Other Video Doorbells to Consider
I've tested several other video doorbells. These are the ones that narrowly missed out on a place above.
Photograph: Simon Hill
Doro Hemma Doorbell for £150: A simplified smart doorbell for seniors is a solid idea, and Swedish maker Doro gets plenty right with the Hemma. It is a battery-powered doorbell that’s easy to install and use, offering a 1440 x 1440-pixel resolution with a decent frame rate (30 fps), local recording via microSD card, and a plug-in ringer that gets loud enough to hear throughout the home. It worked reliably during testing, and the mobile app is deliberately straightforward, with a handy option to pass calls off to a trusted friend or family member (they’ll need the app too). The two-way audio works well, there’s a handy zoom function when you livestream, and there’s a siren to scare folks away. It is simplified, so there are no privacy zones or package alerts, and it may be too sensitive for busy front doors, though you can set it to alert just for doorbell rings. Battery life is decent, though the battery is not removable, so you need to take the doorbell off to charge or use a portable charger. Sadly, it is only available in the UK and Europe.
SimpliSafe Video Doorbell Pro for $170: If you’re looking for a solid security system, SimpliSafe is likely on your radar, and for folks with a SimpliSafe setup, the Video Doorbell Pro fits in neatly. Former WIRED reviewer Medea Giordano found it sensitive at first, but, after an update, she says it worked nearly perfectly, sending swift alerts and offering a good, clear view of her porch. Footage maxes out at 1080p, but the camera supports HDR to banish glare and has a 162-degree field of view. It does have to be wired, and you need a subscription from $5 per month to record videos, but SimpliSafe also offers the option of professional monitoring (from $32 per month), which is a rarity for doorbells and might make sense if you have a complete security system with them.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro Photograph: Simon Hill
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Pro for $230: The top-of-the-line battery doorbell from Amazon’s Ring brand came close to earning a full recommendation. This Ring doorbell offers high-quality, crisp video with HDR support and color night vision. Notifications were swift and accurate, and two-way audio was relatively high quality. I appreciated the option to set multiple motion zones, including a potentially handy bird’s-eye zone that lets you define range. The preroll feature captures a few seconds before each clip (albeit at a lower resolution), which can be helpful. Because there’s no local recording option, you must subscribe to Ring Protect for $5/month ($50/year) for a single camera, but that also gets you a generous 180-day video storage, rich notifications, and person and package detection. But all these bells and whistles come at a premium, and battery life was disappointing (three weeks). You could mitigate this by buying a second battery to swap in, because it is removable, or opt for the Wired Doorbell Pro instead (though I have not tested it yet).
TP-Link Tapo (D230S1) Smart Battery Video Doorbell for $90: For folks seeking a local storage option that doesn’t require a monthly fee, Tapo's smart video doorbell is worth a look. Notifications come through swiftly and include a still image; video quality is excellent, even at night, and the indoor hub takes a microSD card and doubles as a chime. On the downside, it is chunky, and the onboard AI (which is supposed to recognize people, pets, vehicles, and packages) is flaky.
Tough to Recommend
We didn't like every video doorbell we tested. These are the ones we don't recommend.
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