Now for a sensor which is a bit different. Because while the others can be used as both security or to make life easier, this is very much only the latter.

When motion is detected, it will trigger your compatible Philips Hue lighting, without the need for any other smart devices or speakers. When you walk into a room, the lights can turn on in response and then turn off again when everything is still. Not only great for making life easier, but also for saving a bit of energy.

You can also customise the lighting based on time and room, for instance, if you wake up at 6 am on a winter morning, and the landing motion detector picks up your movement, you can set the bathroom light to come on with a soft glow as opposed to the usual neon brightness.

Maybe you want them all to turn on when you get home at night through the front door, so you aren’t spending ages feeling around the walls for the switches.

If you already have a Philips Hue system in place or are looking at getting one, then the sensors make a lot of sense. It is definitely one of the most advanced smart lighting systems on the market with dozens of items and bulbs to choose from.

It runs on two AAA batteries, so is wireless and can be placed anywhere in your home without worrying about wires, fitting and power leads. Great if there is a power cut. You just need the Hue Hub too.

We only say it is near the bottom of our list because of the restrictions and lack of security assistance, but if lighting is your only worry, then it is a failsafe option. Plus, there is nothing to stop you using it in conjunction with security, so while the others can set off alarms, turning on all the lights could be a deterrent too.

If you want to receive notifications when motion is detected and you are away from home, then the Hive sensor is a great place to start.

Whether you know the house is empty and want to make sure it stays that way when you’re on holiday, or if you want to be notified when the kids have arrived back from school (as a sneaky text can be sent from anywhere), the infrared motion sensor lets you know what’s going on when you can’t see for yourself.

It can work in conjunction with other Hive products, so if it detects movement then your cameras can turn on to capture the evidence, or you can use Hive Actions to control heating, lighting and plugs at the same time.

You can set up to six time slots every day, so if you know the kids are home from 4 pm onwards, you’re the last to leave the house at 8am, and you nip back for lunch between 12.15 and 12.45, just set the sensors to be off at these times. Everything can be controlled through the Hive app, including turning it on and off without the schedule in place.

A compatible hub is required, and as Hive products work on their own Honeycomb network, only the proprietary Hive Hub is suitable as opposed to a Google Hub or Alexa. It does play very nicely with these two as voice controllers, though.

The Hive is small and discreet, so it won’t be evident that it is in place. If you are using it as more of a security aspect as opposed to a light/heat controller, the size means it won’t be spotted. It is also wireless, powered by one AAA battery, so can be stuck wherever needed thanks to the self-adhesive tabs.

The sensor works best when used as part of the entire Hive smart home system, but if you’re just after a sensor, then it is still one of the best. Just be aware of needing the Hub which will cost extra and is unable to control any other brand bar the Philips Hue lights.

Should smart security be your main issue over things such as intelligent lighting and power, then you’ve probably considered the Yale range if it isn’t already in place.

This motion detector is a great addition to a Yale Home Alarm System, and just like with the Hive setup, all of the separate components can work simultaneously. Just add on what you need to tailor it all.

Because it works with the home alarm, it would also be a great addition to any out-buildings or garages. Multiple detectors can be linked up to the alarm so you could have one in every room if you wish.

Other reviewers and users have also commented that they have ones installed in their cars, vans and caravans, and any attempt to steal them when on the driveway sets the house alarm off. Great if vehicle theft is a concern in your area.

You can control every alarm separately, so if you’re in bed you can just set the upstairs ones to be off and downstairs on, or if the dog sleeps in the living room, you can have this one off but have the hallway and kitchen on. This is done through the app, where you can also name each one to ensure it is the correct one you are changing.

It has a 90° detection span, so should cover the entire area you need it to if it is sat flush against a wall.

It is wireless and easy to fit with the included wall plugs and screws. Power is given by three AAA batteries, which are simple to change and the first set come with the sensor purchase. Batteries should last two years according to the instruction manual, but only time will tell; it is still worth checking them regularly, and a little flashing light will let you know when it’s time to change.

Another Hive product which is perfect to add to your system, it allows you to receive a notification when a window or door is opened, and you are either away or in another room.

It can also put your mind at ease and let you know that all of the windows and doors are indeed closed when you’re on a staycation, by a simple check of the app where there are a log and timeline of activity. Or, you can tell if the kids have arrived home from school without having to rely on them remembering to text you.

All of the individual Hive items can work together to create your perfect home set up, so if a window is opened intentionally, the heating can be turned off, so none is wasted. Or if the front door is opened, the lights can turn on to welcome you home or off when you leave.

Installation is simple as long as you follow the instructions; it can be just as easy to get it wrong, meaning they won’t work. But once it is all done, they seemed to work incredibly well and notify us in good time.

This multipurpose alarm is primarily for detecting open windows and doors, but can also let you know the temperature in case you have left an unmarked window open, and it gets a bit chilly.

By connecting it to the compatible Samsung SmartThings hub, you can use the app to check up on your home when you aren’t there. So if you accidentally leave something open, or if a window suddenly opens when nobody is in, you will get an alert and be able to see clearly what has caused it.

Why not set up a little programme of events if an alert is given? For example, if it detects a temperature dip, use your smart thermometer to turn the heating off, so none is wasted, or if somebody is in your home who shouldn’t be, set off an alarm and capture them on camera.

It is very easy to get started straight out of the box. Just pop a battery in, and you can place it anywhere. You could place it on a cupboard which is packed with valuables, so if it is broken open, you can get an alert. Or, if you have a cat flap, it could make a great tracking device for when they are home or away.

Alerts are pretty instant which is great, and will keep your mind at rest – no worrying that something is going to happen and you’ll only be told once the culprit is miles away.

Able to send notifications to your smart device through the EZVIZ A1 Alarm Hub (sold separately), just use the included adhesives to install the Swann to any unfixed surface, such as a window or door that you want to monitor.

Whether it be an access point, garage door or outbuilding, it will alert you to any opening or closing movement so you can keep a check on what is open or act if something is triggered when you’re away.

Likewise, you can set it up to let you know if something has been left unopened for a particular time frame. So if you have an elderly relative who needs to open a cabinet to access their medicine, pop the detector on the door, and you can see whether they have taken it or not. Or, if your child should get home from school at 4pm and open the front door, if a certain amount of time passes without it being triggered you can check up on them.

The EZVIZ range of products is quite extensive, so you can always install the cameras or siren to work alongside the window and door detector and react if one is triggered. There is no stringify possibility with IFTTT yet, but they’re working on it.

Unlike the other sensors on the market, the Swann is one single product rather than two separate pieces which require each other to work. It is wireless so is flexible and pretty undetectable when placed.

The battery is rechargeable and can last up to 3 months on a single full charge.

Able to understand when your window or door is open or closed, the Eve sensor can alert you to any suspicious activity or help you keep on track of the status of every access point in your home.

Because it is HomeKit compatible, you can create relationships between the sensors and other items in your home if you have a hub (such as iPad or TV). When your front door is opened, you could choose to activate your lighting, or when a window opens, choose to automatically turn off the heating and radiators to save some energy depending on the temperature.

It will save you running around your home to check everything is closed too, as all you need to do is consult the app or ask Siri. You can also acquire insight and check when the last time your teenager’s bedroom window was opened to let some much-needed air in!

There is a generous amount of appliances in the Eve collection, such as a weather station, indoor air quality monitor and radiator valves, if you want to pack it out a bit.

The actual sensor seems very reliable and alerts quickly; we had no ‘missed events’ throughout our testing. If this is a particular concern for you, then there is scope to create an entire security system with other motion sensors and cameras for extra alert possibilities too.

No hub or bridge is needed, and it connects to your HomeKit enabled device using low energy Bluetooth so should be pretty reliable too. A battery is included and should last for a long time according to their statistics. It is an ER14250 battery, not quite as easy to access as an AAA, for instance, so keep stocked up just in case.

One of the world’s best-selling Bluetooth trackers, the Tile Mate will help you find keys, wallets and phones with little stress if they have been lost in a short or medium distance range.

It is 25% smaller than the original model, so is even easier to attach to anything and not be obstructive. Simply hook it to a keychain, bag or wallet to begin, or use a Tile Mate adhesive to fit to a flat surface.

Detecting items is easy enough. As long as the item is in Bluetooth range (usually up to 100ft), the sound can help. For instance, if you’ve literally just had your keys in your hand, put them down for a minute and now can’t find them, just get your smartphone to tell the Tile to emit an alarm sound so you can hear them before you see them.

If you can’t find your phone and it is on silent, the app can turn your phone on loud so you can ring it. The only downside is that the app needs to be open, so if you’re someone who likes to shut down everything once it has been used to save battery, it may not be as handy as first thought.

The app can also remember the last time and place it saw the Tile, so you know where to look first. Thanks to the map, it is pretty accurate in pinpointing the location. The pointer can be a bit vague though, especially in built-up areas, so the proximity feature will help you zone in on it.

What if it isn’t where you left it or is out of the Bluetooth range? Enlist the help of the Tile community, with over 5 million worldwide users. When a member comes into the range of the item, it will notify them, and they can let you know. This makes it one of the largest lost and found groups, and over half a million items are found every day.

Batteries are designed to last for a year, after which you can replace the Tile Mate for a special member price. They are non-replaceable and non-rechargeable, which just seems a bit unfair but a years use for the price isn’t bad.

Able to allow you to monitor several instances, from lost keys to people arriving home and knowing where the cat is, item finders are a great way of keeping track of everything that is important.

It will also let you know when somebody arrives home, or you can set up relationships with other appliances. So once you reach the driveway, the lights in the hallway can switch on, or when your child arrives home, the tag on their backpack will let you know.

Just connect it to the Samsung SmartThings hub, and it can also work with other security appliances, sound speakers or plugs. In fact, there is a great list of IoT items it can work alongside.

Another use is attaching it to your pet’s collar, which we think will come in handy for hundreds of people up and down the country! It will alert you if Patch is a certain distance from home and has presumably burrowed under the fence again but the incident passed you by. Or if you have a cat flap and like to know Garfield is safe at home when you’re at work, it can let you know they have left.

The noise is not overly loud, so if your keys were in your jeans pocket under a pile of clothes or in the wash basket, then it is debatable whether you will hear it. There is also limited functionality, for instance, if you dropped your keys when out shopping, there is no map on the app to let you know where they actually are. If you got an alert to say the dog had run off, there is no way to tell where they actually are.

For this reason, it is best used for a presence sensor to check on the comings and goings of the household, or left in the car so it can alert you if this is moved away from home.