Helpers & Home Security

Buying advice

Tell visitors and staff about home cameras

A robot that records inside your home also records the people who come into it. The UK guidance on domestic CCTV, from the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner, explains what households should think about before installing cameras, including privacy and data protection. Tell cleaners, carers, babysitters and lodgers that a camera may be moving around, and switch recording off while they work if they ask. If a camera can see a neighbour's garden or the street through a window, data protection duties may apply to you, so turn it away or mask that view.

Security support decides how long it stays safe

A camera that moves around your home is only as trustworthy as the software behind it. The UK's rules on consumer connectable product security, enforced by the Office for Product Safety and Standards, require makers to say how long they will provide security updates and to drop easily guessed default passwords. In the EU, Regulation (EU) 2024/2847, the Cyber Resilience Act, adds duties on secure design and on handling vulnerabilities. Check the support end date before you buy, turn on two-step sign-in for the app, and retire the device once updates stop rather than leaving it to watch an empty house.

Very different helpers under one heading

At our last update in October 2026, prices shown here started near $250 with the Ring Always Home Cam and climbed to near $1,600 with the Amazon Astro, and one more was sold by quote. Despite sharing a page, these products do different jobs, so compare them against the single task you most want done. Ask whether video history, alerts or remote viewing need a paid plan, and add a year of that fee to what you budget. For Astra, ask the maker for a delivery estimate in writing before you commit any money.

What to look for

• What it monitors, and whether you can set rooms or zones it stays out of
• Smart-home compatibility with the platforms you already use
• Status on the listing: available to order or newly announced

Common questions

Can a home robot watch the house while I'm away?

Some are designed to. Models with cameras can move through the home or follow a set route and send alerts to your phone, depending on the maker's app and settings.

What does Announced mean on a listing?

It means the maker has revealed the robot, but it may not be shipping yet. Request a quote on The Humanoid Group to register your interest.

Sources and further reading

• Regulations: consumer connectable product security — Office for Product Safety and Standards (GOV.UK).
  How the UK enforces its security rules for smart products, and which products the rules cover or exempt.
• Domestic CCTV: using CCTV systems on your property — Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner (GOV.UK).
  UK guidance for households on home cameras: privacy, neighbours and the duties that come with recording.
• Regulation (EU) 2024/2847 (Cyber Resilience Act) — European Union (EUR-Lex).
  EU cybersecurity law for products with digital elements, covering secure design and how makers handle vulnerabilities.