Video doorbells allow for socially distant visits

Global sales of video doorbells are predicted to grow to $1.4 billion by 2023.

They were all the rage last year for catching criminals.

They’ve helped identify people who tried to break into homes. One caught a real-life Grinch who nabbed a wreath off someone’s door. A video door bell even caught a meteor on camera. They catch all sorts of things — good and bad!

When synced with a smart speaker, like an Amazon Echo or Google Home, you you can answer your door while keeping a safe distance using just your voice.

Consumer Reports Home Editor Dan Wroclawski says for best results, use devices within the same brand. “There are video doorbells that claim they work with digital assistants, but they may not offer all the features." says Wroclawski. "To ensure compatibility, stay within the same product ecosystem or product family.”

For Google Home users, Consumer Reports recommends the Nest Hello Video Doorbell, paired with the Google Nest Hub Max speaker.

If you use an Amazon smart speaker, Consumer Reports says a perfect pairing is the Ring VideoDoorbell 3 and the Amazon Echo Show.

Once set up, you’ll be able to talk to visitors from even the farthest point of your home!

One caution though, to prevent a camera from being hacked, change any supplied passwords and set up two-factor authentication.