The best motion sensors, compared.
Top pick: Philips Hue indoor motion sensor – Highest score in the set, 4.7 from 5,853 reviews, only if a Hue Bridge is already installed. Best value: Maclean MCE468 B – IP65, 12 m and 180°, no hub, about £10.96, with a thinner review sample than Hue. Updated 20.10.2026.
Shoppers looking for a motion sensor on amazon.co.uk are usually trying to do one of three things: switch a porch lamp, light a hall, or hear when someone is on the drive. The listing title often hides which of those you are buying. A mains PIR, a battery sensor that needs a named hub, and a plug-in chime are not interchangeable. Nothing here is an mmWave presence sensor, so none of them will keep a light on while someone sits still. Check the IP code, the detection pattern, the LED load, and the hub if the sensor is smart. If you still need to choose the job before the model, use the [motion sensor buying guide](/hub/burglar-protection/motion-sensor/sub/motion-sensor-buying-guide).
Shoppers looking for a motion sensor on amazon.co.uk are usually trying to do one of three things: switch a porch lamp, light a hall, or hear when someone is on the drive.
38 products checked · 58 hrs invested · +18,600 readers
Swipe for more
1-2 of 11
Personal buying guide
Question 1 of 2
What should the sensor do?
On a house that already has a Hue Bridge, this sensor switches Hue lights across a stated 5 m and uses a daylight sensor so a bright room can stay off. It measures 55 x 20 x 55 mm, takes one included CR2032, and reviewers describe a magnetic base that is not listed in the specification block. Across 5,853 amazon.co.uk reviews it averages 4.7, the highest star line in this set, at about £37.99 before the bridge, which is sold separately. Buyers praise fast hall, kitchen, and wardrobe triggers, and they often report battery life in months, against a specification line that says an average of 250 hours. The title says indoor, the included-components line says one outdoor motion sensor, and no IP rating is printed, so outdoor use stays unresolved. The timer can drop the light while you are still in the room, the Hue app routines are fiddly, and there is no corner bracket in the box. It is the top pick here only if Hue is already the lighting system.
Pros
Cons
Best for: Halls, kitchens, and wardrobes in a home that already runs Hue lights through a Hue Bridge.
Less suitable: A non-Hue porch lamp, a confirmed outdoor wall, or a room where people sit still for a long time.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Hue sensor need a bridge?
Yes. The listing says a Hue Bridge or Hue Bridge Pro, sold separately, is required. The sensor does not join Wi-Fi on its own.
Is it indoor or outdoor?
The title says indoor. The included-components line says one outdoor motion sensor. No IP rating is printed, so the outdoor claim is unresolved.
What battery does it use?
One CR2032, included. The specification table says an average life of 250 hours. Range is 5 m, with a daylight sensor. Reviewers often report months rather than that 250-hour line.
The Tapo T100 is a 50 g battery PIR that the listing rates at 7 m and 120°, held up with a 3M pad or its magnet. It will not pair to Wi-Fi on its own: it needs a Tapo H100 or H200, sold separately, on that hub’s Sub-1G link. Across 886 amazon.co.uk reviews it averages 4.6, the second-highest star line in this set, and buyers use it for kitchen, hall, stairs, and wardrobe lights once the hub is in. One CR2450 is included, with a claim of more than a year, though reviewers call the cell small and at least one measured about 3 m rather than 7 m. There is no illuminance figure on the listing, and reviews say day and night have to be a schedule. Sensitivity and on-time live in the app, there is no hardware off switch, and a flat or tabbed battery has turned up in at least one box. At about £14.99 it is a strong smart buy only when the Tapo hub is already yours.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A Tapo household that wants a small indoor trigger for lights already on that hub.
Less suitable: Anyone without a Tapo hub, an outdoor wall, or a mains porch lamp that should switch by itself.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the Tapo T100 work without a hub?
No. The listing requires a Tapo H100 or H200, sold separately, because the sensor uses that hub’s Sub-1G link. It does not work on Wi-Fi alone.
Can you use it outdoors?
No IP rating is printed. Detection is 7 m at 120°. Outdoor use is not stated on the specification lines.
What battery does it take?
One CR2450, included. The listing claims more than a year. Mounting is a 3M pad or the built-in magnet.
The SEBSON IR_ES_A is a flush ceiling PIR for a dry room, covering 6 m at 360° from a body about 75 mm across and 65 mm deep. It allows 600 W on energy-saving lamps and 1,200 W on usual lamps, with time from about 10 seconds to 15 minutes and lux from 3 to 2,000. Across 1,819 amazon.co.uk reviews it averages 4.5, and buyers often fit it as a straight swap for an older ceiling sensor, including in garages. It is IP20 and listed for indoor use, so a porch is outside the rating, and bathroom mentions in reviews are not a rating for a bath or shower zone. Some find it slower to switch on than the unit it replaced, and at least one says the delay never reaches a true 15 minutes. The listing prints 60 Hz, does not state voltage, and does not claim pet immunity. At about £13.99 with no hub it is a capable indoor ceiling switch, and it still drops the light if you sit still.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A dry hall, landing, or garage with an existing three-wire ceiling point outside a bath or shower zone.
Less suitable: Outdoor walls, a bathroom zone, or a room where someone sits still and expects the lamp to stay on.
Specifications
Common questions
Can this ceiling sensor go outdoors?
The listing says indoor use and IP20. IP20 is not a weather rating.
Does it work with LED lamps?
The listing allows 600 W for energy-saving lamps and 1,200 W for usual lamps. No lamp is included. Use the energy-saving figure for LEDs.
Will it ignore pets?
The listing does not state pet immunity. Range is 6 m at 360°, with time from about 10 seconds to 15 minutes.
The SEBSON IR_BS_A mini puts a small ceiling eye, about 18 mm across and 25 mm deep, onto a lamp at a stated 6 m. The listing prints both a 360° radius and a 120° angle, so the pattern is not settled until you walk it. On-time is stepped at 5 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, or 8 minutes, and lux is only 10 or 2,000 rather than a wide dial. Load is 400 W energy-saving and 800 W usual lamps. It averages 4.5 from 1,505 reviews, with praise for how little it shows in the ceiling and criticism that the wiring is awkward and the lead is short. No IP rating is printed, and the power line says mains while also mentioning an AC adapter. At about £13.99 it suits a small dry hall where the cable already reaches the rose.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A small indoor ceiling where you want a discreet head and the existing cable is long enough.
Less suitable: Anywhere you need a stated weather rating, a smooth timer, or a single agreed detection angle.
Specifications
Common questions
Is the mini SEBSON a full 360° sensor?
The listing says a 6 m range with a 360° radius and also a 120° detection angle. Both figures are printed, so walk the pattern before you rely on it.
How long can the light stay on?
The steps are 5 seconds, 30 seconds, 1 minute, 3 minutes, 5 minutes, or 8 minutes. Lux is only 10 or 2,000, not a wide dial.
What load can it switch?
800 W for usual lamps and 400 W for energy-saving lamps. It is a three-wire indoor ceiling unit. No IP rating is stated.
The Maclean MCE468 B is a corded wall PIR that switches a light across 12 m and 180°, with a tilting head and a time dial from 10 seconds to about 15 minutes. Across 99 amazon.co.uk reviews it averages 4.5, and buyers mostly describe a straightforward swap on a garage or security light, though the written UK sample is only about 15 reviews. It is the only kept listing rated IP65, at about £10.96, so it is the best-value exposed-wall head in this set when the cable is already there. One installer found the connectors would not grip the conductor, and another said the body twisted on the post as the screws went in. The title prints 600/1,200 W while the specification line says 1,200 W resistive, voltage is missing, and the same page prints 60 Hz plus an AA-battery line on a corded unit. A single garden review said it ignored moths, a cat, and leaves better than an older PIR, which is one install, not a pet-immunity rating. It will not join Hue, Tapo, or Zigbee.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An exposed outdoor wall that already has a mains light cable and needs an IP65 head without a hub.
Less suitable: A Hue, Tapo, Zigbee, or Thread house, or anyone who wants a large review sample before trusting the terminals.
Specifications
Common questions
Can you use the Maclean MCE468 B outdoors?
The listing rates it IP65, with a 12 m, 180° field, a tilting head, and lux and time controls. It is a corded mains sensor, not a battery puck.
What lamp load does it allow?
The specification line says 1,200 W resistive. The title also prints 600/1,200 W. Voltage is not stated, and the listing frequency is 60 Hz. UK mains are 230 V at 50 Hz.
Does it need a hub?
No. The listing describes a mains PIR for a light, with no hub in the compatibility line.
The SONOFF SNZB-03P is a battery Zigbee PIR, 4.3 x 6.4 x 4.3 cm, that reports movement to a hub instead of switching a lamp on its own terminals. The specification line says 19.7 feet, which is 6.0 m, no angle is printed, and one CR2477 is included with a maker claim of more than three years. Across 1,009 amazon.co.uk reviews it averages 4.4, with fast pairing in Home Assistant and in the eWeLink app once a Zigbee hub is present, and battery life often called very long. Reviewers who measured the pattern describe about 3 m and a need to walk in front of it, well inside that 19.7-foot line. A paper tab under the cell blocks pairing until you pull it, the battery cover feels easy to crack, and some units die after about six months or stick in a constant motion state. It needs a Zigbee 3.0 hub, has no IP rating, and it clears occupancy when you sit still. At about £14.99 the sensor is inexpensive only if that hub is already on the shelf.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A hallway or kitchen in a house that already runs Zigbee 3.0 and only needs a walk-past trigger.
Less suitable: A porch lamp with no hub, outdoor walls, or a seat where someone stays still.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the SONOFF SNZB-03P need a hub?
Yes. The listing says it must be used with a Zigbee hub and names SONOFF bridges, dongles, and Echo Plus 2nd generation. It does not work on Wi-Fi alone.
How far does it detect?
The specification line says 19.7 feet, which is 6.0 m. Reviewers who measured the pattern often describe about 3 m, and only in front. No detection angle and no IP rating are printed.
Can it sit outdoors?
The listing does not give an outdoor or IP rating. Treat outdoor use as not stated.
The SEBSON IR_ES_EA is an indoor flush PIR with an 8 m, 360° field and a ceiling cut-out of about 63-66 mm, in a body 75 x 75 x 45 mm. The listing allows 1,000 W of LED and 2,000 W of incandescent, with time from 10 seconds to 30 minutes, which is a longer window than the 6 m IR_ES_A. It averages 4.4 from 206 reviews, and the sampled titles are thin: lux and time are praised, while other buyers call the detection weaker than advertised. One UK title reports a fault inside 12 months, which is a single report rather than a rate. No IP code is printed, the colour line says anthracite, and pet immunity is not stated. At about £14.99 it is the higher LED-load ceiling option here, still a three-wire switch that will not see you sitting still.
Pros
Cons
Best for: An indoor ceiling that needs a longer timer and a higher LED load than the 6 m SEBSON.
Less suitable: Outdoor use, or a buyer who wants a large review sample before cutting a 63-66 mm hole.
Specifications
Common questions
What hole does the 8 m SEBSON need?
The listing asks for a ceiling cut-out of about 63-66 mm. The body is 75 x 75 x 45 mm and uses a three-wire connection.
Can it switch a large LED load?
The listing allows 1,000 W for LED or other energy-saving lamps and 2,000 W for incandescent lamps. It is described as indoor. No IP code is printed.
Does it detect pets?
Pet immunity is not stated. Detection is 8 m at 360°, with time from 10 seconds to 30 minutes and lux from 3 to 2,000.
The anthracite SEBSON IR_OUT_AA switches a wall lamp at 12 m and 180°, and the head swings 100° sideways and 40° vertically so you can pull the pattern off the pavement. It allows 400 W of LED and 800 W of filament, with time from 10 seconds to 15 minutes and lux from 3 to 2,000, on a three-wire mains feed. The listing is IP44, splash under cover, and reviewers who left a unit in driving rain report leaks inside a year. Across a 6,428-review pool shared with the white IR_OUT_A it averages 4.2, so that count is one sample, not two. Fitters praise the swivel once permanent live and switched live are the right way round, and they also call the terminal chamber too small for UK lighting cable, with cover clips instead of screws and included screws that shear. Some units arrive dead, or work for about a year and then the range falls to a few centimetres or the lamp latches on. At about £13.99 it is a sheltered-porch head, with no hub and no stated pet immunity.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A porch or eaves that stay out of driving rain, where you are replacing an older three-wire PIR on the same cable.
Less suitable: An open wall in the rain, or a first-time fit if the existing cable is thick and the terminal space is already tight.
Specifications
Common questions
Is this SEBSON outdoor sensor weatherproof?
The listing says outdoor and IP44, which is splashing water, with a swivel head, 12 m and 180°. It does not state IP65. IP44 is splash under cover, not a jet rating.
Will it run LED lights?
The listing allows 400 W for LED lamps and 800 W for incandescent lamps. It is a three-wire mains switch and does not include a lamp.
Can you aim it?
Yes. The head adjusts 100° horizontally and 40° vertically. Time runs from 10 seconds to 15 minutes, and the lux window is 3 to 2,000.
The white SEBSON IR_OUT_A does the same outdoor job in a different colour: 12 m, 180°, IP44, 400 W LED, and a head that moves 100° horizontally and 40° vertically. The box lists the detector, an instruction manual, a user manual, and mounting accessories. It averages 4.2 from 6,428 reviews, the same count as the anthracite IR_OUT_AA, so the written comments belong to one shared pool. Buyers who get the two lives the right way round use it as a compact porch replacement, and some report fewer wind and rain triggers than their previous detector. The same titles call the terminals fiddly, the wiring tight for UK cable, and the unit probably acceptable under cover rather than fully exposed. A repeated pattern is a first unit replaced, or detection that fades after about one to two years. At about £13.99 it suits a wall that stays dry overhead; an open gable is the job of the IP65 Maclean.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A white exterior under a porch or eaves, replacing a three-wire PIR that already has a cable.
Less suitable: Driving rain on an open wall, or a shopper who thinks this review count is separate from the anthracite SEBSON.
Specifications
Common questions
How is the white SEBSON different from the anthracite one?
This listing is model IR_OUT_A in white at about £13.99. The anthracite listing is IR_OUT_AA. Both state IP44, 12 m, 180°, and 400 W LED. Both show 4.2 from 6,428 reviews, which is one shared pool.
Does it include fixings?
The included-components line lists the motion detector, an instruction manual, a user manual, and mounting accessories.
Does the listing say it ignores animals?
No. The listing does not state pet immunity or a pet-immunity distance.
The BeiLan kit is a wall PIR plus a plug-in receiver that chimes or flashes, with 38 tones and a volume span of 25-80 dB. Detection is printed as both 3 m and 7 m, the radio hop is up to 100 m, and the alert gap is 15 or 30 seconds. The receiver uses a mains socket and the sensor needs three AAA cells that are not in the box. Across 1,589 amazon.co.uk reviews it averages 4.2, and owners use it as a driveway, office, door, or cat alert without running a lighting cable. The same reviews call it too sensitive, with no fine trim beyond where you place it, so a busy path chatters. The title says weatherproof, a UK review says it is not waterproof, and no IP code is printed. At about £15.89 it tells you someone crossed the drive, and it does not switch a lamp.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A driveway, shop door, or hall where you want a sound or a flash and you can site the PIR off passing traffic.
Less suitable: Switching a porch lamp, a wet exposed wall, or a path you cannot aim away from.
Specifications
Common questions
Does the BeiLan kit switch a light?
No. It is one PIR and one plug-in receiver with sound and an LED flash. It does not list a mains lamp load.
How far does it reach?
Detection is listed as both 3 m and 7 m. The radio range between sensor and receiver is up to 328 feet (100 m).
Is it weatherproof?
The title says weatherproof. No IP rating is printed, and the sensor needs three AAA batteries, which are not included. A title word is not an IP code.
The Eve Motion is a Matter-over-Thread PIR rated at 9 m and 120°, with a light sensor, two included AAA cells, and an IPX3 spray rating. It needs a Thread border router from the listing’s named Apple, SmartThings, Echo, eero, or Nest devices, plus iOS 16.4 or Android 8.1 or later. At about £44.95 it is the dearest unit in the set, and 601 amazon.co.uk reviews average 3.6. When the link holds, buyers describe an instant Apple Home trigger and a brightness sensor used for night-only lights. The repeated complaint is that it drops off the network and needs a reset, with weak Thread range unless it sits close to the border router, and pairing with Google Home or Echo fails for some despite the title. IPX3 is spraying water, not a jet, and a garden or the far side of an outside wall is where reviewers say the link fails. It is worth fitting only if that border router is already nearby and you can accept the 3.6.
Pros
Cons
Best for: A Thread house with a border router in the same part of the building, where you want night-only automations and can tolerate resets.
Less suitable: A garden, a far outdoor wall, a house with no Thread router, or anyone comparing it with the Hue sensor’s 4.7.
Specifications
Common questions
Can Eve Motion go outdoors?
The listing says indoors and outdoors and rates it IPX3, with 9 m and 120°. IPX3 is spraying water, not a jet rating.
Does it need a hub?
Yes. It needs a Thread border router. The listing names specific Apple, SmartThings, Echo, eero, and Nest devices. It does not work on Wi-Fi alone.
Does it work with Alexa?
The title says it works with Alexa, and the listing names several Echo and eero models as border routers. It also needs iOS 16.4 or Android 8.1 or later. Some reviewers still fail to pair.
Scores run from 0 to 100 on the eleven amazon.co.uk listings kept on 19 October 2026. There was no lab test. Stars and review volume carry the most weight, then whether range, angle, IP code, lamp load, or the correct hub matches the job, then the sensor price in GBP with the hub left out. Review themes, including tight terminals, leaks, dropouts, and range short of the listing, are applied as deductions. A shared review pool is counted once, and Eve’s 3.6 from 601 reviews is left visible.
Amazon stars and review volume
40%A large sample outweighs a tiny one at the same star line. The two outdoor SEBSON listings share one 6,428-review pool, so that count is not treated as two independent samples.
Fit for the stated job
30%Range, angle, IP code, lamp load, or the correct hub. A mains porch head and a battery puck are not scored as the same job.
Price against that job
20%GBP on the sensor listing only. A hub sold separately is not folded into the price, and it is not ignored when the sensor cannot work without it.
Review themes
10%Terminals, leaks, dropouts, and a measured range short of the listing. Listing contradictions, including 60 Hz on a UK mains unit, also count here.
Name the job before you compare stars. A porch lamp, a hallway bulb, and a drive alert are three different listings, and the title on amazon.co.uk often blurs them. IP code, hub, and LED load decide the shortlist. Price comes after the sensor can actually do that job.
A motion sensor in this UK set is one of three products. It is a mains passive infrared switch for a lamp, a battery sensor that needs a named hub, or a plug-in PIR chime. Shoppers on amazon.co.uk are splitting porch lights, hallway bulbs, and a warning that someone is on the drive, and the listing title often hides which of those three they are buying.
IP44 is splash under cover. IPX3 is spray only. Weatherproof with no code is not a rating. Only the Maclean listing in this set prints IP65.
Tapo, SONOFF, Hue, and Eve do nothing useful until the named hub or Thread border router is already there. That box was not priced on these ASINs.
Use the LED or energy-saving figure on the listing. The higher incandescent number is not the load you should plan for a modern lamp.
These are PIRs. They go quiet when movement stops. A desk or a sofa needs a presence sensor, which is not in this set.
The IP code is what separates a dry porch from a wall that takes rain. Where a listing prints a code, it is using BS EN 60529. IP20, on the SEBSON IR_ES_A, is an indoor ceiling sensor and is not a weather rating. IP44, on both SEBSON outdoor wall units, is splashing water under cover. IP65, on the Maclean MCE468 B, is the jet rating, and it is the only IP65 listing kept here. IPX3, on Eve Motion, is spraying water, not a jet, so a garden or an open gable is outside that code.
Decide the job before the brand. A mains PIR switches a lamp and needs no hub. A battery sensor reports movement to a system you already run. A chime only makes a noise. For a mains lamp, read the LED wattage, not the incandescent figure. The Maclean specification line says 1,200 W resistive. The outdoor SEBSON units allow 400 W LED. The indoor 6 m SEBSON allows 600 W energy-saving. The 8 m SEBSON allows 1,000 W LED. Several mains pages print 60 Hz and omit volts.
Three typical situations, each with a recommendation from this comparison.
You already have a mains cable on an exposed wall and you want a head that states IP65. The Maclean MCE468 B is the best value fit in this set, with no hub. Use a registered electrician if the cable is damaged or the fitting is in a bathroom zone.
Hue lights and a Hue Bridge are already in the house, and you want a walk-past trigger for a hall, kitchen, or wardrobe. The Philips Hue indoor motion sensor is the top pick on that condition. Skip it for a non-Hue porch lamp.
You cannot alter the lighting circuit. The BeiLan PIR chime uses a plug-in receiver and three AAA cells, with no hub. If you already own a Tapo, Zigbee, Hue, or Thread hub, a battery sensor for that system is the other route.
The highest score is the Philips Hue indoor motion sensor, and only for a house that already has a Hue Bridge. It leads on 4.7 from 5,853 reviews and a daylight sensor, at about £37.99 before the bridge, which is sold separately. The best value exposed-wall head is the Maclean MCE468 B: IP65, 12 m and 180°, no hub, about £10.96, with a thinner review sample and a listing that also prints 60 Hz. Eve Motion stays at 3.6 from 601 reviews, so a Thread border router does not make it the outdoor default.
Philips Hue indoor motion sensor
Highest score in the set, 4.7 from 5,853 reviews, only if a Hue Bridge is already installed.
Maclean MCE468 B
IP65, 12 m and 180°, no hub, about £10.96, with a thinner review sample than Hue.
Editorial
Peter F. is the editor for DIY & tools at productscompared.co.uk. Comparisons in this category are checked against amazon.co.uk listings, review evidence and public UK sources.
Guides on what to look for, how to use a product, and common mistakes.
Public UK sources and the amazon.co.uk listings kept on 19 October 2026.
Expert source (DIY & tools): Charlie White (Charlie DIYte) (external profile) – public expert commentary used as a research source, not as a contributor to our pages.
This page contains affiliate links. If you buy through them, we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. Scores use amazon.co.uk listings and public UK sources. There was no lab test.
