The Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell should be on your short list if you are looking for one of the best video doorbells. It is one of the few video doorbells that can let you know when a package has been dropped off, and one of the few that works hardwired or battery only. It also has a 1:1 field of view, so there is a good chance that the package will be seen.

However, to take advantage of all the features of this video doorbell, you need to subscribe to Arlo's subscription plan; read the rest of our Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell review to see if it is worth the investment.

The Arlo Essential Wireless Video Doorbell has a release date of October 1, 2021 and a price tag of $199. It is widely available at online retailers. If you do not need the wireless model, the Arlo Essential Wired Doorbell is $50 cheaper.

The wired model has no battery, making the entire unit slightly smaller and thinner. The wired model also has a wider motion detection range of 5 meters compared to 3 meters for the wireless model.

In addition, wired models can use Arlo's Foresight feature: similar to Ring's Pre-roll, the camera continuously records a 4-second loop, and when motion is detected, it attaches the clip to the front of the captured object. This helps ensure that you get a good, clear look at who is coming to your door.

If you go the wireless route, you can purchase the Arlo Chime 2 for $49. Spare batteries for the video doorbell cost $49 each.

Clean and innocuous, the Arlo Essential looks like most video doorbells. There is a lens at the top and a circular button at the bottom. The surface is black and the sides are white.

Like the Ring Video Doorbell 4, the Arlo's battery is removable, so there is no need to remove the entire video doorbell from the wall to charge the battery. In comparison, the Nest Doorbell (battery) and Ring Video Doorbell (2nd generation) have a built-in battery, so the entire unit must be removed from the wall to charge. I prefer Arlo's method. You can buy spare batteries, so there is no downtime.

However, with the Ring Video Doorbell 4, you only need to remove a small cover, whereas with the Arlo, you essentially need to remove the entire doorbell to access the battery.

Because the Arlo's battery is removable, it is a bit chunkier than other video doorbells, sticking out a little more than 1.5 inches.

Arlo runs on battery power alone, but we like that it also has the option of hardwiring to existing doorbells.

Arlo's camera captures video in a 1:1 aspect ratio and offers a 180-degree field of view, the company says.

We were able to see the front steps to the same extent as with the Nest Doorbell (battery) and the Arlo Video Doorbell Pro 2 (both with a 4:3 aspect ratio). the Arlo's resolution can be adjusted from a maximum of 1536 x 1536 to 1080 x 1080 or 720 x 720. It can be adjusted, but there is no reason not to leave it at maximum.

Arlo's image quality was good, but overall a bit darker and murkier than the Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 and Nest Doorbell (battery).

In the latter two, detail in the trees in front of the door was sharp, but in the Arlo, branches were mottled and colors were much dimmer; the Arlo's night vision was quite good, but still had less detail than the competition.

To use all the features of the Arlo Essential, one must sign up for the Arlo Secure plan. Unlimited number of cameras for $99/month. [This is similar to Ring and Nest, but Nest Doorbell (battery) is free and stores 3 hours of recording.

Other features that come with an Arlo Secure subscription include:

Activity Zones: custom activity zones can be created so that the doorbell will only alert you when there is movement in that area.

Luggage detection: If the camera detects luggage, a warning will be displayed. This is a really useful feature and should be checked when purchasing a video doorbell. As of this writing, only the Nest Doorbell (battery powered), Ring Video Doorbell (2nd generation), and Ring Video Doorbell Pro 2 have this feature.

Smart Notification: Notifies you when the camera detects a person, car, or animal. Notifications can be turned on or off.

Message: If a visitor does not answer the video doorbell within 20 seconds, you can ask them to leave a message.

All in all, these are great features. I also don't like the way the Arlo app breaks things up. For example, if you want to adjust the activity zones for the doorbell, you need to go into specific camera settings. But to set up package detection or smart notifications, you need to go to the general settings menu in the app.

If you want to see how Arlo stacks up against the competition, be sure to check out our article comparing security camera video storage plans.

Given that Arlo makes some of the best home security cameras, it is no surprise that the Arlo Essential wireless video doorbell is one of the best video doorbells available. It has excellent video quality, a great field of view, and a host of outstanding features, including detection of people and packages.

While we don't like that the Nest Doorbell (battery) doesn't have a removable battery, it does offer three hours of free video storage, free people, animal, vehicle, and luggage detection, and free custom activity zones.

If you already have or are considering buying one of Arlo's other cameras, a wireless video doorbell makes a lot of sense. However, when it comes to the best video doorbells, there are better options.