What are you keeping in your shed? We ask this because the contents of your shed may determine how much security you’ll want to protect it with. You don’t want your shed getting burgled regardless, of course, but it’s a sad fact that sheds are where many keep their tools.
Tools can fetch a good price and, when stored in sheds, can be taken without entering actual households, presenting minimal risk to wrongdoers. This means that sheds are often targeted by thieves, whether they have tools in or not.
Whether you’re storing workman tools, gardening implements, or bicycles, we have five alarms below that can help keep the contents of your sheds or garages safe and sound.
With each entry, we’ve detailed the advantages and disadvantages of each alarm model and have even gone as far as to write up a buyers’ guide so you can see how we’ve ranked those alarms.
In a hurry? This is our winner!
- MOTION DETECTION - Alarm will sound 10 seconds after motion is detected if pin code is not entered.
- LOUD SIREN - 100dB Siren is loud enough to alert you when motion is detected.
- RANGE - 12m Detection range suitable for protecting sheds, Garages, outbuildings and caravans
Having some trouble with your shed? Whether you need some immediate help or just want to take all of the available precautions, we have our top recommended shed alarm here for you.
Check it out and, if you like what you see, maybe get it to get your purchase done as soon as possible. We chose the Yale SAA5015 Wireless Shed and Garage Alarm as our top model, see why below:
- This alarm operates from a 12 metre detection range that can fill out larger sheds and garages that you may need covering and, when triggered, a pin code only you and other owners of the shed know is required to disarm the siren.
- It’s an easy alarm system to work with, even for self-admitted novices, since it can be left freestanding if you don’t want to mount it onto the wall. It has no necessary external wiring, instead being powered by 4 AA batteries.
- It’s very affordable when you consider buying the single alarm siren on its own, which is more than enough for any security you may need, but you can also spend a bit more to get a hasp and a 40mm padlock with this purchase.
Best Shed Alarm – Comparison Table
Best Shed Alarm – Reviews
Our top recommended alarm system is the Yale SAA5015 Wireless Shed and Garage Alarm, an affordable and compact yet competent alarm siren that’ll cover your sheds or garages without getting too complicated to set up. If you’re unsure of this product’s credentials, you might be reassured by the fact that this alarm is Amazon’s Choice for “shed alarm” searches.
They use motion detection to identify any intruders definitively before reading off a positive and, once tripped, they can only be disarmed by a pin code that only you and others with access to your shed should know. The motion detection spans twelve whole metres, meaning it can have larger sheds and other workspaces covered too without having to mess around with a multi-pack of sensors and sirens.
Speaking of the siren, it sounds off at 100dB, loud enough to startle any intruders whilst alerting you or anyone else in premises nearby that a break-in has occurred. Not only are these handy, compact alarms that provide a lot of functionality, they’re also versatile. They can be mounted on walls or left to stand free, either way they’ll deliver a great performance and won’t require too much preparation or installation on your part.
There are no wires involved either, with these models running off of four AA batteries. You should know that they aren’t included in the purchase, but we trust that if you’ve got a shed to store all your tools in, then you probably have some spare batteries knocking around. When the batteries start running dry, a red-light indicator will let you know they need to be changed.
If you fork out a bit more of your cash, you can get this alarm system with an accompanying hasp and 40mm padlock, for if you’re interested in maximum security. Like many alarms, it’s capable of having a mains connection via a socket located on the alarm. That said, we’d recommend using the batteries since the socket is beneath the plastic cover that secures this alarm to the wall. This means you’re best off removing that cover to mains charge it, but this sacrifices your ability to fix it to the wall.
- Uses pin-secured motion detection to identify intruders.
- The 12 metre detection range has larger sheds and garages covered.
- It can be mounted on a wall or left to stand free.
- Requires only 4 AA batteries, no wires required.
- Available with a padlock.
- It has mains functionality but is awkward to use.
tiiwee A1 Home Alarm System Wireless Kit - 1 Siren, 2 Window & Door Sensors and 1 Remote Control
Our rating:
Our second alarm option is the Tiiwee A1 Wireless Home Alarm System Starting Kit which, as the name suggests, is our overkill option for those who may be keeping particularly valuable content in their sheds. We say this because it comes with one alarm set and an accompanying remote control, as expected, but also has two window and door sensors that’ll turn any shed or garage into a highly secure area.
The fact it’s a full alarm system means that it can be expanded very easily, especially since each component is wireless. This means it’s ideal for businesses where you may have multiple outdoor storage areas, or for households who want both their sheds, garages, and their house proper to be protected by these alarms. You can add as many as forty sensors to this system which, whilst we doubt, you’ll use anywhere near that for your sheds, can make these a great option for those who rent storage space.
The alarm itself sounds off at 120dB, more than loud enough to put a fright in any wrongdoers and alert everyone around to a possible break-in situation. They’re battery-operated, so you won’t have to worry about them becoming non-functional during power outages, and it only adds to how wireless and easily movable the sensors are.
We say they’re easily movable because you install these alarms and sensors by using adhesive pads built into the backs of each component. All you need to do is wipe down the target surface and apply pressure to affix them, which eliminates wires and simplifies the entire home security process as a result.
- Loud 120dB siren paired with two window and door sensors.
- Battery operated, so will stay active during power outages.
- The home alarm system can be expanded at your leisure.
- Easy to install via adhesive stickers.
- Most expensive set on this list.
Defender Shock Contact Alarm - Wireless Shed Alarm - Garage Alarm - Burglar Alarm for Sheds Garages - Wireless Magnetic Contact Alarm For Doors - Indoor Alarm With Keypad
Our rating:
Here we have the Defender Wireless Shed Alarm, a universal door-mounted keypad alarm that comes highly recommended by councils and purchased by police forces up and down the United Kingdom, so it should be more than capable of meeting your security needs.
It’s designed for use on door frames since it uses a shock sensor to detect any attempts at forced entry. This is great for sheds since many sheds are made with wood that either make it easy to install into the door frame or, if your shed doors don’t have door frames, you can install it onto the back of the wooden door itself, where it’ll still work.
Should someone make it into your shed without causing much of a ruckus, the alarm will still sense them and ask for a disarm code. They’ll have some trouble disarming these alarms since they’re protected by a combination code entirely of your choice, meaning you’re fully in control of the set, and only you or anyone else who knows the code can arm or disarm it.
Once that happens, the alarm will trigger and 110dbBs of sound will erupt from the device, alerting anyone nearby and causing discomfort and panic in the intruder, making them likely to flee. If you trip it by accident, however, it only affords you three seconds to be deactivated which isn’t enough for some and can cause annoying false positives in your alarm system.
- The shock sensor releases 110dBs of sound when doors are wrongfully opened.
- Compatible with most door-types, so mounting shouldn’t be an issue.
- Secured with a keypad that’s controlled with a combination code of your choice.
- Comes recommended and purchased by police and neighbourhood watch associations.
- Takes a short amount of time to deactivate once tripped.
Minder MA30 MkII Mini PIR Motion Sensor Home Garage Shed Burglar Wireless Security Alarm with IR Remote Control (Without Batteries, White)
Our rating:
Next up is the Minder MA30 MKII Mini PIR Motion Sensor Security Alarm, a sleek and handy black alarm set that can fit in your sheds, garages, or other interior spaces without arousing any suspicion. You won’t find it to be inconspicuous when the alarm is tripped, however, sounding off with a mighty 130dB siren that’s sure to alert everyone around and even scare any intruders straight.
We’re assuming you’ll be using it with its standard away mode, where it’ll function like most other alarms by waiting for it to be tripped directly. The other setting is a home mode that allows it to be used in conjunction with door and window sensors, meaning that those sensors can trip the loud 130dB sirens whenever someone tampers with entry points to your shed, or even your household.
You have a lot of freedom in how you can set up the alarm. It can be freestanding, which is handy if your shed is lacking in space to mount or otherwise prop it up, and it can be mounted on the walls to free up space. That said, it has a lower installation height at 1.5 metres, different from the two metres that has been established by many other alarm products.
During installation, you’ll find that it has no wiring. This makes it easy to set up and difficult for you to get it wrong, perfect for if you’re not the most tech-savvy and want a simple product that’ll keep your property safe. It’s primed with the push of a single button, too, and you get a remote that you can use to prime or disarm the alarm without having to get close to it.
That remote can be inconsistent with how close you need to be to the alarm set for it to work, but you’ll never get close enough to make the remote redundant, nonetheless.
- Very loud 130dB siren ensures that everyone is notified of intruders.
- It has two modes, away mode and home mode.
- It can be set up as freestanding or mounted on the wall.
- Quick to install with no wiring and is primed with the push of a single button.
- Lower installation height at 1.5 metres.
- The remote is sometimes inconsistent with how close you need to be to use it.
TRIXES Garden Shed Wireless Motion Sensing Alarm – Home Security – Battery Powered - for Summer House Garages Caravans – Alarm System – with 2 x Remote Control
Our rating:
Our last product is the Wireless Motion Sensor Alarm by Trixes, a compact and very affordable device that’s great for those who need an alarm without making too much of a financial sacrifice. In fact, it’s the cheapest entry on this list, but that doesn’t mean it can’t perform well when you need it to.
This product uses a built-in PIR motion sensor which scans at a wide 110-degree angle, providing some coverage to the sides of this device so that nobody can pass without getting caught. If you do get caught, the alarm will sound with 105dB of alert noise, loud enough to grab your attention but not too loud to be detrimental to human hearing.
One criticism of this alarm is that there’s a few seconds, about three or four, between when the alarm detects a presence and when it starts making noise. This may not sound too drastic, but it is possible to pull the device off the wall in this time gap.
That’s why we’d recommend, if this is the product for you, to place it in such a position that it can’t be reached or tampered with during this pause. Fortunately, you can mount it pretty much anywhere thanks to the adjustable wall mounting bracket that this product retails with.
- Built-in PIR motion sensor scans at a 105-degree angle.
- Loud 105dB alarm does the job whilst being safe to get exposed to.
- Adjustable wall mounting bracket included with this purchase, making it easy to install.
- The cheapest product on this list.
- It has a few seconds of delay between detection and alarm.
- Remotes have been described as being thick in your hand.
Best Shed Alarm – Buyer’s Guide
How to find the best shed alarm
If you’re unfamiliar with security systems, and/or techy stuff in general, then it can be overwhelming to track down the right alarm for the shed or garage that you want to put it in. This buyers’ guide will explain the features many of the above alarms have, and how we used these properties to rank them like we did.
We separated these properties into four categories, those being the method of detection, the decibel level of the alarm siren, whether they’re wired or wireless, and the method of mounting and installation.
Method of Detection
To keep this short but simple, many alarm systems you’ll come across will operate via a PIR (Passive Infrared) sensor, which is a device that can be used to detect motion. This is favoured because it’s a sure-fire way of detecting someone entering places where they shouldn’t. It does this by detecting body heat, which is pretty much impossible for intruders to conceal, whilst not providing a false positive when something, say, falls over within sight of this alarm.
PIR sensors detect for around ten to fifteen metres, more than enough for many sheds, and they often need to be installed above two metres and at a 90-degree angle to work properly.
If you’re using other sensors connected to an alarm siren as part of a larger and more complicated alarm system, you can also get door and window sensors that are shock-activated. This means that they’ll add some extra protection by sounding off when your shed door or window gets forced open, adding some immediacy to the alarm response.
These sensors are often used in tandem with the PIR sensor capabilities of the main alarm component, however, and so we’d only recommend investing in a system with door sensors if your protected area is large enough to warrant this extra protection. They aren’t necessary by any means when you have a PIR sensor already in place, but more protection is always a nice thing to have.
Speaking of, once tripped, you want your alarm to have some kind of keypad-based security system. With these, you have a pin code that only you and other shed owners know, which gets used to disarm the alarm when it’s you that gets detected by the shed.
Decibel Level
What good is a quiet alarm? The decibel reading of your alarm should be at 100dB at its lowest and about 130dB at its highest. You want your alarm to do two things, the first being to alert you and any others nearby that a crime is occurring. There is a second, and admittedly more entertaining, reason you might want to consider the decibel level of your alarm, too. That is to startle and cause discomfort in the intruder so that they flee your premises, and hopefully do so with ringing ears, which is best achieved by opting for the slightly higher decibel alarms like the 130dB ones.
Wired or Wireless
The difference between wired systems is that they have multiple sensors that are connected to the main siren box. This means that they tend to be more complicated to install, some even requiring professional installation, which makes them an unusual choice for shed alarms. That’s why fully-fledged alarm systems aren’t in the list above, and the one that does have multiple components has an easy installation process using adhesives and wireless sensors, anyway.
Wireless alarms are a much more common option for sheds since it’s simpler and doesn’t require much, if any, external sensors that aren’t part of the main box itself. These are battery-operated, so it’s simple to power and will retain that power should the mains power of your premises fail.
Method of Mounting
We mentioned above how our alarm option at number two uses adhesive strips to stick to walls, doors, and windows. The way you mount an alarm can change your experience with it. Some may require screwing or other heavy-duty means of installation, but these are usually exterior alarms that need to be hardier to withstand the elements.
Instead, look for interior alarms that are easier to mount and check their mounting requirements before you buy. Standard PIR-based alarms often require wall mounting, usually above two metres to work properly. Some alarms won’t even need wall mounting, instead, they’re able to have a freestanding setup where the box only needs to be positioned on a shelf.