the security system. Having said that, there may be issues using the other Nest products as additional detectors/sirens for your security system because of course the Nest Learning Thermostat and Nest Protect both use Wi-Fi, Wi-Fi isn't the most reliable technology out there, could there be some lag or latency issues or other problems that could arise if you use these devices as additional components for your Nest Secure?
+
Lachlant1984 Agree with all your points. We'll have to wait and see I guess.
Great review. Couldn’t find a review which looked at the weaknesses and you’ve made them very clear. Just one question, my telephone cable comes in by the front door and then to my router. Do you know how the system would react if someone cut those cables before attempting to enter the property (besides not providing notification)? Would the alarm still sound?
It would if you purchase the T-mobile cellular backup for $5/month
Just n FYI. I don't know if this device has this, but the now discontinued LG Smart Security camera hub if it was broken or smashed or unplugged ADt would start calling ASAP. Because the alarm was already sent to ADT, and ADT was waiting for the disarm. Once the connection was lost, they assumed someone broke in. I found out when I didn't have my phone (iut was dead) and i couldn't disable to alarm so I unplugged it. A few minutes later I found out my wife got a call from ADT and got my neighbor to check on me since she was out of town. I would assume Nest would work the same way, but maybe not. Can someone test it?
+Allen S So currently, if the nest guard is disconnected you will get a pretty immediate text message-like notification on your phone. If you are self monitoring it's something, but not great if you are sleeping and your phone is in another room, you are a deep sleeper, or your phone is turned off. If you pay for monitoring I can see them using this information much like you described. The information is there and it would be odd if that data was not processed in some way. Good question though.
I like that the central unit speaks, telling you specifically what's wrong but, you're right, it needs to be separated into multiple units with an option to have a repeater in your bedroom. Can you use your smartphone at that repeater?
While not a 'smart home' product, SimpliSafe is an excellent, configurable DIY security system that also has fire, smoke, freeze, water, glass-breaking detectors and now camera options. Cheaper to buy, cheaper for central monitoring. I'm not affiliated with the company, but have had the SimpliSafe for a number of years.
I'm not convinced a smart home is all that useful. I have a programmable thermostat that was much cheaper than Nest and does the job. Just not comfortable talking to my house, I guess.
+Mark Furukawa At this moment you cannot use your Smart phone as a repeater, but certainly something they could change via software if nest so desired. Not the best solution but certainly a quick work-around. SimpliSafe is certainly another contender but they really have to update their hardware's industrial design. Their system looks so antiquated, though from the sound of it, has a lot more coverage and versatility then what nest is offering at the moment.
I guess that's the difference in the age of the beholders. What you see as "industrial design", I see utility (not necessarily a bad thing) while Nest et al looks scifi modernistic to me - at odds with my interior design.
+Mark Furukawa You are 100% correct. The most important thing is utility. The nest is nice to look at, the software is great, but from a security standpoint, some of the elements are concerning. I hope that point was clear. :)
Yeah, pretty to look at but it seems more of a prototype than ready for market.
The Mad Hermit Completely agree with the 30 second maximum allowed time to turn off the system. They have to understand that most people will have the Nest guard right next to their main entrance or door so very easy for the intruder to just smash the unit. They need to quickly address this major floor in the system. I’d personally need just 5 seconds. My other major issue is not being able to set ‘home and guarding’ with certain Nest detects still sensing motion. I need my system to be fully armed downstairs whilst any detects upstairs are turned off so on a night the kids can wonder about. Currently with the sensors I have I’m only able to protect the front and back door. Intruders coming in downstairs through skylights, windows and anywhere else can do what they want. Come on Nest we deserve better. Encourage customers to buy new hardware by making the system customisable to their needs!
One of the most informative and honest reviews on TH-cam. I was debating on getting it but will do some research on other competitors to see what they have to offer. Thanks.
Glad it helped.
What about the fire monitoring and integration with the Nest Protect? I called Nest and they advised MONI does not monitor for Fire but you’d get an alert through the Nest App. So no ones coming to your rescue if your incapacitated or trapped! Please do a video on this point, no one has talked about it on TH-cam to my knowledge.
+George Johnston Thanks. I don't have a nest protect but if I get one I will talk about it.
You were spot on with your review. It seems as though the product may have been rushed to the market.
While looking to buy into a smart ecosystem and move away from a mix of Simplisafe and other branded wireless camera system I came across nest. The thermostat is industry leading and the camera offering is solid, however when I looked at the heart of the smarthome system ( home security) they failed miserably.
I ultimately chose to go with the Ring product offering and will be awaiting the Ring Alarm release as it allows for separate keypad/base and the option to have multiple key pads and the sensors appear to have a much better range.
+Dadof four Thanks. It hurt me to make this video because I love nest but I just call balls and strikes. I agree with your sentiment as well and am looking forward to what ring ultimately releases. I am hopeful some clever Google home integration can breath some life into this thing.
Quick extra thought (above what I've posted in your Hermit FB page) -- I'm only now discovering your content, so perhaps I'll find it, but before I go looking... Have you already DONE a Ring review? I only ask because I'd imagine that if you had, you'd link to it in THIS video's description, so absent that, I figured I'd ask -- cuz then if/when you DO, you can also update THIS vid's desc text with a cross-link. ;) (Y)
Great question. I have not done a Ring review because I wasn't impressed with their offering and felt nest would be a better match for me given that I like their IDs, have their thermostats and cameras, and am already in their ecosystem. The benefit to that is that I only have to launch a single app to manage everything. That's not to say I won't try something else from a different vendor, but the value proposition has to be compelling enough to make me tolerate having another app on my phone to interact with it. Plus, because I am buying these things with my money, I can't afford to buy something I don't intend to use.
@@TheMadHermit - fair enough, sir; and thank you for taking a minute to reply. :D
I probably ought to have mentioned my thinking re seeing whether or not RING might send you a unit / set to "try & review" .. ie with no (or minimal, if at all?) cost to yourself..
Of course it makes perfect sense & logic to use a brand with which you're already familiar _and_ have some of their other products already. :)
Thank you for your review of the NEST system here!
Great review and some very good drawbacks with the Nest Secure system. Thanks for sharing.
No problem. Thanks for your kind words.
and that my friend, is how you make a review video. excellent! and thanks
Thank you Sir!
you have a great channel and you do great reviews
+PugmanPlays Thank you. Love your channel as well. Looks like great fun!
My wife thanks you for your indepth review :)
Glad it helped!
Very informative. Great work!
+John Lawson Thanks!
How loud is the voice in the guard? I live in a single story hone and want to be able to hear if my front door is opened if I'm in my living room watch tv. Seen other reviews that says it is quiet.
+Skylor Swope Good question. I wouldn't call the voice loud, but I also wouldn't call it quiet. It's somewhere in the middle. I think it is generally audible in a single story setting. Not so much if you live in a two story home. With that said, Google just announced yesterday that the nest team is joining the google hardware group (the one in charge of pixel, chromecast and home) so hopefully we will see better/quicker integration and leverage across google's hardware product line.
The Mad Hermit Thanks for that. I've been going back and fourth for a while on buying this and this has been a very informative review.
+Skylor Swope You are welcome. Glad I could help.
Excellent review!
Thank you. :)
Very good review.
Thanks!
Great review! Glad I watched this one. Thanks for the help. :-)
Thanks!
ITS NOT DIY. WTH