Nowadays, it’s not new for appliances and devices to take the extra mile to offer something new to consumers. Some are very useful while others can be a bit outlandish and unnecessary. Others are just quite odd in the combination of their offerings but are still very useful.

The Canary All in One is a great example of these home devices that can be a bit hard to place due to the combination of its functionalities. It’s generally classified as a home security camera since its primary features are meant for video surveillance. However, it also comes with a set of air and temperature sensors, helping you monitor not just the situation in your home or business but also the air quality and the environment in it. ‘

The extras can be a bit weird but it works and proves to be a handy device to have on hand. Those who need to monitor the temperature and air quality inside their homes will surely appreciate that they can already monitor lots of details inside their property using a single device.

If you’re looking for a home security camera and an air quality monitoring device at the same time, read on for our review of the Canary All in One.

Canary All In One Product Review

Design and Features

There are quite a few striking things about the Canary All in One and at the top of this list is its appearance. It doesn’t look like the other wireless home security cameras available in the market today so some might not know what it is exactly at first glance.

Its cylindrical shape resembles the small speakers that come with desktop computers and is meant to stand alone on top of a flat surface. The only thing that will clue you in on its actual nature is the lens that sits in the middle of the face of the device.

Due to its design, don’t expect that you can mount the Canary All in One on your walls, however. It doesn’t come with a magnetic base or wall-mounting accessories, so you will need to find a flat surface to place it on.

Now officially referred to as the Canary Pro, the Canary All in One comes with all of the features you need in a home security camera. It has high-definition video, night vision, motion sensors, and 2-way audio. It also has a siren, offering a deterrent in case of a home intrusion.

But what really sets it apart is its environment gauging features. Its temperature gauge, humidity sensor, and air quality filter add a whole new aspect to this home monitoring device.

These sensors are found at the bottom of the unit alongside the LED light ring that works as an indicator of the status of the camera. It turns green when armed and yellow when unarmed. It blinks red when looking for a network and goes solid red when offline. On the other end of the camera is the siren.

Setup and Usage

Setting up the Canary All In One is perfectly simple like many other home security cameras in the market today. All you really need to do is to download the Canary app, create an account, and then follow the on-screen instructions.

While we still recommend that you read the instruction manual that will come with the unit, there may not be any need if you choose to follow the setup instructions on the app to a T. the process shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes, according to the folks at Canary. But if you encounter a snag somewhere along the installation process, you can check out the troubleshooting guides on their website.

Using the camera is perfectly simple. You don’t really have to fiddle with the camera unit for it to work as everything can be handled on the app.

Video Quality

Canary All in One’s video quality is also one of its major draws. Its 1080p resolution is bright and crisp in daylight and clear and high-quality in night vision mode. Its sensors also help smooth out the video in low-light modes, promising sharp and distinct images all the time.

Track and Zoom

While tracking isn’t one of the offerings of the All in One, it has a zoom, tilt, and pan feature on the app. So while you view the clips or live stream on your phone, you can easily check the details up close.

Audio Quality

Equipped with a high-quality microphone, the All in One also does a great job in picking up audio. It’s sensitive enough to pick up the conversation within the same room it’s placed in and can also pick up the sounds from a much farther distance. Some say that they were able to record conversations done in rooms next to where their Canary camera is placed, so that’s pretty impressive.

This item is also equipped with a speaker and can be used for 2-way audio. However, this feature is only available with certain subscriptions, so you might want to check the packages available first if you want to use this feature.

If you can’t use the built-in speaker to deter the intruder in your monitored area, you can just turn the built-in siren on the All in One. It’s very loud and can create sounds up to 90 decibels so it will certainly get to inform your intruders that they’re not welcome in your space.

Motion and Sound Detection

The motion sensor of the Canary All in One is its main trigger for recording clips. And like other home security cameras, it will send you a notification when the motion sensors are tripped.

However, the motion sensors of the All in One is quite sensitive. Lots of users have experienced it to be tripped by the smallest movements including shadows. It’s a bit of a letdown but the folks at Canary are already working on improving it. To minimize false alerts, you can set on the app which kinds of movements it should alert you about, letting you inform your system if you have pets roaming around the house.

To make the system easier for you to use, Canary also designed the All in One with automatic arm and disarm features. With its geo-fencing function, it will be on the lookout for your smartphone. So if you’re at home, it will automatically disarm the system so it won’t keep sending you notifications when you trigger the motion sensors. It will automatically arm itself when it stops detecting your smartphone in your selected area.

Cloud Storage Costs

All of the videos recorded by the All in One go straight to the cloud as it doesn’t have local storage. As each purchase of this item comes with the Basic cloud storage subscription, you can rest assured that the clips recorded within the last 24 hours will be saved. You can also access the camera through the live view without any problems.

Note, however, that you’ll only be able to record 30-second clips with the free Basic service. If you want to record longer clips, you can easily subscribe to their other plans. They can get pricey, however, as the Premium Service costs $9.99 per month.

Compatibility with Smart Home Devices

The new Canary Pro cameras are compatible with Amazon Alexa and the Google Assistant. So if you’re thinking of adding this camera to your smart home environment, it shouldn’t be too much of a hassle to do so.

Mobile Apps and Web Portals

Another reason to give the All in One a shot is its mobile app. It’s so user-friendly that it can be the perfect pick for those who are looking for a fuss-free home security camera. The app is very easy to navigate and its interface is not intimidating at all. So even first-timers who are just testing the waters by getting a camera like this won’t have a hard time setting up and using this Canary product.

The web portal, on the other hand, is rather bare-bones. You might be better off with the app if you want a seamless operation.

FAQs

Is Canary a good security system?

The Canary offers a good range of products and based on the All in One review above, it can be said that the brand can offer a reliable security system. It will still depend on your household’s needs, however, to learn whether it’s a good match or not.

Does Canary work without a membership?

No, you can still use a lot of the basic features of the Canary All in One without ponying up for their premium plans. However, if you want to use all of the features of this product, you will need to cash out.

Can the Canary All in One record continuously?

No, as mentioned above, the Canary All in One only starts recording when its motion sensors are tripped. There’s no continuous recording option for this product.

Conclusion

For its friendly price and easy to use app, the Canary All in One is definitely an attractive option for lots of households. It performs really well, too, so it’s practically a steal if not for its costly subscription plans. This is really the only drawback of this product, so make sure to take it into close consideration when making a call.