Let there be light – on demand
The Arlo Security Light is a hassle and wire-free way to add to your security setup – especially in conjunction with Arlo cameras. While it's not bright enough to really work as outdoor lighting, the app and Alexa control mean it's more than just a security solution.
Pros
- Motion and manual control
- Totally wire-free
Cons
- Another hub to plug in
- Not hugely bright
The smart home is so often about bringing extra functionality to mundane items, and what better example than the humble security light? Adding to Arlo’s suite of smart home security products, the Arlo Security Light helps provide coverage more simply.
But is it worth adding to your smart home security set up? We’ve been using it and have the low-down.
Essential reading: Best wireless home security camera
The Arlo Security Light is never going to be an award-winning piece of tech, but it offers a simple way to throw light into dark areas of your garden and ward off intruders, with a dose of Arlo smartness.
Arlo Security Light: Features
The key element of Arlo’s Security Light is that, like the company’s cameras, it’s completely wire-free. No chomping into your house’s lighting ring, splicing any cables or drilling through walls required. Yes, there’s a magnetic mounting, but it works 100% wire-free using a rechargeable Lithium-ion battery – meaning it can be positioned pretty much anywhere.
Like any security light worth its salt, the Arlo Security Light will illuminate when it detects motion, and can also be triggered manually from within the Arlo app. That means it’s capable of doubling as standard garden light – especially with the colour control.
Unfortunately, the light isn’t really bright enough to bathe even a small garden, and even if you get the coverage, the glare won’t really do the job for replacing wired lighting for your next evening cookout. But it will certainly illuminate patios, side alleys and front yards.
Ding dong: Arlo Video Doorbell review
As with the company’s cameras, the Arlo Security Light connects to a base station to work – but sadly, it’s not quite the same as those cameras. It doesn’t attach to the router, but into a wall outlet. Seeing as we’re running the Arlo Pro 2, it was irritating we couldn’t just use that unit, and had to sacrifice another plug. It did give us good range though and the Security Light worked responsively even through the exterior wall.
And of course, if you do have both cameras and a light set up you can sync the two. This means creating a mode in the Arlo app that chooses a trigger (likely the light) which will in turn cause a specific light to start recording. We tried this out and it worked a treat – and ensured we got better quality footage by dispensing with the Arlo Pro 2’s night vision.
Arlo Security Light: App control
There are a bunch of settings in the app for controlling the security light. First, you can change the colour, with a wheel enabling you to select one of millions of colours – or just use standard pre-settings. You can toggle on colour, or just have it as a bright white light.
If you opt for white you can change the breadth of the light, between a wider floor light or a more focused spotlight, depending on your coverage area.
UPDATED…
You can change the duration of the light when illuminated, even when activated manually, so there’s no need to worry about leaving it on and running down the battery. However, you can choose to have it always on if you like. There’s also a strobe setting with a control over the speed of flashing.
There’s a dusk to dawn sensor too, which will stop your light turning on during daylight – or you can have it illuminate in bright ambient light, if you so wish.
Arlo Security Light: Integrations
The Arlo Security light works with Alexa and Google Assistant, enabling you to trigger your light remotely. This works well if you are using it to light areas of your garden in addition to providing security. We got it hooked up with Alexa in no time, just by using the Arlo skill and linking our accounts, and found the system to be perfectly responsive. You can use the following commands.
- “Alexa, turn on [name]”
- “Alexa, turn off [name]”
- “Alexa, set [name] to [color]”
- “Alexa, set [name] brightness to [%]”
- “Alexa, increase [name] brightness by [%]”
- “Alexa, decrease [name] brightness by [%]”
Arlo Security Light: Battery life
The battery will last a couple of months, but naturally, the more positives detected by the Arlo, the more that will be depleted. If you decide to use it as a light, the Arlo Security light will last around six hours.
