The best video doorbells to buy in 2023

Who’s at the door? This is a loaded question these days. It could be a friend or a neighbor, or any number of delivery drivers – Amazon, UPS, DoorDash and so on. He can also be a balcony pirate, stealing your packages. (And when that happens, you’ll sound like a pirate: “Aaaaaarrrrrrrrrgh!”) The best video doorbells can tell you who’s at the door at any time of the day or night, whether you’re home or not. They can send you notifications when someone rings the bell or simply when someone approaches. They may even let you talk to the person, and ideally suggest that you stay home even when you’re away. All of this home security happens via your phone, tablet, or even a smart screen or TV.

Prices for these easy-to-use smart home devices range from surprisingly inexpensive to a few hundred dollars. Below, I’ve rounded up what I consider to be the top picks for homeowners, apartment renters, Airbnb managers, bargain shoppers, and more. These choices are based on a variety of criteria, including price, personal experience, product reputation, and user ratings. Before we dive in, let’s talk about some of the features that you should consider before deciding on a doorbell.

Video Doorbell Power: Wired or Battery?

Video doorbells can only be plugged into an electrical outlet. For one thing, that would sound terrible. For another reason, what are the odds of having an outlet anywhere near your front door? But the power has to come from somewhere, which means you have two options: the battery or the wires.

If you’re upgrading an existing wired doorbell, this is a very easy decision: use a wired video doorbell. It may not be able to work with your existing indoor chime, but at least you won’t have to worry about recharging your doorbell every few months or that a dead battery might ruin your hacker pickup.

However, the advantage of a battery-operated doorbell is that it can be installed almost anywhere: on either side of the door frame; a few inches from the door if that’s better for some reason; Smack it up in the middle of the door, if you want. Some video doorbell cameras can last up to six months on a single charge, and the app will notify you when the doorbell’s battery is running low so you have plenty of time to recharge it (which usually only takes a few hours).

Video Doorbell Storage: Cloud or Local?

When the doorbell takes a video, that video needs to be stored somewhere. The microSD card can be inside the doorbell itself, or it can be a cloud service. The first option tends to be the cheapest option, but it limits the storage capacity of that card. Moreover, if a thief steals your doorbell (it happens), your video files will go there.

Meanwhile, cloud storage often requires a monthly fee or subscription fee, although that may include additional features or services as well. I like it when it’s your choice, which means you can choose local or cloud storage; You are not limited to the former or limited to the latter.

Video Doorbell: To Ring or Not to Ring?

He’s supposed to ring the doorbell ding dong, right? True, but not every video doorbell offers this feature — not right out of the box, anyway. If you buy a ring, for example, and someone presses the button, you’ll get an alert on your phone, but there won’t be an audible ring in your house. You can add the latter by installing an optional wireless chime device, which you can plug into any AC outlet, or by hooking up any Amazon Echo speakers you might have.

Everyone has different needs and preferences when it comes to this, so when choosing your doorbell, just be aware of the chime options or extenders that are included or available.

Waze

The affordable Wyze Video Doorbell records video and live broadcasts in 1080p HD with a 4:3 aspect ratio, so you can see every visitor from head to toe.

$46 at Amazon

This is the doorbell I’ve had in my house for over a year now, and for the most part, I’ve found it to be a solid addition. As a fixed option, it replaced my current bell and came with an additional chime device – surprising given the An amazingly modest $60 price tag.

Although there’s no microSD slot for local video storage (an option available on almost all other Wyze cameras), you do get 14 days of free cloud storage in the form of 12-second motion recordings. Meanwhile, the camera captures crisp 1080p video quality in a 4:3 aspect ratio and offers all the usual bells and whistles (including night vision, motion-triggered alerts, and even sound).

However, it got even better with the addition of Wyze Cam Plus, which is one of the more affordable subscription services at just $1.25 per month. This unlocks unlimited length video recording, person/parcel/pet/vehicle detection and more. I will say that Wyze’s software can be a little unstable at times, but all in all, this is a great option for those who want balcony protection at an affordable price.

eufy security

Two cameras are better than one. The Eufy solution lets you see both people and packages, and it works without the need for a subscription.

$260 at Amazon

All smart video doorbells face the same challenge: What’s the best way to capture the “doormat area” (where packages typically land) while still showing a broader view of your porch, driveway, or sidewalk. Some use a fisheye lens, which I find unpleasant. Other viewing angles focus on the doorstep at the expense of everything else.

Eufy’s great solution is to combine two cameras, one facing down and the other pointing up to capture the two areas of motion. This doorbell also features night vision, facial recognition, zero-charge playback (all video is stored locally), and person and parcel detection features.

Dual allows for wired or battery-powered installation; An existing ringer is provided by the included HomeBase 2 hub, which also stores up to 16GB of video. This hub must be connected to your router, and note that Eufy devices only work on 2.4GHz Wi-Fi. Make sure your home network supports both options.

Although it is one of the most expensive video doorbells at $260, Eufy Dual Video Doorbell It does not charge you monthly fees or subscriptions. If you want maximum video coverage of your balcony area, this is what you can get.

bell

Ring’s popular 1080p video doorbell can operate from an included rechargeable battery or use existing doorbell wiring. You’ll need to sign up for the Ring Protection Plan to get the most out of it.

$70 at Amazon

Flats can be tricky. Even if a doorbell is already installed, your lease may prevent you from replacing it. That means you’ll need a battery-powered option, so I’d recommend the one that’s very popular Ring video doorbell, which offers night vision, two-way audio, live view, and almost every other desirable feature. At an affordable $100, it’s available in two colors and supports both wired and wire-free installations.

The Ring pairs well with Amazon Echo devices: something like the Echo Dot can double as a doorbell ringer, while the Echo Show smart display can provide live video streaming. (“Alexa, show me the front door.”) Note, however, that it requires 2.4GHz Wi-Fi for compatibility; If your device is only running at 5GHz, you will need to upgrade Ring video doorbell 3 ($200), which adds 5GHz connectivity as well as a removable battery pack (to make recharging easier).

The problem with all Ring doorbells is that they’re virtually useless without the Ring Protect Plan, which allows video to be saved and shared; There is no option for local storage. Fortunately, it’s very affordable at $3 per month or $30 per year.

Arlo

SEE MORE AT YOUR FRONT DOOR: Arlo’s wired security doorbell camera lets you see a person from head to toe or a parcel on the floor.

$80 at Amazon

If you search the web for “best video doorbell”, chances are you’ll find Arlo Essential At the top of most lists. Reviewers and users alike seem to agree that it offers a nearly unparalleled combination of ease of use and features — including things like night vision, stop motion, pre-recorded voice messages, a built-in siren and a 180-degree field of view.

This model works with (and requires) existing doorbell wiring, though there are also Battery powered version ($198) if you don’t have that. Once installed, it can integrate not only with Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant, but also with Apple HomeKit and even the SmartThings ecosystem.

While it offers live video streaming and motion alerts out of the box, you’ll definitely want to sign up for the Arlo Secure subscription plan ($3 per month), which adds a host of features including cloud storage, activity zones, packet detection, and emergency response.