Swiss burglar deterrent Kevin: third generation review
9.1.2026
Translation: Patrik Stainbrook
Pictures: Michael Restin
This speaker with light and sound effects is supposed to scare off burglars, just like in the original Home Alone films. While the film franchise didn’t improve with more instalments, Kevin.3’s a step forward.
Ever since our house was burgled, I’ve stopped deluding myself. Unless Kevin McCallister’s tormenting the thieves, ordinary windows and balcony doors can be broken into in no time as soon as the place looks empty. That’s why a deterrent’s more important to me than any alarm system. I want my home to always look occupied; otherwise – especially during the darker months – it’s practically an open invitation for thieves. Reason enough to be interested in anything that promises more security. Such as Kevin.3.
I’ve had my eye on the presence simulator from Swiss company Mitipi since a colleague tested the first generation in 2019. The small device works with light and shadows, imitates movement or a running TV and plays everyday sounds. All in one, all as uncomplicated as possible. The current test device – Kevin.3 – was provided to me by the manufacturer. It’s supposed to offer more versatile effects and be more energy-efficient than its predecessors. I took a closer look at what the simulator can do, how it’s developed and what its limitations are.
Kevin’s so small!
Kevin’s more compact than I expected: 21.2 centimetres wide, 10.2 centimetres tall and 9.2 centimetres deep. I can’t help but picture it on the elegant sideboard of an older couple. Not because it looks old-fashioned, but because it looks both high-quality and unpretentious. It looks quite sophisticated, with clean lines and minimal buttons. There are just three round knobs inlaid on the narrow top – barely noticeable, but you can find their grooves with your hands.
The power supply’s three-metre cable gives you freedom of movement, as where you position the device is crucial to its effectiveness. Its power consumption’s said to be significantly lower than its predecessor’s. The manufacturer states that the Kevin.3 uses only 9 watts. This is a plausible average. In practice, I measured between 3.8 and 16.3 watts over the course of an hour with the light and sound effects active.
No smart home here: Kevin does it alone
The Kevin.3 doesn’t have a built-in battery; it only offers Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and a light sensor. While Kevin plays sounds from its 32 GB of storage, it doesn’t listen in and you can’t integrate it into an existing smart home system. The manufacturer keeps the system closed for privacy reasons. After switching it on, the device greets you with a friendly «Hello, Kevin here!» Then you can begin the setup process.
You can configure and control it using the three buttons, from starting a simulation to activating the Bluetooth speaker and turning on the lamp. However, it’s more practical to plan activation times and scenarios using the app. It’s at this point that eight out of ten older couples call their children or grandchildren. Create an account, grant location access, pair devices, add Kevin to the app. Straightforward for many, but not for everyone. For me, the process works flawlessly.
The lighting effects are the highlight
The Kevin.3 should be positioned between 15 and 60 centimetres away from a wall, allowing it to use the wall as a screen in the dark. Other strong light sources in the immediate vicinity mess with the effect. The setup also has to be clearly visible from the outside, while not being immediately noticeable when looking through the window. There’s virtually no clearer indication that nobody’s at home. Ideally, you’d want to place Kevin on a mezzanine or first floor.
When I first saw Kevin’s work from the street in the dark, I was impressed. For one thing, as the only light source in the room, it was bright enough to make the roughly 40-square-metre living and dining area seem occupied. And if I didn’t know better, I’d actually believe that someone was walking through my flat. The video below shows a scene from demo mode – the effect’s intensified when seen from a distance on the wall or ceiling.
The differing alignment of lights on its back means it can simulate movement by casting shadows across the wall. And it’s more realistic than in the famous party scene from Home Alone.
The «moving silhouettes of people with shadow effects» are patented and have been improved compared to the previous model. Since they don’t repeat every ten seconds – they only move occasionally in time with appropriate sound effects – the result is deceptively realistic. This is due to the upper row of LEDs, which generate a warm white light that’s relatively bright. The lower row of LEDs is coloured and can simulate a running TV.
Of course, if you have smart lights in your home, you can use them to make it seem occupied. Philips Hue, for example, offers a «Mimic presence» automation, which switches lights on and off based on your usual habits. And you can also buy a TV simulator separately for a reasonable price. It’s the best-selling product in our burglary protection category.
The small Kevin.3 is unrivalled in that it’s an easy-to-use, all-in-one solution that delivers a truly spectacular show. The downside is that it only plays in one room at a time, including corresponding sounds that match the lighting scenes. The app allows you to control when the device makes sounds – and of course, you can also assign multiple Kevins to different rooms.
More «Hello» than «Grüezi» – update on the horizon
I’m a bit disappointed because, although Kevin greets me in Swiss German during setup, it mostly speaks English in everyday use, especially when voices are mixed in with the sounds. Theoretically, it can create scenarios for up to four weeks without repeating anything – four times longer than its predecessor. For example, teeth are brushed in the morning, the TV’s on in the evening, and dishes clatter and people chat at mealtimes. What you hear most often depends on your individual settings and the time of day.
To avoid having to manually start Kevin.3 every time you leave the house, you can activate the geofencing option or create routines. Geofencing means that Kevin activates automatically as soon as you leave. More precisely, when your phone – with location services permanently enabled – leaves a radius of 250 to 300 metres around your home. So, if you’re just going shopping locally, you still have to start it manually in the app. If you’re frequently away from home or on holiday, you can define Kevin’s operating times using a weekly schedule.
On paper, Kevin.3 seems to offer more language options than I experienced in practice. While it’s not unusual for people to speak English in Zurich, I’m surprised to only encounter Swiss German in the demo. Founded in 2018 as a spin-off from Helvetia Insurance, Manufacturer Mitipi relocated from Zurich to Fribourg and now has subsidiaries in the EU and the USA. Is Kevin.3 forgetting its native language?
While you can use the app in English, German, Spanish, French and Dutch, this setting doesn’t affect what Kevin says. I contacted Mitipi, and CEO Patrick Cotting replied that the current language versions depend on your simulation settings. Adjusting the sliders can change the language. He added that 70 hours of activities and simulations are stored on each device in English, German and Swiss German.
What’s more, an update with newly programmed AI-generated noises and sounds is expected soon: «These will be released later this year with one of the next software updates and will be available to everyone, including current owners of a Kevin.3.» So, they won’t be reserved for a new generation of devices. Kevin’s evolving, and, in the future, users will be able to select their preferred language.
For the moment, it usually sounds like relatively young female voices laughing and chatting in English about everyday things. If I switch the settings from «full house» to «hermit», I primarily hear footsteps, drawers being opened and kitchen noises. And a background hiss I can make out as long as I’m nearby. From a distance or behind a door, though, you can’t hear it.
My recordings fool even me
Burglars probably care less than I do about the voices and languages being played. For me, Kevin’s soundscape becomes much more realistic once I make my own recordings and upload them. For example, I record our conversation during dinner and am genuinely surprised a few days later when I unlock the door, walk in and hear a jumble of familiar voices. Because my own voice is among them, I quickly remember that I’ve provided Kevin with this soundscape.
Here’s how it works: you record and name the scene. Then, for the lighting effect, you choose one of the following categories: housework, TV, everyday life, kitchen, hobby, bathroom, or musical instrument. Next, add a few relevant tags, such as cooking and dinner. You roughly define the desired time using four sliders for morning, afternoon, evening and night. Finally, you select a room for the scene. Kevin prioritises uploaded recordings, and the sliders are intuitive to use.
Those who prefer complete control might miss the ability to specify the exact time for a particular action. «We’ll be happy to include a more precise time definition down to the hour in a future update if this is what our customers want,» Patrick Cotting told me.
Can you even hear it?
Depending on your living situation and the device’s location, the sounds may not reach outside and may only be audible inside your home. Increasing the volume above a normal conversation level is possible, but it sounds wrong to me. When I’m standing in the stairwell, I can hear muffled sounds, even though Kevin’s several metres from the entrance. While I’m more impressed by the light effects, I don’t find the soundscape any more than acceptable.
Should someone break into the next room through the window and then hear conversations or noises in the apartment – as has happened before – they might opt for a strategic retreat. Perhaps even more so than if an alarm system with window contacts had been triggered. Experienced burglars know immediately what’s going on. And, above all, that they’re alone. Kevin’s more likely to cause some uncertainty.
What Kevin can’t do (yet)
Kevin’s a deterrent. It can’t be integrated into an existing smart home system, and it doesn’t monitor anything. If someone comes into the room, it doesn’t trigger an alarm. Besides a light sensor, it has nothing built in to interpret its surroundings. You can see that as a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s a conscious decision by the manufacturer. So far, they’ve opted to forgo cameras, microphones and other sensors for privacy. That’s set to change in the future.
Mitipi plans to integrate burglary detection functions for the device to react to: «We’re working on our own sensor and camera system that will then interact directly with Kevin and emit specific sounds like a dog barking as soon as someone rings the doorbell or comes near the house,» the CEO added.
For security and privacy reasons, they’re developing their own solution. The majority of the data will be stored locally on the device, while the remainder will be hosted in Switzerland, according to it-markt.ch (website in German). The new Kevin’s due to launch in 2027.
What else Kevin can do
Even when I’m at home, Kevin still provides a bit of ambience. As indirect lighting, it produces a warm white glow. The verdict? Useful and pleasant. I could also use it as a Bluetooth speaker. But I don’t, because – like most people – I have more than one better-sounding alternative at home. Plus, if you get tired of the grey, magnetically-attached front cover, you could give Kevin a different look.
What no Kevin can do
It can’t collect your post or keep the area around your house tidy – burglars often test whether anyone’s at home. Has a displaced doormat been put back in its place? Is there any rubbish in the garden? 100 per cent security is impossible. But the more eyes you have on your home while you’re away, the better. No amount of security can replace that, even if Kevin starts barking every time someone approaches.
Security systems only increase the likelihood that burglars will choose a different target. In Kevin’s case, this costs roughly the same as the most popular alarm system at Galaxus, a Ring system with additional burglar detectors for six windows.
In a nutshell
Lots of light, fleeting shadows and sounds – Kevin.3’s a good simulator
If you have the right «stage», Kevin shines. Ideally, a window that’s clearly visible from the street but makes it difficult to see inside from the outside. Plus a light-coloured wall or ceiling where shadows can dance. Then, in the dark and from the outside, it actually looks as if there’s not only a light on, but someone at home and occasionally moving around. Kevin can’t raise the alarm – its goal’s to deter burglars from the outset.
The app’s clear and intuitive to use, but lacks submenus and detailed settings. You can’t integrate Kevin.3 into an existing smart home system. Ultimately, it’s an easy-to-use solution for anyone who prioritises deterrence in burglary protection and wants more than just timed lights.
Pro
- Three-year warranty
- Finish and quality
- Versatile, not repetitive
- Realistic light and shadow
Contra
- There’s still room for improvement in terms of speech/sounds (an update has been announced)
- It can only deter an intruder, not raise the alarm
Michael Restin
Senior Editor
Michael.Restin@digitecgalaxus.chSimple writer and dad of two who likes to be on the move, wading through everyday family life. Juggling several balls, I'll occasionally drop one. It could be a ball, or a remark. Or both.
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