Looking for a Brinks Home review? We got you!
Today there are a plethora of companies providing home security services and gadgets. These could include HD resolution cameras, motion sensors, and whatnot.
If you are looking to turn your house into a safe place for you and your family, then you are at the right place.
In this article, we have given an honest Brinks Home Security Review so that you can choose the right security system for your home.
Keep reading to know more.
Summary
| Guide | Brinks Home Review |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1859 |
| Features | Instant interactive messaging and more |
| Installation | Both DIY and professional installation available |
| Contract | Three years |
| Price | $199.00 – $699.00 per year |
| Trial Period | 30-day-trial-period |
| Rating | 2.5\5 |
| Website | Click here |
Key Takeaways
- Brinks Home Security offers both DIY and professional installation.
- You have to sign a three-year contract with Brinks.
- The pricing plans at Brinks start at $199.00 and go to $699.00 per year.
- Brinks offers a 30-day-trial-period.
- Some interesting features of Brinks include interactive messaging, Customized Alerts, Two-way talk, Cloud storage, etc.
- It offers a range of Security Cameras, Home Automation devices, Life Safety Devices, and more.
- Brinks has a rating of 3/5 stars on Trustpilot, which is decent, but if you are looking for the best home security company, then you should check out Vivint, SimpliSafe, etc.
Also Read: How Do We Review A Home Security Company?
What Is Brinks Home Security?
Brinks Home Security is one of the major players in providing home security services.
Over the course of 160 years, it has catered to thousands of clients with its exceptional services.
It has been in the industry since 1859 and has served in over 100 countries.
Let’s face it. It is tiring to constantly think about your house being looted whenever you go out of your house.
Or even to think about the safety of your kids when they are left alone—as such, opting for a home security system specifically designed according to your needs could be such a relief.
But is Brinks Home Security the right fit for you? Keep reading to find out!
Features Of Brinks Home Security
These are the following features offered by Brinks Home Security:
- Automated Arming and Disarming
- Instant interactive messaging
- Smartphone control
- Customized Alerts
- Live Video Surveillance
- Buy Now, Pay Later
- Cloud storage for video recordings
- Two-way talk via the control panel
Products Offered By Brinks Home Security
There are essentially four categories of products offered by Brinks Home Security. Let’s have a look at these, one by one:
Home Security Systems
Brinks Home Security system offers 24×7 monitoring. You can integrate all their product with each other, which you can manage through their Home hub or Brinks app.
They let you have full control over your security cameras. Their home security system includes five gadgets, including Brinks Home Hub, Motion Sensors, Door and Window Sensors, Garage Door Sensor, and Glass Break Sensor.
Brinks Home IQ Panel 2
Security Cameras
Brinks Home Security offers cameras, including Wireless Doorbell Camera, Outdoor Security Cameras, and Indoor Security Cameras.
Their Cameras let you have live and around-the-clock monitoring.
This means that you can keep an eye on your home anywhere, anytime, and get notifications too.
They let you customize alerts; this means that you can choose to receive alerts and video clips in real-time.
All the footage from your security camera can be stored in the cloud or card. And not only this, but you can also protect your cameras from hackers for additional security.
Having said that, we found that their cameras and night vision are not that great in comparison to other services.
For example, their doorbell camera offers a resolution of only 720 p compared to the industry standard of 1080p.
Along with that, their night vision cameras aren’t great either, providing black and white footage.
However, they do offer a wide-angle resolution of 180 degrees, which is a good thing.
Another thing to note is that their cameras do not have two-way audio because their control panel has it.
This means that you will not be able to talk to people unless you view the footage through the panel.
Brinks Outdoor Camera Installation
Smart Home Automation
This product offers three gadgets, including Smart Thermostat, Smart Deadbolt Lock, and Smart Garage Door Opener.
You can control all these products right from your phone or from the Smart hub panel.
You can even control all these products by integrating voice assistants like Google Assistant, Alexa, Amazon echo, dot, etc., for a smooth experience.
Life Safety Devices
Last but not least, Brinks Home Security offers some excellent life safety devices, including Smoke Detector that can sense temperature changes.
It alerts 911 automatically if it detects smoke, and you can cancel a false alarm from your app.
Their Carbon Monoxide Detector senses the level of carbon monoxide in the air and alerts you when it rises.
Another gadget is Water Leak Detector, a water leak can happen anytime, and you wouldn’t even know till it’s too late.
And for this, this device comes in really handy. It notifies you as and when there is any leak in pipes, water tanks, etc.
Lastly, their Brinks Home FireFighter detects smoke and sends alarms to the control panel for immediate help.
Overall, we like the gadgets and features that Brinks Home Security offers. However, there are quite a few things that can be improved too.
Services Offered
Over the course of years, they have served thousands of clients and continue to do so. You can have a look at the below-mentioned services offered by them:
24×7 Home Security
Brinks Home Security offers its service round the clock. You can control everything from their app on your phone or through the panel.
As soon as anything suspicious is detected, you get a call from their professionals to help you out.
At the same time, they also offer you an option to cancel any false alarms.
Apart from this, their alarm monitoring systems track only security sensor activity so that your privacy is not hindered.
Installation
Another noteworthy thing about Brinks Home Security is that you get the system’s installation done professionally.
For this, you just have to contact them and make an appointment. They will come to your house and take you through the working of their products.
All you need is an internet connection, and they will do the work for you.
Their certified installers will also show you how to create video recording rules, how you can set location-based home automation rules, and so on.
Thirty-day Guarantee
This is definitely a plus point to be looked at. Brinks offers a thirty-day guarantee.
This means that you can test their product for thirty days, and if you are not satisfied with it, you can return the same and get a full refund.
This is a great option as you can test their service before actually committing to it for a long time.
Pros And Cons
Pros
- Availability of voice assistant integrations.
- Option of DIY installation.
- Cellular backup is available.
- Thirty-day return policy.
- Comes with a two-year warranty.
- Smartphone controls.
Cons
- Long-term contracts.
- Expensive Monitoring plans.
- Poor customer support.
Plans And Pricing
| Plan | Price | Monthly Monitoring Price | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Security Essential | $199.00 | $39.99 | One Touch-Screen Control Panel, Two Wireless Door Sensors, one Wireless Motion Sensor, One Yard Sign, and Stickers. |
| Smart Security Complete | $349.00 | $44.99 | Everything in Smart Security Essential plus, One HD Video Doorbell. |
| Smart Security Ultimate | $699.00 | $49.99 | Everything in Smart Security Complete plus, One Outdoor Camera With Night Vision |
Irrespective of the plan you choose, you can choose among the below-mentioned additional equipment to your plan.
Additional Equipments
- Smoke detector: $80
- Wireless door sensor: $40
- Alarm.com thermostat: $160
- Kwikset deadbolt lock: $200
- CO detector: $79
- Brinks outdoor camera: $240
- SkyBell video doorbell: $159
- Brinks indoor camera: $160
- Keychain remote: $29
- Garage door sensor: $39
- Flood detector: $49
- Motion detector: $80
- Glass-break detector: $80
A significant drawback that we find in Brinks is that it charges a hefty amount for monitoring.
There are similar platforms charging as low as $10 for the same features and service.
But at the same time, there are also companies charging as high as $60 too.
Brinks lies somewhere in between, just that a reduced monitoring charge would have made it an ideal match.
Brinks Mobile App
You can control everything and monitor each and every activity on your phone by installing Brinks’ mobile app, known as the “Alarm.com app.”
Also, this app is highly rated, which ensures a smooth experience from their side.
Brinks Home Hub
Now, this is a control panel that you can opt for instead of the app. Brinks Home Hub features a sleek look along with an LED touch screen.
It is user-friendly and gives you an option to link all the gadgets and monitor activities from one centralized place.
You can even link your voice assistant, Alexa, Amazon echo, etc., with it. This gives you the authority and control of all the devices and gadgets from one single place.
Our Experience With Brinks Home Security
In order to have first-hand experience, we contacted Brinks to get an overview of the product.
We were greeted by John, and he explained the process and how the gadgets work in detail.
He was patient with us and answered all our questions. We chose our plan- the Smart Security Essential plan for a professional installation.
(You can choose a DIY installation too, which will take you around 30-45 minutes).
The next day, their professional representative came in and installed the gadgets around the house.
He also explained how everything works and how we can link and monitor everything from their app.
Overall, we had a decent experience in terms of setting up the security system in our house.
Installation And Contract
Brinks boasts that you can cancel their service within 30 days if you are not satisfied, but according to our research it is not that simple, and must be aware of this.
So if you choose to continue, you will have to sign a contract of three years with them.
This is a standard time period as opted by many similar companies.
Brinks offers both professional installation options and DIY options too.
Opting for professional installation would cost you until, of course, you choose their Smart Security Ultimate package.
And if you choose the DIY option, do not worry. They will guide you on the phone so that you do not have to struggle with the equipment.
Brinks Home Security Set Up
NPC Brinks Home Ratings
| Type | Rating |
| Customer Service | 2.5/5 |
| Responsive | 2.5/5 |
| Affordable | 3/5 |
| Quality of gadgets | 3/5 |
| Ease of use | 3.5/5 |
Customer Rating
Based on 5,288 customer ratings, Trustpilot Brinks Home has received a collective rating of 3.5 stars.
The majority of the complaints were about the poor customer service experience people had and the taxing cancellation process.
Customer Support
As we have looked and tested everything above, we also wanted to see how their customer service is. So Brinks offers two ways to get in touch with them.
You can either call them directly on (800) 447-9239 between 8 am to 8 pm CST any day. Or you go to their website and go for live chatting.
The slow responses put us off, and they need to improve their poor customer service.
Comparison
| Company | Brinks | Abode |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 1859 | 2014 |
| Installation | Both DIY and professional installation available | DIY |
| Contract | 3 years | Not needed |
| Features | Instant interactive messaging and more | Easy integration with other devices, etc. |
| Price | $199.00 – $699.00 per year | $329 – $620 per year |
| BBB rating | Not accredited | Not accredited |
| Trustpilot Rating | 3.5 | 3.6 |
Read Abode Review
Final Verdict
We like the products that Brinks offers. But it is not the best home security company out there.
There are definitely quite a few things that Brinks can improve on, like the camera resolution offered along with the price monitoring system.
However, if you want gadgets of higher quality, then there are certainly better options available in the market, like Vivint.
Vivint charges $29.99 – $44.99 per month and charges $49 for professional installation and also offers a camera, motion sensors, etc., of the highest quality.
If you want to know more about Vivint, then make sure to read the full-length review on it.
FAQ’s
Does Brinks Home Security come with any warranty?
Yes, Brinks Home Security come with a two year warranty period.
What if I have pets? Will they set off the alarm?
Brinks comes with a pet immune sensor which is designed to ignore a pet’s movement for up to forty pounds of weight.
Can Brinks integrate with my thermostat?
It can integrate with some Google Nest thermostats and also offers its own thermostat.
How can one monitor using Brinks home security?
Brinks allows you to monitor your mobile activity via the Brinks app or the touchscreen control panel.
How much does Brinks cost?
Brinks security package starts at $199 and goes up to $700.
Shefali Jain is a Content Editor & Writer at National Planning Cycles.
After completing her graduation in hospitality, Shefali decided to follow her passion and started writing. Shefali has been writing for two years now and contributes to our website as a skilled editor and content writer with strong research skills. Writing product and service reviews, biographies, and book reviews are some of her key areas, among many others in which she specializes.