Blink Doorbell

Pros:

• Low price
• No subscription required
• Mains and battery power options

Cons:

• Lower video quality
• Some limitations

Blink security cameras have been praised for their straightforward approach to home security, and the Blink Video Doorbell follows suit. It offers a multitude of features at a bargain price, boasts decent battery life, and doesn't require a subscription for cloud video storage.

Review of the Blink Video Doorbell: What do you get for the money? When searching for the Blink Video Doorbell on Amazon, you'll find two purchasing options: the €50 "Standalone Video Doorbell" and the €80 "Full System Video Doorbell." The difference between the two is that the cheaper package includes only the doorbell, while the latter also comes with the Blink Sync Module 2.

If you wish to access the camera stream at any time and record video clips without a monthly subscription, the more expensive package with the Blink Sync Module 2 is recommended. This option will save you money in the long run compared to paying €2.50 per month (or €8 per month for multiple Blink cameras).

Apart from the doorbell itself and the Sync Module 2, the package doesn't include much else. It comes with a bracket for attaching to your door frame, the necessary screws, and a template to assist in drilling holes in the right places. There's also a wedge to adjust the doorbell's angle for an optimal view and a basic USB plug adapter for powering the Sync Module 2.

The doorbell, however, doesn't include an indoor chime module, nor is there an option to buy one separately. Fortunately, you can use any Echo speaker in your home as a chime, and you can wire the Blink Video Doorbell to an existing wired chime and power supply. Alternatively, if you have a Blink Mini indoor security camera, it can act as a chime. If you don't have any of these devices, consider the Ezviz DB2 Battery-Powered Doorbell, which includes a chime and costs only €20 more than the Blink.

Functionality of the Blink Video Doorbell: Like most other video doorbells, the Blink Video Doorbell sends notifications to your phone when someone presses the doorbell or when motion is detected. Through the Blink app, you can see and communicate with whoever is at your front door. The doorbell also notifies you of motion events at the front door and can record video clips up to 30 seconds long, storing them either in the cloud or on the Sync Module 2.

The recorded video clips have a resolution of 1080p and 30fps, with a field of view of 135 degrees horizontally and 85 degrees vertically. Night-vision recording is also available. While the video quality is not the sharpest, it serves its purpose. The Ezviz DB2, however, captures crisper 2K (1,920 x 1,444) video.

What the Blink Video Doorbell Excels at: One of the best features of the Blink Video Doorbell is its versatility in power options. You can choose between battery power using lithium AA batteries (included) or connecting it to existing doorbell wiring. The latter option is preferred for uninterrupted power and having both a mechanical chime and an electronic one when the doorbell is pressed.

Even on battery power, the doorbell performs well. Battery life is decent, with Amazon claiming up to two years on a single pair of batteries, depending on the frequency of motion-triggered events. The more people approach your door and ring the bell, the shorter the battery life will be. If you delve into the settings, you can set the doorbell to notify you when the battery power is running low, ensuring you always have a spare pair of batteries.

The Blink app offers extensive configurability, allowing you to set motion zones and privacy zones to prevent unnecessary alerts. Unlike the more expensive Ezviz DB2, the Blink Video Doorbell allows for greater customization of settings. You can also adjust the sensitivity of the motion detection, the intensity of the infrared light for night-vision recordings, the clip length, and the volume of the chime on the doorbell and speaker. You can even alter the video quality to suit your preferences.

General responsiveness is excellent, with doorbell events triggering alerts in less than two seconds, whether connected to the home Wi-Fi or remotely via 5G connections. Conversations with couriers proceed smoothly, with minimal audio transmission delay.

Undoubtedly, the Blink Video Doorbell's best feature is its ability to record video clips locally, eliminating the need for a monthly subscription. By inserting a spare USB stick into the USB-A socket on the Sync Module 2, you can store recordings easily.

Room for Improvement: As a product built on a budget, the Blink Video Doorbell's build quality and aesthetics do suffer somewhat. Its appearance and feel reflect its €50 price, whether in white or black. If the look of your front door matters to you, alternatives like the Nest Doorbell Battery (€180) or the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell (€185) may be more suitable.

Although the Blink Video Doorbell is IP65-rated and should withstand adverse weather conditions, some users have reported rattling on the mounting bracket and a visible gap between the doorbell and the bracket. This may raise concerns about its durability during heavy rain.

As an Amazon-owned company, it's not surprising that the Blink Video Doorbell doesn't natively work with Google Home or Apple HomeKit systems. This limits the auxiliary chime options to only Echo devices or Alexa-compatible speakers. Setting up these features might not be as straightforward as expected, and smart speakers with displays won't automatically show the live feed when someone calls. You'll have to ask your smart display to "Show my ... camera" manually.

Video quality, especially on live stream and recorded video clips, shows visible heavy compression even when set to High quality. Night vision is serviceable but not particularly sharp or crisp. Additionally, the Blink Video Doorbell lacks advanced AI features found in more expensive alternatives, such as facial recognition or human detection.

Finally, without a subscription, you won't have access to certain features, such as video recording while viewing the live