19 Best Doorbell Camera Devices to Reinforce Your Home
Install a Doorbell Camera to Protect Your Home
It’s a good idea to set up a doorbell camera to act as your first line of defense against would-be intruders. To this end, simply decide on your budget, pick out one from our list, and you’re good to go. Arlo is also easy to install and provides cloud storage for $3/month. This subscription also grants you advanced features like smart alerts for packages, people, animals, etc. Unfortunately, the August Doorbell doesn’t support IFTTT like many other doorbell camera devices. You also need to subscribe to a $4.99/month service to view previously recorded videos. Like its competitors, Blue operates on a subscription basis, imposing a $2.99/month fee for 60-day storage—quite a steal given the quality of the video output it generates. Furthermore, this doorbell camera also includes motion detection and can connect to your existing wiring. If you don’t like wired connections, you can get its wireless version instead. Byron doesn’t come with any sort of cloud subscription, as it lets you store video files locally with the included memory card. Alternatively, you can also link the device to other cloud services like Dropbox. This doorbell camera also delivers a stellar performance, starting from the good video quality it records footage in. It can also detect people and mark convenient monitoring zones. And if you’re away when guests come a-knocking, the Eufy T8200 can leave them with voice messages so that they aren’t left hanging. The Eufy T8200 is set back by the fact that it only works with a proprietary doorbell chime, meaning that you cannot add it to your pre-existing wiring. With this camera, you have the flexibility to choose between a wired and a wireless version. If you feel like the 16 GB of internal storage is insufficient, you can top up with cloud storage for $2.99/month. Apart from these, Ezviz is also convenient because of voice assistant integration. It works with Alexa and Google Assistant, and even supports IFTTT and other smart devices. Unfortunately, it does require wiring, so skip it if you want something wireless. Apart from these, the Lorex doorbell camera conveniently comes with local storage for easy file management. It also works with Alexa and Google Assistant. However, it doesn’t support IFTTT, HomeKit, and third-party smart devices. Both cameras record high-resolution video, with FHD on top and HD on the bottom. Moreover, it’s fairly easy to install, even for the non-tech-savvy. This camera does come with a pretty expensive subscription service, costing $4.99/month for a seven-day storage capacity. It also isn’t very good at recording audio, with users complaining of its soft volume that makes it hard to hear anything. If you use voice assistants and smart home devices, then this camera is not for you, as it’s incompatible with such devices. To use this facial recognition functionality and other advanced features, you’ll need to pair the Nest Hello with Google Assistant-enabled devices and subscribe to Nest Aware for $6/month. Do note that this subscription grants you just 30 days’ worth of video storage. To top it off, this doorbell camera is also easy to install and is incredibly cheap. The only downside is that it records everything in fisheye mode and it isn’t wireless. With this device, you get a 1080p, 155° viewing with night vision included. It also comes with motion detection and two-way audio functionalities to give you a well-rounded experience. Before getting this device, however, make sure that your door has a peephole and meets its door thickness requirement. For one, it records videos at 1080p with a 160° viewing angle. It also works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Nest, and IFTTT. Coming in wired and wireless variants, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 even comes with customizable motion zones to finetune your alerts. Cloud storage is chargeable at $30/year for 60 days’ worth of storage. Unfortunately, this doorbell camera doesn’t support Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit, and it requires a subscription for you to store and view recorded videos. The Elite has all the basics: a 160° field of view, 1080p video, night vision, and smart home integration through Alexa. Moreover, it also boasts IFTTT support and two-way audio. What makes the Elite special is its in-built Ethernet connection—this means that you won’t have to deal with choppy Wi-Fi connections. It also has customizable motion detection to ensure that all alerts are accounted for. The Elite also has interchangeable faceplates, letting you change its aesthetics to fit the design of your house. Sadly, the Ring Pro doesn’t have a built-in battery, meaning that you’ll need a wired connection to make it work. However, you do get multiple color options and swappable faceplates like the Elite. However, as its name suggests, this camera requires a wired connection to work—something that you may not be too fond of. It also doesn’t work with pre-existing doorbells and needs a compatible Ring chime to function. Appearance aside, this little camera performs its job very well, recording video footage in high-quality HDR. It’s also compatible with most existing doorbells, saving you the hassle of reconfiguring and rewiring to make it work. The Vivint Pro doesn’t have a fixed price, and you’ll have to request a quote from Vivint’s website to get your hands on it.
