Home security systems offer a way to keep tabs on your home while you're away, but not everybody has the need, or the budget, for a full-blown system with all the bells and whistles.
Sometimes, a simple device like the Kangaroo Motion Sensor ($30) will do the trick.
This standalone motion sensor is completely wireless and is a snap to install, and it gives you the option to monitor activity yourself from your phone or use an affordable professional monitoring service.
It'll get the job done, but it doesn't work with other smart home devices such as cameras, sirens, and DIY smart security systems, and it lacks a few basic features like geofencing support and activity reports.
Design and Features
The Kangaroo sensor is white, measures 3.5 by 1.5 by 0.7 inches (HWD), and weighs 2.3 ounces.
It has a range of 15 feet and a 120-degree field of view and is powered by two AA batteries, which are included.
It also comes with preinstalled double-back adhesive tape for easy press-and-stick mounting, spare adhesive tape, a pair of mounting screws for a more secure installation, and a user manual.
There's a tiny reset button on the right and a removable panel on the back that covers the batteries.
Unlike the motion sensors that you get with most home security systems such as the Abode and the Ring Alarm, the Kangaroo sensor doesn't require a hub.
Instead, it uses 802.11n Wi-Fi circuitry to connect directly to your home's 2.4GHz network.
You can connect up to 20 sensors per home.
When motion is detected, the sensor will send a push notification to your phone and leave text and voice messages.
When you see the push notification in the app, you can tap the Dismiss & Disarm button and call the local authorities yourself if you're self-monitoring, or you can let the response center call the authorities if you've signed up for the professional monitoring service.
You can also invite friends and family to download the app and receive notifications when the sensor is triggered to help you monitor your home while you're away.
There are two plans available, both of which require a subscription.
If you choose to self-monitor you'll still have to pay a $1 monthly fee to use the app, take advantage of push notifications, and invite other users to help monitor your home.
For $9 per month you get everything in the self-monitoring plan, plus 24/7 professional monitoring, and eligibility for insurance discounts of up to 20 percent.
With professional monitoring, a response center will generate a text message informing you that motion was detected with a request to respond by typing Disarm in the reply.
If you are unable to respond, the service generates a robocall to your phone.
This plan also has an option to be connected with a live agent, but it wasn't available at the time of our testing.
The mobile app (available for Android and iOS) is straightforward and easy to use.
It opens to a colorful My Home screen that tells you if your home is armed or disarmed and has a slider for arming and disarming your sensors.
At the bottom of the screen are three buttons: The Customer Support button opens a screen where you can request a call from tech support, open a chat session, or visit the FAQ section of the Kangaroo site; the Home button takes you back to the My Home screen; and the Settings button opens a page where you can enter your account and contact information, turn notifications on and off, invite other users to receive alerts, check battery levels, and add new devices.
There's a ten-minute delay from the time you arm the sensor before it will send an alert.
It's meant to give you plenty of time to get out of the house, but it would be nice if you could adjust this setting, since ten minutes is a bit long.
The Kangaroo sensor is a standalone device and as such does not currently integrate with other smart gadgets such as cameras, door locks, and lighting systems, nor can you add it to an existing home security system such as SimpliSafe Home Security or Nest Secure.
It lacks support for geofencing, which is used to automatically arm and disarm many security devices based on your phone's location, and it doesn't support IFTTT applets.
At the time of this review, the sensor also doesn't support Apple's HomeKit platform or Alexa/Google Assistant voice commands, but according to a company spokesperson, support for these features is in the works.
Installation and Performance
The Kangaroo sensor was very easy to install.
I downloaded the app and entered my mobile phone number when prompted.
I immediately received a code via text message and entered it in the space provided.
Once verified, I entered my name and was prompted to pull the yellow tab out to activate the sensor's batteries.
The LED began blinking blue and I tapped Find Device.
The sensor was discovered within seconds and I was prompted to select my Wi-Fi SSID and enter my Wi-Fi password.
After several seconds the sensor was connected to my home network and I was presented with instructions to install it on my wall, making sure not to place it behind a door or directly across from a window.
I was asked if I have an indoor pet, to which I answered yes, and was instructed to pick a spot between 4.3 and 4.7 inches off the floor and stick the sensor to that spot using the double-back tape.
I then gave the sensor a name and was ready to go.
The Kangaroo worked as advertised.
It had no trouble detecting motion from 15 feet away, but beyond that it was hit or miss.
The sensor's response time averaged around 10 seconds from the time it detected motion to the time it triggered an in-app alert.
It took around 20 seconds to generate a text message with instructions to respond by typing "Disarm" before I received my robocall.
My invited users also received alerts at the same time, and the app's Dismiss & Disarm button instantly canceled the alert and disarmed the sensors.
I never once received a false alert from movement by my dog or one of my cats.
Conclusions
With the Kangaroo Motion Sensor, you can self-monitor motion in your home via push alerts or have a professional service monitor your home and call the authorities if you do not respond after a certain period of time.
The sensor is easy to install and very responsive, and it did a good job of sensing human motion while ignoring small pets, but we'd like to see a few essentials added, like an event log and compatibility with IFTTT.
That said, it offers a quick and easy way to monitor activity in your house without the need for a hub and without spending a lot of money.
If you want to see who or what is moving around in your house, check out our Editors' Choice, the Wyze Cam V2.
As with the Kangaroo sensor, it doesn't integrate with other smart devices, but its 1080p camera will record motion-triggered events and store them locally or in the cloud for free, and it's only $19.99.
Cons
Requires monthly subscription.
Lacks event history.
Doesn't support geofencing or integrate with other smart devices or home security systems.
Lacks Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT support.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Kangaroo Motion Sensor offers an affordable way to keep tabs on activity in your home with options for self or professional monitoring.
Home security systems offer a way to keep tabs on your home while you're away, but not everybody has the need, or the budget, for a full-blown system with all the bells and whistles.
Sometimes, a simple device like the Kangaroo Motion Sensor ($30) will do the trick.
This standalone motion sensor is completely wireless and is a snap to install, and it gives you the option to monitor activity yourself from your phone or use an affordable professional monitoring service.
It'll get the job done, but it doesn't work with other smart home devices such as cameras, sirens, and DIY smart security systems, and it lacks a few basic features like geofencing support and activity reports.
Design and Features
The Kangaroo sensor is white, measures 3.5 by 1.5 by 0.7 inches (HWD), and weighs 2.3 ounces.
It has a range of 15 feet and a 120-degree field of view and is powered by two AA batteries, which are included.
It also comes with preinstalled double-back adhesive tape for easy press-and-stick mounting, spare adhesive tape, a pair of mounting screws for a more secure installation, and a user manual.
There's a tiny reset button on the right and a removable panel on the back that covers the batteries.
Unlike the motion sensors that you get with most home security systems such as the Abode and the Ring Alarm, the Kangaroo sensor doesn't require a hub.
Instead, it uses 802.11n Wi-Fi circuitry to connect directly to your home's 2.4GHz network.
You can connect up to 20 sensors per home.
When motion is detected, the sensor will send a push notification to your phone and leave text and voice messages.
When you see the push notification in the app, you can tap the Dismiss & Disarm button and call the local authorities yourself if you're self-monitoring, or you can let the response center call the authorities if you've signed up for the professional monitoring service.
You can also invite friends and family to download the app and receive notifications when the sensor is triggered to help you monitor your home while you're away.
There are two plans available, both of which require a subscription.
If you choose to self-monitor you'll still have to pay a $1 monthly fee to use the app, take advantage of push notifications, and invite other users to help monitor your home.
For $9 per month you get everything in the self-monitoring plan, plus 24/7 professional monitoring, and eligibility for insurance discounts of up to 20 percent.
With professional monitoring, a response center will generate a text message informing you that motion was detected with a request to respond by typing Disarm in the reply.
If you are unable to respond, the service generates a robocall to your phone.
This plan also has an option to be connected with a live agent, but it wasn't available at the time of our testing.
The mobile app (available for Android and iOS) is straightforward and easy to use.
It opens to a colorful My Home screen that tells you if your home is armed or disarmed and has a slider for arming and disarming your sensors.
At the bottom of the screen are three buttons: The Customer Support button opens a screen where you can request a call from tech support, open a chat session, or visit the FAQ section of the Kangaroo site; the Home button takes you back to the My Home screen; and the Settings button opens a page where you can enter your account and contact information, turn notifications on and off, invite other users to receive alerts, check battery levels, and add new devices.
There's a ten-minute delay from the time you arm the sensor before it will send an alert.
It's meant to give you plenty of time to get out of the house, but it would be nice if you could adjust this setting, since ten minutes is a bit long.
The Kangaroo sensor is a standalone device and as such does not currently integrate with other smart gadgets such as cameras, door locks, and lighting systems, nor can you add it to an existing home security system such as SimpliSafe Home Security or Nest Secure.
It lacks support for geofencing, which is used to automatically arm and disarm many security devices based on your phone's location, and it doesn't support IFTTT applets.
At the time of this review, the sensor also doesn't support Apple's HomeKit platform or Alexa/Google Assistant voice commands, but according to a company spokesperson, support for these features is in the works.
Installation and Performance
The Kangaroo sensor was very easy to install.
I downloaded the app and entered my mobile phone number when prompted.
I immediately received a code via text message and entered it in the space provided.
Once verified, I entered my name and was prompted to pull the yellow tab out to activate the sensor's batteries.
The LED began blinking blue and I tapped Find Device.
The sensor was discovered within seconds and I was prompted to select my Wi-Fi SSID and enter my Wi-Fi password.
After several seconds the sensor was connected to my home network and I was presented with instructions to install it on my wall, making sure not to place it behind a door or directly across from a window.
I was asked if I have an indoor pet, to which I answered yes, and was instructed to pick a spot between 4.3 and 4.7 inches off the floor and stick the sensor to that spot using the double-back tape.
I then gave the sensor a name and was ready to go.
The Kangaroo worked as advertised.
It had no trouble detecting motion from 15 feet away, but beyond that it was hit or miss.
The sensor's response time averaged around 10 seconds from the time it detected motion to the time it triggered an in-app alert.
It took around 20 seconds to generate a text message with instructions to respond by typing "Disarm" before I received my robocall.
My invited users also received alerts at the same time, and the app's Dismiss & Disarm button instantly canceled the alert and disarmed the sensors.
I never once received a false alert from movement by my dog or one of my cats.
Conclusions
With the Kangaroo Motion Sensor, you can self-monitor motion in your home via push alerts or have a professional service monitor your home and call the authorities if you do not respond after a certain period of time.
The sensor is easy to install and very responsive, and it did a good job of sensing human motion while ignoring small pets, but we'd like to see a few essentials added, like an event log and compatibility with IFTTT.
That said, it offers a quick and easy way to monitor activity in your house without the need for a hub and without spending a lot of money.
If you want to see who or what is moving around in your house, check out our Editors' Choice, the Wyze Cam V2.
As with the Kangaroo sensor, it doesn't integrate with other smart devices, but its 1080p camera will record motion-triggered events and store them locally or in the cloud for free, and it's only $19.99.
Cons
Requires monthly subscription.
Lacks event history.
Doesn't support geofencing or integrate with other smart devices or home security systems.
Lacks Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT support.
View More
The Bottom Line
The Kangaroo Motion Sensor offers an affordable way to keep tabs on activity in your home with options for self or professional monitoring.
