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Front Porch Security for Renters & Homeowners: Doorbells, Cameras & Locks
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items We have lived in both rentals and our own home, and porch security looked a little different in each one. Battery powered doorbells, renter friendly smart locks, and a few motion lights kept our packages and front door safe without drilling everywher...
Sections
3
Video Doorbells & Porch Cameras
Smart Locks & Keypads
Package Protection & Outdoor Lighting
Video Doorbells & Porch Cameras
Doorbells and cameras that keep watch on the front door.
This Ring Battery Doorbell was our first porch upgrade in our rental, and it went up without touching any wiring. The head to toe view finally shows packages sitting on the mat, and I can talk to delivery drivers from work. When we moved, I simply to...
Ring Battery Doorbell with Head-to-Toe Video
I upgraded to this Ring Battery Doorbell Pro for the sharper video and the bird's eye view that shows the path someone walked to our door. It still runs on a rechargeable battery, so renters can use it too, and the motion zones keep our phones from b...
Ring Battery Doorbell Pro
We use Google speakers around the house, so this Nest Doorbell was a natural fit for us. It announces visitors on our kitchen display, recognizes familiar faces, and the battery lets us mount it anywhere. My partner loves that it tells us when a pack...
Google Nest Doorbell Battery
This Arlo doorbell has the tallest view of any we tested, so I can see a visitor's face and the package at their feet in one shot. Setup took me about ten minutes, and the clear night video is reassuring when we hear a knock late at night. It is a gr...
Arlo Video Doorbell 2nd Generation
I love this eufy doorbell because it has two cameras, one for faces and one pointed down at packages, and no monthly fee. Video is stored locally, which matters to me for privacy, and it works on battery or existing doorbell wires. We installed one a...
eufy Video Doorbell E340
These eufy solar cameras watch our driveway and side gate, and I have not had to charge them once. The video is sharp enough to read a license plate, recordings stay on a local hub with no subscription, and the setup was simple enough that my partner...
eufyCam 3 Solar Powered Wireless Security Camera
I mounted this Blink Outdoor camera above our porch steps, and it was the easiest camera setup I have ever done. The batteries last for ages, the night video is clear, and it covers the corner our doorbell cannot see. We bought a second one for our b...
Blink Outdoor 4 Wireless Security Camera
These Google Nest Cams cover our side yard and back door, and the battery design means I placed them without running any wires. They recognize people versus animals, so my phone only buzzes when it matters. As renters we loved that they came down cle...
Google Nest Cam Indoor Outdoor Battery 2 Pack
Once we owned our home, I swapped the old porch light for this Ring Floodlight Cam, and it changed how safe our yard feels at night. Bright lights snap on with motion, the camera records everything, and a loud siren is one tap away. It has scared off...
Ring Floodlight Cam Wired Plus
Smart Locks & Keypads
Keyless locks that work for renters and homeowners.
This August lock is perfect for renters because it fits over the existing deadbolt on the inside, so our keys still work and the landlord never knew. It unlocks automatically as I walk up with groceries, and I can let a dog walker in from my phone. W...
August Wi-Fi Smart Lock
I love this Level Lock because it hides all the smart parts inside the deadbolt, so our front door still looks classic. It unlocks with a tap of my phone or watch, works with Apple Home, and lets me share temporary access with family. Nobody guesses ...
Level Lock Pro Smart Deadbolt
This Yale Assure keypad lock means our kids never lose a house key again. Everyone has their own code, the lock tells me when the kids get home from school, and it auto locks behind us when we rush out in the morning. The black suede finish looks sha...
Yale Assure Lock 2 Keypad with Wi-Fi
This eufy smart lock is an affordable way I found to add fingerprint and keypad entry without paying a subscription. It installed in under thirty minutes using our existing door holes, and the fingerprint reader works quickly even with cold hands. It...
eufy Smart Lock C22
This Ultraloq Bolt has a super fast fingerprint reader, so I can unlock our door with a single touch while holding bags. It works with Apple Home, and I can create codes for visiting family that expire automatically. The sleek black design looks mode...
Ultraloq Bolt Fingerprint Smart Lock
We added this Ring Alarm keypad next to our front door so everyone in our family can arm and disarm the system without opening an app. The buttons are large and backlit, and it has dedicated emergency buttons. My parents found it much easier to use t...
Ring Alarm Keypad 2nd Gen
This SwitchBot lock fits over an existing deadbolt, which made it the perfect renter friendly upgrade for our apartment. The outdoor keypad has a fingerprint reader, and the hub lets me check the door from anywhere. When our lease ended, I removed it...
SwitchBot Fingerprint Smart Lock with Keypad
This Yale Approach lock keeps our original key and deadbolt, then adds auto unlock as I walk up the driveway. It is a great pick for renters and homeowners alike, and I love sharing access with my sister when she watches our dog. The included bridge ...
Yale Approach Lock with Wi-Fi
Package Protection & Outdoor Lighting
Lockboxes and motion lights that deter porch pirates.
After two packages vanished from our porch, I set up this VEVOR delivery box and the thefts stopped. Drivers drop packages through the top slot, and only I can open the locking door. It holds several boxes at once, and it doubles as a handy spot for ...
VEVOR Package Delivery Box for Outside
These Ring pathlights brighten our walkway the moment someone steps on it, which makes late night arrivals feel much safer. They run on batteries, so I placed them without any wiring, and they connect to our doorbell so the camera starts recording wh...
Ring Smart Lighting Motion Activated Pathlight
I use this Kasa outdoor plug to put our porch lamps on a schedule, so the house looks lived in when we travel. Each outlet works separately, it handles rain without trouble, and I can switch everything from my phone. In December it runs our holiday l...
TP-Link Kasa Smart Outdoor Plug
This SimpliSafe kit was the first real alarm system we owned, and it works for renters because nothing needs drilling or wiring. The sensors stick on doors and windows, the siren is loud, and the keypad is easy for the whole family. I like that we ca...
SimpliSafe Smart Home Security System
Video doorbells get stolen surprisingly often, so I added this anti theft mount to ours in our rental. It locks the doorbell in place, needs no drilling into the door frame, and it can angle the camera toward our walkway. It is a small peace of mind ...
Schertz Anti-Theft Doorbell Mount
This Philips Hue outdoor sensor turns on our porch and garden lights the moment someone walks up, so nobody fumbles with keys in the dark. It is battery powered, weatherproof, and easy to mount anywhere. I like that the brightness changes with the ti...
Philips Hue Outdoor Motion Sensor
These Govee permanent outdoor lights run under our roofline and brighten the whole front of the house at night. I set a warm white schedule for security and switch to colors for holidays from my phone. A well lit porch makes our family feel safer, an...
Govee RGBIC Permanent Outdoor Lights