Which Nest cameras are best?

If you want a connected home, you may already be a fan of Nest products. The company makes smart devices to help you keep tabs on the many goings-on that occur when you’re not there. Nest of surveillance cameras live up to the company’s reputation for providing well-designed, attractive products that interface easily with a smartphone app. Peace of mind is just one benefit of having a Nest camera in your home. Read on to learn about the other benefits of owning a Nest camera.

What to know before you buy a Nest camera

Nest benefits

Nest cameras offer many advantages over some competing security cameras, including ease of use and clarity of video. What’s more, users can record 24 hours a day without interruptions — many other home surveillance systems only offer recording when movement is detected.

You can access your Nest camera remotely through your Nest phone app. With this feature, you can hear and talk to people or pets on the other side of the camera. With a subscription service, Nest will hold your video feed for up to 30 days. The company also gives you three-hour “snapshots” of what has been going on in your home.

Nest Cameras have a reputation for durability and reliability. Perhaps that’s one reason why they range in price from about $200 to $350, which is slightly more expensive than other surveillance camera options on the market. A Nest camera on the lower end of the price range could double as a baby or pet monitor; it’s easy to set this up with a simple plug into a wall outlet. Higher-end Nest cameras work with an “IQ” that enables them to identify human faces. Nest also offers a service called Nest Aware that can tell the difference between human movement and other movements. It can also learn to identify faces.

Nest camera FAQ

Q. Will a Nest subscription cost me more if I have more than one camera in my home?

A. Yes. With a subscription, Nest requires you to pay for each camera. However, after the first camera, each additional camera can be added to your service at a discounted rate.

Q. Does a Nest camera work with Alexa?

A. Yes. Nest builds connected devices. If you have the Amazon Echo Show, you can access your feed by simply asking Alexa to show you the area of your home it covers.

What’s the best Nest camera to buy?

Top Nest camera

Google Nest Cam Outdoor or Indoor, Battery – 2nd Generation

What you need to know: This Nest camera is made to withstand outdoor weather conditions (though you can also put it inside) and provides a high-quality image.

What you’ll love: It’s attractive and compact, can handle being outdoors, is wire-free and includes a magnetic mount. It’s also easy to install. If there’s an outage of power or Wi-Fi, it will store up to an hour of recorded events.

What you should consider: Though the battery makes installation convenient, some users say it can drain quickly.

Top Nest camera for the money

Nest Indoor Security Camera (2nd generation)

What you need to know: This camera is unobtrusive, easy to set up, and not exorbitantly expensive. It’s a great unit for someone on a budget who would like to keep tabs on home (kids, pets, and so on) when at work or away.

What you’ll love: It works with Alexa. The built-in mic/speaker combo allows you to chat with those at home and also monitor them.

What you should consider: Some customers had difficulty with the camera not recording all events.

Worth checking out

Google Nest Cam with Floodlight

What you need to know: This camera not only provides wide, clear views, but also acts as a security floodlight.

What you’ll love: This particular Nest camera can distinguish between a person, an animal or a vehicle and send alerts to your phone via the Google Home app. You can also customize the light settings and talk through this camera.

What you should consider: It’s the most expensive Nest camera.

Prices listed reflect time and date of publication and are subject to change.

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