Google Nest Doorbell Camera Review

I had just gotten settled in for my 11-hour flight from London Gatwick to Los Angeles this summer when my phone buzzed with a Nest Doorbell alert. It was 3:30 a.m. local time back at home in Los Angeles, and the camera showed someone ringing our bell. A moment later, we saw a flashlight beam sweep across our front steps. None of this seemed good.

My husband and I conferred quietly with each other in panic, trying not to raise concern among our kids. Was someone trying to break in while we were thousands of miles away? It sure seemed like it. The plane was already taxiing, and with no Wi-Fi onboard our low-cost carrier for the long-haul flight, there was nothing we could do but sit in anxious silence for the next 11 hours, trying (unsuccessfully) not to speculate.

Google Nest Wired Doorbell

When we finally landed in Los Angeles, we braced ourselves and rushed to turn on our phones. Right away, our phones lit up with texts from our neighbor explaining the truth of that middle-of-the-night intrusion: City workers were responding to a water main break on our street and had been going door to door to ask residents to move their cars. There was some damage to the asphalt on our street, but nothing that threatened the houses, and it was already under control by the time we got home, so that we could hop into our eagerly anticipated post-travel showers without delay.

It was all mostly harmless—especially compared to the possibilities we had been preparing to face—but the experience reinforced how valuable my Nest Doorbell has become whenever I travel.

The Nest Doorbell lets me keep an eye on my home, even when I’m halfway around the world. The video quality is sharp, with a 4:3 HD frame that shows people from head to toe as well as packages left on the ground. Infrared night vision ensures a clear view in the dark, and two-way audio makes it easy to greet a delivery driver—or even deter someone from lingering. You can also set it to play a prerecorded message if you’d rather not answer in real time. Intelligent alerts help the system distinguish between people, packages, vehicles, and even animals—and with a Nest Aware subscription, it can recognize familiar faces, too. (Ours knows our family members, neighbors, and frequent visitors by name.)

Google Nest Wired Doorbell

Google sells both a wired and a battery-powered version. The wired model—the one I have—is just over five inches tall and offers nonstop 24/7 streaming, with up to 10 days of continuous video history with a Nest Aware plan. The slightly taller battery-powered version provides flexible, wire-free installation that’s ideal if you’re in a rental or don’t want to deal with rewiring. Both connect seamlessly through the Google Home app, and they also integrate with the Nest x Yale Lock so you can see who’s at your door and even let trusted guests inside.

I’m far from the only one who swears by this gadget. One Amazon shopper raved, “[It’s] very easy to install…night vision is good even when the lights are off.” Another added, “Setup is easy…the device links to the Nest mobile app and Google Home app very quickly. Up and running with multiple users added within an hour.”

Google Nest Wired Doorbell

Others praised its crisp picture in all weather conditions, with one reviewer calling it “worth every penny.” (Some also warned against buying refurbished or outdated versions that no longer connect seamlessly with Google’s system—so my advice is to purchase new and stick with the latest generation.)

After my long flight home, I was relieved that the late-night visitor turned out to be nothing more than city workers on the job (and their job in this case, while surprising, didn’t turn out to be too destructive). Still, the Nest Doorbell gave me peace of mind in knowing exactly what was happening at my front door—even if I had to wait almost 11 hours to learn the full story. Now, I can’t imagine traveling without it.

Keep an eye on your home from thousands of miles away with a reliable doorbell camera. Keep scrolling to shop more video doorbells from Ring, Arlo, Blink, and SimpliSafe, starting at $70.

More Doorbell Cameras to Shop at Amazon:

Blink Video Doorbell

Ring Battery Doorbell

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus

Arlo Video Doorbell 2K and Chime 2 Bundle

SimpliSafe Wired Doorbell

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