Doorbells are just not enough nowadays. To ensure our security, we need to be able to see and even talk to the person at our door. Through this, we can ensure that the person is our guest, a delivery person, or someone we can trust.
Doorbell cameras increase our security by allowing us to see, talk to, and be notified if someone is near our front door. This technology is easy to install and has many features that make it worth installing in every home. In addition, recent updates have made it brighter than ever. Lastly, it is also becoming more and more affordable.
Check out our list if you want to add the gadget to your security system. Here, we go through the pros and cons of each to see which best fits your needs. You might even encounter some familiar product names here, as most are part of a more extensive line of products offering security cameras, smoke detectors, security apps, and more.
Our First Choice – Google Nest Doorbell
Google has many great offerings for smart home products. One of their best products is the Google Nest Doorbell, which is notable for allowing 24/7 recording of videos. These are uploaded to a cloud drive that is well-encrypted and secure. It also has a good video resolution of 1600×1200, which is more than what other companies offer.
Pros – Solid Set Of Features
As part of Google’s products, its features are advanced and solid. This includes its facial-recognition tool that is smart and consistent in identifying strangers from homeowners. Through this, false alarms can be prevented. It can also differentiate between moving vehicles, package deliveries, and others, further proving its quality.
It is an excellent addition to your smart home if you already have Google speakers and other devices. You can control all these using the Nest Hub, which is easy to use even for non-tech users.
Pros – Sleek Design
The Google Nest has a sleek design in beige, white, green, and gray. Because of this, it can go with almost any front porch design, and its style is clean and refined.
Cons – Limited Angle of View
The camera only has a 3:4 aspect ratio, which is limited compared to other cameras. It is especially if your door has a narrow passageway. Because of this, you may have some blind spots in your home. As a remedy for this, the device has the option to use a vertical or horizontal point-of-view.
Cons – Limited Storage
Another downside of the application is that its saved video only lasts up to 3 hours. Because of this, emergencies that happen at midnight may be deleted from your system before you can see them. To have extended coverage, you will have to purchase an additional subscription to Nest, which is priced at $6 monthly.
Our Second Choice – Is Arlo Essential Video Doorbell
Regarding home security, Arlo is an easy choice for many because of its durable hardware and advanced features. It has one of the most innovative detection features we’ve seen, as it is excellent in distinguishing between animals, cars, and more.
Pros – Affordable Monthly Rates
Nowadays, home security apps which do not require monthly subscriptions are rare. Because of this, it is best to choose a company that has the most affordable rates. Arlo is the best example, as they only charge $3 per month. It also adds many essential features, such as a good video resolution of 1536×1536 and a bright viewing angle.
Pros – Good Design
Our favorite aspect of the product is its design, which has a modern and simple theme. It is also designed to be easy to install, and this is because the package has instructions that are easy to follow.
Further making it a good choice is its long battery life of up to 6 months. Because of this, you can have longer-lasting security for your home.
Pros – Video Quality
Another great feature of the security camera is its excellent video quality, made possible by its High Dynamic Range technology. This edits the colors of the video to make it more detailed. Aside from this, the video allows up to 12 times zoom. Through this, reviewing your footage to see specific details is easier.
Pros – Well-designed Application
The application has a very user-friendly mobile application for iOS and Android to make it more convenient. Here, viewing the different Arlo cameras that are currently working are easily seen through mini-panels. Choosing a specific camera to consider is easy, and using its two-way mic, muting it, and doing different actions is easy to do through its menu.
Cons – Subscription-locked Features
One of the things that can discourage new users is that most of the crucial features are locked behind their subscriptions. These features are:
- Activity zone – Here, you can choose the specific parts of the camera which will be recorded while ignoring some features. Through this, you will have fewer chances of having false alarms. You can then decide whether you want the application to only notify you regarding categories like animals, people, guests, and vehicles. Most importantly, you are immediately notified in case a package has arrived.
- Message from guests – Another feature limited to a subscription is their guest message tool. Here, in case no one answers the door after 20 seconds, they can leave behind a message for you.
Our Third Choice – Is Eufy Security Video Doorbell
Eufy is another standout choice because it has many included features that can be accessed without a subscription. This excellent video storage allotment shows you a month’s worth of content. Because of this, it is easier to revisit your videos and review their content. It has 4GB of memory, and you can also avail yourself of their cloud service if you need more storage.
Pros – Dual Power Option
To make it easier to use, the doorbell camera comes with two power options: battery or wired. Through this, it can adapt depending on your current setup. Even better, its battery charge can last up to 6 months, which is why you won’t always have to charge it.
Pros – Smart Features
With the gadget, you can have advanced motion, faces, and activity detection tools. You can also specify which screen parts it will cover, which helps lessen false alarms.
It is quick in notifying you about activity in the area, which helps you respond immediately to guests or delivery men.
Con – Weak Volume
One of the downsides of Eufy is that the doorbell’s volume is a little weak, making it harder to hear when you are upstairs.
As a remedy, you can instead receive notifications through your mobile phone. It can also be connected to your home speakers to ring louder. A downside to this is that your phone notifications may be turned off.
Our Top Choice Is – Google Nest Doorbell
The best choice is Google Nest because it provides good overall quality. First, it is seen in its video quality, aided by Google’s advanced video software. This makes its videos crisper and more precise. Although it has a limited angle of view, this can be remedied by adjusting how it is installed.
It is user-friendly, both in terms of installation and features. Accessing notifications, viewing recorded videos, and more is easy because of its intuitive design.
Conclusion
We recommend Google Nest the most because it is excellent in many aspects, such as video quality, features, and user-friendliness. In addition, it is easy to integrate into your current security setup.
Our second choice is Arlo Essential Video Doorbell, which is notable for its affordable monthly rates. You can get many valuable features through its subscription, such as activity zone notifications and fast notifications.
We also recommend the Eufy Security Video Doorbell because of its long battery life and intelligent features.
By equipping your home with a doorbell camera, you can have more security for your home. We also recommend adding security cameras and window sensors to aid in protecting you.
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