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If you're going to properly optimise your home security, a layered approach is always the best bet. Conventional methods such as deadlocks, alarm systems, and window sensors are great defences, but security cameras should always be on your shopping list. With such a vast array of devices and brands out there, it's hard to single out the best option, but my favourite brand for simplicity, reliability, and affordability has always been Tapo. After testing so many cameras, doorbells, and smart devices over the years, I've always loved Tapo's fuss-free system. You can subscribe to a monthly plan if you want to, but there's no real need. Unlike some brands, the best features aren't hidden behind a paywall, and you don't have to pay for cloud storage if you don't want it. Tapo's app is superb, the products connect up quickly, and it's one of the few brands that offer cameras that don't time out every few minutes - so watching a constant live feed is easy and problem-free. Tapo recently sent me some of their latest launches, two cameras, a video doorbell, and a new home hub, and I've lived with each one and put them through their paces. Here's a rundown of how I got on. Tapo C216 2K 3MP Outdoor Camera - best price at Amazon, £34.99 I'm going to start off by saying I can't believe how cheap this outdoor camera is. Its 2K footage is perfectly adequate, it has night vision, smart AI detection, and a spotlight - and 360-degree motorised pan and tilt. And, if you can catch Amazon's deal, it's yours for £35. As an outdoor camera it has a decent field of view, weather protection, and the night vision works well. The spotlights won't exactly flood your driveway, but they're a handy deterrent. Two-way audio can be a bit hit and miss through the app, but it has a clever AI detection that can detect a baby crying, so it's a brilliant child monitor. And as an indoor camera it possibly makes more sense because, although it connects through Wi-Fi, it does need a power source - and that can be tricky on the wall of your house. If you do use it outside, the alarm function is handy, and the motion detection is brilliant. The icing on the cake is its motion tracking feature. It's not the best one I've used by any stretch, but it performs brilliantly considering the price of the unit. An absolutely fabulous security camera from Tapo, and certainly one of their best. Tapo C460 Outdoor Battery Security Camera - best price at Amazon, £73.45 This latest version of Tapo's familiar wireless battery-powered camera really moves the game on from its predecessors, with 4K footage and eight megapixels. Image quality is the big upgrade here, and it's enough to justify the price, but the battery life is still strong with a 10,000mAh battery, which is enough to keep you going for up to 200 days if you set it up economically. Obviously, live monitoring will drastically reduce the battery life, but you do have the option of adding a solar panel, which is well worth it. Installing it is a doddle, thanks to its magnetic cup mount, and it has all the latest Tapo AI software, including motion detection and human or pet recognition. And this is all free, with no monthly cost. To record images, you just need to buy an SD card. You could sign up to cloud storage, but that costs money every month and there's really not a lot of point. Tapo is great at this type of camera, and there might be a lot of competition, but this is certainly one of the best. Tapo D235 Video Doorbell - best price at Amazon, £89.99 If you only have one type of camera in your home CCTV arsenal, a video doorbell is arguably the best option. And this new launch from Tapo ticks plenty of boxes. It has a 180-degree field of view, 2K footage, free AI detection, and it comes with a chime. Yes, there are cheaper doorbells out there, but there is no monthly fee to pay with Tapo unless you pay for cloud storage, and the footage varies wildly, so shop carefully. It's not the most attractive doorbell, it's fair to say, and it does lack some premium features, but its speakers are decent for the two-way footage, it responds quickly in the app, and the alerts are very reliable once you've got it set up properly. A solid option then, for anyone considering a video doorbell. Tapo H500 Smart IoT Hub - best price at Amazon, £139.99 If you're planning to build up a Tapo camera ecosystem, this hub isn't essential, but it'll underpin everything and give you a central point in which to store your footage. You can actually add 64 devices to the hub, and it gives you 16Gb straight off the bat, with expandable storage by adding a hard drive. It has a built-in AI system, an alarm, it acts as a chime for your smart doorbell, and links up to other smart devices. The really clever bit, though, is its ability to set up a 3D representation of your house, by mapping in all the Tapo smart tech and piling it in to one view. There's even a handy shelf to rest a tablet on, which means it can become a central focal point for your CCTV setup, and you can monitor the feeds live from the screen. It's one of those elements of a smart home setup that you don't actually need, but it's so incredibly useful, and I can understand why anyone would want one. It really adds a useful extra dimension to your home security.
