One easy way to maintain your home against property theft, home invasion, porch pirates, and unwanted solicitors is to identify who is at your doorstep before you open the door. A video doorbell lets you not only see and speak with the person outside but also record footage of visitors that approach your door while you are away or unable to answer. These devices basically use WI-FI to stream live video to your phone and offer high-tech skin such as cloud video storage, motion finding, sirens, and interoperability with smart locks and other smart home devices. Here is what you need to look for when choosing a video doorbell for your home. The category is growing quickly and we plan to update this story frequently as we test new devices with new features so make sure to check back often.
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Wired VS wireless video doorbell
The first thing you need to choose is if you want a wireless video doorbell that runs on batteries or one that gets power from low voltage wiring. Logically, a wireless video doorbell is the easiest type to install because it does not want that you turn off your home power or mess with any wiring. The downside to wireless doorbells is that their batteries tend to deplete quickly they last anywhere from two to six months. If you live in an area with cold weather expect to refresh or replace your batteries more every couple of months. You also run the risk of your video doorbell shutting down at an inopportune time with battery motorized models. Wired doorbells draw power from two wires that connect to a transformer that ladder down your household power to connect 16 and 24 volts.
