Customer Ratings & Reviews

Love it! Way better than fixed cameras and ai gives a description which is cool. Only thing I wish the cable was longer but other than that it's been great.

I really love that is a plug in, so once installed I don’t have to worry about changing batteries. Great quality picture, excellent night vision.

I switched to Arlo after getting frustrated with my other camera setup. These work great and I have two.

I love this camera; it makes security much easier.

Very neat camera will follow the person until it cannot

Great product Arlo is wonderful!! Happy with this purchase

A great camera great quality I love it! Highly recommend

Recently, I had a friend pass away. Since I am taking care of her property until her family gets the estate in order, I felt that I needed an extra set of eyes to make sure that there wasn’t going to be anyone attempting to take advantage of her home. Well, it’s not entirely empty since she had a couple of cats that still reside inside. I decided that something like the Arlo Essential 1 Camera would be something that I needed to keep the property safely watched. Set Up: Securing the wall mount is simple. Once you’ve secured the mount (screws included), fit the Arlo camera into place, then plug it in. From there, you will need to use the Arlo app to connect the camera to the device you are using. Performance: I will admit that using this Arlo camera is somewhat fun since I have never owned a fully controllable camera. The video feed is sharp and doesn’t have any pixelation distortion. Using the app, I am able to have full control over the camera. Moving it from left to right, up and down, and zooming in. The 12x zoom was more detailed than I had expected. There is a slight latency when controlling the camera. It was only by a couple of seconds on my end. The app allows you to create up to five zones of detection if you want a specific area to not trigger the motion detection. With Smart Detection, you can calibrate what kind of alerts you can receive pertaining to what the camera detects. With my camera, I catch the view of a side patio door that opens to a driveway. Let’s say that someone pulls into that driveway. I am going to get an alert because I want the camera to detect a vehicle, rather than alerting me because a cat inside gets near the doors. The camera also has an alarm along with a light that provides a decent amount of illumination. While you get a free month of access to Arlo’s Enhanced Protection, which includes audio detection, archived recordings, etc, if you decide not to opt for their annual billing for the service, then you have limited features after that. Closing: The Arlo Essential Camera is great because it gives the user actual control over the camera. The camera is plugged into an outlet, so I don’t have to be concerned about battery life and charging. This camera is definitely providing a service of giving me peace of mind, knowing that if someone comes snooping around the house, I will know. And as a bonus, I get to observe the cats and tell them not to get on the counters looking for treats.

i got the Arlo Essential pan and tilt camera a couple weeks ago cause i wanted something to keep an eye on my living room and front door area when i’m out or at work. i was expecting just a basic camera, but this thing is way better than i thought. setup was super easy. i’m not great with tech but it literally walked me through everything in the app. i had it mounted and streaming video in like ten minutes. just plug it in, connect wifi, and it works. no drama at all. the picture quality is actually really sharp. it’s 2K so i can see faces clearly, read labels on boxes, and even see my cat sleeping on the couch in full detail. the pan and tilt feature is probably my favorite part though. i can move it around from my phone and look all over the room. i didn’t even realize how useful that would be until i started using it i can check both windows and the hallway with just one camera. the night vision is solid too. the image is clear, not all fuzzy like some other cameras i’ve tried before. and the two-way audio works great i can talk through it from my phone and the sound is clear on both ends. i also really like that it’s plug-in powered. i used to have a battery camera and it felt like i was recharging that thing every week. this one just stays on all the time, no worrying about it dying or forgetting to charge it. the app is pretty easy to use. i get motion alerts whenever there’s movement, and you can change how sensitive it is so it doesn’t go off every time my cat walks by. i set it to only alert when it detects a person and it’s been pretty accurate. it also works with Alexa which is a nice bonus. i can just say “alexa show me living room” and the video pops up on my Echo Show. honestly i can’t think of much to complain about. the video’s clear, setup’s simple, it moves smoothly, and i feel like i got more than what i paid for. i’m probably gonna get another one for the garage soon. if you’re thinking about getting one, just do it. it’s super reliable, easy to use, and the quality for the price is seriously impressive.

Is complicated to install and to set un on the system

Even if where you live is generally considered safe, it is not a bad idea to still have security cameras installed. Even if it's just for a heads-up that a delivery is arriving or a neighbor is stopping by. We were familiar with Arlo after having used their wireless cameras before up until we moved and could install our wired cameras everywhere we needed (previously, we live in a 2-story house that we really couldn't run wired cameras to every place we wanted a camera) and kind of was done with needing to recharge the cameras. Still, all of those are fixed cameras with just barely enough of the areas being covered. I had been looking to add a pan and tilt camera for a while, but one system I use doesn't offer an outdoor one and the other I use had one, but the price was a little high. After discovering the Arlo Essential Pan Tilt was wireless but powered (and having installed an outlet in the overhang for house holiday lighting), I was thinking this would be nice to try out. After opening and getting it plugged in, I started the initial setup in the Arlo Secure app. That was fairly easy (also helps if you already have the app installed and an account created). I started to try out everything with it, especially the pan and tilt functionality. At that point, I was already glad to have gotten this camera. Unfortunately, the camera cannot record locally as there is no support for a microSD card and no way to connect to an Arlo SmartHub Base (like the one that I still have and used previously for recording locally before going to a wired system), so to record anything a subscription is required. Even though it uses a USB-C connection for the power cord, it use proprietary power supply that outputs 9V vs the normal 5V for typical USB connection, so likely cannot use an old power block or an outlet with a built-in USB power port, although it could possibly use a Power Delivery charger block with it (didn't try it out myself though). The power adapter is a decent size, so that, along with the extra cable I have tucked in the outlet cover (camera is only about 3 feet away) will make it a bit difficult to leave it plugged in while I have the holiday lighting plugged in. I do have some offset/extensions I might try to be able to still have the camera plugged in at the same time. After getting the camera installed outside, I initially had some issues with getting the live view in the app, even with strong Wi-Fi signal. It didn't matter if I was outside or inside right next to the wireless router. Strangely, I could still see the current view/preview when looking at the Video settings. I found that it would actually work properly in the my.arlo.com website app, but not on their beta webapp site. Later that evening, I checked again and it had started to finally work in the app without any additional changes. So far, I am liking what I am seeing and can do with the camera! It has a great looking wide view (130°), covering a larger area than our other cameras. For nighttime, the Night Vision can be set to Black & White or Color Night Vision. For Color, the spotlight must be enabled, which I wish wasn't the case as our front driveway is well lit at night. When in Live View at night, temporarily turning on the light (bottom right icon) will automatically change to view in color until the light is turned off. To get to the Pan and Tilt functionality (along with some other functionality), don't tap play on the Dashboard page. That just gives the static live feed. Instead, tap anywhere else on the image (other than the Play or Setting icons). This will take you to the list of events to review, along with another Live View Play icon. Tapping the play icon here will display the live view and pop up the camera movement controller, as well as any preset positions to view. Also, while in this view, on the bottom right-center, there is a quick-pan icon to do a quick automated step-through of all the preset locations or will do sweep of entire range of motion if none are set. I liked being able to set the Home position, along with an additional 4 preset positions, which makes getting the camera pointed to the area I would like to view much easier. To set those, go to the Device Settings (from any Settings sprocket icon, then Camera Positions. Set the Home positions first (where the camera will always return to when not being used), then add the other up to 4 positions. I also like that the motor that moves the camera is very quiet, so it shouldn't draw any attention when it is moving. The detection and notification features are nice. It can notify if detecting a vehicle driving by, or a person walking or approaching the house, among others. The notification that pops up (at least on the Android version) is the best I've seen so far. It will actually show a short, time-lapse of the event, along with a little "cut-out" picture of the person or vehicle it detected. As I will not likely get a subscription after the trial expires, I'm hoping that the style of these notifications (and the notifications themselves) are still available without the subscription (one of the other systems we use will only give a preview image with an active subscription, which is why we still use another one for those notifications). And when Auto Track turned on (in Video Settings), the camara can actually pan to follow the person or object that was detected, but I don't plan on using that. Whether looking for your first or fifth(+) security camera, and are fine with no local recording or with going with one of their subscriptions, with all the features available, this is a really nice camera and should be considered.

Do not purchase this product. Live streaming times out at 30 minutes and you have to restart. Arlo says this to preserve battery life and limit data usage. I have the wired model, thus no batteries. Arlo's solutiom - subscribe to "continous video streaming"service. I ditched mine.

The Arlo Essential line is an excellent series of cameras for someone looking to monitor their home without professional install and with a very low cost to get started. Where Arlo differentiates themselves from so many other camera brands is the fact that they are a US-based company and that they tend to have very good privacy protections for their users (so far...). Unlike a few other well--known brands, Arlo will not share your video with law enforcement or the government without your permission unless they are presented a warrant. #Unboxing and first impressions# Unboxing the Arlo Essential Pan-Tilt camera was pretty pleasant overall. The camera arrived in a relatively small cardboard box, with all cardboard packing materials inside to ensure safety for shipping. There is thin plastic film on the camera itself, but otherwise the packaging is all recyclable. The camera comes with a wall/ceiling mount kit and power adapter with a permanently attached USB-C cable. Note the adapter is 9V output, so it's probably incompatible with anything other than the camera. However I was able to test the camera with a standard USB-C PD adapter and the camera worked fine - so if the included cable gets damaged, you probably have lots of options. #Using the Arlo Essentials camera# The Arlo Essentials PT(Z?) camera was really easy to set up. Arlo includes a 30 day subscription to their Arlo Secure subscription which is normally about 8 bucks per month per camera (or 18 bucks/month for unlimited cameras). Without the subscription, you can't record video and get no AI recognition features, but you can watch live video at no charge. It was incredibly easy to set up the camera in the app. I just had to follow simple instructions in the Arlo app and tap a button on the camera body, and it was able to add it to my network with zero fuss. Notably, the camera supports both 2.4 and 5ghz wifi, so you do NOT have to put this camera on a 2.4ghz only network! That alone is a selling point for me. Video quality is really good. The real time/Live video feed is very high framerate (appears to be 60, but not sure exactly). The recorded videos arrive with different framerates depending on the amount of motion in the clip. The downloaded clips great, with few compression artifacts.The camera will turn to follow people/pets/objects in motion, which is pretty standard these does but regardless the Arlo Essentials model does it well. #Final thoughts# I think Arlo has a decent value proposition with the Essentials line. You can spend a bit more money on a camera or system that has local storage and doesn't require a cloud subscription. You can also find camera systems that have much cheaper cloud subscriptions for a single camera. However, once you're at the multi-camera stage where you have 3 or more, the unlimited camera sub for Arlo is pretty reasonable, and the person/pet detection works really well in the week that I've had the camera. Considering it's a US based company with a strong track record for privacy, I'd consider Arlo as a premium option for security cameras.

Died after a few weeks. Never had this issue with any Arlo I have owned. Returning and not sure if I’ll get this one again. Will not power on anymore.

Arlo Essential Pan & Tilt 2K Security Camera I have had 2 Arlo Doorbells and I am familiar with their products and the App. This little guy seems to perform really well. Out of the box, the setup went easily. I used the QR code that was provided inside the top of the box and in the Quick Start Guide booklet included in the box. It immediately brought up my Arlo App on my phone, and started the step-by-step setup instructions to connect to my phone and then my WIFI. I was up and running in no time. I like that this camera shows up in the app along with my doorbell. I can actually view both at the same time. If I rotate my phone to landscape orientation, I can get a full screen from either device. Mounting the camera is fairly straightforward, but I also felt the mounting clips on the bracket seem weak and vulnerable. On a cold day, the plastic may not hold up. The power cord is long, approx. 17 ft long which is good. By the time you mount the camera on your home, it could be 8-9 ft in the air plus the horizontal distance to an outlet. The cord is reasonably heavy and durable for outdoor use. The camera has no type of battery backup. Keep that in mind and try to conceal the cord and plug, as an intruder could simply unplug it and no more video would be recorded. The camera tracks moving people very well. It can rotate fairly fast and it does so smoothly and quietly. Tracking manually using the app, I’m impressed how far it can turn in either direction. It seems it can turn almost 350 degrees left to right. The picture is bright and clear. Notifications come across quickly. At night, the provided built in light is bright and really helps to keep the image clear. The light alone could scare an intruder off when he gets surprised and sees the camera taking his picture. I have not tried the siren yet. Using the camera inside before mounting it, I felt it would make an excellent inside camera. In that scenario, I wish the camera could be just set on a table or a shelf and the image could be rotated 180 degrees to allow the camera to operate sitting, and still provide a correctly oriented picture. Just a thought. I have come to the realization that you just have to buy the monthly plan to get the full use out of the camera. It’s the only way to utilize all the features and to be able to keep videos from the past 60 days. CONCLUSION: Overall, the camera is very reasonably priced for the quality and features it affords. It’s easy to set-up, no batteries are needed, and it works well as long as you have an outlet in a location where the camera will get coverage. I would also suggest mounting it under an overhang or the eaves to shield it from rain, ice, and snow. I would recommend it to a friend.

Setup and installation of this camera is really easy with Arlo's app. Compared to other cameras I've used, I actually really like Arlo's app and the cameras are super easy to use. Once setup and connected you have an option to use a subscription to store video on the cloud and access other features depending on the plan. You absolutely can still use the camera without a plan though and still get realtime alerts and notifications on your phone. It also connects and works with Google Home and I was able to view the camera on my Samsung SmartTV which is pretty cool. In terms of PTZ, the functionality works great and for me worked smooth. There could be some delay depending on your connection of course but I found the delay to be minimal. the subject tracking does also seem to work pretty well too. In terms of image quality, I installed this camera near my front door so it can spot anyone approaching either my garage or front door and I can clearly ID/see anyone approaching those areas. 2K up close is perfect for capturing enough detail to identify people or objects and maybe license plates depending on how far it is. Night vision is pretty good as well, epsecially for lighted areas like a front porch/garage door lights. Audio works great too and you can set it to alert you of specific sounds like a scream or dog barking. The only negative I can see so far is the limited features you have without a paid plan. It does work but most of the advanced features are part of the plan. While that can seem like a negative, you do get a lot for the plan so it really boils down to what your security needs are because the paid plan is well worth it considering the cloud storage and features that really do give peace of mind should something happen. Overall, from setup to using it, I really like Arlo's cameras and this camera in particular is amazing. If you haven't had a PTZ camera, you should get one, they're well worth it because you can see so much more.

First impressions out of the box was neat, well built, and easy instructions with minimal hardware. The app setup was a breeze, a couple of days in and I noticed I was out of town and the camera wouldn’t connect. I figured maybe it was my connection. I kept using the camera after I got home and ended up resetting my router and it still wouldn’t pop up. I loved setting it up. Even loved using it and I’m pretty happy I held back for a few days because I keep getting the same connectivity issue every couple of days or so. As to the quality, I can’t complain. It looks great and I felt that it was responsive when I would log in. I did enjoy the trial because of the notifications but when it came to the detecting animal feature it worked 25% of the time. This was important to me due to my cats always getting on the kitchen counter regardless if we have scat mats and put foil paper, the little bandits find a way around the camera too apparently. Anyways, it’s a good camera, not the best but for the ecosystems and when it does function, I think it passes in terms of service and price. It’s since stoped causing me issues so I’m on the fence in terms of reliability which is why I deduced one star. I’d still recommend it as an alternative to a higher priced item.

This review is on an Arlo - Essential 1-Camera Pan Tilt 2K Security Camera, Wired. I am already signed up to Arlo so setting up this camera was easy. I opened the Arlo app on my phone and selected + sign to add a new device. I selected pan-tilt cameras, then pan-tilt security camera. All you have to do is hold the button on top of the camera for 3 seconds and click next in the app and it will quickly find the camera. When you select the camera to be added you then connect it to your Wi-Fi. It already had my saved info so I didn't have to enter anything. It adds your camera to your account and asks you to name it. Then it will recognize that it has an update and immediately start to install it. Then it will give you instructions on how to mount it. Installation with the mount was easy. The picture quality and color is good but not sharp. In the app you can choose to stop, mute, record, take a picture, use the mic to talk and turn on the security light which is bright. There is also a control for the pan and tilt function that you drag a joystick around to move it. You can setup zones that you don't want the camera to watch. If a car was to go by on the street, it would normally pick it up, but you can set a zone for it to not monitor the street. It also comes with a free trial. This is a great camera to order if you want to monitor a vast area around your home.

The box for this was fantastic. Provided adequate information for you to determine what it does and how it works. Packaging also was sufficient to protect it in shipping the product it arrive undamaged. Upon opening, it was pretty easy to figure out what was what with clear labeling. It was really nice to see that everything you needed was in the box and anything that you might need was also in the box. App installation was easy. I installed on an iPhone 17 and iPad Air and a Google Pixel 9 Pro. App looks wonderful interface is easy to use. When the apps were installed, the ratings were very high physical installation of the device was also easy it took about 10 to 15 minutes to get everything set up start to finish. The biggest thing was just to make sure you had your wrap installed and ready to go, and you had an idea of where you wanted to place it. Video quality and audio quality was good as it allowed for you to see with no problems and distinguish who was who and what was what and for the other end to hear you. I would recommend this camera for anyone that needs this type of solution.

My existing home security setup is all fixed camera systems so I was excited to try out my first pan/tilt camera. This is the first Arlo camera system I have tried and after some time with the system I came away with mixed feelings. On the hardware side of the device, the physical construction of the device is mostly plastic and the mounting system is flimsy. While the device pans and tilts as designed it feels like the camera and the mounting bracket have never made a firm connection. The 14 foot USB-C cable connects to the camera from the rear in a deeply recessed connection. I’m assuming this is to prevent the cord from coming unplugged during the pan and tilt operations, but the placement makes it a frustrating installation experience. I ended up needing to use needle nose pliers to shove the cable into the slot as my fingers were too large to fit in the gaps. At least the connection is secure. At six inches in length and just under four inches in width the device is compact enough to not feel like an eyesore, but it’s definitely not going to be blending into the environment. When motion is detected the camera pans and tilts to focus on where it detects the movement. This is louder than I anticipated and immediately draws attention to the camera. If you have the light enabled, it’s a bright, blinding light which is quite frustrating to deal with because you hear a noise, turn to look and immediately go blind from the brightness. But the 2K image of you getting blinded is comical to look at after the fact. On paper the specs of the camera are exceptional for this price category. The camera is 2K resolution with 180 degree pan/tilt range and a 12X digital zoom. The device includes a siren and 2-way audio and echo cancellation, all useful features that annoyed everyone I tested it with, primarily because they were blinded by the lights. For daily operation you’ll be relying on the SmartPhone app. I was disappointed in how slowly the pan and tilt operations respond to the the commands in the app. This is the first wireless camera I’ve tried as I prefer POE but that is not an option for this camera. The camera supports 802.11n for 2Ghz and 5Ghz and I’m using Wifi 7 AP’s on a 1.5GB download/ 350MB Upload. I was surprised at how slowly the video operations work within the app. As an aside, I have remote controlled robot vacuum cleaners on the same wifi and their controls respond instantly so whatever software controls are being triggered they are just not useful for anything more than frustration. To workaround this, the camera includes a quick-action button that when pressed tells the camera to do a full pan around the room. It’s a great button, but it’s also slow to respond and I kept thinking to myself that if someone was in my house breaking in and I was trying to real time tell the police what they were doing that I would be cussing in frustration a lot because these controls are so slow to respond. Aside from this one huge pain point, the App is simple to use, shows you what you need to see as long as you don’t need to change anything, and easy to review past footage. And the final thing to note is that this camera has no local storage and no ability to switch to local video storage which means you’ll be paying for a monthly subscription ranging from $7.99 a month for a single camera up to $24.99 a month depending on the specific features you need. The camera comes with a 30 day free-trial period so you can experiment.