Package theft is a big problem, especially this time of year. That may have you thinking about gifting a video doorbell or buying one yourself.
Safety and security is No. 1 priority for mom Hayley McDonald. She runs a business out of her home. McDonald receives packages nearly every day, and with package theft happening more frequently, she decided to purchase a video doorbell.
Dan Wroclawski with Consumer Reports says, “the biggest benefit of having a video doorbell is peace of mind."
Consumer Reports rated the top video doorbells of 2019. First up is the Google Nest Hello selling for $229.
"The Google Nest Hello offers the fastest response time," Wroclawski says. "That means from the time it takes when someone presses the doorbell or motion is detected to when you get an alert on your smartphone."
Next is the Wisenet Cam D1 selling for $229. Wroclawski says it offers the best video quality.
Also, on the list is the August Doorbell Cam Pro, which offers a unique feature.
"It offers color night vision," Wroclawski says. "Usually when you see night vision it's in black and white. But this model has a built-in floodlight, which lights up who is ever there at night and will give you a cleaner video in the dark."
But if you don’t have a doorbell, the Ring Doorbell 2 for $129 will be your best option because it’s battery-powered.
"It's one of the only few doorbells you can buy that has a built-in battery, and that's great because not all homes have doorbell wiring," Wroclawski says.
If you’re considering purchasing a video doorbell and want to store the video that’s recorded on your device, there is a monthly fee, Wroclawski and McDonald say.
