![[Perks] Arlo Essentials 2K Video Doorbell (2nd Generation) $137.40 (was $229) + Delivery / C&C @ JB Hi-Fi](https://files.ozbargain.com.au/n/82/866682.jpg?h=f354f9cd)
Lowest historical price for the video Doorbell. You will need a JB HI-Fi Perks coupon to get this deal.
Things you'll want to know before you buy:
- Works with Google, Alexa, and HomeKit, as well as IFTTT support
- Choose to install either wired or wireless. Runs off a rechargeable battery, but the battery is non removable. This means you'll need to detach the doorbell off your door and bring it inside to charge it.
- Arlo estimates that you’ll have to recharge it once every 6 months if you use the optimized or best battery preset power management profiles. This also assumes that the camera is recording less than three minutes of footage per day
- Video call feature requires a paid subscription after trial period. Many of the smarter features (like setting a motion zone and saving a recording) is locked behind a subscription.
- It doesn't take an SD card, but records to the cloud. You must have an active premium subscription to use this feature.
- The most basic subscription will cost you a little less than $7 a month. See costs here
- Unlike the Amazon-backed Ring or Google’s Nest, Arlo is a third-party company that plays nice with two of the major smart home platforms. On Alexa that means it can announce visitors or show who’s at the door on an Amazon Echo Show smart display. If you’re on Google’s platform, you can do the same with a Google Nest Hub or Chromecast device like a TV or Nest Hub smart display.
Toms Hardware gives it a 4 Star review. Overall, it's an affordable doorbell camera, but not so affordable when you consider the ongoing subscription costs (which seems to keep going up and not down)
Personally I think the TP-Link Tapo 2K Doorbell cameras are much more consumer friendly, since it has the following features without a subscription:
Recording videos to an SD card
Object detection
Setting motion zones
2 -way intercom calling / voice calls
The battery is removable, so you swap out batteries as needed if you bought spares. Battery charges via MicroUSB (ugh)
The doorbell doesn't become e-waste if the batteries health is bad, since it's removable.
The downside is that it doesn't play super nice with Google Home's ecosystem and has no IFTTT integration. It basically locks you into Tapo's smart home ecosystem (but it does come with a Matter-enabled smart hub).
$149 shipped from Amazon for those not targeted.
Also $149 at Bunnings - you could also try your luck at pricebeat.