Consumer Reports: Smart gifts to keep your home safer

Whether you're worried about porch pirates or intruders there are so many products on the market.

So, the experts at Consumer Reports have compiled a list of devices they recommend to keep your home safer and smarter year around.

A fairly new and unpleasant holiday tradition, so-called 'porch pirates', stealing millions of packages.

In come video doorbells and other smart home products, but when choosing one for your house, video quality shouldn't be your only consideration.

"It's really important to consider your storage options. If someone stole something off your front porch, most companies require you to pay for a monthly plan in order to download and view that footage. Without a plan you can only view footage that's live," said Dan Wroclawski, Consumer Reports Home Reporter.

CR recommended the Nest Hello for $230. It offers several paid video storage options with 24-7 continuous recording and alerts.

To monitor more than just your door, consider a security camera. The top-rated Arlo Pro 2 for $220 offers several video storage plans including one that's free, plus packages with additional cameras.

Always forgetting your keys? How about a smart door lock?

"Smart door locks are super convenient because they allow you to lock and unlock your door from anywhere, so if you have guests coming for the holidays and you're at work, you can let them in just with a tap of a button on your smartphone," said Wroclawski.

CR recommended the Schlage Sense Smart for $230.

And if all of these products sound great, consider a whole house DIY security system.

"DIY Home security systems are a great option because most of them don't require you to sign up for a long multi- year contract," said Wroclawski.

CR recommended the $200 Ring Alarm Kit Five Piece Home Security System. It's easy to set up and comes with what you need to start your home security system.

Looking for a smart thermostat? CR recommended the $170 Nest Thermostat E.