When someone rings your doorbell, you’ll immediately receive a notification on your smartphone and it’s up to you to decide whether to interact with visitors or not. While most video or smart doorbells have features such as object or person detection, and in some cases, parcel recognition, the real feature to watch out for is "smart zoning", where areas can be included or excluded from the movement alerts.

It includes alert zones that work well (especially important in busy areas), and two-way audio and video in-app do exactly the job they’re supposed to.Unless you’re happy to use the doorbell for just live monitoring, you’ll need to factor in Ring Protect as an extra ongoing cost. The main feature of the Enway Smart Door is the two-way audio system, which also allows you to receive notifications on your mobile whenever the doorbell rings. The only catch is that it isn’t battery-powered and needs connecting to existing mains-powered doorbell chime wiring, which means you may need professional help installing it. You may already have it set up, and it can make a big difference if you want to ask your voice assistant to show you who’s at the front door on your Echo Show or Google Home Hub.

The Nest Doorbell isn’t a particularly good value, but it delivered sharp HD video and accurate motion alerts in testing.Elderly people who live alone want to feel safe and what they need is a smart home security system with which they can,without having to get up, see who is knocking at the door in real time and alert the police if necessary. From watching out for cars parked on the drive, welcoming visitors and wrangling couriers and deliveries, to deterring "porch pirates" and protecting your neighbourhood, the video doorbell is a helping hand and a worthwhile investment. With an increasing portfolio that also spans smart lighting, indoor cameras, and a home security system, Ring offers a complete solution that caters to your needs. Size: While some video doorbells are sleek and can be installed so they blend into the wall or door where you want to place them, cheaper models tend to be bigger and bulkier than a standard doorbell, so they will look rather obvious on your door.

Installation can be tricky: You can install a battery-powered smart doorbell yourself - see how below. He's a sucker for a smart home solution, something that has led to many a semi-comical family episode, as well as the latest outdoor tech which he loves testing out on the hills. You access those recordings via the same mobile app you use to install the device, configure wireless settings, and set up alerts.Unlike many other video doorbells, it comes with a chime and is incredibly easy to set up – simply stick or screw it to the doorframe and then charge it every few months (its battery life will depend on how often it’s used). We set them up and used them just like you would, looking at the ease of setup, the quality of the video feed and how intuitive it is to use the accompanying app. However, they usually interact with other system components such as door locks, sirens, and lighting. With its iconic illuminated bell pushes, Ring’s line of video doorbells has become a suburban staple and the Ring Video Doorbell Plus is the firm’s best bang-per-buck doorbell yet.