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Nest Secure Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.1 / 5 (Excellent)
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Nest Labs, Inc. is a home security company based out of Palo Alto, California, that offers hardware, software, and other services for homes.

Chief among its proprietary products is Nest Cam, its cloud-based video monitoring camera and cloud service that allows customers to keep abreast of whatever's going on in their home, at all times.

Founded in 2010 (though now a subsidiary of Alphabet, Inc.), Nest sells its products internationally.
 
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How is Nest rated?

Breakdown

4.0/5
Equipment
4.0/5
Monitoring Options and Technology
4.5/5
Value
4.0/5
Contract/Subscription Flexibility

Overall Rating: 4.1 / 5 (Excellent)

Nest offers home security and smart home technology and devices at a very affordable price point.

Since its systems and equipment layouts can be fully customized, the company only offers one basic package of devices, to which more equipment can be added as customer's see fit, including a large range of smart home features.

All monitoring and installations are DIY, and all equipment works over WiFi, meaning that homeowners considering Nest should be aware that they'll need reliable, fast Internet for their system to work as advertised.

How does Nest work?

Equipment - 4 / 5

Nest equipment focuses on facilitating smart home technology.

The company offers smart locks, a smart thermostat, smoke and CO alarms, and both indoor and outdoor security cameras, as well as the more standard control panel, motion sensors, and door/window sensors.

All Nest equipment is self-installed, and this DIY ethos is also evident in the company's approach to how it structures its security systems.

Though it offers a basic Nest Secure package, which includes a control panel, two motion sensors/window and door sensors, and two tags (essentially used as electronic keys); the company emphasizes customers' ability to custom-design the amount and array of devices for their home.
Installation
Self-Install (DIY)
Ability to Reallocate System

Security Monitors, Sensors, & Devices

Intrusion Protection

  • Door & Window Sensors
  • Motion Sensors

Environmental Protection

  • Carbon Monoxide
  • Temperature Change
  • Smoke

Surveillance

  • Indoor Cameras
  • Outdoor Cameras

Monitoring

Monitoring Options and Technology - 4 / 5

Nest doesn't offer monitoring services on any of its products, following a self-monitoring model wherein the customer is responsible for receiving alerts and acting accordingly, by calling emergency personnel.

This allows the company to hold to a lower price point than comparable, professionally monitored security cameras.

Nest products function over WiFi, therefore, consumers should be aware that the better their internet service and provider, the more reliable and consistent their security will be.
Monitoring Options
Self Monitoring
Monitoring Technology
Broadband

How much does Nest cost?

Contract/Subscription Flexibility - 4 / 5

Since Nest products are all self-monitored, the only cost to consumers is their initial disbursement for the purchase of their equipment.

Since Nest focuses primarily on DIY, the company only offer one set home security package, called the Nest Secure. Otherwise, customers are encouraged to customize their setup according to their needs.
Equipment Starting Cost
$399.00
Contract Required
Warranty
2 years limited warranty

Contract & Price Fine Print

https://nest.com/ca/legal/warranty/

Technology Integrations

Technology Integration - 4.5 / 5

Since Nest is owned by Alphabet Inc., which is technically Google's parent company since a corporate restructuring process carried out in 2015, it's no wonder that the company offers a number of technological integrations and smart home compatibilities.

Among these, Nest devices can be connected to Amazon's Alexa, Google Home, and Z-Wave, though this last integration can only be accomplished with plugins in a bit of a runaround.

Compatibility

Google Assistant
Amazon Alexa
Google Home
IFTTT
Z-Wave
ZigBee
Z-Wave Plus

Mobile Access & Alerts

  • iPhone App
  • Android App
  • Email & Text Alerts

Home Automation

  • Thermostat Control
  • Electronic Door Locks
  • Event-triggered Automation
  • Unique User Codes

Nest Reputation

Reputation - 4 / 5

Unfortunately, Nest has a large amount of negative reviews, mainly centered around the company's customer service.

We found multiple accounts of extensive wait times, which, when combined with the high instances of customers who mention a marked lack of knowledge about devices and systems from the staff, leads us to worry about Nest's ability to successfully provide support.

That said, some customers report having zero issues with the company's devices, though they all do emphasize their excellent internet quality, which seems to have an outsized effect on the reliability of Nest devices.
Trust Pilot Rating
1.5 out of 5
BBB Rating
D-
Number of BBB Positive Reviews
2
Number of BBB Neutral Reviews
0
Number of BBB Negative Reviews
20
Date Collected
2018-08-04
Year Founded
2010

Nest Summary

In Conclusion

Nest home security systems offer a wide range of advantages over their competitors, notably in the large amount of integrations with different systems and devices.

Homeowners could potentially live in the imagined, futuristic utopia enjoyed by the Jetsons.

Imagine controlling your sprinklers, thermostat, and lighting from your car as you drive home, while you turn on the oven at precisely the right temperature for your pot roast to be ready by the time your kids have finished their homework (who you let in remotely via your smart locks).

While this sounds like the stuff of science fiction, it could be closer than you think. This isn’t to say that it will all come cheap, and that you won’t need to have certain systems in place for all these devices to even work correctly.

Most notably, Nest customers should be well aware that the quality and speed of their internet connection will make a notable difference in the reliability of their system, and that therefore, they should invest in the best possible connection they can afford, as this can either considerably minimize to completely eliminate the prevalence of false alarms that is common to WiFi-connected home security systems.

If, however, connectivity is not a consideration because you already have excellent coverage, then Nest can be an excellent choice for a smart home security system. A note about price.

Though much less expensive than a traditional home security system, Nest is still slightly costlier than its competitors. This can add up quickly as homeowners keep adding on devices and integrations, since the basic Nest setup is fairly bare bones.

However, the company seems to have taken the time to troubleshoot and solve many of the issues that can be prevalent in home security systems.

Essentially, though, in automatized and smart home security, Nest is the system on which others model themselves.

If you are perhaps interested in reading more, you can read our article on the Top 10 Best Home Security Systems for 2018.

Contact & Additional Information

Homepage URL
https://nest.com/
Company Phone
(650) 331-1127
Headquarters Address
3400 Hillview Avenue, Palo Alto, CA, 94304
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