Best Wireless CCTV System - Ultimate Buyers Guide [year]

Keeping your home and loved ones safe are two of the most important things that you can do! However, this can appear to be increasingly difficult with crime and thefts on the rise all over the UK. That is all the more reason to purchase the best wireless CCTV system that you can find – so that you can protect your home from anything that may come your way!

Research suggests that fitting CCTV systems outside your home can actually reduce crime rates at your property by 70% – we personally think this is a massive reassurance for anyone that is worried about their safety at home. Not only that, but if you do suffer from a break in, car theft or vandalism then you will have footage to be able to share with the police so that you stand a much better of the issue being resolved!

For these reasons, and many more, CCTV systems are becoming much more popular across the UK, with roughly 43% of homeowners having at least one security camera operating at their home. There are lots of CCTV systems to choose from, but personally we would always recommend a wireless CCTV system as they are much easier to fit and maintain! We have considered all the key features and found the best wireless CCTV systems for you to choose from.

Best Pick – Hiseeu Wireless Security Camera System

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What is Wireless?

This may sound simple but it is definitely something that we need to start with as there are differences in products and what manufacturers consider “wireless” and you need to know about them before you buy! A wireless CCTV system doesn’t always mean…NO wires!

There are two different types of wireless CCTV systems depending on which manufacturer you go to! One is a totally wireless system (which is probably what you are thinking of!), these models will store the data directly onto the device and can be viewed through your phone, tablet or another device. They will also come with a battery pack that will need removing and charging occasionally. The downside to this is the hassle of having to charge the battery – and remember to! So once every few weeks you are going to have to access your CCTV camera, remove the battery, charge it and then fit it again. Not only can this be a real inconvenience but it means that you run the risk of not capturing something important! However, these models are going to be completely WIRELESS so no wires trailing in and out of your home.

Your second option is a powered wireless CCTV system. These models are still known as wireless, as they aren’t plugging into a recording system, but they are going to have a wire that connects them to a power source. These options have the benefit of being powered so you don’t have to worry about the battery running out, but you have the downside of purchasing a “wireless” model that actually has a wire to consider!

In A Hurry?

If there has been a number of “incidents” occurring in your area then you are probably feeling more vulnerable than you normally would. Not feeling safe in your home can lead to anxiety, lack of sleep and increased stress levels – so here is all the essential information that you need to ease your worries…quickly!

Style of Camera

When looking to provide your home with 24 hour coverage and protection, there are four main types of camera that you will be able to choose from:

Bullet Cameras – These are basically a small thin tube, meaning that they are much less visible on the front of your property if you are wanting a system that is discreet. They are nice and small, so easy to fit, but still robust enough to avoid tamerings! However, due to their size they don’t tend to have as many features as larger CCTV systems may have, and although they are discreet, arguably you WANT your CCTV system to be seen if it is going to deter criminals from causing damage at your home!
Dome Cameras – These cameras are slightly larger than the bullet cameras but still relatively small if you are wanting something compact. They are designed to be installed on flat ceilings, so if you have a protruding facia or feature on your home, they can be installed simply and stand out less than a wall fitted model. Some will allow you to alter the position when fitted as well (more on this below), but as we already mentioned, they can arguably be TOO discreet!
Pan, Tilt and Zoom Cameras – These are much larger models that are usually used in more commercial properties, but if you have a large driveway or garden that you are wanting to watch, or have the option to attach the camera to the side of your property then they are definitely the way to go as they offer 360° rotation so you will be able to see all corners of your garden! These models are harder to come by as wireless options but there are a couple to choose from!
Box Cameras – The most frequently found type of wireless CCTV system is definitely a box camera. Standard in design and shape, these cameras will be able to offer you a range of features, a good amount of coverage and visibility of the camera itself (without being too on show) and are easy to fit. A fantastic all rounder in our opinion!

Resolution

By far the second thing that you need to consider is the resolution that comes with the different cameras that you are looking at. Frustratingly, more and more frequently we are seeing people struggling for convictions of criminals due to the footage on the CCTV camera not being good enough! But this is such a simple fix!

As you are opting for a model that is wireless, you are going to need an IP CCTV system that will be able to record footage to a device using your home WIFI network! You also need to look out for the megapixel count, as the higher the pixels the higher quality image that you are going to get. Ideally, you want enough pixels to be able to read licence plates and if possible show faces! The best models are going to offer 1080p images.

TOP TIP: It is important to check whether your camera comes with infrared night vision or not. Most frequently, you will find that if there is crime in your area it is happening at night – infrared imaging is going to let you capture this accurately and clearly!

Hard Drive

It is so important to check the storage space that is going to come with your wireless CCTV system. Even if the device is sending footage to your phone, it is still going to have to record to the central device to be able to store the footage.

Some are going to come with hard drives already built into them, which saves you extra hassle initially. They will be more expensive but save you the expense of paying for a memory card – which is going to be your other option. The models that require you to insert a memory card are going to be cheaper initially (even with the initial purchase of the memory card). It really depends on what is going to work best for you. We like that with the memory card options you will be able to choose the amount of storage that you want/require and could always keep the cards and just replace them with new ones when they are full. Whereas, with the hard drive storage options, older data will be wiped as the memory starts to fill up. This really comes down to personal preference as to what is going to work best for you.

If you do opt for a model with a hard drive then you will find that storage ranges from around 250GB up to around 1TB of data! Some offer even more than this but these are usually models that require a separate recording device!

Best Budget – Aottom CCTV Camera

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The Best Wireless CCTV Systems

If you are serious about protecting your home and are wanting the best CCTV system then there are always going to be additional features that are worth considering. Here are some of the ones we found…

Casing – Check the quality and durability of the casing that comes with your CCTV system. It is important that they are fully waterproof. Some models do this by making sure that there are no open connections whereas others will use a rubber/silicone seal over the top of the camera to protect the inside of the camera from any water!
Fitting – Wireless CCTV systems are always going to be easier to fit than wired models, which is yet another benefit to wireless options. Check the bracket that comes with your camera and how easy this is going to be to secure to either a wall or ceiling. You then need to look at how easy it will be to click your camera into the bracket and whether this can be done safely and without any damage to your home. This is essential as there will be occasions when you need to charge your camera, complete maintenance or possibly check the storage!
Microphone and Speakers – Some of the best cameras will come with both microphones and speakers. This will allow you to hear what is going on as well as see what is going on. Plus, speakers will allow you to talk into the device from your phone or tablet so that you can communicate with anyone that is outside.
Multiple devices – If you have a particularly large area that you are trying to cover then it may be that you need more than one camera. If this is the case then look out for models that come with multiple cameras as this will ensure that they are all compatible with each other and will be more cost effective.
Motion activated recording – It is worth checking how the recording works with your CCTV systems. Some are going to record everything and just override the oldest data as they go, others work by recording a number of seconds (normally 30 seconds) when motion is detected! This is a great way to capture just the essential footage that you need. The only downside is that you risk something being missed if someone dodges the camera!
Siren – Some CCTV cameras come with a built in siren that you can activate from your phone/device. This is a perfect way to deter anyone that is up to no good even if you aren’t at home!

Best of the Rest

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I connect a wireless CCTV system to my phone?

Yes! For most wireless CCTV systems you are going to be able to connect them to your phone, tablet or computer. It is important to just check whether there is an app that is compatible with your phone and whether your phone will have enough storage to cope with it!

What warranty will I get with a wireless CCTV system?

Most CCTV cameras are going to come with at least a 2 year warranty. Some are going to come with much more than this up to around 5 years depending on the product. It is worth checking whether registering the product online will increase the warranty as this does sometimes happen!

Will I need to pay a membership for a CCTV system?

Some models are going to require you to pay for a membership to record and store all of the footage with your camera. This is normally a few pounds a month and will offer you unlimited storage but is going to be an extra cost that you may not be willing to pay!

How do you charge wireless CCTV systems?

Wireless CCTV systems are easy to charge. Simply unhook them from their location and then plug them in to any standard plug for usually between 4-6 hours for a full charge. The only thing to consider is that they will not be filming during this time. Some can be charged in location but you will need to have a cable long enough to reach them and this could affect the waterproof protection of the charging port.