What You Need to Know About the Nest Hello Doorbell

If you took a security camera and combined it with a doorbell, you’d have the Google Nest Hello Doorbell. It adds a layer of security to your home that can be accessed no matter where you are. Here’s what you need to know about this innovative smart device.

How Does the Nest Doorbell Work?

The Nest Hello doorbell replaces your wired doorbell by connecting to the existing wires. From there, you link the Nest Hello doorbell to the Nest app through WiFi. In the Nest app you can view a live feed from your doorbell; hear and talk to people at your door; and review older videos, even when you’re away from home. The app also alerts you with a special notification when packages are delivered, because it can distinguish between packages and faces. You can also set up notifications when the Nest Hello detects motion near the door.

The Hello is similar to other video doorbells and simple to install, even if you aren’t used to dealing with wires. It takes about 15 to 30 minutes. Get a feel for the process by watching this video by Google.

Nest Hello Features

The Nest Hello has a wide range of features. The camera has 8x digital zoom that records 1600 x 1200 pixels in HD, and its night vision feature captures video in the dark. Many doorbell cameras have limited range of sight that only shows the person’s lower half, depending how close they are to the door, but the Nest Hello records even tall people head to toe.

And while most video doorbells only record when motion is detected, the Nest Hello records continuously. This ensures that your camera never misses a thing.

Another handy feature allows you to set up pre-recorded messages when visitors come to your door, if you can’t or don’t feel like responding yourself. Say you’re expecting a package.  The prerecorded message can ask that all packages be left in a certain area of the porch or on the back steps.

How Much Does the Nest Doorbell Cost?

The Nest Hello doorbell runs around $200, comparable to other video doorbells on the market. But you must sign up for a monthly subscription to save your videos in the cloud through Nest Aware. These subscriptions range from $5 per month to $30 per month, depending on how long you want your videos saved.