This Is The Worst Video Doorbell Consumer Reports Has Tested

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Investing in a home security product that doesn't make the grade may cost more than just a bout of disappointment. The very reason you purchased a security camera, floodlight, or sensor in the first place was to safeguard your home, business, and valuables, which is why it's important to be thorough in your research. Fortunately, industry experts like Consumer Reports are more than willing to lend a hand. There are plenty of surveillance devices that Consumer Reports tested and approves of, but there's also one video doorbell they highlighted that you should completely avoid: the Eufy Video Doorbell S220.

This came as a bit of a shock to us, because Eufy isn't usually a brand that makes it onto "don't buy" lists. But it seems as though this battery-powered doorbell cam is lackluster in more ways than one. One of the most pressing concerns was Consumer Reports' comment that the S220 system does a poor job at keeping footage "secure and private." That's a major red flag, especially when you consider that the included HomeBase (which stores footage) uses end-to-end AES-128 encryption.

Consumer Reports also noted that the S220 was "slow to send alerts and show live video feeds." We found even more complaints over at AVForums. One user had issues with motion detection: the S220 would only record a courier walking away from the door, not up to it. The user also experienced issues when attempting to share doorbell access with friends and family, and couldn't get the Eufy app on his iPhone to show event recordings (a problem he didn't have on his iPad). 

It's a shame that the Eufy S220 is so flawed, as the Anker-owned manufacturer usually puts out reliable and affordable products. Luckily, there are a handful of competitive models to choose from. One comparable camera that Consumer Reports called out is the Arlo Video Doorbell 2K, which comes with the Chime 2 accessory. The camera can be installed wirelessly (battery required) or integrated into existing doorbell power.

Other noteworthy features include a 180-degree field of view, head-to-toe coverage, and two-way audio. Unlike the S220, though, you'll need to sign up for an Arlo Plus Plan ($8 per month for one camera) to store event recordings and to access premium features like smart recognition and fire detection. When we were looking for Ring camera alternatives, we included the Blink Video Doorbell (2nd Gen) among our entries.

If you don't want to spend more than $100 on a video doorbell, the latest Blink bell retails for $70 and comes with the Sync Module Core, which is required to use the Blink app. Unfortunately, this is another case of "pay a monthly subscription" for access to event recordings, and plans start at $4 per month for one device. For a video doorbell alternative with local storage, consider the Aqara G4 or the Tapo D210.