Planning also allows you to vary the light on and off times throughout the week so that no day is repeated and predictable for someone covering your home. Devices such as the Philips Hue smart light bulbs and the LIFX + BR30 outdoor light bulb allow you to plan their operation with different brightness levels and colors. These devices also allow grouping. So you can turn on or turn off multiple lights simultaneously with one program, one press or one voice command.

Get motion-activated lighting

Keeping the lights on 24/7, not only warns criminals that you are not home, but can also help potential burglars find a brighter path to doors and windows. In some neighborhoods, it's easy to know who is on vacation with the porch lights on during the day. Jordan Frankel, security expert and vice president of Global Security Operations, recommends using motion-activated lighting, which turns on when it detects motion and goes out at the end. of a while. "This will surprise an intruder because they have no idea if it's an owner who has operated a switch or it's a motion detection device," he said. did he declare.

Wirecutter recommends Sengled's PAR38 Smart LED bulb, designed to withstand moisture on the outside, and features a customizable motion sensor built into the bulb. When triggered, it produces 1,200 lumens, a little more than the typical LED bulb equivalent to 75 watts. Unlike standard motion detector lamps, you can adjust the sensitivity in the application of this light bulb so that it does not fire every time a big butterfly passes near it.

This should work with most outdoor devices, although Sergeant Michael Lambert of the Dallas Police Department still recommends directing the light down to get the best results. "It gives you the brightest view, because it hits the ground and stretches instead of pulling up, to the sky," he said. If you do not have an existing outdoor unit, or if you want lights triggered by movement along a trail, Wirecutter also recommends Ring Pathlights.

You can combine most smart lighting options with separate motion sensors to achieve the same result - and at the same time limit the occurrences of lights remaining on when they are not being used. (We have recommendations for smart sensors that work with Amazon Alexa, Apple HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings.)

Imitating daily activities

Choosing a fixed time to turn the lights on and off may deter criminals, but a burglar who monitors your home will quickly notice, after a day or two, if some lights go off exactly at the same time each day. Unlike a simple timer, many smart lighting devices offer an "absence" mode, which turns the lights on and off randomly for a set period of time and gives the impression that someone is out of control. one is at home and moves from one room to the other.

Smart cards are devices that you insert into a socket to turn a lamp into a smart lamp. Installing some in your home and switching lights on and off randomly in your absence is a quick, easy and relatively inexpensive solution. Look for plug-ins such as Wemo Mini recommended by Wirecutter and the TP-Link HS105, which have absence modes but can also operate at a set time.