Best Smart Doorbells Buyers Guide – February 2018

Home automation has been gaining a lot of traction in recent times and smart doorbells are one of the most straightforward entry points to this emerging segment, being designed as relatively accessible gadgets that instantly improve an everyday task through the simple addition of a camera and Internet capabilities. With the holiday season being behind us and most consumer electronics makers already releasing their latest and greatest tech, in addition to lowering the prices of their previous solutions, now is a great opportunity to get into the smart doorbell game regardless of your budget. With that in mind, below you’ll find the list of the top ten best smart doorbells money can currently buy spanning all price segments.

August Doorbell Cam Pro (Second Generation)

The first revision of August’s popular camera-equipped doorbell isn’t just extremely capable regardless of the (lack of) lighting surrounding it but also offers crystal-clear two-way audio and support for HindSight, a proprietary motion detection solution that will discreetly film any suspicious visitors if they linger around your front door without showing any intention of ringing the bell. The device has also been specifically designed to replace traditional mechanical doorbells and comes in two colors, being priced at $199.99.

Ring Video Doorbell 2

Ring is a name that’s close to becoming synonymous with the smart doorbell industry and the Ring Video Doorbell 2 is a perfect illustration of the company’s strongest suits, boasting FHD recording and all other premium features you’d come to expect from a $199 product while also sporting an extremely straightforward design that allows you to install it in a matter of minutes and not even worry about power outlets. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 is powered by a battery pack that will last you for months and can be recharged in a matter of hours, with the product hence being one of the most straightforward solutions of its kind.

DING WiFi Video Doorbell

Priced at $59.99, the DING WiFi Video Doorbell is an attractive proposition for anyone looking to make their doorbell more capable without breaking the bank in the process of doing so. An HD wide-angle camera and acceptable two-way audio support are more than you’d expect from a product at this price point, so the fact that it also comes with a free six-month trial of DING’s seven-day cloud storage service is all the more welcome.

Remo+ DoorCam

The Reemo+ DoorCam is described as the first and only over-the-door camera in the world and while that may not hold true any longer, it doesn’t make this curiously designed product any less capable. With a 160-degree field of view, clear two-way audio support and infrared vision, the Reemo+ DoorCam is a unique proposition that will take your doorbell game to the next level, though it will ask for a significant sum in return, being priced at $199.

AKASO Video Doorbell

Surrounded by rivals with $200 price tags, the AKASO Video Doorbell attempts to differentiate itself from the lot by offering the majority of their features for just $83.99 and taking a page from Ring’s battery-reliant book, being able to last for up to a year on a pair of 18650 batteries, the same ones that go into your vaping mod. Two-way audio with noise cancellation is also part of the package, as is infrared vision support, smart motion detection, and loop video recording.

Zmodo Greet Pro Smart Video Doorbell

The Zmodo Greet Pro boasts an extremely impressive wide-angle lens with a 180-degree field of view capable of capturing FHD content while also featuring instant alerts, two-way audio, and a Wi-Fi extender. The product comes with a $199.99 price tag that will net you a month-long trial of Zmodo’s seven-day cloud storage plan, as well as three years of warranty, much more than you’d come to expect from this type of consumer electronics.

SadoTech Model CXR Wireless Doorbell

It’s not surprising that one of the best-selling doorbells on Amazon is a product that’s extremely affordable but what’s unexpected about the SadoTech Model CXR is how much bang it delivers for its $21.99 price tag. SadoTech’s package comes with a transmitter, two chime units with LED indicators, weather-resistant design, dozens of ringtones, and an effective range amounting to 1,000 feet, i.e. more than 300 meters. Coupled with a minimalist design and six colors to choose from, this gadget will easily fit into anyone’s home and is extremely easy to set up – just plug it in and hang the receiver. While calling the SadoTech Model CXR “smart” is a stretch and the device is technically a bonus addition to this list of otherwise intelligent, Internet-enabled offerings, the wireless capabilities of this doorbell certainly make it an extremely capable, single-purpose offering and a technologically superior alternative to traditional chimes.

Ring Video Doorbell Pro

The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is arguably the company’s best offering to date, featuring an extremely sleek design and all capabilities of the startup’s older products, but coming with the addition of support for Amazon’s Alexa. If you thought having a camera on your front door is convenient, just imagine being able to access that feed by simply asking your digital companion who’s at the door. The extra luxury requires a slightly bigger financial commitment on your part, with the product being priced at $243.

Fnova Video Doorbell

With a price tag of $99.99, the Fnova Video Doorbell seeks to hit that sweet spot on the value-to-money scale, being designed as a truly mid-range product with a universal appeal. The gadget connects to your router and can stream HD footage, serve as an intercom, and capture video. As is the case with every other smart product on this list, the Fnova Video Doorbell comes with a dedicated companion app for Android and iOS devices and is relatively straightforward to install, in addition to featuring infrared capabilities.

Nest Hello

Nest’s first smart doorbell isn’t even out yet and has already had its share of controversies but our initial impressions of the device and everything Alphabet’s subsidiary revealed about it so far suggest it’s going to be the video doorbell to own once it’s out in March. Such a no-compromise device unsurprisingly comes with a somewhat steep price tag of $229 but if you order it until February 20, you’ll also get a free Google Home Mini, with Nest offering free shipping to all customers in the United States, so you should still be able to get plenty of value for your hard-earned money.