If you’re looking to enhance your home’s security system without spending a fortune, the quickest and easiest way to get started is with a video doorbell (also known as a doorbell camera). You can typically install one of these devices yourself in just a few minutes. With the best video doorbells, you can instantly detect when someone is at your door, and you’ll be able to see, hear and communicate in real-time with that person.
See and communicate with anyone who approaches your front door using a video doorbell.
Ring
Most doorbell cameras can tell the difference between a human and animal, but some can even identify people you know versus delivery people holding a package and then generate a different alert. Best of all, when a video doorbell detects someone approaching, it automatically begins recording. Thus, if it’s a potential intruder, you’ll have a video record of them trespassing—day or night. And if that annoying neighbor comes knocking on your door to borrow some milk, you’ll see them approaching and can decide to answer your door or pretend you’re indisposed.
Whether your budget is less than $100 or you don’t mind spending upwards of $400, you’ll easily find a video doorbell that nicely blends with the exterior décor of your home while providing the latest security and convenience-related features. Let’s take a look at seven of the best doorbell cameras for 2022.
Best Video Doorbell Overall
The Best Collection Of Features That Work With Any Smartphone
- Camera Resolution: 2K resolution (1600 x 1200 pixels)
- Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s for: Any homeowner who wants a hardwired video doorbell that offers advanced video and two-way communication features, along with face detection, night vision and compatibility with other Google home and security products.
Google offers a Nest video doorbell in a wired or wireless version. The wired version features a 2K resolution, 3MP camera with 8x digital zoom. You can control the zoom and live feed from your smartphone or a Google Smart Hub while automatically recording video at 1600 x 1200 pixel resolution at up to 30 frames per second. The camera offers a 160-degree field of view with a 4:3 aspect ratio, which allows you to see someone’s entire body when they approach your door or see packages that are placed on the ground by a delivery person, for example.
The doorbell itself connects to your home’s Wi-Fi, which allows it to communicate with your smartphone and store content in the cloud. One of the best features of the Nest Doorbell is that it’ll recognize familiar faces compared to strangers or delivery people, and then send special alerts to your phone based on who’s approaching. The Nest Doorbell stores the past three hours of video in the cloud for free. For more advanced cloud-based storage, you’ll need to subscribe to the Nest Aware service for $6 per month.
Pros:
- Affordable
- Easy to install
- Works with any smartphone or Google Smart Hub
Cons:
- Monthly fee required for extended cloud-based recording
Best Doorbell Camera
Ring’s Best Doorbell Looks Elegant While Offering Premium Features
Editor’s Pick
- Camera Resolution: 1080p
- Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s for: A homeowner looking for a premium doorbell that combines cutting-edge features with a contemporary and more upscale appearance.
Ring is one of the pioneers in video doorbell technology for consumers. As a result, the company offers a bunch of different models, with the Ring Elite being the most expensive. This is not just because it offers the most advanced features, however. It also has the most elegant design. You can choose between a satin nickel, pearl white, Venetian or satin black faceplate finish. ‘
Optional accessories include the indoor Chime Pro (so you’ll hear the doorbell ring even when your smartphone is not handy) and a Power Over Ethernet adapter that provides both power and wired Internet connectivity to the video doorbell from your home. As for functionality, the 1080p HD resolution camera offers a 160-degree horizontal FOV. Infrared night vision is also built in. The optional Ring Protect subscription (starting at $3 per month) includes a record and capture feature, plus the ability to generate unique alerts for specific people.
Pros:
- Elegant design
- Decent camera resolution with a wide FOV
- Displays full-color night vision
Cons:
- No facial recognition
- Professional installation is typically required
- Cloud-based storage costs extra
Best Ring Video Doorbell
Ring Offers Multiple High Quality Video Doorbells—This One Is Best
- Camera Resolution: 1536p HD
- Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s For: A homeowner looking for a mid-priced video doorbell that gets hardwired to a home and that offers a nice selection of security features.
While not the most expensive Ring doorbell, the Ring Pro 2 is not the company’s least expensive model either. This one comes with a separate (wireless) door chime that you place within your home, so you can hear the doorbell ring even when your smartphone isn’t handy. Thanks to the camera’s 150-degree horizontal and vertical FOV and 1536p resolution, you’ll clearly see everything outside your front door—day or night.
Using what the company refers to as 3D motion detection, the video doorbell will alert you if a person, vehicle or animal approaches from up to 30 feet away. If you don’t want to interact with whomever approaches your door, the Alexa digital assistant will provide a greeting and tell a delivery person where to leave a package, for example. The Ring mobile app allows you to see a live video feed anytime, interact with whomever approaches your front door, or review automatically recorded video footage from anywhere.
Pros:
- Wide field of view (horizontally and vertically)
- Good video resolution
- Works with Amazon Echo Show smart hubs
Cons:
- May require professional installation
- Subscription fee required for cloud storage
- Does not identify package deliveries
Best Wireless Video Doorbell
See People Who Approach Your Door In 2K Resolution Detail
- Camera Resolution: 2K
- Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Wireless
Who it’s for: Ideal for homes or apartments, because no hardwiring is required. This makes it super easy to install without needing to hire an electrician.
Between its 2K resolution video cameras with a 160-degree FOV for wider viewing coverage, a 180-day battery life and lack of monthly fees, the eufy Video Doorbell offers a really great value. The best feature is that it comes with a HomeBase that provides encrypted local storage for your video footage, so it doesn’t rely on the cloud.
Of course, you can interact with the video doorbell anytime and from anywhere using your smartphone or any Amazon Echo smart hub. If you want to interact live with someone who approaches your door, you can do this. Alternatively, you can tap an icon on your smartphone’s screen and have the Alexa digital assistant greet your guest with a pre-set message. It installs in about five minutes.
Pros:
- Excellent camera resolution with a wide FOV
- Long battery life
- No monthly fees for cloud-based storage
Cons:
Best Hardwired Video Doorbell
Replace Your Existing Doorbell With Unique Features
- Camera Resolution: 1536 x 1536 pixels
- Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Hardwired
Who it’s for: A homeowner looking for a very low cost but efficient video doorbell that gets hardwired to a home.
Feature-for-feature, the Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell offers a lot. In addition to an HD video camera with a 180-degree FOV, 1536 x 1536 pixel resolution and built-in night vision, this wired doorbell is super easy to install.
One nice feature is that it has a built-in security siren that you can manually trigger to scare off unwanted intruders. Of course, you can also interact with visitors in real-time via your smartphone. For an optional monthly fee, the Secure subscription plan provides added functionality, like the ability to quickly summon police, fire or medical responders to your home and be able to archive video content for up to 30 days.
Pros:
- Very affordable
- Ultra-wide FOV with night vision
- Connects to your home’s Wi-Fi
Cons:
- Monthly subscription required to unlock many features
Best Video Doorbell Without A Subscription
Not All Video Doorbells Require You To Pay More
Best Features
- Camera Resolution: 960 x 1280 pixels HD
- Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Wireless
Who it’s for: Anyone looking to easily install a battery-powered video doorbell to their front door and benefit from the home security features it offers.
The battery-powered Google Nest Doorbell is very similar to the wired version, but installation is much easier. You can choose the color of the doorbell (snow, linen, ivy or ash), so it nicely matches the décor of your home’s exterior. As you’d expect, using your smartphone or a Google Nest Hub (or Nest Hub Max), you can monitor what’s happening outside your door anytime—day or night. You can also freely interact with anyone who approaches.
Depending on how much traffic you receive at your front door and how much you interact with those people remotely, the Google Nest’s built in rechargeable battery will last between one and six months between charges. Since there are no wires to deal with, the included bracket gets attached to your door or doorframe (using two screws) and then the Google Nest clips onto that bracket. When you subscribe to the optional Nest Aware service, the video doorbell will identify who approaches your door and allow you to customize the alerts for people you know versus strangers or delivery people.
Pros:
- Easy installation (no hardwiring)
- Works with a Google Nest Hub or any smartphone
- Provides smart notifications
Cons:
- FOV is more limited than competitors
Best Affordable Video Doorbell
Add This Video Doorbell To Your Home For Less Than $100
Good Value
- Camera Resolution: 1440 x 1440 pixels HR
- Hardwired Versus Wireless Installation: Wireless
Who it’s for: Someone looking for an easy-to-install video doorbell that’s inexpensive, simple to operate and that has a long battery life.
It’s hard to believe that for less than $100, you can install a wireless video doorbell and benefit from many of the same security features and overall convenience that much more costly options offer. This Wyze doorbell offers up to a 180-day battery life, so it requires no wiring. In fact, it mounts to your home using 3M adhesive, so you won’t even need a screwdriver to install it.
The 1440 x 1400 pixel resolution camera offers a 150-degree horizontal and vertical field of view. It’s able to generates smart notifications (based on who approaches) and allows you to remotely answer your door from anywhere via your smartphone. The doorbell’s included wireless chime—which gets placed inside your home—can generate more than 20 different chimes at eight sound levels. Use the optional Cam Plus service ($2 per month) to unlock additional features, like person, package and animal detection.
Pros:
- Extremely quick and easy setup
- Very low cost to purchase and maintain
- Decent resolution camera with a wide FOV
Cons:
- A Cam Plus subscription needed to unlock more advanced features
What To Look For In A Video Doorbell
While all video doorbells serve the same purpose—which is to show you who approaches your front door and allow you to communicate with them from anywhere via your smartphone—how they accomplish this task varies. Plan on spending between $100 and $400 for a video doorbell.
Some video doorbells can tell the difference between a delivery person, family member or neighbor.
Ring
To ensure you choose the best device to meet your needs, select a model that offers the security, communication, compatibility and convenience features that are most important to you. Let’s take a look at the most sought after features you’ll likely want in your video doorbell.
Wired Versus Wireless
Most homes, condos and apartments are equipped with a traditional doorbell that is hardwired to your home and uses the home’s power to operate. When it comes to video doorbells, some are designed to replace your traditional doorbell and also get hardwired to the home. Others are battery powered and are much easier to install. They typically only need to be recharged once every two to six months.
While a wired video doorbell never needs to be recharged, it will stop functioning if your home’s power goes out—unless it has a built-in backup battery. To cover all your bases, consider choosing a wired model that has a battery backup feature. If you live in an apartment, a wireless doorbell that attaches to the front door using 3M adhesive will be the easier to install. You also won’t need to drill any holes that your landlord might frown upon.
Resolution
All of the latest video doorbells have built in cameras that capture and record high-definition video. The higher the resolution, however, the more detail you’ll see, especially when reviewing saved content on a computer. You can’t go wrong with a 1080p or 2K resolution video doorbell.
Mobile App And Compatibility With Smart Home Hubs
Each of the video doorbells require you to download and install a proprietary mobile app onto your smartphone. The app allows you to receive alerts and interact remotely with anyone who approaches your front door. It also allows you to review recorded video footage from your mobile device.
Some video doorbells also work with a smart hub in your home, like the Google Hub ($65) or an Amazon Echo Show hub. This allows you to receive alerts and communicate with someone at your front door from the room in your home where the hub is located. If you already have a smart home hub, make sure the video doorbell you choose is compatible with it.
Human, Animal And Package Detection
The latest video doorbells can tell the difference between a human, animal or delivery person who approaches your door. It’ll also typically allow your smartphone to generate a different alert based on who approaches.
For example, if your children come home from school every day while you’re at work, you can set up some video doorbells to identify them automatically and alert you when they get home safely. However, you can also set the video doorbell to only alert you of unexpected guests or strangers who approach your door.
Night Vision
Most people have a porch light that brightens up their entranceway at night. However, if you forget to turn on the light or for whatever reason it’s not working, a video doorbell with a night vision mode will still allow you to see who approaches, even if it’s otherwise dark outside. Some more advanced video doorbells offer full-color night vision, while less expensive models typically offer infrared night vision that showcases little color and less detail.
Camera Field of View and Aspect Ratio
The camera’s field of view and aspect ratio determines how much of the area in front of the doorbell you’ll be able to see and record. A good FOV for a video doorbell is between 150 and 170-degrees (horizontally) and at least 90-degrees (vertically). You’ll be able to see plenty, assuming you install the video doorbell at the recommended height of about 48 inches above the ground.
When it comes to aspect ratio, you’ll be able to see more detail across someone’s entire body (not just their head and torso) with a video doorbell that uses a 4:3 aspect ratio as opposed to a 16:9 aspect ratio.
Subscription Fees And What They Include
Most of the best video doorbells offer the ability to automatically store video content that’s recorded in the cloud. Some video doorbell manufacturers, however, charge a monthly fee for the ability to store larger amounts of video in the cloud for extended periods of time.
If you find this feature useful, consider a video doorbell that charges no more than $10 per month for this option. Keep in mind, some video doorbell manufacturers offer at least some cloud-based storage for free.
Can I Install A Video Doorbell Myself?
In most cases, you can easily install a video doorbell yourself, even if hardwiring is required.
Ring
If you plan to install a wireless (battery powered) video doorbell, just about anyone can install one of these devices in a matter of minutes. Some don’t even require any tools. When it comes to installing a video doorbell with a hardwired connection, this can be a little trickier.
That said, if you’re replacing a traditional doorbell that’s already hardwired to your home with a wired video doorbell, the installation process will likely be straightforward and can be done yourself—probably in less than 30 minutes. Installing a wired video doorbell from scratch will most likely require hiring an electrician. If you plan to do it yourself, you’ll need a larger assortment of tools and some core knowledge on how to use them. The various video doorbell manufacturers offer free how-to videos that’ll walk you through the installation and setup process.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbes-personal-shopper/2022/05/17/best-video-doorbells/