After a Home Break-in, This Product Is the Only Thing That Gives Me Peace of Mind When Traveling

Two weeks ago, I came home to find that someone had been in my house, uninvited. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Goldilocks. This marks the second time that my house has been broken into in the last five years. As a travel writer, I’m gone a lot, so it doesn’t surprise me that my house was a target — especially since I didn’t have a security camera. This was a wake-up call.

Fast forward to today. I’m watching the sun rise over the Indian Ocean from my room at Santorini Mozambique. If I look at my phone, however, I can see what’s happening right outside of my front door back home, nearly 10,000 miles away, in Montana. And, it’s all thanks to the Blink Outdoor Wireless Security Camera. 

To buy: amazon.com, $100

After this last break-in, there was no question I was getting a security camera, and I looked at many options to find the best one to protect my house when I’m on the road. After careful consideration, I eventually settled on the Blink Outdoor Security Camera because it offered the best value and earned thousands of glowing reviews from Amazon shoppers. If I were to write a children’s book about it, it would be called, “The Little Camera That Could.” At 2.8 inches by 2.8 inches by 1.2 inches, it’s definitely one of the smallest cameras on the market. But that doesn’t mean it’s not mighty enough to do the job.

For starters, the Blink Outdoor Wireless Security Camera allows me to record and view video footage in an impressively sharp 1080 pixels HD. At night, the infrared HD night vision technology kicks in, and despite the low natural lighting, the picture is incredibly clear. It’s basically the same quality as what I see during the day, minus the color, of course. It’s also compatible with Alexa, and there’s even a two-way audio option to hear and communicate with visitors in real-time. This useful feature can be accessed through the Blink App, which is free and allows you to monitor live footage and access old recordings on the go. 

Hardware-wise, this camera is made out of a durable plastic that is weather-resistant. It can even operate in extreme temperatures between -4 degrees Fahrenheit and 113 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the brand. This was a very important feature for me as Montana winters are harsh at best (and the summer heat can be just as unforgivable). I also like that the camera is black and square; it looks a lot sleeker and less tacky than the traditional white or tan cameras most commercial businesses use while still being discreet.

Setting up my Blink Outdoor Wireless Security Camera was unbelievably easy. No one in my life would describe me as tech savvy, but I had the camera up and running within 10 minutes. First, I had to download the Blink app, which walked me through the process, starting with pairing the device and connecting it to my WiFi. Because the camera is wireless, all I had to do was pop in the two AA batteries it came with to bring it to life. According to Blink, the batteries should last about two years. The trickiest part was mounting the camera, but even that only required putting in a few screws. 

With the camera installed, I can just open the Blink App on my phone to see what my camera sees, in real time. If I want to save a video clip or a photo, I can save it to the Cloud, a feature that only Blink Plus subscribers are privy to (you can start a free 30-day trial today). 

And because I don’t want to be watching the feed 24/7, I have notifications set. Currently, I only get notified when my camera detects motion. Every time someone walks past the camera, I hear a “ding” similar to what I hear every time I get a text message. I’ll also be notified when the camera is low on battery. 

Obviously, I’m a fan of this camera, but I’m far from the only one. With more than 106,000 perfect five-star ratings, the Blink Outdoor Wireless Security Camera is one of Amazon’s top-rated products. One camera costs $100 and it’s also available in bundles, so you can buy everything from a two-pack to an eight-pack to ensure that your entire house is covered; prices range from $180 to $630. When researching the camera, I read lots of reviews from shoppers who rely on them to keep an eye on their vacation homes. There are also plenty of reviews from shoppers like me who use them when they travel. One traveler even said that their camera saved their house from flooding; while they were away on vacation, it detected movement from the water leaking out of a broken pipe and notified them. 

Another satisfied shopper wrote, “I never imagined I could have such visibility of my home from anywhere I travel for such an extremely low cost.” And a third customer shared: “[I’m] very happy with the product. I feel comfortable leaving my home in the country for extended travel knowing I can check in on things. And, if something happens, I may have some recourse.” 

Obviously, the goal is for nothing to happen when you’re not at home. Hopefully, potential burglars see my camera — which is mounted above arm’s reach so they’d have to get a ladder or stand on something to take it down — as a deterrent. And even if they don’t, they still have to get past my front door (I changed the locks, too) and the Kevin McCallister-inspired booby traps I set up inside. Just kidding about the booby traps!

But in all seriousness, if you’d like to keep an eye on your home when you’re away, whether it’s for work or play, I highly recommend the Blink Outdoor Wireless Security Camera. Trust me, you can’t put a price on the peace of mind knowing that your home is safe. 

At the time of publishing, the price started at $100. 

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