Video doorbells are the modern eras technically superior version of traditional doorbells. Apart from the notification and the alerts, the video doorbells serve as an extra eye in front of the house. The market has no dearth for video doorbells. It is essential to make sure to choose the best video doorbell to fit into your requirement.
What does a video doorbell offer?
A video doorbell overcomes the shortcomings of a traditional doorbell and offers an extra level of security. Having the best video doorbell can give you certain advantages. Lets look into a few advantages that make the video doorbell worth its choice.
- The video doorbells enable you to look at the person before rushing to the door, irrespective of your position
- You can acknowledge the person on the other side of the door without opening the door or moving around
- The best video doorbell with its motion detector acts as an extra eye, records the events, and lets you monitor activity despite your absence
- Combine a smart-lock with any compatible video doorbell, it becomes an effective anti-theft combo
Best Video Doorbells 2020
1. Arlo Video Doorbell – Best Smart Doorbell 2020
The Video Doorbell from Arlo is a piece of slick equipment that alerts you for people, packages, animals, and cars in the vicinity. It comes with a wide 180-degree field of view and a square aspect ratio which minimises the blind spots in front of the house. The Arlo’s doorbell keeps the false alert to a minimum, but the smart alerts/features come at the price of monthly subscriptions.
In addition to crisp video quality, the doorbell has enhanced features of motion detection. The systems intuitive sensitivity range can identify peoples, packages, animals and cars close to the door and reduce false alerts. The doorbell alerts, if the detected motion is near the driveway or the entrance.
The Arlo app comes with features to customise and adjust motion sensitivity levels, active zones and recording hours. The doorbell comes with two-factor authentication and limits active user login to one device. The applications allow you to add multiple users with different access limits.
The video doorbell comes with multiple anti-theft features. An in-built siren is as loud as 90dB, a tamper notification within three seconds in case of a power cut. And an internal battery with a backup of five-minutes.
- Video and audio quality is commendable
- Quality motion & package detection
- Built-in siren, anti-theft facility
- Customised access levels for multiple users
- Extensive Smart-phone alerts
- Hard-Wired version
- Subscription oriented
- Integration with Alexa
2. Eufy Security Video Doorbell
The Eufy security video doorbell delivers high quality two-way audio and 2K video in an affordable budget. It can record videos up to five minutes upon motion detection. The video footage is stays inside the device and it doesn’t require a cloud storage subscription. But interruption of services during power and internet outages can be the downside.
The high-quality camera in Eufy video doorbell enables capture of details 50 feet from the camera. But the ability to customise sensitivity and activity zones limits unwarranted alerts. The video doorbell doesn’t come with any battery backup and relies on the wired power source.
Upon detection of motion, the Eufy doorbell has a quick-response alert system, which reacts in three seconds of motion. It can distinguish between human and other objects in motion. The doorbell allows the use of pre-recorded responses. The Eufy application has an easy interface and allows customisation of video streaming quality, volume, motion detection, activity zones etc.
It comes with 4GB built-in memory, which can store footage worth of thirty days (It depends on the amount of footage stored) . Eufy uses an AES 256 encryption system which restricts access to a single user.
- No cloud subscription
- Compatible to Alexa and Google Assistant
- Inbuilt Doorbell chimes
- 2K Video Quality
- No multiple user support
- Requires a wire connection
3. Google Nest Hello
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The google nest hello doorbell has a sophisticated A.I powered facial recognition and 24/7 video recording capacity. The google nest hello comes at a price premium and a costly subscription service.
While the motion detection or manual button push triggers other video doorbells, the cameras of google nest hello records 24/7 without any intervention. The video gets uploaded in the cloud, and your subscription package decides the period of access.
The Nest aware lets you customise motion zones and alerts. It can analyse, store, recognise familiar faces and provide customised alerts. The camera has a decent night vision.
It requires an existing or a new wire connection for the setup. Most of the modern houses have the necessary set up to install the Google Nest Hello. It works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, but the functionality is limited.
The extended hours of video recording and the footage getting stored in cloud services will translate into high data usage. It can take up to 300 Giga Byte of your data bandwidth for a storing a month worth of footage.
- 24/7 continuous footage
- HDR Videos and HD audio
- Prerecorded response
- Familiar face alerts
- Extensive video history
- Clips and time-lapse videos
- Requires a hardwired connection
- High data usage
- High subscription rates
4. Skybell HD Video Doorbell
The video doorbell from Skybell is full of features that give a run for the money for the competitors. The 1080p HD Camera comes with a zoom feature.
With a unique circular design, the Skybell requires an easy-to-install hardwired connection. The Skybell application is compatible with both Android and iOS devices. The doorbell offers free storage of video footage. It comes with a two-way audio response system.
This doorbell from Skybell has a quiet mode and supports multiple user accounts alert system. It comes with a motion detection system and is compatible with a range of home automation systems. The Skybell HD doorbell can integrate with Amazon Alexa, Google, Honeywell, Kwikset and its trademark IFTTT. The colour night vision is an added feature.
The video quality with zoom, the night vision, extensive smart home integration capability, free video storage makes Skybell HD a great smart doorbell.
- 1080p video and colour night vision
- No cloud storage cost
- Customised motion sensor alerts
- Easy installation
- Multiple user accounts
- Two-way audio and 5x Zoom
- No web interface
- Limited modes
5. Ring Video Doorbell Pro
The Video Doorbell Pro from Ring is a sleek doorbell with an array of features. The Doorbell Pro requires a wired connection backed by a 16-24 volt transformer for its set up. It comes with interchangeable face-plates allowing customisation to fit your home design and aesthetics.
The 160-degree field of view is wide to cover the substantial part of the porch. The pro version comes with customisable activity zones as a part of its advanced motion detection system. The camera records at 1080p HD quality and has a digital zoom feature. It features a two-way audio response.
The doorbell pro comes with an infrared night vision which is less apparent compared to the coloured vision. There is no inbuilt storage device, and it relies on cloud storage subscriptions. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is compatible with Amazon Alexa.
- Sleek design
- Customised motion alerts
- 160-degree field of view
- High quality 1080p video
- Two-factor authentication
- Digital zoom
- Pro power kit installation
- Neighborhood watch privacy issues
6. August Doorbell Cam Pro
August Doorbell cam Pro comes with an HD quality video and a two-way audio response system. The doorbell requires a hard-wired connection with a 12-24 VAC transformer.
The doorbell application works with both iPhone and Android devices and sends real-time alerts. The system is capable of motion detection and offers free cloud storage for the last 24 hours. It requires a cloud subscription for further storage requirement.
This doorbell offers customised sensitivity control and alerts to reduce instances of false alarms. The doorbell comes with an inbuilt floodlight which enables colour footage during the low light/night. It is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Nest products.
The August doorbell cam pro and the smart lock from august work in synergy to make a powerful smart home combo.
- Smart lock and keypad integration
- Compatibility, smart home applications
- Hindsight capture
- Built-in floodlight
- HD video quality
- 120-degree field of view
- Cloud storage costs
7. Ring Video Doorbell 2
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is one of the best options if one doesn’t have the necessary 16-24 VAC power/transformer. It supports both battery and hard wire connection. The battery backup can last for six months, depending on the usage.
The Ring-App gets activated either on motion detection or at the manual push of the button. It has a wide 160-degree angle of view, supporting two-way audio response. It features an infrared night vision to monitor during the low light conditions of fall/winter and the nights.
The doorbell doesn’t offer any free storage of footage, but it does come with an affordable cloud subscription package. The 1080p HD quality camera allows customisation of motion detection and their alerts. The subscription is necessary to utilize the features on offer.
Ring Video Doorbell 2 is compatible with several smart locks and is capable of integration with Amazon Alexa & google home. The Ring comes with a social function known as neighbourhood watch, which enables sharing footage with other ring users. While it has certain advantages it does have issues regarding data privacy.
- Supports battery and wired connection
- Attractive design
- Compatible with Alexa, Google Home
- Customisable Ring application
- 160-degree wide field of view
- Privacy issues of neighbourhood watch
- Notification tone
Best Video Doorbell 2020 Buyers Guide
Wired/Wireless: There are two types of video doorbells, the hardwired and wireless doorbells. While the wired video doorbells require an existing/new wire connection, the wireless doorbells use batteries to power them. The transmitter in wireless doorbells are easy to install in the walls of your house, but interference/range related issues may occur. While the wired doorbell doesn’t have the problem of interference or range. It requires a power port in its vicinity or an extended wire connecting it to reach the power outlet.
Field of View: A camera with a wide field of view has a large area under the purview of the camera. The camera with a field of view as 180 degrees can record everything in front and side of it. The one with 90 degrees will have a limited vision.
Night Mode: During the fall and winter months, the sun sets early. The shortage of sunlight means your camera vision doesn’t work in its full capacity. A night vision can be nifty in monitoring in low light conditions and offer additional security.
Cloud storage: Storing hours of footage wouldn’t be possible without the cloud storage. Accessing the content during downtime or revisiting old data becomes simple if video doorbell has access to a cloud subscription. If one’s requirement is limited to live to stream, the cloud storage becomes an additional expense.
Integration with devices: It is an additional comfort if the video doorbell works in tandem with different smart devices and various platforms. Integrating devices to the doorbell and using it as intercom can come in handy.
Motion detection: Video doorbells pair with mobile devices through an application to provide alerts. The doorbells have a sensor to detect motion, and it sends a notification to your mobile via app. The application lets you control the doorbell camera’s sensitivity and the active areas for motion detection. It is one of the essential features in a video doorbell.
Weather resistance: By staying on the other side of the door, video doorbells should be able to handle different weather conditions. Hottest summer or cold winter, the doorbell should be operational with a wide temperature range.
Which Best video doorbell to choose?
Understanding the requirements and the budget constraints are factors deciding the suitable and the best video doorbell. If you are looking into an A.I powered face identifying doorbell, which can integrate into your smart home. A device to justify the subscription charges, Google Nest hello can be a great choice for your video doorbell. Arlo offers the best balance between the features and price to become a value for money product. It is probably the best video doorbell in the list. The Ring has come with an array of security products. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is familiar for its versatility, and Pro comes with advanced motion detection. The products from the arsenal of Ring don’t disappoint you.
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Last update on 2020-12-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
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