If you visit dictionary.com and look up the word security, you’ll find that the top 3 definitions are:
1. freedom from danger, risk, etc.; safety.
2. freedom from care, anxiety, or doubt; well-founded confidence.
3. something that secures or makes safe; protection; defense.
We all want to believe that the safest place is our home. But have you ever felt scared to be alone at night? Or maybe you have a large home and can’t go back to sleep when you hear a bump in the middle of the night. I’ll admit that I’ve had those feelings on occasion. As a result, I jumped at the chance to review the SimpliSafe 1500 Home Security system.
SimpliSafe systems are marketed for city / apartment dwellers due to the fact that they are extremely easy to relocate if you ever pick up and move to another home.
Before we go any further, I want mention that I reviewed the SimpliSafe without the 24/7 Emergency Dispatch subscription enabled. This is a $15 per month service that does not require a long term contract. Without that service, the SimpliSafe will still provide audible alarms, but it will not notify authorities when these alarms are sounded.
Package Contents
Base Station
Keypad
Keychain remote
2 Entry sensors
1 Motion sensor
Panic button
Owner’s manual
Extra adhesive strips
SimpliSafe stickers
Phone line
AC adapter for base station
Let’s take a look at the individual components that make up the system…
The base station is a White plastic tower that has 4 connection points.
Three of them are on the back, an AC adapter connector and phone line in and out connectors. I didn’t connect the phone line to my review unit, since I did not have the 24/7 dispatch subscription service enabled.
There’s also a USB connector on the top of the base station. This is used to easily program the alarm settings with the include USB remote control. More detail about that in a bit.
The wireless keypad module has a backlit LCD display and 15 buttons.
It’s designed to stick to a wall. On the back are two adhesive strips. These are special strips that can be removed without damaging the surface that they are stuck to. If you need to relocate the keypad, extra adhesive strips are included for this purpose.
The other components in the SimpliSafe system are the sensors, of which there are 3 types.
Entry Sensors (2 are included in the 1500 system) are two part magnetic modules that stick to doors or windows and sound an alarm when the two pieces are separated by more than 2 inches.
They are really easy to install, with peel and stick adhesive backs. Here you can see that I’ve placed the entry sensor so that the large part (with the small Blue LED) on the door jam and the smaller part on the actual door. When the door opens the magnetic seal is broken and an alarm is sounded. I installed one sensor on my front door and one on my sliding patio door in my basement.
In addition to the entry sensors, there is also a motion sensor that can detect movement up to 20 feet away and 45 degrees to the left and right. It even works in a room full of windows and will not be tripped by people walking by a window (unless the window is open). The motion detector is also pet friendly and should not detect pets that are under 30 pounds as long as they are unable to come within 2 feet of the sensor. I placed the detector on a shelf in a bookcase in my basement.
The 1500 system includes a panic button sensor. This can be stuck on a wall or just placed on a night stand in a bedroom. The top is one large button, making it super easy to press without even looking at it. Pressing and holding the button for more than 1 second will immediately cause the 85 dB siren located in the base station to sound.
The wireless range for the Entry, Motion and Panic sensors is about 400-500 feet with a direct line-of-sight. Of course they will also work also fine between walls and floors.
In addition to the panic button sensor, there’s a panic button located on the keypad as well as the keychain remote control.
The keychain remote has three buttons: Panic, Off and Away. The Panic button works just like it does on the larger Panic sensor as long as you are within 50ft of the base station, the off button will disarm the SimpliSafe system immediately and the Away button puts the system in Away mode.
There’s a heavy metal ring on one end of the keychain remote that can be turned to reveal an opening so that you can add it to another keychain.
Besides having a hand held controller for the SimpliSafe, the keychain remote can also be used to program the system. The cap pulls off to reveal a USB connector. When you plug the keychain into your Windows PC, it will auto load a wizard program that will allow you to customize different sensor settings.
You can use the program to add and remove sensors, designate when a sensor will be active. Entry Sensors can be enabled or disabled. Motion Sensors can be enabled during both Home and Away mode, only during Away mode, or disabled. Panic Buttons can be enabled, disabled or set to silent alarm. Keypads and Keychain Remotes can be enabled, have the panic button disabled, or be fully disabled.
For example, if you have a friend with a large dog visiting your apartment for a few days, you may want to disable your Motion Sensor (set it to be “disabled”) during her visit. When she leaves, you can change it back to the previous setting (the default is “Away mode”). If you have a large dog and will likely never be using the Motion Sensor at all, you can select “Remove” to remove it from your system. You can always add it on again later by going to Manage Components and then “Add Component”.
The wizard software (which does not have to be used to setup your system) will walk you step by step to setting up all the components.
I placed the keypad next to my front door.
And the base station on a small desk about 6 feet away. Notice that the base of the base station is glowing Blue. It does this when the alarm mode is set to Home or Away. When the alarms are off, the light is off as well. You can disable the light by using wizard program.
The base station also provides voice prompts that will say things like “Alarm On Home”, “Alarm Off”, “Exit House”, etc.
Up to 20 additional components can be added to your system, for a total of 26 components (note: the Base Station is not considered a component). The best part about using this system is that all the components are wireless. That also means that each module is powered by batteries (excluding the base station, which requires an AC adapter – but it has a battery backup as well). During setup you pull out tabs to activate the batteries on each sensor. Expected battery life is approximately 2 years for the Keypad and approximately 5 years for all sensors and the Keychain Remote. The Base Station batteries are rechargeable and will provide you with 8 hours of backup power. (After 5 years, you should consider replacing the rechargeable backup batteries.) The Keypad will alert you when any batteries are low so that you can replace them.
In action, the SimpliSafe system is really easy to install and use. There are 3 alarm modes: Off, Home and Away. Off mode should probably be pretty self explanatory 
You can immediately switch to that mode using the keychain remote. If you use the keypad, you’ll be required to type in the 4 digit pin number that you setup during the install process. While in Off mode, triggering of entry sensors (opening doors or windows) will cause a door bell like sound to play.
Home mode will cause alarms to sound when entry sensors are tripped, but will disable motion sensors. You use this mode when you’re in the house but still want to be protected.
Away mode is the one you use when you leave the house. This mode enables the entry sensors and motion sensors.
When alarms are tripped in Home and Away modes, the keypad will give you warning beeps for 30 seconds, giving you time to turn the alarm off by using the keychain remote or the keypad. If you don’t turn off the alarm, the 85 dB siren will sound for a default of 4 minutes (it can be set it for 30 seconds up to 8 minutes). At this point, if you have the 24/7 dispatch service, the system will send them an alert. They will then try to contact you to see if it was a false alarm. If you provide them with a predetermined safe word, no authorities will be dispatched. If they can’t reach you, the local police will be sent. When you press one of the panic buttons, the siren will play immediately and the dispatch will be notified.
I admit that my testing of the security system may seem limited due to the fact that I did not test the 24/7 dispatch feature. I do feel confident in the way the sensors preformed as I tested them extensively for several days and did not have any problems with them not triggering or triggering for no reason. The only issue that I had with the SimpliSafe was that the voice prompts occasionally stuttered. Instead of saying “Alarm Off”, it would say “AlarmAlarmAlarm Off”. I think I found the issue to be my painted steel front door. The weird stuttering only happened if the door was open. If you look at the image above, you can see that the door is between the keypad and the base station… This doesn’t happen all the time, so it’s hard to say.
I really like the SimpliSafe security system for its easy setup, expandability, custom setup options and ability to move with you if you relocate. I think the price for the system is really affordable when you compare it to other security systems on the market. It gets a thumbs up from me.
Extra keychain remotes are $14.99
Extra motion sensors are $14.99
Extra entry sensors are $9.99
Extra Panic sensors are $9.99
Product Information
| Price: | $249.99 |
| Manufacturer: | SimpliSafe |
| Pros: |
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| Cons: |
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{ 38 comments… read them below or add one }
Good review, Julie.
However, what I would like to see in these home security systems, is an option where the system can be programmed to dial the police, then play back a canned message without requiring the monthly service.
@John Obeto My guess is that there has to be some kind of third party involved to verify that the tripped alarm is a real emergency. What if you had the feature you described and your system went berserk for some odd reason and it dialed the police over and over without you knowing about it? You would probably get fined.
How about a security system that calls programmable stored number (your cell phone, a friend or a relative home phone) ?
@Fred I would like that feature too. But that should probably just be a feature in addition to calling the police. Because when it’s all said and done, you the whole idea is to get someone of authority to come to your house in the event of a real emergency.
@John, Julie is exactly right. The police won’t respond to automated alarm messages and you could certainly get fined if your system called too many times and tied up their resources.
@Fred, there are systems available that can call you and play a message. We studied that option carefully and decided against including it. It just didn’t provide sufficient security for our customers. Too often the person receiving the automated call isn’t available or doesn’t properly report an alarm, so the police can’t get there quickly, if at all.
Also, keep in mind that with our service your monthly fee includes a wireless connection to the Dispatch Center. That cellular connection is an important feature. Even if the system was contacting you directly, you would still have to pay for connectivity. You could easily spend more each month to keep a landline phone around than you would on our service.
Chad Laurans
SimpliSafe, Inc.
Just curious, does the base station “chirp” when the alarm is disabled and someone opens a door? That’s a feature on many other alarm systems. We live in a big house that’s oddly quiet, someone can come in and I’d never know it. Wouldn’t mind hearing a little beep to let me know when a door is opened
This sounds like a fantastic system and something I’d want to look into for my place. And it’s good to point out the base station doesn’t need a landline to call for help, that’s a wonderful feature (well assuming we have coverage out in the boonies)
@Tim Yes, it does chirp when you open a door that has an entry sensor on it and the alarm is off. I like that feature too!
I love my system so far. I looked into other systems that claimed to be better and saved money without having monthly monitoring service and would contact people on your list. But what if if is 2am and they dont answer their phone? That did not make me feel better. In addition they did not even save money! I had a few issues getting my sensors placed properly but with a little tenacity a thinking outside the box I got them placed just fine. I am thinking about adding 3 more window sensors even though I have motion sensors in those rooms. I have two kids and so when I have it set on home mode I have three windows that are not protected. If I set it on away, when my kids wake up and wander in those rooms in the morning to watch tv the alarms would go off. I like this system because along the way you can figure out what works best for you and your lifestyle and make changes as needed. Tech support is super patient and easy to works with. Chad spent a good 15 min. on the phone with me to help. Dispatch is super patient as well when you are testing your system. You can test 50 times a day and they are happy to help. So far I could not be happier. You cannot put a price on peace of mind and the ease of use and helpfullness of everyone is such a bonus! Oh! and I love you don’t need a landline. We use vonage so if our internet goes down for some reason so does our phone service. So as long as the base station is placed anywhere you would get a good wireless signal you are good to go! No worries about an intruder cutting any lines to disable your system before trying to enter your home. I watch alot of Forensic File type shows and what not so I have become super paranoid. LOL Also watched the show It takes a Thief. And they are ex theifs that show you exactly how it is done and what they look for. One more thing to add, we are military and move every 3-4 years, so being able to take this with me wherever we go was another great selling point for me. Love, Love this system so far. Sorry to be so lengthy but wanted to get my points across to anyone thinking about this system. Thanks for your time and patients.
@Pamela Thank you for your post! How long have you been using the SimpliSafe?
Hi. The main review mentions that you didn’t connect the phone line to my review unit, since you did not have the 24/7 dispatch subscription service enabled,
The phone jack is there just as a backup option, the base station actually uses a wireless connection to the dispatch service as another poster mentioned.
Just to confirm, if the system is tripped; I am called on my cell phone (as I don’t have a landline) to verify the password BEFORE the police are called? Correct?
@Lydia You provide them the number to call, landline or cell. I don’t believe it matters.
no mention of having more than one keypad…….can it accomodate more than one as do regular systems….??
and do sensors work in lower temperatures like in garages….say zero degrees…..answers please….
If I decide not to use the monitoring. Can I change the phone number the base calls to my cell phone number?
@Scott No, this doesn’t appear to be an option.
System is simple & great. One big piece missing is contact-closures: Inputs (to expand existing or “legacy” systems) and outputs (enabling the system to trigger presets on other home systems such as lighting, automated window shades or DVR/cameras. I would call this an excellent start!
Does this system include a fire monitoring option?
@Maria at this time, they do not offer a smoke detecting module.
Does this system have an option to automatically contact
the police without first contacting the homeowner for the safe word?
That is the option I need.
@Jim,
I work at SimpliSafe and caught this question and wanted to just answer it for you. You have two options for immediate dispatch
1. You can program a Duress PIN, which will shut off the alarm, but notify dispatch that you are being forced to. They will not call your home to verify, but will instead send the police immediately.
2. For immediate dispatch on all alarms, you can set up your monitoring so that we do not verify alarms and go to immediate dispatch.
Hope that helps:)
Are you still using SimpliSafe? How is it going with the system? Thanks.
@Jack Yes, I’m still using it just to monitor when doors are open. It’s still working fine in that regard.
Seriously considering this alarm system! It sounds great, but I have one question..
Can you add more than one phone contact? We don’t have a landline, so we would use our cell phones to be contacted for the safe word. What happens if we use my husband’s number for contact, but I’m the only one home? Would we be able to list more than one number?
I don’t want the base station to beep or chirp for 30 seconds when the motion sensor detects activity. I want the siren(s) to go off right away. Can this be done with programing to the base unit, if so how much of a delay is required?
Also are there any problems with everything working properly in very cold conditions like sometimes below zero. Please let me know. Thanks
I just got the SimpliSafe alarm system. It took less than 30 minutes and have not had any problems. The siren is loud and the motion detector works very well. Keypad is very easy to use. For the money it is well worth it, money well spent for our security.
Here is what I wish to know: Do you have to use this at a residence? I have a storage unit in a storage place and would like to set it up there.
By the way Clark Howard just gave rave reviews to this on the radio yesterday. That is how I found out about it.
@Kev As long as you have access to power, you can use it anywhere you wish. Now you don’t even need an analog phone line as it uses cellular technology to make calls.
I live in a rather remote area outside Atlanta where cell coverage is not great. What cellular carrier do you use and is there some way I can find out how their coverage is at my house?
I have been in the alarm industry for many years, and I have seen companies like this come and go. I do not bash any of my competitors; I simply inform my customers in the value they are getting from my company vs. any other company out there, and educate them on the industry/products/service. It does upset me that there are companies like this that mislead customers into thinking they are offering a quality product, and shortly there-after they are out of business because of a few lawsuits and/or crooks themselves running the company.
Lets take a thorough look at this system:
1) Monitoring: There are over 800 monitoring stations in North America alone. Only 18 of them are qualified to handle high-security situations (Like monitor commercial fire in NYC.) This is clearly not one of them. Notice how there is no information on their site about their central station, or certifications/qualifications of the people monitoring your home/business. Make sure your alarm company provides you with such credentials.
2) Equipment: There is a reason why when you go into a bank or a jewelry store, you would never see mickey-mouse equipment like this. The “brains” of the system (the long white piece) is what provides the connectivity to central station, as well as the interior siren. If you are a even faintly successful burglar, as soon as you break into someones home, you head to the “thing” making noise, and you make it stop making noise. Adios alarm.
3) Service: More reputable companies provide a service call “crash and smash”. This is a patented technology that buffers an entry delay signal at central station so that if someone is smart enough to get to any control panel/brains BEFORE the system goes into full alarm, the police can still be dispatched. Ask the company that you are looking to do business with if they offer a crash and smash feature, and ask them to show it to you in writing!
4) Installation: Companies that provide self installation systems make me cringe. Why do you think that Jewelry stores/banks’ insurance companies require professional UL installation? We are talking about the safety and protection of your family!! Not buying a pair of tennis shoes! You wouldn’t have a plumber operate on your daughter’s appendix. Why leave this to chance? What if something goes wrong? What if the “tech support” people can’t solve your issue over the phone? I have many, many clients that have tried a self-install first (with a National company that is now out of business) and have boxed all of the equipment up and sent it back due to the difficulty.
I don’t disagree that with double-sided tape you can stick up a couple of sensors; anyone can do that. But not anyone can properly design the system. It may sound easy: “stick up a couple of door contacts and a couple of motion detectors, and I’m good”.
Really? I have had system designs that take hours to get it right with the client, in even the smallest of homes. You have to consider a multitude of different things like “I want to arm the system mainly when I am in the home” well, what value then do the motion detectors provide? Or, I have a dog and a cat, or What is the advantage to glassbreak detectors vs. window contacts vs. barrier bars vs. motion detection?
Any reputable company will sit down with you and design your system by taking into account not only the construction of your home, but your lifestyle as well.
The great part is: aside from the cost of the monitoring (you get what you pay for), my company offers a better product, better service, for far less than this company. There are companies like mine out there, you just have to search for them. Notice how I have not plugged my company anywhere in this review, I would just like to see people get the service/equipment they deserve. You work hard for your money. Why give it to a no-name, no-frills company to sub-standardly protect your home and family?
Trust me… it will be worth your piece of mind. I have many clients who thought they would go this route, but have realized the value in the company, service, and equipment just isn’t there.
I see a lot of positive reviews on here, but I can assure you none of them have experienced a break-in. I get calls from clients thanking me for the system that we designed together because without it, they would have lost their valuables, home (fire protection), or even a loved one, or their own life.
dear julie,
can this systems 85db alarm be disabled and the system still notify the monitoring company?
can the central base be located in a closet out of view and still be reliable?
how long has this company been in business and is the company private or publicly owned?
thank you for your time and your wonderful site!!!!!!
ps- we are in the construction business, and we would like the system too monitor our work sites after hours. (portability, reliability and cost major purchase factors)
I have two simplisafe systems with ATT modules. They were setup with the assistance of simply safe. They were working great for two month then they stopped communciating with the att wireless carrier. Because they are on ATT they simplisafe techs have not way of doing any remote diag. The units need to be reset locally. So this system according to the phone support was not designed to set it and forget it. It needs a human that is technical enough to monitor it and then when it stops communicating do a reset. Pull the batteries and power done for 2 min and reboot. Keep in mind the unit was working great until one day it just stopped. I wonder what SimpiSafe launches their fire version next year and in the middle of the night it stops with out notice and the house burns. The system should have an automatic reboot when it can not communicate with the response center. How hard could that be .
Dave,
Thanks for being a true security consultant. I too have been in this industry for 16 years, 10 as an owner and have seen companies like this come and go. I had never heard of it until a prospect mentioned the name.
We take a very consultative approach to your security, NOT sell equipment over the phone, much less have the owner install it. As with any electronic equipment: who is going to provide service? WHo is going to make that 3 hours emergency guaranteed service call at 2 a.m.?
and $20/ for cellular monitoring, WOW!
it amazes me that people how little people will spend to protect everything they have. Your kids will be proud of you spending next to nothing for their safety so you can afford those Ugg’s.
Without a contract? So who is holding up there end of the agreement? and yours? Companies like this will never stay in business, without an agreement, prove me wrong. Attrition too high. No accountability to either party.
It’s a disposable product, much like any type of video system from Sams or Cosco.
SPEND ONCE or SPEND TWICE.
Good review, thank you.
As of this comment, 11-5-11, it looks like SimpliSafe has been around for at least 3 years. Maybe longer. I found comments on their site dated Dec, 2008.
My system installed easily but needed a new keypad which was shipped quickly and without hassle.
I would add that the keychain remote program ran on my Mac as well as my PC.
The comment about the ATT disconnect brings up the need for periodic testing. Hopefully an automatic reboot is a planned update.
Mark / Dave – you guys are coming off threatened little sales guys who can’t charge customers thousands of dollars. Use common sense. You don’t need “certified” call centers or wired technology to make it a good system. They mean nothing. At the end of the day – you want the person at the center to simply call the police and have them report to your house. That’s it. The faster the better. I wonder what you would have thought about cell phones now a days 5 years ago?…. mickey mouse?
“qualifications of the people monitoring your home/business.” – Are you kidding?
You both sound typical of a concerned & hurt industry trying to convince people that “you get what you pay for”. I used to pay $700 for a VCR, I used to pay $700 for a cell phone, I used to pay $1500 for a security monitoring system, I used to pay $50 a month for monitoring service.
Get with the times, catch up – embrace technology. Welcome to 2011. People dont need to spend thousands for something that can easily be done cheaper.
Technology is growing and enabling and far superior than the old stuff. So in closing… as you stated:
“Notice how I have not plugged my company anywhere in this review, I would just like to see people get the service/equipment they deserve. You work hard for your money. Why give it to a no-name, no-frills company to sub-standardly protect your home and family?” …….
YOU can KEEP your BRAND NAME and FRILLS… I am more interested in the actual PROTECTION than the service & equipment.
Dave / Mark,
Security systems don’t really provide true security. Sure, they provide piece of mind but not TRUE security. They just make noise and if your lucky the police might show up in 10 minutes to fill out a police report. If the crook intends to harm you, none of these systems (regardless of cost, or planning) are going to save you or your family. The whole goal of a security system is to minimize the time a crook has in your home and to hopefully scare them away, and to wake you up so you can defend yourself.
If someone is on a budget and wants REAL security. Get a system like this that you can afford and buy a GUN. A 12 gauge is much, much better protection than 3 year contract with a “name brand” security company.
There are lots of legitimate reasons to save money and get a system like this. For one, the other systems are overpriced. Why am I paying $35 a month to a company for them to answer the phone once a year!!?
The problem I have with your comments is that you are implying people who don’t buy a professionally installed system are being bad parents or don’t care enough about their families. That is pure scare tactics.
Justin (victim of an actual home invasion)
Simplisafe,
Kudo’s for coming up with a system that provides security and cellular coverage at a great cost. Keep up the great work. Now my bio: Electronic technician for over 25 years, USAF, 2 top named alarm companies and the US Gov. Dave/Mark have some good points buts it’s more scare tactics than anything. The simplisafe system has it’s own nince in the market, that will take clients away from the top 3 industry leaders. Don’t hate Dave/Mark take the challenge and add to you profile something different. Think outside the box. I can go on and on but Simplisafe has a great idea and product, that can provide just as much coverage as a lot of hardwired/wireless system.
This system is terrible. Twice there have been instances where the alarm was tripped and the alarm sounded for quite sometime…but there was no response…after speaking to their representatives the first time we were assured this would not happen again, but it did. Not worth the risk. As a first tim homeowner I thought this was the route too go but learned that you get what you pay for… I am headed to the other guy.