Arlo Doorbell and Chime review

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Doorbells that let you talk to and see your visitors are rapidly becoming a must-have feature of any DIY smart home. Arlo has come to the party with a doorbell and chime that work via smartphone app and also tie in with its wire-free cameras.

We tried out a Doorbell and Chime courtesy of Arlo with an existing wire-free camera.

Plug and play

Everything ties into the free Arlo smartphone app. If you have a camera in place, as we did, adding Arlo’s smart doorbell ($129) and chime ($99) is as easy as plugging them in and using the app to identify and connect them all together. We found it only took around 15 minutes to set up, including replacing the existing battery doorbell. 

As long as you have your smartphone with you, you can answer the door (at least by voice). It doesn’t matter if you’re in another room, upstairs, in the backyard, out shopping, at the office or even away on holidays. 

If you’re at home, the chime has good volume (80+ decibels), loud enough to easily be heard in a typical three- or four-bedroom home. A nice feature is that you can enable silent mode to disable sounds and alerts if required, such as when you want to take a nap.

The doorbell is powered by two AA-size batteries and attaches easily to a wall or door with a couple of screws and no wires needed. Arlo says the batteries should last up to a year. 

The chime unit plugs into a wall socket inside the home. Both are then paired using the smartphone app, which can optionally add an Arlo camera as well. 

Versatility

The modular design allows you to place the Doorbell, Chime and camera independently of each other, anywhere you like. 

Volume control and options for melodies can be adjusted via the free Arlo app. You can also wire up the Arlo Audio Doorbell to mechanical or electronic doorbells, if they operate on AC current at 8-24 volts.

You can talk to a visitor live via the doorbell or reply with a pre-recorded message if it’s not not convenient for you to talk.

Motion detection

Arlo also has a new smart detection system called Arlo Smart, which can detect people and even packages left for you at your door. The subscription-based service is per-camera starting at $3.99 per month, or via annual subscription which can work out cheaper over time for multiple cameras.

Brand loyalty

As with most DIY home security setups, you’ll get more out of the system if you stick with the one brand. If you haven’t yet started your home monitoring kit, it’s a good idea to look ahead at the range of options you can get with a particular system and the cost to maintain and expand it. If you already have an investment in Arlo cameras, the Doorbell and Chime are easy-to-use additions.

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Steve

I head up the team that produces CHOICE Computer magazine and computer technology-related tests and articles for our website. I believe technology is our friend, but sometimes friends just don't get along. When that happens, people turn to me for advice. We look at all kinds of consumer tech from laptops and desktop PCs to tablets, storage drives, the NBN, wireless networking and computer accessories, plus software and online services. We also examine and explain tech-related issues such as security, privacy, copyright and much more. I remember (sometimes nostalgically) the first personal computers and have spent far too much time and money keeping up with them ever since. I've been with CHOICE since 2006 and my writing and editing background extends more than 30 years across newspapers, magazines and online, particularly in IT journalism. When not dispensing pearls of consumer-tech wisdom I'm a fan of all sorts of geeky pop-culture stuff and have bonded in a familial sense with my smartphone, tablet and yes, even my smartwatch (but the desktop computer and laptop don't get lonely either). You can find me on LinkedIn.

I head up the team that produces CHOICE Computer magazine and computer technology-related tests and articles for our website. I believe technology is our friend, but sometimes friends just don't get along. When that happens, people turn to me for advice. We look at all kinds of consumer tech from laptops and desktop PCs to tablets, storage drives, the NBN, wireless networking and computer accessories, plus software and online services. We also examine and explain tech-related issues such as security, privacy, copyright and much more. I remember (sometimes nostalgically) the first personal computers and have spent far too much time and money keeping up with them ever since. I've been with CHOICE since 2006 and my writing and editing background extends more than 30 years across newspapers, magazines and online, particularly in IT journalism. When not dispensing pearls of consumer-tech wisdom I'm a fan of all sorts of geeky pop-culture stuff and have bonded in a familial sense with my smartphone, tablet and yes, even my smartwatch (but the desktop computer and laptop don't get lonely either). You can find me on LinkedIn.

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