These $50 sensors are a useful, non-invasive way to keep your home safe

My upstairs neighbors have flooded their bathrooms twice since moving into my current apartment.

The first time it happened was when a bathtub overflowed three floors above me, damaging my ceiling and leaving a wide brown stain behind. The second time it happened, an entirely different neighbor forgot he left his faucet on. I could hear the water rushing through the walls and watched the paint on my ceiling bubble with moisture.

Needless to say, I'm now frequently worrying about leaks - and fires, and burglars, and basically every manner of tragedy that can befall an apartment.

So when I had the opportunity to try out Notion - a sensor that can detect open doors and windows, temperature, and even leaks - I wondered whether it would reduce my apartment anxieties and keep me informed of how my home is doing even when I'm not there.

Here's what it was like: