GoogleNest Doorbell (Battery) - Snow

We’ve had this doorbell for a few months now, and I’m really happy with how it’s been performing. The dark ash color fits seamlessly with the modern aesthetic of our house. I appreciate the sleek, understated look that doesn't scream "Look at me! I'm a Smart Doorbell". It fits in with the look of my home without obnoxiously standing out and it compliments the black accents on our exterior.Here’s what’s been great about it:Tall Aspect Ratio: This is a game-changer. Although I miss out on the wide left to right field of view of a traditional camera - for a doorbell I have found this to be a preferred and optimal choice. With its vertical design, I can see more than just someone standing at the door. I’m able to spot packages on the ground, which has been a lifesaver with the number of deliveries I get, and it’s easier to catch visitors' (head to toe) as they approach.Custom Alerts: I really appreciate how specific the alerts are. The algorithms baked in to the detection software are able to discern between a person, vehicle, animal, or package crossing the field of view, and I get a notification for exactly what I need to know. Beyond just identifying a person, the Nest Aware software goes a step further to recognize familiar faces and tells me if it is someone I know, or an unrecognized person. This makes a huge difference in cutting down on unnecessary alerts, like when a passing car triggers a motion warning. It also makes sure I take notice when its an unknown person at the door and not just one of my kids running around. Although the advanced Nest Aware package costs 15 dollars a month, I find the 24x7 coverage and advanced detection features to be worth the piece of mind it provides.Video History: The 3-hour free video history is perfect for those that just want to check in on missed events. Personally I chose to step up to the 10 days of 24x7 coverage to provide full access to events and surrounding video coverage. Its always better to have it and not need it, then to need it and it not be there. The video quality is crisp enough to clearly identify people or events, which is reassuring when something’s off at the door or front yard. I also love that I can check and manage all of this through the Google Home app anytime.Easy Setup: It replaced our old wired doorbell without any issues. It simply requires two wires for the power, and two screws to attach it to the wall in front of my door. My transformer was already compatible and provided the right amount of power to run the doorbell. Just like a regular doorbell, a press of the button activates my doorbell chime. This doorbell goes even further though by also announcing the event and playing a chime through my google home speakers and sending a push notification (with video) to my phone. I like this because I can clearly know when someone is at the door no matter where I am at in the house.Some notes:Disappointingly it doesn't support the Nest app which is where I have typically managed my other Nest cameras I have installed around the house (so if used to that interface, it’s a bit of an adjustment), but the Google Home app has been easy to use, and I was able to transition all of my legacy Nest devices over.If Homekit is the preferred smart home over Google - there is a way to integrate the doorbell and camera feed through either a custom homebridge server or through an additional device called Starling Home hub. I personally have the Starling device and it allows the doorbell to integrate perfectly into my existing Homekit Smart Home setup - including alerts, notifications, and live video feed.For anyone looking for a simple, reliable doorbell camera with great video quality and custom alerts, this has been a solid pick. I would definitely recommend it if you're into a more modern, functional design that works out of the box with Google or Alexa devices.

This Google Nest doorbell is great. It was easy to install. I replaced our 30-year-old wired doorbell with this one. I had no problems linking the doorbell to our Google Home. It works well with our chime and gives easily audible notifications throughout the house on our phones and Google Home speakers. The video is clear and it was easy to limit the area that triggers notifications so that we're not informed of everyone walking by on the sidewalk in front of our house. The notifications when packages arrive or are picked up have been accurate. It's great that it does not require any subscription.

Bottom line: I love this doorbell. I replaced my 1st generation Nest doorbell with the wired 2nd generation one.Pros: I definitely noticed the improved picture clarity- pretty amazing. I like the expanded vertical view too. I was also finally able to get rid of the Nest app and only use the Home app (I have two Nest cameras on Home). I did not have to update the transformer (I did that for the earlier version).Cons: The horizonal view is shortened by 15 degrees and that is very noticeable. I miss the more expanded view. Installation was a NIGHTMARE. There is no room for the wires and the 2nd generation adds about a 3" connector that just added to the problem. My house is older & brick so the existing doorbell wire is older and the space is limited. Plus, unless it is installed on a perfectly flat base, the screw sticks up just a tiny bit which will stop the doorbell from sliding on the metal attachments (also confusing). The screws stripped. Hot mess to get them out. Bought new screws...you get the picture. So while it says you can use the old holes (the ones for the 1st generation), I couldn't. I finally got it on, then had a hard time tightening the tiny screw into the top of the doorbell. Think limited space.Bottom line: other than the installation & the slightly narrower view, I really do like this doorbell.Also, some reviews complain about the camera cutting out. I've not had that issue at all (I did recently upgrade my internet router to a newer Netgear set which works great).