Should you buy a smart doorbell in 2019?

Am not tempted to purchase one for the above reasons – thanks to everyone for their comments. It might be helpful to know the distance (required from the bell) to get maximum video quality.

I was possibly interested but read about the abnormal delays and problems getting the doorbells to communicate over relatively small distances or through solid walls. Given all the other comments on cyber security, there’s NO chance I will buy one, even to alleviate delivery drivers who can’t hear our doorbell themselves, so press it half a dozen times and knock as well (all in the 30 seconds it takes to answer the door)! A cheaper alternative – for me – is to put a notice on the doorbell to say “this doorbell works, it only needs pressing once!”

I’m disabled, and it can take me so long to get to the door that the caller has gone before I arrive. I’ve been thinking about a Nest or Ring for a while. If I have one, I can talk to whoever’s at the door without having to walk to the door or an intercom, which will be really useful.

What’s putting me off is that both have negative Amazon reviews mentioning delays between the bellpush and your phone, sometimes long enough that the caller has gone before the app’s allowed you to speak – which completely defeats the object.

I hope Which? will review smart doorbells soon.

I have the Ring doorbell 2 and it works OK, but will never be as instantly reactive as the videos on their website.

Speed of reception for you is likely to depend on your mobile network if you’re away from your home WiFi, so you may find yourself talking to someone who’s already gone 🙂

The previous Ring Doorbell was prone to problems, and a lot of the problems you see in reviews apply to the earlier version.

You need a fast WiFI upload speed (NOT download!) for it to respond well. My measured upload speed is 9mbs inhouse, but much slower on the other side of the front door. Before buying I suggest putting your mobile outside up against the door to see what the WiFi signal is like there. I have the linked Ring Bell inside and it can be heard all over the house. (The app tells you how strong the WiFi signal is at the doorbell on the door, but by then you’ve already bought it and screwed it to the door 🙂

I have mine mounted on a composite front door. The instructions say to mount it 4 foot from up from the door step, it seems to film a little bit upwards. It has so far survived a lashing of rain, which was one question I had in my mind before I bought it.

It takes a long while to charge the battery, so I’d recommend buying a separate battery that you can switch over quickly when the installed one runs down. You can check battery level remotely from the mobile app. My battery is showing a 60% charge level after one month.

The resolution is very good in daylight, in colour. In the dark it’s black and white and lower resolution. It gives you a motion detection notification without it having to be rung, and it’s already caught someone mooching around outside in the dark.

We have had a Ring doorbell for a couple of years. To begin with it worked beautifully, and we could respond instantly to a ring from anywhere. After a few months it gradually worked less and less, we hear the doorbell ringing immediately, but are not able to respond for so long that people will have given up. All communications with the company didn’t resolve the issues. Our wi fi has not changed but the bell is not doing its job. The benefits are we hear the doorbell from our phones anywhere, but responding has become nearly impossible. Very disappointing, and we have to pay a fee each year.

Installed a Ring doorbell recently as a deterrent. It does alert us to the fact that there is somebody there. The delay between the alert and being able to respond usually means that they have gone. I haven’t paid to keep recordings (yet) so I don’t know what has happened just what is happening. It didn’t originally connect very well to the router but the BT extension device has helped.

The Ring that we have worked fine – I replaced the bell push with it. We have a transformer for the bell, running on batteries would be crazy as you would have to recharge the doorbell every few days – who does that? Once I found that to watch recorded video I had to subscribe – who subscribes to their door bell? Also during the free trial period it showed that actually, no-one did visit us. Far too slow to bring up the App on a mobile, delivery driver is long gone. Luckily it still works as a doorbell push button. Avoid.

We have a Ring doorbell and have been very pleased with it. We had problems with regular garage break-ins a few years ago but have had none since we installed it. The doorbell has dimly flashing lights when the motion sensors are activated so if anyone comes to the door they are a bit un-nerved and are aware they are being watched..good deterrent. These motions are recorded and can be seen on the app.and it activates the doorbell chime in the house ( different jingle to when someone actually presses the bell)…they don’t have to even ring the doorbell. If I am out, I get an instant notification on my phone that there is somene on my driveway. Since installed..no more garage breakins.
There is also an option for sending the doorbell cam pictures via email and Whats app if you subscibe to the cloud…which I have sent to various neighbours as an early warning grapevine, put a picture of a dodgy looking caller/prowler on the local mum’s facebook page when there had been lots of breakins recently and one of them forwarded it to the police as it was the guy she had seen behaving suspiciously…job done.
Some other people have also had issues with delivery drivers trying peoples front doors or even opening it and putting the parcel in the hall if it has been left unlocked by mistake…Ring would be able to record the drivers actions so can be sent to the approriate firm to complain or again, to the police.
I like being able to tell someone through the intercom that I am unable to come to the door, I don’t tell them I am out, unless I can see it is a friend calling.
Sometimes the delay is annoying but still can look back at the recording if required. A bit glitchy at time, but still like it.
Oh, and the Wi Fi is very close to the door, so I think that helps. x

Perhaps the best reason for owning a Ring is shown here:

youtube.com/watch?v=oFmbJE6J5nU