I Test Home Security Tech. Here are 4 devices I rely on to guard my front porch

Your front door is your first line of defense against, well, anything you don’t want in your home. It’s also one of the first places burglars check when they’re looking for an easy break-in, and the pirates of the place check if they think lucrative packages are coming up. That means your front door is also the best place to improve home security, especially when the holidays are coming up and you’re getting more visitors and deliveries.

Here’s the technology I use to protect my front door and porch, in four simple steps anyone can get started with. You also don’t need to install a full security system or pay a high monthly subscription for home monitoring with these devices. Setup is very DIY and also takes very little time. See what you should start with.

A smart lock to control access from anywhere

Old deadbolts will do just fine, but any entry can get a powerful upgrade by adding digital features via a smart lock. Smart locks allow you to control your front door lock from anywhere with your phone, as well as create temporary passes for guests. They can support digital wallet keys for touchless unlocking, and many have keypads or fingerprint readers. Plus, you can enable settings like automatic locking, so you never have to worry about forgetting the door.

Smart locks come in two flavors: retrofits that leave your deadbolt largely intact and only replace your indoor thumbscrew, and full deadbolt replacements that give you new locking power, inside and out. Don’t worry about installation: If you’ve never installed a deadbolt before, the process is generally easy and doesn’t take much time. I have a complete guide where you can find more details.

What models do you recommend?

A video doorbell for smart alerts about what’s happening

Say goodbye to dusty doorbells of the past. Today’s high-tech doorbells do a lot more than knock: Video doorbells keep an eye on your front porch, while also giving you a two-way audio intercom right on your phone to hold a conversation – or even have an LLM talk to you.

Video doorbells also have particularly useful object detection functions, sometimes even for free. This includes detecting packages and alerting you when someone appears at your door, or when someone suddenly disappears. Video storage options can save recordings of key events so you can check who came to the door when you need to.

These advanced doorbells come in both wired and wireless versions. I’m a fan of the battery-powered, wireless models that you can set and angle to get the right view of your porch, doormat, and other key spots. Many can also work with your current doorbell, although you probably won’t need it anymore with phone-based bells.

What models do you recommend?

A delivery box to protect packages

Concerns about package theft have a centuries-old tradition of protecting mail. Today’s modern delivery boxes are specially designed to allow delivery people to put packages inside, but make it difficult or impossible for thieves to take packages out, through clever locking models, auto-locking, smart controls and other various tricks.

I myself have been using a delivery box for several years and find it very practical, as long as you have space at your door. Some versions even come weighted or screwed down if you’re worried about a porch pirate making off with the whole box. It’s a good idea to put notes in your deliveries to use the box, as despite signs, not all delivery people will notice it’s there.

As a final plus, these boxes also keep your packages protected from the elements, which is great if you live in an area that gets frequent winter snowstorms, like I do.

What models do you recommend?

A smart bulb for powerful lighting

Where front doors exist, there is usually a light nearby, such as an overhead porch light or a wall lamp, to illuminate the entrance and surrounding area. These lights can also get a significant makeover if you switch to an LED smart bulb, which are available as BR30 floodlights and standard A19 home bulbs.

These lights also give you phone app controls, which is more important than it seems. With my apps, I can control the brightness, set schedules to turn bulbs on or off, and even adjust the color to whatever I want, say for a holiday party. All it takes is connecting the bulb to Wi-Fi, so you’re done in seconds.

If you feel like experimenting, you can usually connect smart bulbs to other devices as well. For example, you can set the light to turn on automatically when a smart lock is unlocked or when a security system is disarmed.

What models do you recommend?

Now that your porch is up to date, check out the latest home AI tricks I’ve found that are actually worth using and how to get them.

Tyler Lacoma

Senior Editor / Home Security and Smart Home

Tyler has worked, lived and tested all kinds of smart home and security technology for over a dozen years, explaining the latest features, privacy tricks and top recommendations. With degrees in business management, literature and technical writing, Tyler takes every opportunity to play with the latest AI technology, pushing smart devices to their limits and sometimes throwing cameras off the roof, all to find the best devices to trust in your life. He always checks with the tenants (and pets) in his life to see what smart products can work for everyone, in every life situation. Living in beautiful Bend, Oregon, gives Tyler plenty of opportunities to test the latest tech in all kinds of weather and temperature. But when he is not at work, he can be found hitting the trails, trying out a new food recipe for his loved ones, catching up on his favorite books or playing with close friends.

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