Nothing beats sleeping in on Saturdays, Sundays, or even on your days off, especially when you know no one will disrupt your sleep time. Now imagine someone ringing your doorbell just when you pull the duvet for an hour or two of extra sleep. Imagine if that someone wants you to buy a completely unnecessary vacuum or magazine subscription. Absolutely annoying, right?
Well, here is some good news: you no longer have to walk all the way to your door just to face an annoying marketer. There’s new tech out there that completely removes the hassle: video doorbell cameras. You can just check your phone to see who’s at the door. If it’s a solicitor, you can turn them away. If worse comes to worst, it’s a burglar, you can be notified of his presence and scare him off via the video doorbell without risking your safety.
What is a smart video doorbell camera?
A smart video doorbell camera is an electronic device that lets you see, hear, and talk with whoever’s at your door. With a smart video doorbell camera, you can see when the delivery person gets to the door without having to call them up. Additionally, you could use the doorbell camera like a peephole camera to keep tabs on what happens around your front porch when you’re not around, and you don’t have to worry about missing visitors again.
Sounds too good to be true? Well, there’s one catch - while the smart video doorbell camera allows you to screen or record visitors and package deliveries, some of the cameras work better than others.
So, which smart video doorbell camera should you buy?
Features of the Best Smart Video Doorbell Cameras and Considerations before purchase:
Are you a renter or a homeowner?
As a homeowner, your options when it comes to the video doorbell camera are endless, and you can opt for either the wireless or wired doorbell camera.
If you’re a renter, your options are more limited. You can use a wireless doorbell camera and get your landlord’s permission to screw the bracket outside of the door. If that installation costs you your deposit, never fear! You can also look into wireless front door cameras that don’t require any screws, such as the Remo+ DoorCam.
Your Existing Smart Home Automation
Home automation has made our lives simpler, and this means that you might want your smart doorbell camera to integrate with specific smart home systems, such as IFTTT or Alexa. Check the doorbell camera box or product page before purchasing to make sure it plays nicely with your other smart devices.
Top Features to Consider
High-Resolution Camera
Don’t buy a video doorbell camera that’s blurry and unable to show you who’s at the door. Always opt for the high-resolution camera. HD (720 p) is pretty standard, although more and more doorbell cameras are coming out with full HD video resolution, if not higher quality.
Night Vision
The camera’s night vision capabilities must be top notch so you can see who’s at the door at night. We also recommend checking whether the doorbell camera’s night vision function is compatible with your home’s smart home features such as a timed lighting system. The best cameras use infrared technology for night vision.
Motion Detection
Motion detection is one of the most important features in a smart video doorbell camera. Why? The motion detection system is what sets off all the other sequence of events from receiving notifications on your phone/tablet to seeing who’s at your door.
But, there’s one catch – you don’t want to receive notifications every time a car passes by. Many doorbell cameras solve this issue with a motion customization zone. Using the accompanying product app, you can select which zones you want to monitor and be notified about.
Mobile Alerts
To receive notifications and view recordings, your video doorbell should come with a mobile app for remote access, control functions, and monitors. The doorbell should detect motion then send you an alert in real-time.
Price
Smart technology is definitely an investment, especially if it relates to home automation. Most video doorbell cameras currently on the market cost an average of $200. However, there are more affordable products out there like the RemoBell S, which includes all of the features mentioned above plus the bells and whistles available on more expensive products for only $99.
In short, video doorbell cameras are a great way to improve your home security and help you answer your door without having to leave the comfort of your bed. For more information on some great video doorbell options, check out our blog.