The latest entry to the smart doorbell arena, the Arbor Video Doorbell ($199), sounds good on paper.
As with the Ring Video Doorbell 2, it runs on battery power and is completely wireless and easy to install.
It also offers two days worth of free cloud storage, and it records sharp 1080p video.
That said, it had trouble staying online in testing, and it doesn't integrate with other smart home devices.
For the same price, the SkyBell HD offers more features and interoperability with other devices.
Design and Features
At 7.1 by 2.2 by 1.2 inches (HWD), the Arbor Video Doorbell is not only the largest smart doorbell we've come across, it's also the strangest-looking one.
With a 2.2-inch wide silver ring button jutting from the top, it looks more like an ice cream scooper than a doorbell.
The ringer button is surrounded by an LED ring that flashes white when you press it; a chime also sounds at the doorbell, in the app, and at the included Wi-Fi hub.
Embedded in the glossy black enclosure (it's also available in silver) is a 1080p camera with a 160-degree field of view and a 5x digital zoom.
The camera uses the light from the LED ring to provide up to 25 feet of black-and-white night vision.
The doorbell has a built-in motion sensor and a microphone and speaker for two-way audio.
The camera will record video when somebody rings the doorbell or when motion is detected, and store it in the cloud for 48 hours, free of charge.
Arbor also offers an unlimited storage plan for $2.99 per month.
The doorbell doesn't have its own Wi-Fi radio; instead, it communicates with the aforementioned Wi-Fi hub, which connects to your home's wireless network.
The Wi-Fi hub measures 4.7 by 4.1 by 1.6 inches and has two adjustable antennas on either side.
It contains 802.11n circuitry and operates on the 2.4GHz band.
The top of the hub has a Sync button for pairing with the doorbell, as well as power, internet, and Wi-Fi status LEDs.
Inside is a 100dB siren that will sound when you press the Panic button in the app.
Also inside is a rechargeable battery pack that lasts up to a year between charges.
Unlike the Nest Hello and the SkyBell HD, the Arbor doorbell doesn't interact with other smart home devices, nor does it support IFTTT applets like the Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Video Doorbell 2.
At the time of this review, it doesn't support Amazon Alexa voice commands either, but according to a company spokesperson, Alexa compatibility will be added in the near future.
The Arbor mobile app (available for Android and iOS) opens to a screen that shows a still image of the last captured video with a play arrow that launches a live stream.
Below the image is a list of Activities such as missed calls, doorbell rings, and motion events.
You can view recorded video by tapping any event, but you can't download the clips, share them, or delete them using the mobile app.
To do that you have to use the web portal.
The live stream screen has a video panel that goes full screen when you tap the box in the lower right hand corner.
Below the panel is a status bar that gives you connectivity status (Online or Offline), battery level, and Wi-Fi signal strength.
Below that are Listen, Speak, Snap, and Panic buttons.
The Listen button lets you hear what's going on outside, the Speak button lets you communicate with whoever is at the door, the Snap button takes a snapshot and stores it in your phone's photo folder, and the Panic button activates the 100dB siren embedded in the Wi-Fi hub.
Tap the gear icon to access the Doorbell Settings screen where you can rename the device, enable motion detection, adjust motion detection zones, and set motion schedules.
Here you can also enable push notifications and update the doorbell's firmware.
Back at the opening screen, tap All Devices to configure the Wi-Fi hub network settings, select one of five doorbell ringtones, and change the name of the hub.
Installation and Performance
Installing the Arbor Video Doorbell is quick and easy as there is no wiring involved.
I attached the mounting plate to my door frame using the included screws and slid the doorbell onto the plate.
I charged up the battery, downloaded the app, and created an account.
I tapped Add Device in the app and followed the on-screen instructions to plug in the Wi-Fi hub somewhere close to the door.
I waited a second or two for the power LED to turn white and pressed the SYNC button.
When the LED began blinking red and white, I hit Next to allow the hub to join my home Wi-Fi network.
I then created a hub name, selected my home Wi-Fi SSID from the list, and entered my Wi-Fi password.
Next, I inserted the battery into the doorbell and pressed Next to pair the doorbell to the hub.
It paired within seconds and I was done.
The Arbor doorbell delivered very sharp video in my tests.
Daytime video appeared crisp, with well-saturated colors, and black-and-white night video showed good contrast and was clear out to around 20 feet.
Video doorbells almost always suffer from minor barrel distortion and the Arbor is no different, but only the edges were affected—visitors to the doorbell and objects in the distance were not distorted at all.
The doorbell's motion detection worked well in testing.
Push notifications arrived immediately, and the motion zone settings did a wonderful job of eliminating alerts from passing cars.
Event-triggered video looks just as good as the live feed and is instantly accessible.
The chime is nice and loud, but the Panic siren isn't loud enough and is just a long, annoying beep that barley got a reaction from my dog.
Connectivity is another story altogether.
The doorbell frequently went offline after the doorbell was pressed.
Each time this happened, I had to close and restart the app.
I tried relocating the Wi-Fi hub, but the problem persisted regardless of where the hub was plugged in.
It should be noted that the hub and doorbell were no more than ten feet from my router.
Hopefully this is an issue that can be addressed in future firmware updates.
Conclusions
If you're looking for a smart doorbell that's easy to install and doesn't require any wiring, the Arbor Video Doorbell will fit the bill.
Its rechargeable battery pack lasts for quite a while and its 1080p camera provided sharp, colorful video in our tests.
It will store the last 48 hours of recorded video in the cloud at no charge, though there's no way to download, share, or delete the recordings using the mobile app, at least for now.
Moreover, the Arbor doorbell doesn't interact with other smart home devices, and it had trouble staying connected to its Wi-Fi hub.
If you already have existing doorbell wiring, our Editors' Choice, the Skybell HD, is a better option.
It too offers free cloud storage, and unlike the Arbor doorbell it works with IFTTT and Alexa voice commands, and is compatible with other smart devices.
It also features color night vision and pre-buffered recording that captures several seconds of video prior to a motion or doorbell ring event.
If wires aren't your thing, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 is also a good choice—it works with IFTTT and Alexa voice commands, delivers sharp 1080p video, and is a cinch to install.
