Security Experts Reveal the 3 Reasons Why 2026 Should Be the Year You Invest in Home Security

With home security technology being the most reliable and accessible that it's ever been, protecting your home is no longer prohibitively expensive or difficult to install.

Simple, affordable gadgets can instantly give you eyes inside and around your home, and protect your packages from opportunistic porch thieves, a phenomenon that's on the rise, with one in four Americans experiencing such a theft.

I caught up with trusted home security professionals who revealed the three major reasons why 2026 is the year you should invest in your home security, from the best video doorbells to simple parcel protectors.

1. It's More Affordable Than Ever

Aside from home security tech becoming easier to install, more important, and more reliable, it's also more affordable than ever to improve your home security.

This can be attributed to the large and growing number of brands all competing for the lowest prices, and the fact that home security is no longer a niche set apart for the ultra-wealthy.

'Security technology has officially moved from “early adopter” territory into the mainstream,' shares Rebecca Edwards, lead safety reporter at SafeWise. 'Our research shows that more than 94 million US households now use some form of home security, and over half of all homes have at least one security camera,' she continues.

Even some of our best-on-test video doorbells can cost as little as $59.99, such as the Arlo 2K Video Doorbell, which is a breeze to install and delivers crisp audio and siren alerts to deter porch pirates.

'Technology and AI have made home security cheaper. It's more affordable than ever and easier to set up, with so many brands competing in this space,' explains Kevin Chen, CPP, security expert at Connextivity.

And because security tech has been around for some time now, those on tight budgets can install older models for a fraction of what they cost when released and still enjoy a wealth of great features to keep their home safe for less.

My recommendation as home tech editor here at Homes & Gardens is to start with a video doorbell. It'll give you eyes on your front porch, deterring package thieves and intruders. We've tested plenty that do the job well on a budget.

2. Porch Piracy Is on the Rise

Rod Sides, president and CEO at Loxx Boxx shares why it's more pressing than ever to invest in technology to protect your home. He says, 'Porch piracy now affects 250,000 packages a day (as per SafeWise), costing consumers over $15 billion annually.'

The pandemic and the rise of online retailers have resulted in more goods being delivered straight to your door and bypassing the need to go to a retailer in person. It is a protective measure you can easily take to prevent porch pirates with minimal installation and fuss.

As Jeff Ketelaars, co-founder of Security Guards Only, puts it, 'In 2026, homes have more valuable items, more people working remotely, more unattended deliveries, and families are often away at different times. Meanwhile, police resources are stretched, and response times in many areas are slower than they were 10 years ago.'

Even if you do call the police for a package theft, something fewer than one in four victims do, the emergency services will almost always arrive after the theft, limiting what they can do without evidence.

Video doorbells, especially the ones I mentioned above, are an effective deterrent against this crime, and they can capture detailed imagery even at night, detect movement across your property, and sound alarms or shine lights when unexpected intruders linger at the door.

An additional security measure you can install to help you receive deliveries while you're out is to install a parcel box. These allow couriers to drop packages in, but without anybody being able to take them out without the key.

'New categories such as secure parcel lockers are helping homeowners defend against one of the most frequent modern crimes,' Rod explains.

The Architectural Mailboxes Elephantrunk Parcel Drop Box at Amazon is one of the highest-rated options.

3. The Tech Is Easy to Set Up

Once upon a time, people needed to be tech-savvy to be able to set up security equipment, but now there are many ways to secure your home with minimal expertise or DIY know-how.

'Today’s systems are more affordable, don’t need complicated wiring or expensive installation, and can often be set up in less than an hour with simple tools,' shares Jeff.

A handy example is the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus at Amazon, one of our best-on-test video doorbells that can be installed without any screws, making it a great renter-friendly security option.

The Ring No-Drill Mount costs just $19.99 at Amazon, using a weather-resistant adhesive to stick to your front door. It works for most Ring models too, including the Ring Battery Doorbell Pro if you're looking for advanced radar detection.

And while outdoor cameras may seem fiddly to install, many of them, such as the Ring Outdoor Stick-Up Cam at Amazon, just need a few screws to mount on your home, powered by batteries and connecting wirelessly to avoid running cables through the house.

Then, you have a vantage point of the outside of your property to capture incidents with detailed clarity and timestamps.

'If you’re not very tech-savvy, look for security systems that focus on simplicity instead of lots of features. Brands like Ring, SimpliSafe, Google Nest, Eufy, Blink, and Wyze are known for being easy to use,' Jeff recommends.

Plus, once they're installed, these gadgets make your life easier at home. Our Head of Solved, Punteha van Terheyden, is disabled, with limited mobility and painful chronic conditions that flare daily.

Almost a quarter of adults in the US are living with chronic pain, so Punteha is not alone. She says adding one of the best video doorbells to her home has made daily life at home easier.

She explains, 'I work remotely from home, but my small home office is upstairs, as that is the only space we have for it. That means all the shopping I have to do online, as I am not able to get to the stores myself without injury, results in multiple deliveries a week, sometimes daily. Having a video doorbell means I do not have to go up and down the stairs multiple times a day, especially when my husband is out.'

Next, learn the best security measures for a house, and the common video placement mistakes to avoid.