Kasa Spot Pan Tilt Review

The Kasa Pan Tilt is an indoor hard-wired security camera that features image quality much clearer than its price might suggest. It captures footage in 1080p resolution at 15 frames per second and can pan 360 degrees and tilt vertically with a range of 113 degrees.

Video Quality

In order to test video quality, we've formulated an array of tests both in our lab and outside of our homes that allow us to objectively assess each camera's captured footage and compare it to others. These tests are designed to help us hone in on clarity, color accuracy, and overall image quality. One of the charts we're all familiar with, but probably don't know the name of, is the Snellen Chart. Z, L, P, Q, squiggly line? We've all come across a Snellen Chart when visiting the eye doctor, and we use this same type of chart to help see how clear images appear.

I was quite surprised by the clarity of the 1,080p video of the budget Kasa Pan Tilt and am very pleased with how well this budget pick performed. I can read down to the 5th line easily. This camera has clearer and crisper image quality than more expensive models in this test, almost as well as the Wyze v4. That said, I found that the Kasa doesn't have the best color accuracy, as many of the images start dark in the center and become washed out towards the edges. I also noticed that the overall appearance of colors seemed undersaturated and often lacked intensity. Although the Kasa doesn't feature a light, it does capture night vision footage quite well. It would be easy to overlook the Kasa due to its affordable price, but it delivered clear and high contrast low-light video quality with excellent capture of details. The pan/tilt function of the Kasa allows it to pan 360 degrees and tilt up to 113 degrees vertically.

Monitoring Performance

The Kasa Pan Tilt does not support facial recognition, but it does recognize and distinguish between motion events, people, and has the ability to track whatever subject matter it detects. You also have the ability to hear and transmit sound via the built-in microphone and speaker.

The Kasa accurately and consistently captures motion events, capturing 5/5 in our testing. Though it lacks some of the versatile features of the other cameras in our lineup, like out-of-view detection capability, it's hard to beat for the price.

Ease of Use

The Kasa is powered by a hard-wired connection and does not support the use of batteries. I found the app to be sort of an oddball among most of the others that I reviewed. Their layout differs the most from all other competitors.

Upon opening the app, you are presented with a list of cameras in your system, but there's no thumbnail or livestream to view. It's simply the title of the camera, which is a big letdown since I'd prefer to see everything going on all at once instead of having to individually select cameras. Once you're able to navigate to the live view of the camera feed, the app delivers a more standard experience. Quick controls are available to allow you to take screenshots, record, enable sound, two-way audio, pan/tilt, and more. The pan/tilt feature allows you to save preset views, so you don't have to constantly adjust. Overall, the app isn't terrible but falls a few clicks short of much of the competition.

Should You Buy the Kasa Spot Pan Tilt?

The Kasa Spot Pan Tilt offers great value to those looking for an indoor camera capable of capturing clear and detailed video, day or night, on a tight budget. If you utilize the local storage option, you're able to use the Kasa without any monthly subscription with basic features, but to utilize video history, video sharing, activity notifications with snapshots, you'll need a Plus or Premium subscription. Keep in mind that the Kasa requires a hard-wired connection for power, so those lacking power where they'd like to monitor should consider other battery-powered options. The Kasa is great for what you pay for, but if you're looking for innovative and cutting-edge technology and features, it might not be for you. If you're new to security cameras and are looking for a low-risk investment, the Kasa is a great place to start.

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