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The 7 best battery-operated wireless video doorbells perfect for apartment-living
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Video doorbells are more common and necessary now than ever — especially for apartment renters. Just a few years ago, they were considered a luxury, with only a handful available from just a few brands. Today, there are so many to choose from, and, best of all, there are more wireless and battery-operated options available.
With traditional doorbells and older video doorbells, you would need existing doorbell wiring in your home or apartment in order for them to work. Now, brands are both creating battery-operated versions of these doorbells as well as exclusively wireless doorbells.
From well-known brands like Google, Arlo and Amazon to more niche ones like Nooie, AOSU and GEREE, there are so many to choose from, so we’ve rounded up the seven best, separated into different defining categories:
Best Overall: Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell
Best-Looking: Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) Wireless Video Doorbell
Most Popular: Ring Video Doorbell
Best Pick With Chime: Nooie Doorbell Cam
Most Affordable: Blink Video Doorbell
Amazon’s Choice: AOSU Wireless Battery-Powered Video Doorbell
While all the video doorbells on this list have two-way audio, video recording and more of the standard features that come with these devices, keep scrolling to check out what sets them apart from one another.
1. Best Overall: Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell, $146.99 (Orig. $199.99)
$146.99 $199.99 at Amazon$199.99 at Arlo
Arlo is one of the most trusted brands in home security, and its Essential Wireless Video Doorbell surpasses the mark of excellence in so many ways.
This sleek doorbell lets you watch over your doorstep or your apartment hallway with wire-free, battery-operated power. Just charge the internal battery, pop it into the doorbell and attach it to your front door — that’s it.
What I enjoy most about this particular wireless video doorbell is that the battery lasts much longer than its competitors. Shoppers say it lasts months on end before needing to be charged.
The Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell also records in HD video with HDR, has two-way audio, night vision, has a wider 180-degree viewing angle, connects directly to your Wi-Fi and comes with a free trial of Arlo Secure that boosts your security even further.
Also, for added convenience, it works seamlessly with Alexa and Google Devices, so when someone rings your doorbell, you’ll see a wide view of them on your Google Nest Hub Display or your Amazon Echo Show.
2. Best-Looking: Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) Wireless Video Doorbell, $134.99-$138.99 (Orig. $179.99)
$134.99-$138.99 $179.99 at Amazon
The Google Nest line is one of the most recognizable and all-encompassing you’ll find, especially when it comes to home security and seamless tech integration into your day-to-day life. One of the best examples is the Google Nest Doorbell (Battery).
Arguably the most aesthetically pleasing and modern doorbell on this list, the Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) has everything you need to boost security at your front door, as well as a few additional key features that make it a device you didn’t know you needed.
Firstly, from personal experience, this doorbell is extremely easy to install. As someone who isn’t handy at all, it took me just 30 minutes to set it up (with most of the time spent drilling two holes for the bracket).
It comes with a charging cable that connects to most power adapters. The doorbell lasts about a week and a half on one single charge, with most features running at standard capacity. If you'd rather avoid having to charge it manually, the newly released Wasserstein Solar Panel, made exclusively for the Google Nest Doorbell (Battery), keeps it charged up from the sun's rays. It's also super easy to mount!
The doorbell's features include a live video feed (available on the Google Home app for iOS and Android) that you can check at any time; two-way audio; people, animal, package and vehicle recognition; night vision; motion detection; familiar-face remembering; a waterproof rating; and so much more.
I have my Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) connected to my Google Nest Hub Display, which I placed in my living room. That way, when someone rings the doorbell, I’m audibly notified on the Hub that someone’s there. This comes in handy if you don’t have your phone with you.
If you’re looking for a video doorbell that literally has everything you need without any extra fluff and lets you control everything from your phone, this is the best one to buy, hands down. The Google Nest Doorbell (Battery) comes in four colors: Ivy, Snow, Ash and Linen (pictured above).
3. Most Popular: Ring Video Doorbell, $99.99
When most people hear the words “video doorbell,” the first product that comes to mind is the Ring Video Doorbell — and that’s for a good reason.
The Ring is one of the first video doorbells that burst onto the scene, and it revolutionized the home security space. If you already own several Amazon devices like an Echo Dot, Echo Show or Fire TV, this may be the best one to buy since it’s already in the Amazon device ecosystem.
This version, released in 2020, has over 80,000 five-star reviews and is currently a No. 1 best seller on Amazon. Like all the doorbells featured on this list, it works seamlessly over standard Wi-Fi connections and has a built-in rechargeable battery.
The Ring Video Doorbell produces 1080p HD video with enhanced features that let you see, hear and speak to anyone from your phone, tablet or PC. It also has improved motion detection and pairs with Alexa-enabled devices to enable announcements and two-way talk for in-home monitoring.
Choose from two colors: Venetian Bronze and Satin Nickel (pictured above).
4. Best Pick with Chime: Nooie Doorbell Cam, $139.99
$139.99 at Nooie$199.99 at Amazon
If you prefer the convenience of being audibly alerted that someone’s at your door from inside your apartment, as well as on your phone, the Nooie Doorbell Cam is the best pick.
In addition to the gorgeous battery-operated smart doorbell camera, it comes with a base station that doubles as a chime and Wi-Fi signal extender — all you need to do is plug it into an outlet.
This video doorbell is super easy to set up, plus it records and displays in 2K HD resolution and infrared night vision. It also has a smart detection system that differentiates between packages, people and vehicles and has a two-way audio system that lets you communicate with people at your door from the app.
Unlike several high-end video doorbells, this one has flexible storage options. Choose an SD card or cloud stories to ensure you always have the best video recordings at all times and only need to delete at your discretion.
5. Most Affordable: Blink Video Doorbell, $49.99
If you’re not willing to spend more than $50, the best-selling Blink Video Doorbell is the perfect pick. In fact, no matter your budget, this is a high-performing quality option that looks more expensive than it actually costs.
The Blink Video Doorbell, like all the doorbells featured on this list, doesn’t need any wires or existing doorbell connections to work. Install it wire-free, and receive app alerts when someone or something is at your door.
What’s special about this one, though, is that if you move to a house or apartment with existing doorbell wiring, it also works in that configuration and will actually sound your in-home chime, giving you the best of both worlds.
It has all the useful features that today’s top video doorbells have, like long-lasting battery life, custom alerts, 1080p HD day and infrared night video, two-way audio, Alexa integration and more.
The Blink Video Doorbell comes in black and white.
6. Best Deal: GEREE Wireless Wi-Fi Video Doorbell, $39.99 (Orig. $44.99)
Customer-favorite brand GEREE proves you don’t even need to spend $45 to snag a quality battery-operated video doorbell that comes packed with all the best features.
This completely waterproof wireless video doorbell has human motion detection, night vision, two-way audio and comes with a lifetime of free cloud storage — all for under $45!
It also comes with two long-lasting and rechargeable lithium batteries. So, when you’re running low on juice, just replace them, and you’re good to go.
7. Amazon’s Choice: AOSU Wireless Battery-Powered Video Doorbell, $99.99
This last pick has the coveted “Amazon’s Choice” label. The AOSU Wireless Battery-Powered Video Doorbell captures video in 2K resolution with a 166-degree wide viewing angle, letting you see a person from head to toe or the package on the ground in front of your door.
For added convenience, it also comes with an 8G Micro SD card that supports two months of secure local storage.
This doorbell also gives you accurate alerts with smart human detection, reducing false alarms caused by moving objects like animals and vehicles. Another feature that shoppers love is the ability to answer and hang up video calls with visitors when they ring the doorbell. Hang up the video call directly or select a preset quick voice reply. For the price, you really can’t ask for more!
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