Best Siren for SmartThings

Sometimes, phone notifications just don’t cut it. For example, if an intruder breaks into your home while you are sleeping, will you hear the buzz from your phone? If you’re answer is “maybe”, then you should consider purchasing a siren. If you’re already invested in the SmartThings world, you might as well find the best siren for SmartThings!

Siren’s can be fantastic additions to your smarthome. They provide an audible “alert” if something happens. For example, if an intruder enters your home while you are gone, the alarm will sound. If you’re wondering what the best siren for Smarthings in 2021 is, or what features to consider when purchasing a smart siren, look no further than this guide.

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Aeotec Siren 6

The Aeotec Siren 6 Siren is one of the most customizable indoor sirens on the market. The Aeotec siren does require a custom device handler in order to work with SmartThings, so plan on configuring that once it arrives.

As John commented below: The Aeotec Siren 6 no longer needs a device handler (According to a question answered on Amazon.com by the Aeotec support team.)

Once your Aeotect siren is added to SmartThings, you can control your siren with the SmartThings app to perform all kinds of automations. For example, you can create an automation to sound the alarm if a door or window is opened after a certain time.

With this siren, you can protect your home with a 1,000 lumen strobe, 110db alarm, or both. It comes with 6-pre loaded alarm security sounds, 8 safety sounds, and 30 different tones. One of the features I really like is the built-in 4-hour battery backup, so you can stay safe even if you lose power. A full list of features and DTH installation instructions can be found here: https://community.smartthings.com/t/release-aeotec-siren-6/164654

Things We Like:

• Extremely customizable
• Aesthetically pleasing
• Can be used as a strobe, alarm, or both
• Can also be used as a doorbell with Aeotec Button
• Z-Wave Plus certified (490ft range)
• 3.7v battery backup built-in, able to still be used 4 hours after a power outage
• Can be set up to become a speaker for SmartThings smoke detectors and leak sensors

Things We Don’t Like:

• One of the most expensive SmartThings compatible sirens
• Requires custom device handler
• Extremely loud (not really a con since it’s customizable. Just something to be aware of)

There are even some spooky-sounding sirens built, which would be great for scaring Halloween trick-or-treaters – Tornado Siren and #19 Alarm (Archangel).

There are reports of units being Dead On Arrival, but I have not personally had that experience myself. I’ve purchased 3 of them and they all work as expected. Overall, if you are comfortable installing the device handler, this is my highest recommendation for the best siren for SmartThings.

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Zooz Z-Wave Plus Multisiren with Temperature and Humidity Sensors

This is another high-end siren that is compatible with SmartThings. The Zooz MultiSiren will also require a custom device handler to be installed, but the Zooz SmartThings integration instructions are very good should you choose to go this route.

The temperature and humidity sensors work as intended. It is only battery-powered, so you cannot connect it directly to power. Battery life is between 3-4 weeks according to several reviewers.

I wanted to point out that all Z-Wave sirens have fixed sounds. This Zooz siren is the only one that allows you to upload custom sounds. Tired of hearing the creepy Alexa or Google home voice? With Zooz, you can use your voice and pair that with automations. To do this, you would create .wave files from your PC and upload them to Zooz via a micro USB cable (not included).

This makes the siren one of the best for parties or events. Here are some examples of where custom sounds would come in handy:

• Shouting “BOO” at trick or treaters
• Announce Happy Birthday or I Love You when family leaves from door
• “Talk” to pets when remote
• If motion is detected under mistletoe, tell your guest to kiss
• Upload different audio for day and night alarms. (Quieter alarm if motion detected in backyard vs louder alarm if the front door is opened)

Things We Like:

• Ability to upload custom audio files!
• Feels very solid & is aesthetically pleasing
• Works great with other Zooz devices, such as the Zooz Outdoor motion sensor.
• Excellent range (works in my 2,500sq ft house)
• 4+ month battery life

Things We Don’t Like:

• Micro USB not included
• Slight 5-second delay for door chime
• Battery-powered only
• Custom device handler required

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KERUI Indoor/Outdoor Siren

Rather than purchasing a SmartThings compatible siren, you could purchase a “dumb” siren and add it to a smart plug. This is one of the cheapest routes to go as well. This particular siren is extremely loud, up to 115db, and is triggered by getting turned on or off.

It claims it is weatherproof, but if I were you – I’d make sure to install it on my porch or under and overhang.

Things We Like:

• Inexpensive
• Extremely loud
• Does one thing and does it well, sounds the alarm
• Customizable on/off based on motion, open/close via SmartThings automations

Things We Don’t Like:

• Not “compatible with SmartThings” without a smart plug
• Not very aesthetically pleasing, especially if mounted outside

Other “SmartThings Siren” Options

I think it’s important to include just about all possibilities in this guide. For example, you may already have a compatible and hadn’t thought to use it as an audible siren until just now. Or maybe you have Alexa devices but haven’t set up Echo Speaks just yet.

Bose Speaker or Samsung Sound Bar

Another (more expensive) option is to use a SmartThings-compatible speaker or sound bar. Right now, Bose and Samsung are the only manufacturers that are natively supported.

While this route doesn’t get you the siren functionality, you can definitely set up automations or routines to trigger sounds or music to come out of the speakers in an if-then fashion.

Although there aren’t very many ST supported speakers, I can always hope that they’ll continue to add more over the next few years. For now, here are a couple of options I recommend:

Amazon product

Echo Speaks (SmartThings smartapp)

Echo Speaks is a smart app that allows you to integrate your Amazon Echo devices into SmartThings. If you haven’t set that up yet, follow these instructions to install the Community Installer. The community installer will let you download and install Echo Speaks in one click.

I’m an Android/Google Home user. I know very little about Echo Speaks and everything that it can do, but I do know it’s very popular and well-supported.

Again, this option won’t provide a visual strobe or light effect.

Use Smart Plugs / Switches

This one is a stretch. If you’re on the fence about purchasing the best SmartThings siren, you could always configure automations to turn on lamps if motion is detected/if a door opens after a certain time.

SmartThings Home Monitor (SHM), will send you text messages or notifications if a door or window is opened after a certain time. That solves the “audible” portion of the siren. You can also have SmartThings turn on your nightstand lamp via a smart plug, which hopefully wakes you up.

Elegant? Not really. But for those looking for a cheap/free option, something like this peanut smart plug would work.

Why Purchase the Best Siren for SmartThings?

There are many reasons why you might purchase a SmartThings siren.

The biggest (and most obvious) reason is peace of mind. A siren that blares loud noises and flashes bright lights will definitely wake you or someone else up in the event of an emergency. I’m not just talking about break-ins, either. If you have leak detection sensors installed, you want to know the SECOND you have a leak. Not an hour later when you check your phone next.

When it comes to the security of your family and your house, it’s important not to cut corners. While some events are okay as just notifications, some things need to be addressed right away. That’s where sirens come in. Whether it’s sounding the alarm for smoke detected, leaks, or burglars, rest assured that someone in your house will hear or see the siren going off.

Something else to keep in mind is this: Who all has the SmartThings app in your household? Do your kids? Let’s say someone breaks in. Your kids would have no idea. But, if you configured Echo Speaks to say “Back Door Intruder!” or something like that, it tells your kids to not go to the backdoor.

Wrapping Up

All in all, if you are the in the market for a siren, purchasing one that’s compatible with SmartThings just makes sense.

You are already in the app multiple times a day anyway, and having everything in one app makes it really easy to manage. From our research, it does look like all the compatible models require a custom device handler. However, if you’ve never added a decide handler, don’t be too scared – it’s really not as difficult as it may seem. Now’s the perfect chance to learn!

There aren’t very many compatible makes/models yet, but we hope that the ones that are available suit your needs.

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My Favorite SmartThings Devices

Below are some of the SmartThings-compatible devices I’ve personally used in my home.

• Hub: Aeotec SmartThings Hub
• Smart Plugs: Securifi Peanut plugs 
• Motion Sensors: Aeotec SmartThings Motion Sensor
• Camera: Aeotec SmartThings Indoor Camera
• Garage Door Opener: MyQ Chamberlain (works with all existing garage door openers)

The full list of all zwave & ZigBee devices I use can be found on my Equipment List page.