The top-notch video doorbell doesn’t require monthly subscription fees to make the most of it.
The top-notch video doorbell doesn’t require monthly subscription fees to make the most of it.
Sheena Vasani writes about tech news, reviews gadgets, and helps readers save money by highlighting deals and product recommendations for The Verge.
One of our favorite doorbells, TP-Link’s Tapo D225 Video Doorbell Camera, is on sale for just $79.99 ($20 off) at Amazon. That’s a buck shy of its best price.
A lot of video doorbells come with extra hidden subscription fees if you want to make the most of them, but this one doesn’t. It lets you record video to a microSD and offers smart alerts for people, packages, pets, and vehicles.
You can use it hardwired if you want 24/7 video monitoring or, if you prefer, with a battery pack. Running off batteries would allow you to place it where you might not already have existing doorbell wiring, but removes the constant video recording option.
The Tapo D225 can also call your phone when somebody presses the doorbell, even if you don’t have the app installed, which should make it harder to miss a visitor.
Aside from offering perks rivals typically charge extra for, the 2K-capable Tapo D225 has a clear camera with a wide 180-degree field of view that can show your entire porch. It’s a bit chunky, and you can’t really use your existing chime, but it’s a great buy at this price.
Read our TP-Link Tapo D225 Video Doorbell Camera review.
At under $100, this feature-packed, subscription-free doorbell offers a lot of value, including free local recording, 24/7 recording, and smart alerts, plus a robust smart home ecosystem. It’s big, you need a microSD card for recording, and there’s no HDR, but it’s a solid choice.
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