The Best Video Doorbells for 2020

by Jay Cross IT Manager

Ting tong! Doesn’t this sound sudden create a slight curiosity in you? Is anyone we were expecting has arrived, or some unexpected visitor has surprised us. These uncertainties are pleasant if we are inside the home, but what if there is a knock on the door and we are not available?

The integration of conventional doorbell, security, and technology now makes it possible for us to look out for any such surprise entry. With everything being smart these days, how can technology lag in converting age-old doorbells into a smart and secure device? Now every working couple can heave a sigh of relief, sit back in their cubicles and keep an eye on any unwanted intruders from miles away.

Using a video doorbell is no rocket science. It is easy to operate and comes with in-built security cameras, which send a real-time alert on our phone and enable us to look at the buzzer and chat with the person. And the smart lock allows us to let the buzzer into the house and voila you don’t have to move an inch for that.

Most of the video doorbells come with amazing features such as Wi-Fi, rechargeable battery, two-way communication, a video feed, and recording apart from the traditional button. Since the installation,storage,design, quality,vary for every doorbell, we have narrowed down the top 10 tried and tested products to save your precious time.

Arlo Video Doorbell

This well-performing cam comes at the price of $150 with $3 a month for cloud storage. Cloud storage subscription gets you access to state-of-the-art technology like alerts on arrival of package delivery or if any animal is nearby the Arlo’s view. Other amazing features include two-way communication mode, a doorbell with solid hardwire, automated schedule for arm/disarm modes and motion detector zones. And if you are down with the budget, you can always go for an $80 Arlo audio Doorbell and use it with an Arlo Pro series camera. You can also start on your own by following Arlo app’s steps, setting up the process, and completing the initial configuration.

Nest Hello

Nest Hello video doorbell, although it comes at the price of $229, along with essential features such as motion detection, a crisp 1080p HD footage, live streaming, alerts and person detection. The person detection feature is different from detecting faces but tells you that it saw a person. With a monthly or yearly subscription you can elevate your Nest Aware cloud subscription services.

Other exciting features are scheduling and geo-fencing and you control the camera’s on/off function. And with $5 a month, it can scan faces and tell who is at the door from the images of friends and family members you ID in the app. The optional facial recognition feature and advanced integrations with the Nest Cam IQ Indoor and Google Home speakers set the bar high for other video doorbells. And if you want to install on your own, then download the Nest app for Android and iOS and get going.

Ring Peephole Cam

If you are not feeling like drilling a hardwired or battery powered doorbell into your doorframe, then Peephole cam is a quintessential alternative. With a large population living in apartment styled buildings, this peephole cam is a perfect makeshift for them at the affordable cost of $199. Your regular peephole can be transformed into a live visual from where you can monitor the front door activity, and enquire with the visitor. If subscribed to Ring’s Protect cloud service at $3 a month, you can monitor the saved clips within 60 days of access. If you are an Alexa-lover and have a compatible smart display, connect peephole with that see the video feed on a larger screen, and communicate directly to the visitor on the door with simple voice commands. Also, its installation is the easiest of all of the other options.

All in all it is the most viable option for those who don’t want to indulge in hardwiring and messing up their door frame with screw holes.

August Doorbell Cam Pro

At the price of $199, August Doorbell Pro Cam offers High Definition live streaming, motion detection, two-way talk, a built-in floodlight for low-light conditions. Also, you can integrate it with Nest and Amazon Alexa devices. And with $5 a month, you can have access to its cloud storage services. August Doorbell is a feasible option if you want to use it with an August Smart Lock or Smart Lock Pro. Its in-built floodlight assures that you can view your video in color rather than standard night vision grayscale.

August Android and iOS app make it easy to install and set up your Doorbell Cam Pro by following the step-by-step instructions. It is important to note that your Doorbell Cam Pro must be connected to your local Wi-Fi network before installing outside. So go for this budget-friendly device and start up the process.

Soliom Video Doorbell

What makes this smart bell apart from the other devices is its two intelligent unusual features i.e., it is solar-powered and has a micro SD slot for local storage. At the cost of $199, these additional features are bonanza where you can evade any need to hardwire your buzzer or pay for cloud storage. In case you don’t want to buy a micro SD card and go to the local storage route, Soliom can still store up to 20 video clips at a time in the cloud. The video records both day and night vision to provide the footage of high quality. With its motion sensor, it notifies every time someone is at the front door. Need not to say it comes with a built-in speaker and microphone to communicate directly with the visitor.

Soliom is a wire-free, hassle-free self-sustainable package with a 5000mAh lithium battery. It has a one-step installation process where you need not worry about connecting wires to your doorbell. Just set it up and let solar energy do its course of work.

SkyBell Video Doorbell

This latest version of SkyBell has a Wi-Fi enabled Doorbell with a 1080 high-definition resolution, on-demand clip recording, and free video storage and IFTTT channel and integration with Amazon’s Alexa Skills Kit and Google/Alphabet’s Nest. SkyBell is well-equipped with motion sensors that alert even if the button has not pressed, imparting additional security; live monitoring of the front door from the app; free video recording so you can watch them as per your schedule; two-way audio means and color night vision. Even if you are away, you can review the entire day’s events in its activity history. You can also have multiple devices on each account so that multiple people can receive alerts. And all this comes at the small cost of $199.

Skybell HD is simple to install by switching off power to your doorbell, removing your old buzzer, and attaching existing wires to the included Skybell mounting plate. Although Skybell also provides a door chime adapter that requires extra effort, that is why it is easiest to install with a traditional mechanical chime.

Ring Video Doorbell Pro

This $249 Pro doorbell has a sleek design that is more likely to fit on a door frame than its counterparts. Besides you have to pay $3 a month for cloud storage. Ring Pro provides a sharp 1080p high-definition video during the daytime and a well lit good contrast up to around 20 feet at night. It has live video streaming and third party partnerships with IFTTT and Wink. The exciting feature is that you can set a motion alert zone and schedule when to receive alerts on the Ring app’s video feed. Make sure to check the quality of your Wi-Fi connection, or the video will not be up to the mark.

Installation is super easy with Android and iOS mobile apps. Also, wire extenders are included in the box so you can improve your connection. It would not take more than 30 minutes if you can save time from drilling and rerouting wire.

Ring Video Doorbell 3 Plus

The most remarkable feature of this $230 Video Doorbell is that it starts recording motion events before the doorbell sends you an alert. Ring Plus is a complete package with a wide range of indoor and outdoor cameras, smart lighting, an excellent DIY Ring Alarm system, which gives the best home-security ambiance. A peculiar feature ‘‘near zone” is added if a motion within 15 feet takes place in front of the doorbell. In case you are looking for some privacy and don’t want any particular area of your or any neighbor’s house to be surveilled, then it provides the feature of privacy zones to block those views.

Another exciting feature is ‘People Only settings’ which sends alerts only when human presence is detected. You can also attach your wired doorbell to Ring Video doorbell 3 Plus to ring the existing chime. If you have an Amazon Echo smart speaker or smart display in your home, enable the Ring skill in the Alexa app and hear the doorbell chime on your Echo if any visitor encounters it at your door.

August View

The improved August Doorbell Camera with a rectangular design, simple installation, removable and rechargeable battery instead of wires, comes at the cost of $230. August View works with Alexa and Google Assistant and comes with its plus-in chime and would not connect with your existing mechanical or digital chime. Its main attraction is a 1440p resolution camera, which delivers a sharp image of the day, and night vision is equally bright with a range of 10 feet.

The August View is customized with a sensitive as well as a non-selective motion sensor that gives alerts if any intruder is lurking around and does not ring the bell. In case of inactivity outside,View goes into idle state, thus conserving battery life. With fast recharging capacity of an hour via the USB, it is equipped with a single rechargeable battery, thus confirming the long battery life of View’s.

Remo + RemoBell S

The RemoBell S is a reasonably good camera that delivers much higher resolution at the price of $99. Most of the companions of RemoBell S cost twice as much as it provides 1080p video resolution, but you will need an already wired doorbell to power this one. Its various features comprise a 180-degree field of view, dewarping option for live view, an onboard mic and speaker, two-way communication mode. Remo+ lets you store an unlimited number of video clips in the cloud for three days without any cost. If you need further storage, it costs a reasonable $3 per month to store an unlimited number of clips in the cloud on a rolling 30-day basis.

It provides 24/7 surveillance and authorizes you to mark the areas and eventually sends an alert on your device if any motion is encountered within its periphery.Installation is easy to carry out with the help of DIY instructions.

Life is running at a fast pace today. Our mind is continuously occupied with professional responsibilities, but our hearts always ponder the things going behind us at our home. These technologies make our lives easy and take our mind off the fear of any mishappening that might occur in our absence. This article will save your time in searching for what is best in the market. I hope this information turns out to be fruitful in your hunt for a pro video doorbell.

Source : Video Doorbells on Lenoxtons20