10 Of The Best Safety Gadgets For Your Peace Of Mind

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There are many kinds of gadgets in the consumer tech market that contribute to your safety and security, both at home and away from home, to protect you and your family. Since there are so many options, it can be difficult to choose the ones that offer you the greatest peace of mind and provide the best value for the money.

This roundup was designed to help you pick the best, most reliable, most reasonably priced safety devices. We've included gadgets for use on your person, such as a light-up running vest and a personal safety alarm, as well as home security upgrades, inclusive of smart locks and video doorbells.

All recommended products are available on Amazon for less than $250, and each item in question has received at least 1,000 customer ratings making up average scores of 4.2 stars or greater. We've assessed Amazon customer feedback and measured it against insights from professional reviewers to determine how reliably every item here performs.

Personal safety alarms are minimalist, pocket-sized gadgets that can help you in vulnerable situations, like when you're walking outside late at night. The She's Birdie 3.0 Personal Safety Alarm, available on Amazon for just shy of $30, sounds off a 130dB siren — that's as loud as a jet taking off — when you pull on its top ring. Doing that also activates a flashing strobe light, which further increases your chances of attracting attention and scaring off potential threats. Many Amazon customers have stated that they feel more confident and safer with this alarm on hand, since it can be enabled with one swift motion. The gadget has earned an average score of 4.6 stars after more than 1,700 reviews.

The She's Birdie alarm is equipped with a rechargeable battery that can power its sound and light for up to 120 minutes on one charge. It also has a charging indicator light that tells you when it's due to be plugged in. NBC News noted that it's compact enough to take with you wherever you go, pointing out that its discreet design doesn't make it look like a self-defense tool, which is advantageous for catching attackers off guard. The review described the device as "a great investment in your personal safety," and with its modest price tag, it can reasonably be purchased for everyone in the family.

A personal safety alarm might deter some attackers, but not all, so you may want an item capable of non-lethal force for protection in scenarios where it's implausible to avoid self defense. You could carry a stun gun for this purpose, provided it's legal to possess and use one in your state. The rechargeable Vipertek VTS-989 Stun Gun is one well-reviewed self-defense option on Amazon with an average score of 4.6 stars following more than 39,200 ratings. The device sells for $25.99; dozens of shoppers have commented on how affordable it is, with one reviewer claiming that it "does not feel cheap." Adventure Outdoors demonstrated how quickly you can get it working; you first unlock the stun gun with a black slider on one side of the device, then enable it with one flick of the red power button on the other side.

The electric shock from this stun gun comes from the two metal electrode tips at the end of the gadget, but the device also has metal strips on its sides, which are designed to shock attackers attempting to grab it from your hands. That said, the gadget's bright electric arc and loud crackling sound may very well be enough to scare off an assailant. As Adventure Outdoors put it, "If someone heard or saw [the electrical arc], I don't think they'd want any part of [it]." The stun gun also comes with a carrying pouch and a charging cable.

Running lights are great gadgets for runners who have no choice but to get their miles in when it's dark outside. To make you more visible to passing vehicles, consider the Noxgear Tracer 2 Reflective Running Vest. Available on Amazon for $67.95, the vest has received more than 6,300 ratings with an impressive average score of 4.8 stars. It offers eight colors with eight flashing modes, all of which are accessible with a single button press. A version with a chest light (pictured) is also available for $90. 

This running vest is rechargeable and lasts up to 20 hours before its battery runs out. It's also weatherproof with an IP67 rating — meaning you don't have to worry about it getting damaged in the rain. Several Amazon shoppers expressed having forgotten they were wearing this Noxgear running vest because it's so lightweight and comfortable, with even more reviewers adding that it's suitable for cycling or walking just as much as it is for running. Dozens have also stated that the vest can be seen from a considerable distance, with one buyer describing it as "literally life saving" after it helped prevent a potential collision involving a distracted driver.

According to RunBuzz, the lights on this vest are more effective than reflective strips on clothing because the former are always visible, whereas the latter only works when light is pointed directly at them. The review also noted that the vest's design is an improvement from that of its predecessor, the Noxgear Tracer 360, because it has extra adjustment points for a more secure fit.

The Apple Watch SE 3 is an excellent fitness tracker that monitors a wide range of health metrics. However, it also gives you peace of mind through several Apple Watch safety features, including fall detection and crash detection. If the wearable detects that you've taken a hard fall or been in a car accident, it'll check on you and give you the option to place an SOS call. If you don't respond in 40 seconds following that, the gadget will call emergency services to get you help, and it'll also notify anyone you've set as an emergency contact about the incident. Several Amazon shoppers stated how helpful they find the SE 3's safety, especially those with elderly parents who live alone, or with spouses who drive to work every day.

As of this writing, fall and crash detection are both available on all current-gen Watch models, but at $239.99, the 40mm Apple Watch SE 3 (with GPS) is the most affordable option among them all. On Amazon, it has an average score of 4.7 stars following more than 4,700 reviews, so it's also well liked. In its review of the device, Wareable described it as "the ideal starter smartwatch for iPhone users" because it comes with all of the most important Apple Watch features, despite costing a fraction of the price of premium Apple Watches.

There are several compact travel gadgets that can protect you while you're away from home. One of them is the battery-operated Emdmak Door Stop Alarm, which goes for a slight $7.99 on Amazon. When it detects someone opening your door, the device emits a 120dB siren. That would sound as loud as a thunderclap, which would most likely wake you up and frighten a potential intruder. It also has a rubberized underside to function as a door stopper on any kind of surface. Many shoppers on Amazon have claimed the anti-intruder alarm is extremely loud, and well over a hundred reviewers mentioned having used it during hotel stays for added peace of mind while traveling. Over 9,300 people have rated the product to give it an average rating of 4.4 stars.

If you feel the Emdmak door stop alarm is either too reactive or not reactive enough, you can adjust its sensitivity setting to one of three different modes: low, medium, or high. That's pretty much the only bit of fussing you'd ever have to make with this gadget, besides inserting a 9V battery and turning it on, which Reader's Digest appreciated. Its review of the device also mentioned the alarm can be used in your own home for extra security, especially if you live in an apartment or a condominium.

Quality dashcams work seamlessly in your car once you set them up, and they provide significant peace of mind while you're driving. Beyond constantly recording the road, some models — like the 70mai A800S — go the extra mile in terms of safety features. At $99.99 on Amazon, this dashcam comes with an advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) that GizChina described as an "extra layer of safety" on top of attentive driving. It sends voice alerts to warn you when your car is moving out of its lane, as well as when there's a chance of colliding with the vehicle in front of you. The gadget can also work as a surveillance camera while your vehicle is parked, although setting it up for that purpose requires wiring the dashcam to your vehicle's battery using the $28 70mai Hardwire Kit UP03.

This 70mai dashcam has received an average score of 4.4 stars on Amazon after almost 1,600 ratings, with many customers speaking to the dashcam's excellent video quality. The 4K Ultra HD front camera and 1080p rear camera are capable of capturing important details clearly, such as plate numbers — even at night, according to shoppers. The gadget supports microSD cards with capacities of up to 256GB, but once storage is full, it overwrites the oldest footage to enable continuous recording.

There are many reasons to buy a smart lock, such as remote access, automatic locking and unlocking, and multiple access options. The Eufy C220, which has received more than 4,300 reviews on Amazon for an average score of 4.2 stars, checks all those boxes for $169.99. You can unlock it using your fingerprint, the keypad, a physical key, the Eufy Security app, your Apple Watch, or even with voice commands through Amazon's Alexa or Google Assistant. The retailer's customers said that it's convenient to have several options to open their door, as well as to be able to unlock and lock the door remotely. Many also mentioned that the smart lock is durable, unaffected by rain or excessively cold or hot temperatures.

Many Amazon shoppers have said the Eufy smart lock is straightforward to set up; Tinker Forward confirmed this by demonstrating the entire installation process, from removing the old deadbolt to setting up the smart lock with the help of the Eufy companion app. The gadget runs on eight AA batteries that should last about eight months, but — as Tinker Forward highlighted in its review — you can plug a power bank into the lock's USB-C port to unlock your door in case the lock's batteries die before you're able to install new ones.

Networked security cameras give you remote eyes into your home so you can monitor your children, pets, or other activity in the house, such as deliveries. At $26.99, the TP-Link Tapo C200 is a budget-friendly option that's earned an average score of 4.5 stars after nearly 41,000 ratings. Many shoppers have praised the gadget's 1080p video quality, as well as its useful panning and tilting functions that let you examine an entire room remotely through the TP-Link companion app. The device's 360-degree horizontal range and 114-degree vertical range gives it an edge over many other similarly priced security cameras on the market, whose panning ranges usually max out at 180 degrees, according to Tech Advisor.

The TP-Link Tapo C200 security camera is both easy to use and quick to install, according to Amazon reviewers, several of whom pinpoint the gadget's two-way audio feature as a welcome bonus and an excellent monitoring feature. We've also tagged this specific wireless camera as one of the best security cameras that don't require a subscription; paying for cloud storage is optional, and you can simply have the gadget save videos locally on a microSD card with a capacity of up to 512GB.

A major perk of installing a video doorbell is being able to see and speak with whoever's outside your door, even when you're not at home. The wired third-generation Google Nest Doorbell, available on Amazon for $199.99, is one reliable option. You may need to hire a professional to install it if you're not comfortable handling wires, but once installed, setting it up with the Google Home app is a breeze, according to Tom's Guide. The review added that the app's interface makes it simple to access functions like viewing live video, reviewing recorded events, on top of basic app functions like adjusting notification settings.

This Google Nest video doorbell has received more than 1,100 ratings from Amazon's shoppers, resulting in an average score of 4.4 stars. Many have claimed the gadget's 2K HDR picture is sharp and clear, even at night, and they also speak highly of its motion detection feature. While you aren't able to store footage on a microSD card with this doorbell, you still get a generous amount of cloud storage included with it, even if you don't sign up for a Google Home Premium subscription — plus person and package detection features, which usually aren't free with similar devices, according to Tom's Guide.

The SimpliSafe 8-Piece Wireless Home Security System ($206.99) is a comprehensive protection solution that can cover your entire home. The package includes a base station, a keypad for arming and disarming the system, a motion sensor, four entry sensors, and a panic button that you should place in an easily reachable spot, like at your bedside. Security.org said the panic button can get help just as fast or faster than dialing 911 yourself, but that functionality does require a subscription tier that comes with professional monitoring, the cheapest of which is $22.99 per month.

Amazon shoppers have given this security system an average score of 4.5 stars from nearly 2,700 reviews, with plenty of positive feedback on its straightforward installation and ease of use through the SimpliSafe app. Customers also appreciated the system's flexibility; after setting it up, you can expand it with additional sensors and components. The motion sensor has an impressive detection range of 35 feet, so it can spot intruders even in long hallways or large areas. The system's sensors also send an alert within seconds of detecting a potential break-in. With professional monitoring, the authorities are called immediately when such incidents are recorded.

Every gadget selected for this roundup had to be less than $250 and available for purchase on Amazon, with average ratings of at least 4.2 stars following a minimum of 1,000 reviews. We reviewed feedback from Amazon shoppers, as well as assessments from trustworthy, reputable sources, to determine how reliably each product here would give buyers peace of mind, whether at home or on the go.