Are you tired of missing your deliveries when you’re out? Or maybe you want to put an end to getting caught up with cold callers hence, the need to see who’s there before answering the door. Or do you just want to have an idea of what happens at your doorstep when you’re not around? I’m guessing you must have heard that video doorbells are a handy solution. Video doorbells are perfect solutions to this. However, a good guide to getting a good one among the best video doorbells in the market is something you’ll need if you plan to buy one.
The need to reduce contacts and promote contactless transactions due to the COVID-19 pandemic has brought door deliveries to an all-time high. Video camera doorbells are also designed to help you prevent your packages from being stolen from your door front while you’re out. Apart from having your packages secured, video camera doorbells can help people with mobility.
How do video doorbells work?
Video doorbells work like security cameras using Wi-Fi to send notifications to your phone. This happens whenever there’s activity around your doorbell’s field of view or when the bell itself is pressed. They also allow you to communicate with the person at your door with a built-in speaker and microphone. Depending on your budget and requirements, there are video doorbells that work with Google Home, Amazon Alexa, or Homekit to work with your speakers and smart displays so you can converse with whoever your visitor is. These doorbells also record and store footage whenever there’s an activity to enable you to know what happened in your absence.
Are video Doorbells Safe?
Just like any other item on the exterior of your property, there are minimal chances of having your video camera doorbell stolen. However, most video doorbells require you to screw it to your property which means, stealing it won’t be an easy task.
Doorbells like the ring video doorbells come with a unique type of security that can only be unscrewed with a specific screwdriver included in the box. This alone can make it difficult for any theft on the device to occur.
What are the best video doorbells in 2022?
Reading a long list of video doorbells reviews or going through all the contents of the search “video doorbells Amazon” is going to get you more confused if you’re looking to buy one. To save you the stress, we’ve taken the time to compile a list of the best video doorbells in 2022 to help you make the best decision for security and pockets as well. While making this list, we had several video doorbells compared, putting into consideration their features, costs, and durability.
The Ring Video Doorbells (3rd Generation)
The ring video doorbells provide you with smart choices if you intend to keep your budget below the $100 mark. One of the ring products we love and recommend its quality is the ring video doorbell wired (Gen 3).
It’s a wired video camera doorbell with 1080 Full High Definition video resolution, two-way audio with noise cancellation which allows you to converse with the person at your door, standard 2.4GHx connectivity for your home internet, and customizable privacy settings. This video doorbell provides real-time notifications to your phone. It allows you to pair with a ring chime or compatible Alexa device to hear your audio feed in your home. It also comes with an optional Echo Dot (Gen 3) to take care of your audio
Other features of this product include;
- Advanced motion detection
- Sharp contrast Night vision to make sure you see all the details at night
- Hardwire video doorbell wired using your existing doorbell wiring and included tool kit
- A separate ring protect a subscription of up to 60 days to record and share your videos and photos
The 3rd generation ring doorbell is a suitable choice if you’re not looking for something sophisticated. It’s hardwired and has a built-in rechargeable battery hence no need for battery changes. Prices can range between $59 to $80 and up to $100 if purchased with the Echo Dot. However, it cannot work with your home chime or Google Home. It only works with selected Alexa devices.
Eufy security 2k wireless Video Doorbell
Our decision to include the Eufy Security 2k wireless video doorbell was influenced by the fact that it includes a lot of features most other companies would charge you extra to get. This device comes with a 4GB internal memory which is enough to store up to 30days’ worth of video. It features a 2k crystal image with 2560 x 1920 resolution and an advanced HDR and distortion correction. It allows you to respond in real-time, get notified of alerts with proper face and body detection to ensure you’re only alerted only when a human being is at the door. It supports Alexa and Google Home and features a 150 degrees field view.
The only drawback we noticed is the fact that it’s a wired-only device that supports one user only and has limited smart-home interoperability.
Arlo Video Doorbell
Arlo who is a great company known for making some of the best home security cameras didn’t let us down with their Arlo Wired Video doorbell. It features a great video quality with a resolution of 1536 x 1536, a field view of 180 degrees which is a lot better than its Eufy counterpart. It has an ergonomic size of 5.1 x 1.8 x 1 inch. It also comes with motion detection, two-way audio, and cloud storage with a starting fee of $3 per month.
Arlo’s video doorbell is also designed to be compatible with Alexa and Google Assistant so you can receive notifications on smart speakers. Just like the Eufy video doorbell, Arlo is hard-wired only which means there’s no battery. Another drawback we noticed is that it requires a subscription for most features. However, if you have Arlo’s security camera, this video doorbell will make an excellent addition with an option to add up to five cameras for $10 a month.
Logitech Circle View Doorbell
We couldn’t list the best video doorbells without mentioning the Logitech Circle View Doorbell due to its compatibility with Apple HomeKit. If you use Apple Homekit, I guess you should already know that there are a few options for you in the market when it comes to video camera doorbells. With the Logitech Circle View doorbell, you’ve got nothing more to worry about as it comes with great features that will serve you well.
This doorbell comes with a 3:4 aspect ratio which makes it possible to see more of your front porch with a great video quality both day and night. It also features secure cloud storage that allows you to identify people if they’re in your iCloud photos.
Some of the features of this video doorbell include;
- Ergonomic size of 1.65 x 1.1 inches
- 2.4/5GHz Wireless connectivity
- a/b/g/n/ac 2 x 2 MIMO Wi-Fi
- 5MP/1200 x 1600 Resolution
- Field view of 160 degrees and
- 4000k LED light strip for night vision
Although the Logitech Circle View Doorbell lacks some features found in other competing models, it’s a great choice for Homekit/iOS devices.
Maximus Answer DualCam
Most doorbells claim to have a wide-field view of everything that happens at your doorstep but in an actual sense, they don’t see what happens right at your doorstep where most packages are dropped. Maximus saw this need and met it by creating a video camera doorbell with two cameras. One of the cameras looks straight out while the other is positioned to look directly down to catch anyone who tries to steal your package. This single awesome feature put this video doorbell on our list.
The Maximus Answer Dual cam features;
- a high video resolution of 2560 x 1920,
- a field view of 150 degrees
- Ergonomic size of 4.8 x 1.7 x 0.9 inches
- Wired/battery present
- Compatibility with Google Home and
- Starting storage fee of $3.99 a month or $29.99 per year
We found Maximus a good piece to buy because of its dual camera, Easy-to-use app, and simple installation. However, the doorbell speaker volume is a bit low and does not work with other smart home systems.
Ezviz DB1C Wi-Fi Video Doorbell
If you’re looking for a video doorbell that completely excludes the need to pay for a storage subscription, the Ezviz DB1C Wi-Fi Video Doorbell would be your best bet. Ezviz has been in the business of making smart home security devices for a while so, we can give it to them when it comes to creating smart durable, and high-quality doorbells. The Ezviz DB1C Wi-Fi Video Doorbell features an Ultra HD video feed with intelligent features such as intelligent alerts, dual-band Wi-Fi, voice control, and third party integration ability. It has night vision and a 170-degree vertical field view. It supports Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. It can also work with several third-party home devices using IFTTT applets. Instead of featuring a cloud subscription to save your videos, Ezviz DBIC provides a microSD card slot for storage with the option of cloud storage service too.
Features include
- Dual-band WiFi
- 170 degrees vertical field of view
- Affordable
- Infrared night vision
- Sharp video Quality
We found the DBIC a good buy if you’re looking for a doorbell without the burden of paying for monthly subscriptions. However, it’s requires wiring and only streams Alexa video in fish-eye mode.
