/>
X
Home & Office
Why you can trust ZDNET : ZDNET independently tests and researches products to bring you our best recommendations and advice. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Our process

'ZDNET Recommends': What exactly does it mean?

ZDNET's recommendations are based on many hours of testing, research, and comparison shopping. We gather data from the best available sources, including vendor and retailer listings as well as other relevant and independent reviews sites. And we pore over customer reviews to find out what matters to real people who already own and use the products and services we’re assessing.

When you click through from our site to a retailer and buy a product or service, we may earn affiliate commissions. This helps support our work, but does not affect what we cover or how, and it does not affect the price you pay. Neither ZDNET nor the author are compensated for these independent reviews. Indeed, we follow strict guidelines that ensure our editorial content is never influenced by advertisers.

ZDNET's editorial team writes on behalf of you, our reader. Our goal is to deliver the most accurate information and the most knowledgeable advice possible in order to help you make smarter buying decisions on tech gear and a wide array of products and services. Our editors thoroughly review and fact-check every article to ensure that our content meets the highest standards. If we have made an error or published misleading information, we will correct or clarify the article. If you see inaccuracies in our content, please report the mistake via this form.

Close

Save $80 on a Nest doorbell as part of these Labor Day security camera deals

ZDNET lists the best early Labor Day deals on security cameras that US vendors have to offer.
charlie-osborne
Written by Charlie Osborne, Contributing Writer on
Reviewed by Elyse Betters Picaro

Labor Day is right around the corner but we are already seeing sales and deals appear at major US retailers. 

The US national holiday always falls on the first Monday of September. While in itself a celebration of American industry and the labor movement, retailers take the opportunity to launch time-limited sales on everything from clothing to laptops, home and garden products, technology, and cameras -- and this includes home security setups. 

Prior to the event and on the day, we will be keeping an eye on the best security camera deals we can find at retailers including Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target. 

Labor Day is taking place on September 5, but ahead of the event, we've rounded up the best deals on security cameras available online. Check out our top picks below. 

Must read:

  • Current price: $149
  • Original price: $229

Another deal worth watching at Best Buy is for the wired version of the Google Nest Doorbell. Currently on offer with an $80 discount, the video doorbell streams video footage 24/7, sending real-time footage to your smartphone in Full HD resolution when you check in -- or alerts when motion is detected. 

You can also bundle this device with a Nest Hub or Nest Hub smart display for a discount. 

  • Current price: $159
  • Original price: $219

Our top pick ahead of Labor Day is the SimpliSafe home security kit on sale at Best Buy.

This is a full security solution for homes contained in one package. In total, the $159 kit -- currently with a $60 discount -- comes with seven pieces: a base station for central control, a keypad, four entry sensors, and a motion sensor, of which the latter could be placed at an entryway, for example. 

The SimpliSafe home security kit is compatible with Amazon Alexa or can be controlled via your smartphone. If you want to add 24/7 professional monitoring, you can choose to subscribe to the SimpliSafe plan. Additional bolt-ons also include glass breakage sensors and a smart video doorbell. 

  • Current price: $319
  • Original price: $379

Amazon is offering a cut-price deal on a Ring and eero bundle ahead of Labor Day. For $319, you can pick up a Ring Alarm Pro kit containing a built-in eero router, base station, keypad, contact sensors, and motion sensors for full security coverage in your home. 

The Eero router is included as a form of 'backup' connectivity, just in case your standard connection has issues while you're away from home. Some of the kit requires AA batteries, so make sure you have a supply before you begin installation.

There is an optional Ring Protect plan if you want to sign up for professional 24/7 monitoring.  

  • Current price: $85
  • Original price: $123

An interesting option ahead of Labor Day for home security cameras is the Brinno peephole camera. The design of this product is slightly different from the usual video doorbells, in which the device is concealed from visitors. 

You install the peephole outside, whereas the rest of the camera connects inside your home. The Android-compatible camera then feeds a real-time view from a 2.7" indoor display or your smartphone. 

  • Current price: $29
  • Original price: $34

While not the biggest discount, this camera, available on Amazon, is worth considering if you are looking for a pet or baby monitoring device. 

The TP-Link Tapo is a compact camera with motion detection capabilities that works with both Google Home and Amazon Alexa, alongside your mobile device. 

For its modest price tag, the camera has a wealth of useful features, including a tilting mechanism, wireless connectivity, night vision, and the ability to save footage to a microSD card (up to 256 GB). 

What is Labor Day?

Taking place on the first Monday of September every year, Labor Day is a US holiday set by the federal government designed to celebrate "the social and economic achievements of American workers." Ordinances were first passed during the late 1800s to secure the date as a national holiday. 

What is the actual Labor Day date?

The date changes marginally every year due to the calendar. However, in 2022, Labor Day is taking place on September 5. 

When do the Labor Day sales begin?

It really depends on the retailer. If you're looking for a major appliance, you can expect those to ramp up closer to September 5 -- usually around one week before, which would be around August 26.

However, there are multiple factors at play this year. First, there are issues in the supply chain and the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic to consider. Additionally, a lot of stores ended up purchasing items in bulk, and with people still spending, albeit less, they have a lot of extra inventory that they will need to get rid of. That's where the savings come in. While, traditionally, they usually start sales around August 26th, we expect them to start as early as today to encourage shoppers to purchase.

When do Labor Day sales usually end?

In the past, we've seen Labor Day deals get extended for up to a week after the holiday, so you can expect the deals to go through at least September 12. Anything after that is not guaranteed. 

How do you determine what is a great Labor Day deal?

We comb the internet across multiple retailers and take into account a multitude of factors. First, If the product is less than 15% off, it is usually not a good deal. There are exceptions to that, such as Apple products, which are very popular but not usually on sale. 

Our general rule of thumb is that it has to be at least 15% off. Additionally, we check over the past six months on any item we think it's a great deal to make sure that you truly are getting a great deal. Anything that has been price-gouged to appear like a deal, where they raise the price a few days before and drop it back down to the "deal" the day of, has not been included on this list. We want to make sure that you get the best deal for these items.

Are there alternative Labor Day security camera deals worth considering?

In the lead-up to Labor Day in September, US retailers are offering a range of deals on a massive variety of products. While not every deal is a doorbuster, we have also found other Labor Day sales in 2022 to consider:

Editorial standards

Related

These early Labor Day tech deals are all under $100
Placeholder product image alt text

These early Labor Day tech deals are all under $100

The 7 best Labor Day deals at Amazon: Save $70 on AirPods Pro
Placeholder product image alt text

The 7 best Labor Day deals at Amazon: Save $70 on AirPods Pro

Anker's Eufy robot vacuum is down to $159 ahead of Labor Day
Kyvol Cybovac S31 robot vacuum

Anker's Eufy robot vacuum is down to $159 ahead of Labor Day