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Oct 22, 2024

8 Best Water Leak Detectors We've Tested and Reviewed (2024) | WIRED

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more. Water plays an essential role in our homes, but it can also wreak havoc. Burst pipes, leaky toilets, and

If you buy something using links in our stories, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

Water plays an essential role in our homes, but it can also wreak havoc. Burst pipes, leaky toilets, and misbehaving appliances can really dampen your day. Around one in 50 insured homes files a claim related to water damage or freezing every year, according to the Insurance Information Institute, and the average cost of the property damage is about $11,000. The longer a leak goes undetected, the more damage it does, destroying furniture and decorations, spawning mold and fungi, and even threatening structural integrity.

A water leak detector can reduce the risk by alerting you to problems quickly so you can act to prevent severe damage. We’ve tested many over the past few years, and these are the smart water leak detectors we recommend. Insurers love them, so before you go shopping, it’s worth checking with yours to see what they offer or recommend and whether installing a leak sensor can reduce your premiums.

Updated August 2024: We added water leak detectors from Moen, X-Sense, First Alert, and SwitchBot, added notes on how we test, and updated prices.

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Shaped like a drop of water, this versatile device alerts you within seconds of detecting a leak and offers compelling extras like temperature tracking at an affordable price. It was a breeze to set up via the app (Android or iOS) and swift and consistent in my testing, firing off a push notification by phone, email, and text message every time it detected water. (You can configure the alerts.) It also sounds an alarm and flashes a red LED. The device has three metal feet to detect water, but you can mount it and attach the included wired disc sensor instead. Moen also offers a 6-foot leak-sensing cable ($23) that can detect water along its entire length, and you can potentially chain together up to three of these to cover a larger area.

The Moen Smart Water Detector provides temperature and humidity readings in the app and tracks both over the previous 24 hours or seven days. You can set thresholds of temperature or humidity to trigger warnings. You can also reset alarms from the app, which is a nice touch, as it’s not pleasant fumbling to press a button on a detector in a hard-to-reach spot. On the downside, the alarms are relatively quiet compared to other detectors. The device also requires a single CR123A battery, though you get one in the box, and it has no real smart home integration.

Unlike many of the products in this guide, Moen's Flo Smart Water Monitor installs in line to your home's water supply line and features an automatic shut-off if it detects a water leak. Moen recommends installation by an expert—I found a licensed plumber near me using the company's Pro Finder tool—and they completed the installation in 30 minutes. (You can do it yourself if you feel comfortable around plumbing.) You'll need a good Wi-Fi signal where your water line is and a nearby outlet, though Moen does sell an extension cable. Once installed, it takes around two weeks to learn your home's daily water usage, so I made sure to do all the things I typically do and then some so that it wouldn't find me running the laundry twice in a week too unusual. If it detects a leak or high water usage, it will send you a notification instantly, and you can tap a button in the app to turn off your water line. If you don't act on it within a few minutes, it will automatically shut off your home's water. Handy in case you didn't see the notification.

I love the amount of data at my fingertips through the Flo by Moen app. I can see how many gallons of water my home uses in a day or week, and you can set goals if you want to curb water usage. The app breaks water usage down by fixture too, so you can see how much your shower, toilet, and appliances use on a daily or weekly basis. Every night, the system runs an Auto MicroLeak Test to see if any pipes or faucets are leaking, and so far, my house is in tip-top shape. I strongly recommend you pair this with Moen's Smart Water Detector (our top pick) to cover your bases. I've been using this system for a month and it's already given me greater peace of mind, but I'll note if anything changes over the coming months. —Julian Chokkattu

With a set of features very similar to our top pick, the Phyn Smart Water Sensor proved reliable, alerting me to water quickly with piercing beeps, a text message, and a push notification. Unfortunately, the setup was annoying; I had to reload and reenter all my information because the app was flaky. The chunky disc design has three metal feet, and there’s an LED that flashes red when it detects a leak. You can add an Extension Node ($10) (a wired disc that plugs in) or a Water Sensor Cable ($27) (a 4-foot cable that can detect water along its length—you can daisy-chain up to three)—but neither comes in the box.

The Phyn Smart Water Sensor also tracks temperature and humidity, with charts displayed in the app, and you can set alert triggers at certain thresholds. It wasn’t as swift as our top pick, but it was consistent in my testing. It takes two AA batteries (provided). Sadly, you have to press the button on the device to stop the alarm—an in-app option would be better. It’s also relatively large (the size of a hockey puck) compared to other detectors I tested, limiting your placement options. And once again, there’s no real smart home integration.

From the simple setup to the swift and reliable alerts, YoLink’s water leak sensors impressed. Simply scan the QR code on each device and press a button to add it to the app. There are three types of sensors: The first detects water dripping onto or rising beneath it, the second comes with a cord that detects water along the length, and the third has water-sensing electrodes on the tip, making it suitable for monitoring the water level in a tank.

All three came with two AAA batteries installed and detected water swiftly and reliably in my testing while sending notifications to my phone. YoLink’s sensors use the long-range (up to a quarter of a mile) and low-power LoRa standard, and they don’t need a Wi-Fi signal, as they link directly to a hub. The hub connects to your router, ideally via the Ethernet cable provided, and must be plugged in to an outlet. The starter kit we are linking here includes the hub and four Water Leak Sensor 1 units.

The sensors detect any water immediately, alerts come through as a notification on your phone, and the sensor flashes red. But there’s no sound from the Water Leak Sensor 1 or the standard hub. The Water Leak Sensor 2 and 3 ($30 each) have an inbuilt sounder, and you can buy a SpeakerHub ($24) or a wireless Smart Siren ($27) that goes up to 110 decibels. The straightforward app also allows you to set up customized alarm strategies and automation (YoLink offers a wide range of sensor types beyond water detection, and the ecosystem works with IFTTT and Alexa). While it may take a few devices and some tinkering to get things the way you want, YoLink’s system is affordable, versatile, and reliable, and LoRa is ideal for larger properties with Wi-Fi issues.

My new budget pick comes from X-Sense, and you get three of the best smart water leak detectors I have tested with a hub for a very reasonable price. Plug the hub in and connect it to your Wi-Fi network (2.4-GHZ band only), place the detectors in likely spots, and you're good to go. The detectors are round and fairly large, but I love that they have a channel on the top with two prongs because this design immediately alerts if there are any drips. The four prongs on the underside are equally good at detecting pools of water (as little as 0.4 mm).

Water triggers the detector to emit a loud beeping, and the LED flashes red. You can also choose from three alert sounds on the hub, which goes up to an ear-splitting 110 decibels. You can tweak the volume for both in the app and use the physical buttons on either to stop the alarm. Alerts also came through reliably and swiftly on my phone as push notifications with an alarm sound. Alerts worked equally well whether my phone was connected to Wi-Fi or the cellular network. Each sensor takes two AAA batteries, and I love that you can see the battery level in the app (it also sends warnings when power is low).

If you want to stretch your money, you can get a three-pack of Govee Wi-Fi Water Sensors for the same price as a single one of our two top picks. These are quick and easy to install, and they send alerts as push notifications and emails. They also boast one of the loudest sirens I tested (100 decibels). Mercifully, you can shut off the ear-splitting sound from the app. The sensors are quite small, and they offer drip detection on top and metal feet for leak detection underneath, but there’s no option to add a disc or cable.

The Govee Wi-Fi Water Sensors only detect water, but they are effective. I found alerts triggered within a few seconds, and there’s no way you won’t hear the siren. The app is basic but works well and displays alert history. Unfortunately, these sensors require a Govee Wi-Fi hub (included in the box), which takes up a power outlet (and may block an adjacent outlet), and each sensor takes two AA batteries (also provided). One concern with these sensors is that I failed to receive alerts when my phone was connected to mobile data rather than Wi-Fi, though the email did come through. There’s also no smart home integration. You can add additional individual sensors at $13 each or buy five for $50.

What I like most about these water leak detectors is that they have four metal probes underneath and two above, so they swiftly detect water dripping on top or pooling beneath. Alerts came through reliably to my phone as push notifications within one to two seconds. The alarm is an ear-splitting 90 decibels, though you can reduce the volume in the app or even mute it. The alert sounds in a recurring pattern, with gaps in between, until you pick the sensor out of the water, press the button on top, or dismiss the alert in the app.

The TP-Link Tapo T300 requires a Tapo Smart Hub to function. Each hub can link up to 64 Tapo motion sensors, door or window sensors, switches, and other devices. The hub is a simple rectangular device that plugs directly into an outlet and connects to your Wi-Fi network. While the hub doesn’t sound an alarm by default, you can set it up to mirror the sensor’s alerts in the Tapo app. Another feature I really like is the option to push the button on top of the sensor to have the hub confirm that it is within range. Each T300 sensor requires two AAA batteries (included) that TP-Link says can last for up to three years. There is a battery icon in the app to show the remaining power and warn when they are running low.

This sensor is a good choice if you already have Tapo devices, as you can configure them all from the same app. As well as having the water leak alarm trigger your hub to sound, you can have it turn off devices in the vicinity if they are connected to Tapo smart plugs (I tested this and it worked as expected). The T300 is a bit bulky, so it might not fit everywhere you’d like to place a sensor and it continued to show as functioning normally in the app for several hours after I removed its batteries.

With HomeKit support, this is a good choice for iPhone owners with a home hub (an Apple TV or HomePod). HomeKit is also ideal if you have privacy concerns because you can be certain no data will be shared with third parties. There is an Eve app, but you can also view the Water Guard and set notifications directly through the Apple Home app. It plugs directly into an outlet and has a 6.5-foot cable that senses any water and immediately alerts you on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, wherever you are, provided you have a working home hub. It also flashes red and has a 100-decibel siren. You can review alarm history, test or mute alarms, and update device firmware in the Eve app.

The Eve Water Guard only detects water, but the sensing cable worked well in my testing, triggering quick alerts and covering a large area. It needs a power outlet, which also limits your placement options, but you never need to worry about battery life. The obvious drawbacks are the complete lack of support for Android, the fact that you need a home hub for remote alerts and management, and the relatively high price. But if you already have a HomeKit setup, this is a solid pick. You can also add 6.5-foot sensing cable extensions ($20 each) up to a total length of 500 feet.

First Alert L1 Wi-Fi Water Leak and Freeze Detector for $62: This large flood sensor, branded First Alert, works with First Alert or Resideo apps and accessories. It sends push notifications and emails to alert you to any leak and sports a 100-decibel alarm that you can stop with the side button. The sensor was relatively slow to alert in all my tests, and the push notifications only came through when my phone was connected to Wi-Fi. The 5-foot water sensing cable allows you to cover a much larger area, and I found it alerted faster. The detector connects directly to Wi-Fi, so you need a decent signal. This sensor can also track temperature and humidity, but not very accurately (it consistently overestimated temperature and underestimated humidity). The two AA batteries provided are supposed to last up to two years.

SwitchBot Water Leak Detector for $18: This rectangular detector triggered swift alerts in all my tests with a 100-decibel alarm. With prongs on top and underneath, this device was quick to detect water. It connects directly to Wi-Fi, so you don’t need a hub, and it can send push notifications and emails, though you must set them up in the app. Unfortunately, the push notifications did not come through when I was out of the house, connected to a cellular network instead of Wi-Fi. Smart home connectivity is good (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT), and you can set up automation in the SwitchBot app, which makes this a versatile option, particularly if you have other SwitchBot devices. SwitchBot says the two AAA batteries provided are good for up to two years.

AiDot Winees Water Leak Detector S1 Plus (3-Pack) for $60: Connect the plug-in hub to your 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi, place the three circular detectors in likely leak spots, and you are set. You can pair up to 10 detectors with the hub and configure it to send emails and SMS messages on top of app notifications when there’s a leak. The probes on the underside of each detector are quite far apart, and it takes 2 millimeters of water before the alarm is triggered. It failed to go off with a steady drip on top, but the alarm sounded as soon as water pooled underneath. The alarm goes up to 100 decibels, but I like that you can tweak the volume and duration for alarms. You can cancel alarms through the app or by pressing the buttons on the hub. These detectors take CR2 batteries that are good for up to a year, and there’s an indication in the app when they die. When I removed a battery from one of them, it took the app a few hours to update and show it as offline. One last downside is that the hub is circular, so it may block adjacent outlets. Support for IFTTT is a potentially handy extra that could trigger a water shut-off or a light to flash red when a leak is detected.

Aqara Water Leak Sensor for $19: This Zigbee sensor is best used with Apple’s HomeKit, and you need an Aqara hub (sold separately). The company makes a good security camera that doubles as a hub and offers a full range of smart home sensors. These small circular water leak sensors are very low to the ground, so just 0.5 mm of water underneath is enough to trigger an alarm. Dripping on top won’t set them off, but an iPhone notification is triggered as soon as water pools beneath where the probes are. You can also have your connected hub play an alarm and trigger automations through HomeKit. The sensors take CR2 batteries and can last up to two years.

Stitch by Monoprice Water Leak Sensor for $17: This affordable water leak detector has a design that’s similar to our top pick. The main body is round, with metal feet to detect water pooling, and it slots into a bracket for wall mounting. It comes with a coin-sized plug-in extension that stretches up to 3.8 feet. Both the main detector and extension were quick to sound the alarm and send notifications to my phone when wet (though the on-device alarm is not very loud). It takes a single CR2 battery, displays remaining power in the app, and alerts you when it’s time to change batteries. Unfortunately, the app is basic and poorly translated, you have to dry the detector to stop the alarm, and it took too long to warn me when it went offline (weirdly, the offline detector is toggled off by default in the app settings, so I had to switch it on). You can get this a bit cheaper by buying direct from Monoprice.

We did not have a great experience with every water leak detector we tested.

Swann Leak Alert Sensor for $14: While this battery-powered water detector (two AAAs) is affordable, I had a terrible time setting it up. Your phone must be on 2.4-GHz Wi-Fi, but even then it took me multiple attempts to connect. Frustratingly, you must remove the screw panel to reset it because there’s no option in the app. Alerts came through to my phone around a minute after I soaked the sensor, but the Swann app is slow and clunky.

Here's what you need to think about when you shop for smart leak detectors and install them in your home.

How do water leak detectors work?

Water leak detectors can detect water pooling, and some can also detect water dripping or even humidity rising. Premium water leak detectors monitor the flow of water in your pipes. All connect to a hub or directly to your Wi-Fi network to send alerts when they detect a problem.

What kinds of water leak detectors are there?

Some water leak detectors have cables with sensors on the end, some have water-sensing cords, and others are self-contained with sensors on the top or bottom or both. You have the option of extension nodes with some detectors. At the premium end of the market, you can get water leak detectors that must be fitted to your pipework to measure the flow of water and even automatically shut it off when a leak is detected.

How many water leak detectors do I need?

Unless you have a single problem spot or appliance you want to monitor, you will likely need multiple leak detectors. Think about the areas you want to cover when considering what kind of detector would work best for you and how many of them you need.

Where should I put my water leak detectors?

Anywhere you have concerns about a potential leak, so under sinks, behind toilets, next to washers, humidifiers, water heaters, and other water tanks. If you have a problem area where you have had a leak before or an aging appliance you are worried about, those are good spots to place water leak detectors.

How do water leak detectors alert you?

All the smart water leak detectors we tested send push notifications when there’s a leak, but some also send emails and texts. Most have some kind of built-in alarm sound, but some offer separate sirens or can be configured to send alerts through smart speakers or other devices. It’s worth checking whether your pick supports disconnection alerts to warn you when the connection is lost, which may happen if power or Wi-Fi goes out.

How are water leak detectors powered?

Most detectors are battery-powered, but you can get some that plug directly into outlets. You can set and forget plug-in detectors, but batteries give you more flexibility with placement, and the companion app will typically warn you when the batteries need to be changed.

Do water leak detectors need a Wi-Fi connection?

Most smart water leak detectors connect directly to your Wi-Fi router or a hub, so make sure that you have a decent signal wherever you are installing them. Most of the devices we tested only connect to Wi-Fi on the 2.4-GHz band. Remember that they need internet access to alert you to any leaks or problems when you are away from home. If your internet goes down, they will simply act as local alarms.

Can water leak detectors integrate with my smart home?

While companion apps and mobile notifications are typical, some detectors support smart home standards, which allows you to access detectors in your chosen smart home app and set up triggers or automation. For example, you could set a water alert to flash your smart lights or select a temperature that triggers heating or air conditioning to turn on.

Can water leak detectors shut off the water?

With some high-end systems, you can install a water-monitoring device with an automatic shutoff function, enabling any leak detection to shut off your water supply. But these systems are usually expensive and may require professional installation.

Can water leak detectors also monitor the temperature or humidity?

Some smart water-leak detectors can also monitor the temperature and humidity, potentially alerting you to the danger of frozen pipes or damp environments that could indicate a leak nearby. You can generally review the temperature and humidity over time, so you can immediately spot any notable changes that need investigation. With smart home automation, you can also trigger heating or fans at certain levels to reduce the risk of damage.

I test every smart water leak detector by dripping water on top, pooling water slowly beneath, and flooding rapidly to see how effective the water leak detection is and how quickly they alert. I install every app, check different alert options where applicable, and ensure alerts come through on my phone, whether I’m connected to Wi-Fi or the cellular network. I also remove the batteries or unplug each water leak detector to see if it shows as disconnected correctly in the app or sends any alert, then plug it back in or reinsert batteries to see if it recovers. When detectors offer additional features, such as humidity or temperature tracking, I test and compare them with my Tado system. Our top picks continue to be used over months, so we can be confident that the performance does not degrade.

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