5 Home Security Cameras To Avoid At All Costs, According To Consumer Reports

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Investing in a home security camera isn't something most people do for fun. Chances are you're either shopping for smart home security gadgets if you suspect your property is at risk, or you've seen and heard horror stories about intruders and thievery. Whatever the reason, there are a handful of security cameras on the market you'll want to avoid at all costs, at least according to the product review specialists at Consumer Reports (CR).

CR does an excellent job at testing and rating all kinds of things, and has been doing so for decades. Nothing is more important than peace of mind, and that doesn't just translate to how good a security camera's footage looks; variables like data security, battery life, and connectivity are equally important. CR covers all these angles and more, and it provides test results and appropriate feedback that are easy to understand.

Here are five home security cameras that CR suggests keeping away from, along with explanations as to why each product doesn't cut it.

The exterior of a home or business is one of the most critical locations for a security cam, but we wouldn't recommend using the SimpliSafe SMC301 for any crucial surveillance. Over at CR, the SCM301 ranked poorly for response time, so even when it does detect motion, you might see notification and footage delays. CR experts also dinged the SCM301 for its middling daytime video quality, and that's not to be taken lightly. In the event of an emergency, you'll want a camera that delivers crystal-clear visuals for capturing details like license plate numbers and facial features.

Feedback for the SimpliSafe SCM301 is a bit kinder on Amazon, but we read several reports of users not being able to get the camera connected to Wi-Fi, while others complained about poor battery life. Similar to security brands like Ring and Vivint, you'll also need a complete SimpliSafe system (or at least the base station) to use most of the features associated with the SCM301. Not to mention the price: For $180, you can get a great, wireless outdoor cam from many other companies and without being forced into a subscription or additional equipment.

On paper, the Arlo Ultra 3rd Gen seems like a promising device. It offers 4K HDR, a 180-degree field of view, color night vision, and even supports dual-band Wi-Fi connectivity. So where do the issues begin? For starters, you can't just buy one camera, and the least expensive option is a two-camera base station bundle for $300. That's on top of the $8 per month subscription you'll need to sign up for if you want to hang onto motion-triggered recordings, and that $8 only covers one camera (two or more is $17 per month, or $25 for Arlo Secure Premium).

But more importantly, the experts at CR gave the Arlo VMS5250 a lackluster grade for video quality — both day and nighttime footage. There's no sense in throwing any amount of money at cameras that can't get the basics right, regardless of resolution and area coverage. Amazon shoppers also reported issues with overall connectivity and poor customer service. 

The Wyze Battery Cam Pro is a compelling outdoor cam option, thanks to its battery-powered design, 2K resolution with HDR support, and integrated spotlight. It's only $90, too, and connects to both 2.4GHz and 5GHz network bands. But according to CR, you're putting your personal data and property at risk if you purchase the Battery Cam Pro. The camera took in lousy ratings for both data security and data privacy, and no one wants sensitive video information falling into the wrong hands.

On Amazon, the Cam Pro ended up scoring a 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on over 1,700 reviews, but users also complained about poor battery life, finicky motion detection, and unreliable Wi-Fi connectivity. We read similar reports on Home Depot's site, so it's probably best to stay away from this Wyze product, which is particularly unfortunate when you consider how cheap Wyze cams are, along with the fact that you don't need a subscription.

Kangaroo may not be a brand that most folks are even familiar with, a trend you may want to keep up after hearing what CR has to say about them. The cam in question is the Kangaroo Indoor + Outdoor Cam, which only sells for $35, and that's not even a sale price. Yes, it's capped at 1080p HD for resolution, and it needs to be plugged into a wall outlet, but those really aren't deal-breaking detractors in most cases. What is deal-breaking is the terrible rating CR gave this Kangaroo cam for data security.

On Amazon, the camera scored a 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on over 100 reviews, but it was the one-star feedback we found most concerning. Too many stories of cameras falling offline and the app failing to function correctly. We also read reports of the motion detection being too temperamental, so this is probably a lens worth steering clear of.

While Philips has been around for a while, the manufacturer doesn't have the tried-and-true reputation most folks looking for solid home security will be pleased with. CR gave the wired Philips Hue Battery Camera a bad write-up for data security, along with middling performance for all other cam criteria (day- and night-time footage, data privacy, response time, etc.). It's also not the easiest cam to find; at the time of writing, it was only in stock at Home Depot or through Crutchfield.

This Philips cam comes with a 30-day free trial of the Hue Secure plan, but you'll need to have a Philips Hue Bridge if you plan on linking the camera to your Hue lighting products and other outdoor smart home devices. Based on overall availability, it doesn't seem like the Philips Hue device is going to be around much longer anyway, and it's also a bit more expensive than higher-rated, competitive cams.

When it comes to testing, Consumer Reports brings a massive rubric to the table and vets and tests cameras based on criteria like video quality, data security, and other essential factors. Not only do we lean on the expert opinions of the publication, but we also look at user reviews from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and the Home Depot. Fortunately, we here at BGR have also conducted numerous hands-on reviews of security cameras and other surveillance gear, so we have a decent idea of how a lackluster cam performs.