Hive HomeShield smart home security system case study: a top pick for busy families

After spending so much time at home over the last 18 months, it's a welcome relief to be heading out the door to work, social events or on holiday. But we're all getting used to our new normal, and leaving our homes unattended can be a source of anxiety, which is why home security is high on the homes agenda right now. We're looking for a home security solution that will offer peace of mind while we're out and about.

Hive HomeShield is a Smart Home Security System that lets you protect your home via an easy-to-use Hive app. Three modes – Home, Sleep and Away – can each be fully customised to your chosen settings, and you can operate the system (part of the Hive 'Ecosystem' from British Gas) from a smartphone, tablet or Apple Watch.

With options ranging from window and door sensors, pet-friendly motion monitors and outdoor cameras, you can tailor the level of security to ensure the perfect set-up for your home.

We asked Jen from @crack_the_shutters and her family to test the Hive HomeShield system at their home in Cheshire.

Hive HomeShield smart home security system: a case study

Who lives here?
Jen, a physiotherapist and influencer at @crack_the_shutters, lives here with her husband Miles, a treasurer, their two boys Leo, eight, and Magnus, six, and the family's rescue dog Danny.
The property
The family live in a 1920s five bedroom semi-detached house in Cheshire.

Have you used a home security system before?

Prior to using Hive Homeshield we have only used a standard alarm system and a couple of battery operated security cameras. I had been on the look out for a more integrated, easier to use system for a while for a few reasons. Our previous alarm had no function to allow it to differentiate pets from humans which meant that our dog would always set it off if home alone. This led to us often leaving it unset, which negated the benefits of having an alarm.

The battery operated security cameras needed regular recharging, which I often forgot to do and they became more hassle than they were worth. I was keen to have a system with a more intelligent alarm set up, door sensors and security camera and one that I could control remotely for ease and peace of mind.

It sounds shallow but one of the things that has always put me off similar products is the clunky, very functional look of the products. The Hive HomeShield system is sleek, smaller than any I've seen before and minimal in terms of branding and colour which allows it to blend seamlessly into our home's aesthetic.

How easy was the Hive HomeShield to set up?

We had the Hive HomeShield system installed by an engineer and it was totally hassle free. All of the parts required arrived in advance of the installation appointment and I received emails to guide me through the set up of the Hive app. The engineer arrived as scheduled and set everything up promptly, tidied up after himself and talked me through the full system and how to use it before he left.

The Hive HomeShield app is so straightforward to use, even a technophobe like me mastered it within about ten minutes! I use the app on my phone to control the system – it means if I'm rushing out with the kids there is no stopping, waiting for everyone to get out and then going in to set an alarm, I can just open the app press one button and the 'away' mode is set, turning on the alarm and door sensors.

We have also got individual PINs set up which we can manually put into the keypad to set or turn off the alarm, when the boys are older it will be super handy giving them their own codes too. I have alerts set up on my phone to alert me to any movement within the area I have chosen the front camera to monitor, this has given me massive peace of mind when going away, knowing I can easily see the front of our property and would quickly be alerted if someone was in our driveway.

What's your favourite feature of the Hive HomeShield?

I think it's the front camera. It is so sophisticated but simple to use and can be easily set up to meet your personal requirements. You can choose the area that the camera monitors, change the sensitivity of the camera and set it for any motion or only people.

Via the app you can go onto the camera feed and watch it live or play from pre-recorded footage of any movement picked up. This is a real reassurance when away from the house! The quality of the camera feed is amazing, in both the light and dark it gives really clear footage of faces and excellent sound quality too. I also love the fact that if you aren't aren't home but notice suspicious activity on the camera you can trigger the alarm siren remotely to let anyone up to no good know that you've seen them and hopefully scare them off!

The features such as motion sensitivity, pet detection and the ability to trigger sirens from the phone makes this, for me, the best home security system on the market.

I would highly recommend Hive HomeShield to anyone looking for a high quality, aesthetically pleasing and easy to use home security system. It has allowed me to easily control our home security on the go and when at home, has fitted seamlessly into my home management and has given us all peace of mind when at home and away.

Find out more about the Hive HomeShield and get a free, no-obligation quote at hivehome.com.