Physical Address
304 North Cardinal St.
Dorchester Center, MA 02124
Kasa’s very affordable doorbell can monitor all types of front door events.
Video storage
Keeping snapshots of intruders, porch hackers (or similar problems) can be important. Even cheap doorbells often come with a subscription option to store video in the cloud (usually for several dollars a month). Some have local storage options, if you’d rather evade these ongoing fees, so study the details carefully.
Learn about artificial intelligence
Object recognition using AI features is especially useful for a video doorbell, allowing the tool to recognize packages, people, animals, and vehicles and send you alerts only about what matters to you. In our experience, doorbells usually pick up the sounds of joggers and people walking their pets, but good recognition avoids vehicle and animal alerts, saving you the stress. Some companies keep object recognition behind a subscription, while others include it for free.
Smart home compatibility
If you already have a favorite security system or voice assistant, like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, always look for a video doorbell that works with your existing choices. Amazon brands tend to limit their doorbells to Alexa only. Compatibility with Apple Siri and Apple Home is hard to find here, especially on a budget.
Wired versus wireless
Battery models are easier to put together, but they sometimes (but not always) cost more. Wire models are usually the best way to save. We’ve found a selection of both options at affordable prices.
Sound quality
If you like the idea of talking outside the doorbell, look for a doorbell that has effective two-way audio, preferably with noise cancellation or similar features. We test the sound quality of every doorbell we review to make sure you can carry on a conversation.
Field of view and resolution
Video doorbells don’t need a particularly wide field of view, but they’re a great quality if they’re facing a large front yard. The higher resolution also makes it easier to see faces and other important details, so it’s a good idea to find a model with at least HD resolution.
