Canary Home Security Review: Smart, All-In-One, Wireless, Cameras, Customer Service, And More
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Canary is an all-in-one device that can monitor a space in your home. Unlike some all-in-one devices that only monitor your home with video, however, Canary can also monitor temperature, air quality, and humidity.
But does this make it the most capable security system for giving you added peace of mind? Or is it best suited for specific uses?
Product Name: Canary Security Cameras
Product Description: Canary's View, Pro, and Flex 1080p HD cameras are security cameras offering features like air quality monitoring, emergency response, and smart home integration.
Summary
The Canary camera trio shoots in 1080p HD and offers users a 147-degree view (116- degree view for Canary Flex). This DIY system has easy setup and installation, as well as optional 24/7 professional monitoring. The most-unique feature Canary offers is climate monitoring. The HomeHealth sensor can detect a sudden change in air quality and allowed to you set notifications for when temperature, humidity, or air quality goes out of user-specified range.
Overall Score
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Technology
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Ease Of Use
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Customer Service
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Overall Value
Pros
- Up to 1080p HD video quality
- Canary Cloud offers access to events from the past 24 hours for free, and you can bookmark up to 5 videos
- Great customer service, according to online reviews
- Ability to add emergency contacts
- Air quality, temperature, and humidity sensor (Canary Pro only)
- Android and iOS app 60-day money back guarantee and one-year product warranty
- Canary Flex can be used indoors and outdoors
Cons
- Only three camera options available
- May experience buffering
- Occasional missed motion
- Can only connect up to four devices on the free membership plan
- Some users report lag Flex and View do not monitor air quality and have no siren
Consumer Reviews
This is the aggregate score of reader reviews we’ve received. Have a good or bad experience with Canary? Feel free to leave your own review in the comments. Please note that only ratings with valid review content will be published and counted.
10 Key Features
- Three camera options (2 indoor, 1 indoor/outdoor)
- Easy, DIY setup
- One of the only security cameras on the market to monitor air quality, temperature, and humidity (Pro only)
- Safety Button in the app to summon emergency personnel (requires Canary Premium cloud storage plan)
- Up to 1080p HD video, night vision, two-way talk, 4/7 live video and motion alerts, and 10x zoom
- 147° wide-angle lens on Canary View and Canary Pro. 116° wide-angle lens on Canary Flex
- Smart home automation with Alexa and Google Assistants
- Basic, Premium, and Pro monitoring plans available for purchase
- Additional features with the plan include 30-day video history, person detection, activity zone masking, and an extended warranty
- No contract is required for monitoring plans, so you can cancel at any time.
App Features
Below are functions you can control within the Canary home security app.
System
- Arm/disarm system
- View detailed event history and alerts
Cameras
- Remote control cameras, including pan/tilt/zoom
- View live stream
- View recorded video
Not Supported By App
- Geofencing, which automatically adjusts your security and automation equipment after you’ve left a set radius of your home or “geo-fence”
- Lock/unlock doors (including opening/closing garage door)
- Control thermostat
- Control and schedule lights
- Control appliances plugged into a smart plug
- View doorbell camera
Price & Tech Specs
| Canary Pro (All-In-One) | Canary View | Canary Flex | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $79.00 | $59.00 | $179.00 |
| Video Resolution | 1080p | 1080p | 1080p |
| Field Of View | 147° | 147° | 116° |
| Night Vision |  | | |
| Motion-Activated Recording | | | |
| Monitor Air Quality, Temperature & Humidity | | ||
| Power | Plugin | Plugin | Wire-Free or Plugin |
| Person Detection | | | |
| One Tap Access To Police, Fire & EMS | | ||
| Weatherproof | | ||
| Operating Temperature | N/A | N/A | -4° to 113°F |
| Two Way Talk | With Premium Service | With Premium Service | With Premium Service |
| Colors | Black & White | Black | Black, White |
| Warranty | 1 Year | 1 Year | 1 Year |
Canary Cloud
- Free Access: 24-hour storage of 10-second video previews for up to four devices
- Premium Service: 30-day storage of full-length videos for $9.99/month or $99/year for up to five devices
Professional Monitoring
Professional monitoring is available for $9.99 monthly and includes:
- 24/7 alarm monitoring
- Real-time text-call notifications
- First responder dispatch
- Intelligent video verification, including person detection
- No contract means you can cancel at any time.
Canary also offers Premium Pro Monitoring that adds 30-day video history, full-length video recordings, unlimited video downloads, and desktop streaming. Choose to pay $99 upfront and then $19.98 monthly for no contract or $0 upfront and $19.98 monthly for a 24-month contract.
Consumer Feedback
Users love the easy, DIY setup and straightfoward use of these cameras. Canary’s mobile app is user-friendly and you’ll get quality footage from these cameras.
Our biggest complaint with the Canary Pro and Canary View is that they lack a battery backup. This is a pretty big flaw since both require power via a wall outlet. So if the power goes out or they get unplugged, they won’t work.
Praise
This security device is excellent! Easy set up. Great value. If anyone is reading… It would be helpful if Canary had a test mode. I would like to hear the siren, so I know what it sounds like before an emergency. Highly recommend this product! [Pro Edition] Montana, Walmart.com 3/13/2020
I bought two of these to add to my canary pro. I have one indoors and outdoors. So far, they have left me feeling secure! [Flex Edition] VFLOW, Best Buy 5/25/2020
Complaints
Big delaw, not able to use all features with out a subscription, when it clearly says, DON’T NEED SUBSCRIPTION on the box. Still works for live feed, so I kept it. [Pro Edition] Babyspin, Walmart.com 3/29/2020
i am disappointed on this camera. battery problem,in just 2 days need to charge the camera [Flex Edition] Connie, Best Buy 6/1/2020
How Does Canary Flex Work?
Canary Flex can be plugged in or used wire-free with a rechargeable battery. Watch how the Canary Flex works and see if it’s a good option for your home.
Should You Buy Canary?
Canary is missing some key components that we feel would make it a more complete setup (e.g., door/window sensors, motion sensors, etc.). And we aren’t big fans of each Canary device, including a camera. Not everyone wants the inside of their home video monitored, especially when cameras today are getting hacked.
Canary is probably best suited for studio apartments because of its wide-angle coverage, allowing you to get the majority of the apartment within view of one Canary device. It’s also a good option for those who want a way to check in on an elderly loved one or someone with a medical condition. Just make sure you have login access to the device, so you can check air quality and motion history to make sure everything appears okay.
Looking for a more comprehensive home security solution? Our experts have reviewed the best home security systems.
