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Now you can obsess over every moment of your furry friends’ lives, even when you’re away.
We—that’s you and us here at Men’s Health—are all a little pet-obsessed these days. We dress up our dogs for Halloween, buy our cat’s miniature furniture, and sometimes take our bunnies on wilderness hikes (No judgment). So, when we’re not around them, we’re thinking about them, shopping for them, and wondering what they do all day without us when we’re not home. Spoiler: Not much.
Thankfully, we’re living in a Golden Age of the best-ever smart home technology and that includes pet cameras. These dedicated smart home accessories are designed to (usually) do just one thing: Keep tabs on your fur babies when you’re away. Entry-level models stop there. But, the best pet cameras up the ante with motion-activated HD video, real-time motion detection alerts, and cloud video storage, plus cool features like two-way video chatting and even the ability to treat your dogs and cats at the press of a button.
There are dozens of pet cameras and pet-friendly security cameras on the market today. The available features, specs, and prices vary widely which can make shopping for them difficult. We researched and personally tested some of the top-selling and best-reviewed models on the market today. Here are our top picks for the best pet cameras to shop in 2022.
The internet’s favorite pet camera is our favorite too. The latest Furbo 360° Pet Camera offers every feature we could ask for. The 1080p Full HD video resolution is best-in-class, and even offers 4x zoom and color night vision with infrared technology—great for keeping tabs on your dogs or cats at all hours. With a 360-degree rotating base for full pan/tilt capability, you can zero on exactly where they are, no matter which corner of the room they happen to be hiding. It’s all controllable using the integrated mobile Furbo app.
This pet camera also offers built-in two-way video chat. It’s one thing to be able to visually keep tabs on your pets, but to see and chat with them in real-time is a fantastic feature. Bark-sensing technology can send push notifications to your smartphone to alert you if something is wrong at home. With the Furbo Dog Nanny (requires monthly subscription), this pet camera also provides additional home security features like Dog Activity Alerts, Person Alerts, CO/Smoke Alarm Alerts, Glass Breaking Alerts, and more. Plus, Treat Toss is one of Furbo's signature features, allowing you to treat your dog remotely via the Furbo mobile app. Overall, the setup is extremely simple with a three-step “wizard” that walks you through the process. Our only gripe with the Furbo 360° is the price. At north of $200, it’s among the most expensive dedicated pet cameras on the market. But, if you’re looking for the most full-featured model and price isn’t really a concern, this is hands-down the best pet camera of 2022. What do buyers say? Out of more than 1,100 Amazon reviews, 88% recommend the Furbo 360° Pet Camera with at least a 4-star rating.
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For a basic pet camera that won’t break the bank, it’s hard to beat Petcube’s entry-level pet monitoring camera. As it’s an in-home security camera at heart, it offers everything you need and nothing you don’t. That means full 1080p Full HD video resolution with night vision, allowing you to keep tabs on Fido day and night. With 8x digital zoom, you can also zero in on your pet from across the room, even when they’re hiding. Like all models on this list, Petcube’s pet camera offers two-way video chatting with clear audio quality. Real-time mobile alerts can also keep you posted on unexpected sounds or motion at home.
On the downside, this barebones pet camera offers fewer features than the more premium models. The narrow, 110-degree field of view and lack of mechanical tilt/pan limits the ability to accurately track your pet. They basically need to be directly in front of the camera for you to see or interact with them. Most reviewers confirm a simple, straightforward setup. However, because it’s only compatible with 2.4 GHz, it could be an issue for some buyers. Still, even without many of these nice-to-have features, it’s hard to complain with a price tag under $50. What do buyers say? Out of more than 15,000 Amazon reviews, 79% recommend the Petcube Cam Pet Monitoring Camera with at least a 4-star rating.
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Wyze has garnered something of a cult following in recent years for its full-featured smart home products with budget-friendly price tags. The Wyze Cam v3 is an in-home camera that works great for security and for monitoring pets. It boasts 1080p Full HD video resolution with some of the most stunning full color night vision of any camera on this list. The ultra-wide aperture camera (f1.6) lets in twice as much light as most pet cameras, allowing it to see better in extremely low-light environments. Two-way audio allows you to keep tabs on your pets, and a loud push-button siren lets you scare off unwanted guests.
It integrates seamlessly with the entire Wyze ecosystem of products via Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant. Most users confirm that setup is a breeze, especially if you already have a Wyze smart home system in place. What truly sets this one apart, however, is the ability to install it indoors and outdoors. The IP65 rating means that it’s designed to weather the outdoors with no problem. So you can watch and interact with your pets in your living room and in your backyard while you’re away. The only downside is that outdoor setup requires a separate power adapter.
What do buyers say? Out of more than 2,200 Amazon reviews, 89% recommend the WYZE Cam v3 Wired Indoor/Outdoor Pet Camera with at least a 4-star rating.
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In addition to wallet-friendly pet cameras, Petcube also makes one of the swankiest models on the market. The Petcube Bites 2 is billed as a “pet treat dispenser with camera,” so it’s first and foremost designed to allow you to treat your fur babies remotely while you’re away from home. Just fill the treat reservoir with up to 1.5 pounds of treats, then “toss” them across the room via the Petcube app either manually (while you’re watching and interacting with them) or on a schedule.
Beyond that, this model also features a 1080p Full HD video camera with a decent 160-degree wide-angle field of view. Built-in 4x digital zoom allows for closeups from across the room. Two-way audio also lets you “chat” with your pets while away. This model boasts a fast, two-minute setup and is the only pet camera we’ve seen that supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz WiFi connections. That means it’s compatible with far more at-home WiFi setups than any other pet camera on the market. The only catch? The nearly $250 price tag. What do buyers say? “The perfect inexpensive, no-frills security camera to monitor your pet. It's basically like having a dog sitter,” said one Walmart reviewer.
Although it’s billed first and foremost as a home security cam, eufy’s Security Solo IndoorCam P24 has everything pet owners want in an affordable pet camera too. It features brilliant 2K resolution—the best of any pet camera we’ve seen this year. Built-in night vision and 360-degree mechanical pan & tilt also make it a snap to track your pets (or anything else that happens to be roaming through your house). The camera’s AI can even detect the difference between pets and humans, so it will only alert you when there’s movement that you care about. Two-way audio allows you to communicate with pets and people on the other end, no matter where you are. We especially love that this camera can record both to the cloud and locally on an optional storage card, so you don’t need an ongoing monthly subscription to store your videos.
Given the sub-$40 price tag, there’s little to complain about with this model. The 105-degree field of view is the narrowest in this roundup and could be a deal-breaker for some. Like most other pet cameras on this list, it only supports 2.4GHz WiFi connections, which might also be an issue. Still, at this price, it’s a great value pet camera for those who don’t want to spend a fortune to chat with their pets while they’re lonely at work. What do buyers say? Out of more than 10,000 Amazon reviews, 92% recommend the eufy Security Solo IndoorCam P24 with at least a 4-star rating.
We’re big fans of Arlo’s entire line of smart home products which strike a good balance between features and price. The Arlo Essential Indoor Camera is a mid-range in-home camera that offers all of the essentials most pet owners want in a pet camera. That includes crisp 1080p HD video with excellent night vision in almost any low-light situation. Two-way audio allows you to chat with pets and family too. Arlo’s smart alerts are surprisingly effective at automatically notifying you of in-home emergency situations too.
What most sets this pet camera apart is the smart home integration. It works as a standalone device that connects directly to your home WiFi setup (2.4GHz only) without the need for a smart home hub. But, it also seamlessly integrates with Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and many third-party devices. On the downside, at more than $70, it’s pricier than the most budget-friendly options on this list. Plus, using the camera for recordings requires an ongoing monthly subscription. What do buyers say? Out of more than 700 Amazon reviews, 82% recommend the Arlo Essential Indoor Camera with at least a 4-star rating.
Smart home tech just continues to get more affordable every year. Kasa’s Indoor Smart Dog Camera is the most wallet-friendly at less than $30 delivered. It’s a barebones model, for sure, but it offers all the most important features of a good pet camera. The 1080p Full HD video with night vision is crisp and clear, allowing you to watch your fur babies any time of day. Mechanical pan/tilt (360 degrees) allows for scanning the room to find any “hidden” pets. Real-time sound and motion detection also makes it easy to set this camera as a 24-hour security cam. Many users confirm that this pet camera is dead-simple to setup too.
Our only real complaints are common among many other pet cameras. Most importantly, it only connects to 2.4GHz WiFi networks. That’s not an issue for most people (as most modern networks support 2.4GHz and 5GHz connections), but it does limit its compatibility somewhat. Some users complain of a buggy, lackluster app as well. Still, considering it’s one of the most affordable pet cameras we’ve seen all year, it’s hard to complain. What do buyers say? Out of more than 13,000 Amazon reviews, 85% recommend the Kasa Indoor Smart Dog Camera with at least a 4-star rating.
The short answer is: Maybe. Home security cameras typically offer good resolution (at least 1080p), reliable motion detection (not too sensitive, but sensitive enough to capture what matters to you), and real-time alerts sent to your smartphone. Most also integrate well with other smart home devices and hubs so they all work together.
Pet cameras usually offer the same features, since all of these are great to have to ensure your pets are safe and happy while you’re away. But, the best pet cameras add other interactive features, like Furbo’s treat dispenser and two-way audio for video chatting with your fur babies.
If your main concern is budget, you’re likely better off buying an affordable, but feature-rich home security camera as they tend to be the cheapest. If you’re looking to get all the bells and whistles and want to check in on, chat with, and nurture your pets while not at home, a dedicated pet camera might be a better option.
Pet cameras aren’t all that complicated. They offer many of the same features as in-home security cameras and, in some cases, are just glorified in-home security cams. Most people don’t need the same fancy bells and whistles (like ultra-high-resolution HD recording), however, so there’s no need to break the bank when shopping for the best pet camera (for you). Here are a few things to consider:
We consulted with experts (namely pet-owning Men’s Health editors) and countless buyer reviews from top-rated etailers we trust. For each pet camera model, we paid close attention to the ease of setup, motion sensitivity, interactivity features, price, and the security track record of every manufacturer. The list above represents our honest picks for the best pet cameras worth shopping in 2022.