Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell review – keep an eye and ear on your front door

Arlo has just released its Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell so you can keep an eye and ear on the front door while enjoying the same security and peace of mind provided by the company’s internet connected cameras.

The doorbell can be installed whether you have power to the front door or not thanks to its wire-free design.

If there is power available it’s a very simple connection and, if not, the rechargeable battery will power the Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell for weeks before it needs a recharge.

The biggest point of difference between the Arlo doorbell and competitor products is the wide 180-degree viewing angle with a square 1:1 aspect ratio so you can see whoever is at your door from head to toe.

This is particularly handy if a courier is at your door. With the wider angle you would be able to see if there are any packages at their feet.

But probably the biggest advantage of the Arlo doorbell over its competitors is its responsiveness.

With competitor products, if someone presses the door bill it comes up as a notification on your device which you then have to act on.

Pressing this notification then activates the app which then connects you to the doorbell.

By the time this all takes place it could easily have been 30-40 seconds since the button was pressed and often we missed our window and didn’t get a chance to respond to whoever was at our door.

And don’t even bother to tap that notification if you’re driving – it’s actually illegal.

But when someone presses the button on the Arlo doorbell it actually initiates a call to your smartphone which can be answered in a second.

So immediately you can be talking to and seeing whoever is at your front door.

Even if you’re driving, you can still pick up the call and talk to your visitor like you would answer a regular phone call.

The two way audio is clear and crisp and sounds just like a normal call.

Video quality is also high at full high definition resolution with HDR (high dynamic range) so you can see important details in dark and bright areas of the screen.

One of our favourite features is the ability to still answer the door even when you can’t speak thanks to pre-recorded messages including “leave the package outside” and “we’ll be right there”.

The other pre-recorded responses include “can I help you?”, “not interested” and “I’m busy”

And if you don’t answer the doorbell in 20 seconds, the Arlo doorbell can even ask the visitor to leave a message.

The Arlo video doorbell is also a security camera that can detect motion and send you alerts.

Users can set their main activity zones so they only get the motion alerts that matter to them.

The onboard camera also has night vision so we can see who’s at your door even without a light on.

There’s also a built-in smart siren which can be triggered automatically or manually through the app.

Set up takes minutes through the Arlo app which walks you through the process which includes connecting to your home wi-fi and confirming the connection with a QR code.

The unit can operate as a standalone security solution without the need for a separate base station.

But if you’re an existing Arlo user with a base station it will be included in your system.

It’s also possible to add Arlo door chimes (available at additional cost) so the doorbell can be heard all around the house.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell works with Google Assistant and Alexa

Installing the Arlo video doorbell is also pretty easy even if you’re not a handyman.

It’s a matter of drilling two small holes and screwing in the baseplate with the included screws and plugs.

The smart doorbell also comes with an angled mount which you can use to create the ideal viewing angle to clearly see your visitors.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell Also comes with a free three month trial of the Arlo smart subscription service which can offer smart notifications to identify people vehicles animals or packages along with rolling 30 day cloud recordings.

One of the only downsides of the product is the fact it requires a subscription to the Arlo Smart cloud service to fully utilise the features and capabilities.

But it’s only as little as $4.49 a month for you to subscribe to the service which is about the price of a cup of coffee.

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell is available now and priced at $329.

VERDICT

The Arlo Essential Wire-Free Video Doorbell is a game changer and combines the company’s market leading security camera technology with a responsive and efficient platform. If you’re after a video doorbell – this is the one to buy.