Home tools Buyer's Guides from tech enthusiast who loves technology and clever solutions for better living.
Best driveway alarm 2018 – [Buyer’s Guide]
Last Updated September 1, 2023
Hey friends! I’ve got something important to talk about today! One of the most important sections in the article – the comparison charts for best driveway alarm in 2018!
I have been writing about technology and entertainment since the early 90s from my secluded home in West Virginia. So, you will find reviews on some models of driveway alarm that impressed me (and a good many other people), and you will find a few informational pages as well.
Best driveway alarm of 2018
I’ve based my selection methodology on customer feedback, the size, functionality, and budget to meet various demands. The table below summarizes features, and below you’ll find more detailed reviews of each good.
You must have heard that the best driveway alarm should allow you to save money, right? Sure, but that’s not the only reason you should consider getting one. I browse the various driveway alarm available on the market and list three of the very best.
Test Results and Ratings
| Rank | №1 | №2 | №3 |
| Product |  |
 |
 |
| Total | 4.8 | 4.5 | 4.3 |
| Design |
5 points
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4 points
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4 points
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| Size |
5 points
|
5 points
|
4 points
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| Construction |
5 points
|
5 points
|
5 points
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| Price |
4 points
|
4 points
|
4 points
|
| Awards |  |
||
 |
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|
 |
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How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the driveway alarm by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
№1 – Guardline Wireless Driveway Alarm- Top Rated Outdoor Weatherproof Motion Sensor & Detector- Best DIY Security Alert System- Stay Safe & Protect Home
| Total: |
4.8
|
Why did this driveway alarm win the first place?
I was completely satisfied with the price. Its counterparts in this price range are way worse. I really enjoy the design. It is compact, comfortable and reliable. And it looks amazing! I don’t know anything about other models from this brand, but I am fully satisfied with this product. The product is very strong. Its material is stable and doesn’t crack.
5
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
№2 – 1/4 Mile Long Range Wireless Driveway Alarm- Top Rated Outdoor Weatherproof Motion Sensor & Detector- Best DIY Security Alert System- Monitor & Protect Outside Property
| Total: |
4.5
|
Why did this driveway alarm come in second place?
The material is pretty strong and easy to wash if needed. The design quality is top notch and the color is nice. I really liked it. It is amazing in every aspect. It did even exceed my expectations for a bit, considering the affordable price. I recommend you to consider buying this model, it definitely worth its money.
4
|
5
|
5
|
4
|
№3 – Guardline Wireless Driveway Alarm- Top Rated Outdoor Weatherproof Motion Sensor & Detector- Best DIY Security Alert System- Stay Safe & Protect Home
| Total: |
4.3
|
Why did this driveway alarm take third place?
I hope that the good reputation of the manufacturer will guarantee a long-term work. I liked the design. We’ve been using it for 2 months and it still looks like brand new. This price is appropriate since the product is very well built. It doesn’t squeaks nor bents. Looks great in my apartment.
4
|
4
|
5
|
4
|
driveway alarm Buyer’s Guide
Power options
What types of batteries do you need to power the sensors and the receivers? Can you use rechargeable batteries or only single-use batteries? How long can you expect them to last on a charge? You can also check to see if any of the sensors offer alternative power options like solar.
Weatherproofing
Weatherproofing is going to be an incredibly important feature in most climates since your sensors are going to be located outdoors. They will be subjected to wind, dust, rain, and snow, not to mention extreme temperature swings up and down. There may also be situations where you want to keep a receiver outdoors, so check for weatherproofing on these units as well if that is the case.
Different operation modes
You may not always want to have your wireless driveway alarm beeping. If for example you are going to be working in your driveway shoveling snow, the last thing you need is to have the alarm beeping constantly at everyone else in your household. This is why you should look for different audio modes like alert, alarm, and mute.
Previously we discussed how driveway alarm systems may produce different beeps or flashing indicators to tell you which sensor was triggered. Another common feature is a set of zones. Each zone corresponds with an LED on the receiver. If a sensor for that zone is triggered, that particular LED will flash.
CWA2000
Loud alarm. Keep the volume low or blast it all the way up.
Easy setup. If you have five minutes to spare, you have enough time to install this alarm.
Affordable price. Before you pay someone to install an expensive security system, give this DIY option a look.
Rugged and weatherproof. The Chamberlain CWA2000 resists rain and won’t dry out and crack when exposed to sunlight.
Expandable. The receiver can process signals from up to sensors at once.
Long range. The sensor works perfectly even when communicating from 1/mile away.
The Chamberlain CWA2000’s sensors are super sensitive, but they have a tendency to send out false alarms.
Long battery life. One battery lasts for over a year.
Perfect for large homes. The receiver can connect to up to 1individual sensors.
Compatible with other Skylink products. Skylink makes specialized garage door, window and water alert sensors.
Low battery indicator. Just look at the indicator to find out when you need to pop in a new battery.
Loud siren. The alarm can be cranked all the way up to 9decibels.
Good range. Sensors can communicate with the receiver from up to 800 feet away.
You can use Skylink HA-434RTL sensors outdoors, but you have to take care to protect them from direct exposure to rain.
If you’re thinking about getting a driveway alarm but you don’t want one that will break as soon as you install it, check out the from Guardline. The GL2000 is the only driveway sensor we know of that comes with a lifetime warranty. The company is so confident that in their sensor that they’ll replace it for free if it stops working.
Lifetime warranty. If it breaks, just send back the GL2000 and Guardline will send you a new one.
Customizable. Quickly set up unique security zones that have different sensitivity settings.
Choose batteries or AC power. Batteries last forever in this device, but if you don’t want to worry about replacing them periodically just switch to AC power instead.
Catches lurkers. Stop shady individuals from sneaking around your property.
Loud volume. Choose from 3different alarm sounds.
Rugged construction. The GL2000 is built to resist rain, wind and snow.
If you want to hide the GL2000, you’ll have to cover up the LED with a piece of tape. The red indicator light gives the sensor away.
A good rule of thumb
When buying a driveway alarm, estimate the maximum range that will separate your sensor and receiver, and double it. If you have a lot of physical barriers between the receiver and sensor, it might be best to quadruple that range. Doing this ensures that your wireless product will always have enough transmission power to send a signal to your home reliably. Again, this is a rule of thumb, so exercise your own judgement when buying a driveway alarm.
Guardline 1000 foot driveway alarms
Our Guardline alarm provides all the features of a more expensive alarm, without the cost! 1000 feet is enough transmission strength to allow more flexibility in where the sensor is placed, but is low enough to keep costs realistic for the average homeowner. This alarm is built to serve the purposes of people who own a house of average size. They might have a long driveway and need to keep an eye on it, or live at the end of a road and need to know if someone is just doing a U-turn or actually coming down their driveway. Other uses are keeping an eye on the fence line of a backyard, to be alerted about a vandal hopping the fence, and so on. Most Guardline owners have to transmit a signal only a few hundred feet.
Guardline Driveway Wireless Alarm
The Guardline driveway alarm system is the ideal, simple to use, motion detector for your property. It can keep running on batteries and additionally the included AC connector, can be easily placed anywhere in your home.
The small device is easy to program and uses a high volume ring. It also turns on blazing LED lights when a sensor is triggered.
The open air movement locator IR sensors accompany defensive covers and a simple mount section. Every set incorporates one sensor and one beneficiary yet extra sensors and recipients can be acquired and included, offering you security for your driveway, door, home, or property.
The direction manual is larger than most. However, just a couple pages are really needed to know how to setup the alert. Basically, you place batteries in the sensor, hold down the learn catch on the collector, pick a few options (like the ring sound), and wave your hand before the sensor…and you’re finished.
When you’re setting up the device, you can pick “zones” for the sensors to be allocated to. Those numbers on the substance of the dark collector those are the zones.
You could program it so that zone is your driveway and zone is your back yard.
Unfortunately like any product it has its downfalls.
It was made in china, and it is entirely plastic. The lifetime guarantee is good to have but it would still be best if you avoided dropping it or it somehow falling.
It’s somewhat expensive, but has been proven to be worth the money.
You can’t pick what color the sensor comes in. This might seem like not much of an issue but some may want to keep their sensors hidden to avoid being noticed and damaged by criminals.
All things considered, this is a good quality product for protecting your driveway.
The Components Alarm System
A good starting point is to know what a system is how a system works. The basic process is that when a sensor is tripped and it communicates this to the control panel, there is a short delay and then the alarm is sounded and notifications are sent out by the system to a professional monitoring center or to the phone of the owner if it is self monitored.
The standard home alarm system is made up of components.
Window/Door Contacts – these are in two pieces. One piece is the sensor and the other is a magnet. The magnet is normally attached to the door or window. The sensor is attached to the frame of the door or window. When the window/door is opened and the gap between the two is greater than the prescribed amount (less than an inch) a signal is sent.
Siren – this sounds the alarm when the sensors are tripped. It can be internal and/or external depending on the set up. An internal siren will let anybody at home know that the alarm is triggered and in many cases this will scare off the intruder. Most internal sirens when set up in a house are not loud enough to be heard by neighbors. External sirens are normally loud enough to be heard by the neighborhood but this does depend, of course, on how loud it is.
Monitoring – a system can be monitored or unmonitored. A monitored system is one where the notifications are sent to a monitoring center that assesses the situation to determine whether to dispatch emergency services.
An unmonitored system can either work where only the alarm is sounded and is monitored by the residents (if they are at home) and if they are away it depends on the neighbors to alert police or it is self-monitored where the notifications are sent to phones of the owner and other people set up in the system.
Notifications can be sent by landline, cellular network, VOIP, internet or a combination.
Water sensor – these detect the presence of water. They are used in basements, attics and where pipes or boilers are stored. They can help in detecting a leak before it becomes a flood.
Cameras – these can be used to see what is going on at home by streaming video and taking pictures. They can be controlled remotely to pan and tilt around the room. They can be used to see if there is an intruder in your home or if it is a false alarm or just to check that your kids are safe and sound at home. These can start sending a feed automatically when a sensor has been tripped.
Home automation – many systems now give you the opportunity to automate your home. It gives you the ability to control and monitor your home remotely through your smartphone or computer. You can control your lights, lock and unlock your doors and have these things happen at a certain time or when a sensor detects an action. An example is you could have it set up so when a motion sensor detects someone entering a room the lights come on and when they leave the room the lights are turned off.
Monitored or Unmonitored
Monitored systems are monitored by a professional monitoring service (see going with an alarm company). They monitor the system 24/and will dispatch emergency services. You will be charged a monthly fee and be tied into a long contract of to years except for Simplisafe with it being the only company that has a monthly contract that allows you to cancel at any time without a penalty. Most companies operate with a year minimum contract.
There are two types of unmonitored systems – one where only the alarm sounds. The other is where you self- monitor and you get the notifications sent to you on your phone. You then make the decision as to what the right course of action is. The big advantage here is that you are not paying a monthly fee and you won’t be signed up to a long term contract. I’ve written more about the differences between unmonitored and monitored systems here.
Hardwired Or Wireless
A hardwired or wireless system describes how the various security devices communicate with the control panel. A hardwired system communicates through wires that run through the walls. Some modern homes come pre-wired that make installation straightforward. But many homes don’t have this and installation requires the drilling of holes and running wires through the walls and under the floor. Most people opt for these to be professionally installed.
Wireless systems communicate using radio waves. The devices and control panels have wireless transmitters. Most wireless systems come pre-configured to work with each other and the installation is easy and it can be done in a few hours or less. There are few DIY skills or technical skills needed to do this.
Wireless coverage is limited up to a few hundred yards from the control panel. It can be expanded with the use of repeaters but for very large homes a hardwired solution is going to be needed.
DIY or Professional Installation
When you choose a professional installer they can do an excellent job. They will know where to install the sensors for best coverage and to avoid false alarms. They are often the best choice when you choose to install a hardwired system as it involves running wires through your walls and under the floor boards. The downside of this is that you are going to be charged, your walls will be drilled into and you are going to have strangers in your house for a day or two.
Wireless systems are much more straightforward to install and many people choose to do it themselves. There are few skills needed with most systems programmed to work out of the box. You may need to screw the devices to the walls, windows and doors although you can use double-back tape to mount them. It can be done in a few hours or less. Most companies offer help and troubleshooting advice on line or by phone if you run in to trouble, so it’s worth picking a system with excellent customer service like Fortress Security.
Contracts
If you do decide to go with an alarm company to install and monitor your system you are going to be tied into a contract of some sort. It is important to understand the contract. Areas to look at are the penalties for breaking the contract, what happens at the end of the contract term (is it automatically rolled over and you are locked in again), what happens when you move. In the FTC article referenced in the section about alarm companies the FTC have a number of questions to ask before you sign on the dotted line.
You really want situation where you can get out of the contract when you want. Many DIY systems don’t come with a contract or you only need to sign up for year at a time making it much easier to get out of.
Door to Door Salesman
The advice is not to buy from a door to door salesman. There is unfortunately a large number that use high pressure and devious sales tactics to get you to sign. If one comes to the door it is best to not engage with them and don’t invite them in to your home as you might not be able to get them to leave easily.
Insurance
Most home insurance policies offer a discount for installing a home security system. The biggest discounts are normally offered for a system that is professionally monitored with a smaller discount for one that is self monitored.
How much of a discount you can get differs from company to company and policy to policy and needs to be checked with your insurance company. The discount offered is not going to cover the cost of the monitoring.
There are a number of factors to consider when buying a home security system. It starts by planning it and counting the devices you’ll need for entry points, motion detection and remotes for arming/disarming. Also this is a good time to make an assessment as to the additional security sensors, environmental sensors and home automation features to get upfront or at a later date so as to ensure the system you buy can expand to suit your lifestyle now and in the future.
Then it’s a matter of deciding on the type of monitoring, DIY or professional installation and whether you want a wired or wireless system.
If you choose to use an alarm company to do the monitoring and/or installation it’s important to do some extra checking on the background of the company using the FTC guidelines. The pricing of the system should be easy to understand. It’s important to be comparing total cost and realize the discounted equipment cost will be recovered in the monthly cost. So it is the cost of the equipment, installation and the monitoring cost for the term of the contract that needs to be compared.
If you choose the DIY route for installation and monitoring check out customer reviews and review sites that have taken the time to analyze the product in detail.
The system itself should be able to be expanded as you need, have a backup battery for power outages, manufacturer’s warranty, good customer support, be hard to tamper with and has a reliable system for sending out notifications.
And don’t forget to check if you need to have a permit, if you are charged for false alarms and if you can get a discount on your home owners insurance.
No subscription required
If you’re more interested in checking on your kids or spotting packages versus prowlers, the Netgear Arlo Pro is also a great pick. It’s the best battery-powered unit we tested and can go for up to six months between charges, so it’s easy to place and move. If you have an AC outlet handy, the camera can also be plugged in. It delivers an excellent image and clear two-way audio, and it allows for practical smart-home integration and seven days of free cloud storage. It also offers an option (for a fee) to add more cloud-based video storage, and you can use a USB drive for additional local storage. Because it’s battery-powered, it can’t record continuous motion, often leaving gaps of a few seconds in between clips. This makes it less desirable for security and kept it from taking one of our top two spots.
Why you should trust me
I’ve written about consumer electronics for more than 1years, including testing a variety of smart-home products, from remotes and security cameras to AV receivers and speakers. As a former editor for Electronic House and Big Picture Big Sound, I’ve written buyer’s guides for multiple consumer-electronics products. I’ve also done tech-related work for Wired, Woman’s Day, GeekMom, Men’s Health, and others.
Who should get this
Many cameras feature onboard speakers, with a two-way audio connection, so you can shoo away unwanted visitors when you detect them (or just talk to solicitors or unexpected guests if you can’t—or don’t want to—come to the door). If a verbal threat doesn’t work, some cameras can deliver an alarm that will alert neighbors and should clear your property pretty quickly.
If the camera captures video of something while you’re away, it can send you a smartphone alert and save the footage for later viewing. Some also integrate with other smart-home systems to trigger sirens, lights, thermostats, and other devices when motion is detected.
Pull Quote
Like the Nest thermostat, the Nest Cam Outdoor is part of the Works With Nest program, which means it can integrate with hundreds of smart-home products.
The Nest Cam Outdoor’s 1080p images and sound were impressive in our testing, both during the day and at night. In fact, this camera delivered some of the clearest, most detailed images, with a wide 130-degree field of view and an 8x digital zoom. It should be noted that the camera would occasionally downgrade the picture quality based on available bandwidth, which could fluctuate throughout the day. Nest includes the option to set the bandwidth to low, medium, and high, but that may defeat the purpose of having a 1080p camera.
The Nest Cam Outdoor uses a separate mount, rather than an integrated one, so you’re not limited to viewing one area. The mount is magnetic but strong, so you can attach the camera easily and move it up, down, and everywhere in between.
Although it has a lot of flexibility in movement, the Nest Cam Outdoor does need a power source, so it must be placed within reach of an outlet. This can be a problem outside the house. That said, the power cord is quite lengthy. The camera comes with an outdoor-rated 25-foot adapter/power cable. It’s a lot of cable, but that’s a good thing if your preferred mounting location isn’t close to an outlet. Nest also includes clips to make the installation clean and more difficult to swipe off the side of a house.
The Nest is also the only camera on our list with a truly weatherproof cord included. That treatment makes the cord quite thick, so you can’t really run it through a window opening. However, every other wired camera has the type of cable that comes with your standard AV devices—the kind you use indoors and the kind that my electrician husband said would be prone to failure after too much exposure to extreme weather.
The Nest app is easy to navigate, with a graphical timeline, clear imagery, and the option to zoom in for a better peek. It can also integrate with other Nest products, such as indoor and outdoor cameras, the Nest thermostat, the Nest Protect Smoke + CO detector, and everything under the Works With Nest umbrella. This allows you to set the camera to turn on and off at set times of day, go into Away mode based on your mobile device’s location, trigger lights based on occupancy, and more.
One other thing we loved about the Nest is how on top of things the company seems to be. After a recent security flaw was reported, Nest kicked into action to add two-factor authentication, so in addition to entering a name and password to access the camera and recordings, you must provide a security code that’s sent via a text message.
Flaws but not dealbreakers
Home Automation
Cloud Storage
The videos your camera records probably won’t be saved on the camera itself. Most home security cameras use cloud services to store and offer remote access to footage. Some models have microSD card slots so you can physically pull the video from them when you want to review footage, but this is a rare feature.
Keep in mind that not all cloud services are alike, even for the same camera. Depending on the manufacturer, your home security camera will store different amounts of footage for different lengths of time. This service is often a paid subscription on top of the price of the camera itself, though some cameras offer free cloud storage to varying degrees. Cloud storage service is usually offered in tiers, letting you choose between keeping footage for a week, a month, or more.
LED vs. Incandescent: depending on your requirements, there is a need for choosing between these two technologies. LEDs are however more energy-efficient and have a longer lifespan.
Watts vs. Lumens: it is better to consider the Lumens which is the amount of light produced then compare it the different watt requirements to identify which light is more energy-efficient at the same output.
Range: other than the illumination, the range of the motion sensor is crucial. This measures how far into the darkness the system can detect sensor movement. At least 40 feet is considered adequate.
Litom SOLAR LIGHTS OUTDOOR 2LEDs
The Litom solar light has 2LED with LEDs on both sides for a wider coverage and increased performance. The light is super bright and very easy to set up as it does not need setting up wires. Its motion sensor can detect movement 2feet away.
Mr. Beams MB330 Wireless LED Spotlight
The MB330 by Mr. Beams is a top of the line battery-powered wireless LED lighting product for home use. It produces 140 Lumens enough to light up driveway, yards or entryways. Its motion detector senses up to 30 feet away to turn on the lights automatically. A single set of batteries can power up to 1800 activations before requiring replacement.
Miserwe Solar Led Lights Pack
The Miserwe solar light has a weatherproof design and a sensing range of feet and 120 degrees for excellent performance. It is easy to set up on the wall in a place with direct access to sunlight to recharge the battery. It can work for four continuous days on a full charge, making it perfect for areas with low sunshine.
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Lighting is an important deterrent. When the driveway is well-lit, there is a lower chance for trespassers or theft to occur. Proper lighting needs to be in place at all times, but should not be intrusive to keep you up all night.
Motion sensor lighting is the best type. These sensors will only illuminate when motion is detected. They can be mounted along the sides of your driveway. The sensors themselves function as deterrent and an alert system.
Driveway Alarm Accessories
A standard driveway alarm has features that alert homeowners of security issues, but more options are available. Users can customize the alarm by using accessories that would only activate when a signal is found. These accessories include the following.
There are several accessories that can be used that would further enhance the security of your driveway. The good thing is, most of these accessories are inexpensive. Having one or two of these accessories properly installed in place can immensely bump up your homes driveway security measures. Provide the home and family with an effective and higher level of home security. Make sure danger is prevented the moment criminals step into the driveway.
How to save up to 86%? Here is little trick.
You must visit the page of sales. Here is the link. If you don’t care about which brand is better, then you can choose the driveway alarm by the price and buy from the one who will offer the greatest discount.
Final Word
First of all thanks for reading my article to the end! I hope you find my reviews listed here useful and that it allows you to make a proper comparison of what is best to fit your needs and budget. Don’t be afraid to try more than one product if your first pick doesn’t do the trick.
Most important, have fun and choose your driveway alarm wisely! Good luck!
So, TOP3 of driveway alarm
- №1 — Guardline Wireless Driveway Alarm- Top Rated Outdoor Weatherproof Motion Sensor & Detector- Best DIY Security Alert System- Stay Safe & Protect Home
- №2 — 1/4 Mile Long Range Wireless Driveway Alarm- Top Rated Outdoor Weatherproof Motion Sensor & Detector- Best DIY Security Alert System- Monitor & Protect Outside Property
- №3 — Guardline Wireless Driveway Alarm- Top Rated Outdoor Weatherproof Motion Sensor & Detector- Best DIY Security Alert System- Stay Safe & Protect Home
Questions? Leave a comment below!
Chatting about driveway alarm is my passion! Leave me a question in the comments, I answer each and every one and would love to get to know you better!
