Nobody home? Abus is watching!
18.9.2026
Translation: machine translated
Pictures: Martin Jungfer
With the Smartvest Pro wireless alarm system set from Abus, you can scare off burglars. The siren is really very loud. The system convinces me – apart from two minor details.
A control center, a contact sensor, and a wireless remote control – that is all the Abus starter set consists of. However, the price is steep: 200 Swiss francs or euros. Admittedly, Abus does not cut corners. For that price, the package also includes very decent mounting material: good adhesive strips, screws, and wall plugs, and even a drilling template. And yes, the quick-start guide on paper is of the better variety. Less cryptic than what you often see from the competition in China.
If you also want your sensitive data to be well protected, Abus is the better choice. The German company develops its security technology in the Ruhr area. It is subject to strict EU data protection laws. The data is stored on servers in Europe. This justifies part of the price premium compared to the Chinese competition.
Furthermore, the control center does not work with Wi-Fi and Thread, but with radio frequency. The radio frequency is 868.3 MHz, and the range is up to 100 meters according to the manufacturer's data sheet. And indeed – to jump ahead in the review – this works reliably in my multi-story house with thick concrete walls. From the attic, the control center even reaches an additional Abus camera installed in the garage and a motion sensor in the garden.
But first, there is the installation. The control center needs to be set up. Step 1 is integration into my home network. For this, I need an app. Thanks to the clear step-by-step instructions, this works without any problems. But of course, nothing works without registration. I am pleasantly surprised that I do not need a subscription. There is not even an option for one. This means I pay for the purchase once and can use all the features the device offers. I think it's great that something like this still exists.
Control center with alarm siren
The hardware weighs about half a kilogram and is about the size of a DIN A5 sheet, though thicker, of course. I found a spot for it in our entrance area. A semi-circular mounting plate is fixed to the wall with two screws. And then I slide the control center onto the mounting plate. The clever part: at that moment, a tamper contact closes. If burglars now try to tear the device off the wall, the contact is interrupted and the alarm is triggered.
In case you are wondering whether you could alternatively place the Smartvest Pro center on a bookshelf, for example – no, that is not intended. For good reasons, as Abus explained to me upon request. The fixed mounting on the wall increases security because criminals cannot remove the device without triggering the alarm.
For connecting the alarm system to your smartphone or other smart devices in the house, you can use LAN, but Wi-Fi is generally sufficient as well. Thus, the control center can find a potential spot anywhere it is supplied with power from a socket. Fortunately, the power adapter is designed in such a way that the other two sockets remain usable on a typical Swiss triple-socket strip.
The alarm siren is inside the control center. It goes off at 90 decibels when the contact sensor on the door is triggered. That is loud. Very loud. 90 decibels are considered harmful to health if you have to endure them for more than a few minutes. We are talking about pain, like that caused by a jackhammer or a Metallica concert. That could and should scare off burglars with sensitive hearing.
Nevertheless, the Abus system cannot keep up with a professional system. For that, instead of the noisy siren inside the control center, you would also need one for the outside wall, ideally with a strobe light and an interface to a security service that takes a look on-site immediately when an alarm is triggered.
At least you can buy an outdoor siren from Abus itself, which guarantees attention with a red flashing light and a volume of 105 decibels. In the best case, that alerts the neighbors, who could then scare off burglars.
Contact sensor with commitment issues
The Smartvest Pro starter set includes a contact sensor as a so-called actuator. It tells the alarm system when to sound the siren. The contact sensor is intended for the door or window. The principle is simple: you have two parts, a magnet and a switch. You attach one part to the door frame, for example, and the other to the door leaf. If the door is closed, both parts are close together, the switch inside the sensor is closed, and the circuit is intact. If the door is opened, the magnet no longer pulls on the switch, the circuit is interrupted – and the alarm is triggered.
If it is connected to the center, that is. In my test, the contact sensor resists vehemently. I try again and again. Once I place it very close to the center, another time I try with a new CR2032 battery. Nothing helps. As if the thing had commitment issues. The solution is finally: remove the battery, select "Add new component" in the app, wait until a 60-second countdown begins, insert the battery during this time, and the connection works. Sometimes it is worth reading the instructions very carefully.
App for fine-tuning
The white box on the wall is called a control center, but I control the Abus system primarily via an app. It is named like the device: "Smartvest Pro". Not to be confused with another app, the "Abus One". I need that if I use other components of the Abus One series.
The app's home screen is pleasantly tidy: here I set the alarm system to either "disarmed", "armed", or "internally armed". The latter option deactivates motion detectors so that you can continue to move around the house or apartment. An alarm is only triggered if someone opens a secured door or window. It is therefore the right setting for the night. "Armed" without restrictions, on the other hand, is the setting when you leave your home for vacation or go to work. Only in "disarmed" mode are motion detectors and contact sensors inactive.
Did I just write motion detectors? Yes, that's right. There is a large range of other products for the Abus system: in addition to motion detectors, these include cameras, sensors for vibrations or for water in the basement, and smoke detectors. Even door and bicycle locks can be integrated into the ecosystem. This wide range is one of the strengths of the Abus world. There are really many possibilities for retrofitting.
Variety and confusion in the app
In the "Smartvest Pro" app, I can also create schedules, reduce the siren volume to 70 decibels, and adjust the duration of an alarm. There I also find an event log and can manage other users. For example, I can also give my wife admin rights for the system. That is not possible in that way with Tapo, for example.
Overall, the app offers many possibilities, which makes me happy when trying things out and discovering them. My father-in-law, however, would almost certainly despair at the variety. It helps that the people at Abus probably speak good German. But some points did not become really understandable after all. There are words like "exit delay", "alarm event", or "critical warning" right next to "warning". There are many info buttons to tap, but it is all quite a lot of engineer-German.
Key fob as an alternative
If apps are too much fuss for you anyway and bother you during your digital detox, I have good news. Included in the starter set is also a simple device with only three buttons: a wireless remote control. It is as small as a key fob. I can use it to activate or deactivate the alarm system – simply by pressing a button.
Only: the key fob only shows you very briefly whether the alarm system is actually deactivated, with a green or red flash. Additionally, you can allow a push notification on the start screen of your smartphone to see the status.
It is advisable to open your own front door only after you have checked the status. I speak from experience and can tell you that the alarm system works and the neighborhood definitely notices when something happens. If the Smartvest Pro is armed, it triggers when the door opens. It doesn't know it's me.
Alexa and Google Home, but no Matter
If I want to activate the alarm system with a voice assistant, that is possible. For the Amazon universe, Abus has created an Alexa skill. I used it exactly once. With "Alexa, activate the alarm system!" what I want happens: the alarm system is armed. With "Deactivate my Smartvest Pro" I don't reach my goal, even though this exact command is in the Abus manual. The oh-so-smart Alexa claims it cannot find a group named alarm system. Or it plays Radio Gong.
After this experiment, I had enough of voice control. It is the case that Abus is also supposed to work in the Google Home world. But you have to find out for yourself whether that works better. My patience and willingness to sacrifice also have limits.
In our house, there are more Apple devices lying around anyway. I would have liked to control the Abus system with Siri, but that doesn't work. And the Smartvest Pro is also not Matter-capable. The devices do not understand the smart home standard Matter, which the major manufacturers agreed on four years ago. This means that the Abus devices stay among themselves. So if you decide on Abus, you should take a good look at the portfolio beforehand and be sure that you find everything that is important to you.
Protection even against professional burglars
Many cheap alarm systems have a weakness: their dependence on electricity and the internet. Thieves with professional experience and a lot of criminal energy therefore try to turn off at least one of the two before they break into the house or apartment.
The Smartvest Pro is prepared. In the control center, there is a small battery that ensures continued operation should the power fail – for up to 20 hours. As a rule, however, the home Wi-Fi also says goodbye with the power. So that your alarm system can still inform you about a break-in, you can alternatively insert a data SIM card into the device. However, that is not all. For the data to flow, you have to upgrade the control center – with a mobile radio module at a proud price.
I get the SIM card from Galaxus Mobile, of course, to put it into the SIM slot of the control center. In 2026, I could have imagined that Abus would offer an eSIM solution there. It is impractical that I can only use the SIM if the PIN lock is inactive. To do this, I must first put the SIM into a suitable smartphone. Emphasis on "suitable". In the Abus control center, the slot is Micro-SIM size, current smartphones have Nano-SIM slots. So I need a SIM card adapter to bring the SIM back to Micro size after switching off the PIN. My nerves!
As compensation for the effort, the LTE connection then at least works. The control center recognizes the SIM. Now I first disconnect the power cable and then also take the Wi-Fi repeater in the office off the network. The control center switches to mobile connection, indicated by an orange light.
Now my home is safe. And I still have to learn not to accidentally trigger the alarm myself.
In a nutshell
A lot of things are very well thought out and executed
The "Smartvest Pro" is a good starting point if you want to secure your home – even if it is no substitute for a professional system. After all, the wide range of additional devices allows for future system expansion. The starter kit's control center with its integrated alarm is clever and makes a real noise when it matters. During installation, the app guides you well through the individual steps. Afterwards, I can configure and customize quite a lot, but the menu items and functions are not always self-explanatory. You have to familiarize yourself with the subject matter a little. It is practical that I can arm and disarm the alarm system with the small wireless remote control. Abus could have stood out from the competition if the devices were Matter-compatible. That is a missed opportunity. I am deducting one star for that, for the sometimes cryptic operation, and for the expensive LTE module. Otherwise, Abus has done a lot right and offers a solution that provides more protection than other entry-level products I have tested so far.
Pro
- dual redundancy for power and internet outages with LTE module
- Assembly material included in the set
- no subscription
- many other compatible devices allow for expansion
- simple installation
Contra
- not compatible with Matter
- limited scope of delivery in the starter set: only one contact sensor
- outdated SIM card slot
- Mobile module must be purchased separately
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
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