The only thing Eufy can’t do is ring a mechanical chime. Otherwise, it’s pretty much the perfect video doorbell. Video doorbells have a long history. As long ago as the 1960s, businesses in the USA were employing cameras to screen visitors, and rudimentary video access systems have been available for homes worldwide since the late 1980s. However, the footage provided by these devices was rarely clear, and users had very few options regarding customisation. So take-up wasn't very high. You have to add your own storage, in the form of a microSD card slot, but that’s not overly expensive, and you can’t wire this doorbell up to an existing mains supply or chime. But, other than that, it’s a brilliant smart doorbell and our new all-round favourite. There are currently two models of Ring Chime on the market; a base and pro model. The key difference between the two is in the Chime Pro’s ability to act as a WiFi extender for Ring devices. Installation, charging, and subscription costs are all key considerations, and these should be weighed up not only amongst the Ring brand, but key rivals that can offer comparable features for less.

See and hear visitors – The doorbell comes with a reliable two-way microphone system. This allows users to chat to anyone outside their door and hear their responses. You can also listen in to those outside, which could help to understand their motives, and whether to provide access. This can be linked to mobile devices as well – a handy tool for allowing builders or cleaners into properties should you be absent. READ NEXT: These are the best video doorbells to buy today Ring Video Doorbell 4 review: Could it be better? Aside from this novelty, the doorbell has great video quality at night and during the day. It’s at least as good as the Nest Hello in this regard. The Ring Video Doorbell 4 is a mid-range video doorbell with some impressive features. Easy to install, the Ring Video Doorbell 4 can be connected to any preexisting doorbell wiring or run off of its rechargeable battery. If you opt to wire it up then it’ll even ring a traditional chime.

The Doorbell 4’s camera also feels like it’s falling a little behind the competition. While Full HD resolution is arguably ample for doorbell purposes, it’s worth noting that competitors such as Eufy, Nest and Arlo all offer more detailed video for around the same price. Image quality is excellent at 2,560 x 1,920 in resolution and we found that notifications came through on our phone almost instantaneously, something older Ring doorbells can struggle with. There’s no facial recognition but you can set motion zones and only send notifications when humans are detected. All Ring doorbells have the same 1080p HD video quality, core features and the Ring app, so how much you spend depends on power and how you want the doorbell to look. In this case, you may want to consider a battery-powered Ring doorbell instead, which can be easily fitted with a few screws. And don’t worry too much about recharging as it doesn’t need to be done too often. Ring quotes battery life at anywhere between six months and a year, depending on use. What is a Ring Chime and do I need one?

From start to finish, the process shouldn't take more than 30 minutes, but most vendors provide professional support for those who aren't sure about how to install their devices. They may come at a small extra cost, but it's sometimes advisable to make sure that every step has been carried out properly. Using the Ring Video Doorbell with Popular Smart Technology The Video Doorbell 4 supports both 2.4GHz and 5GHz Wi-Fi networks and Ring recommends upload speeds of at least 2Mbits/sec to ensure an uninterrupted video steam. First, users need to set up their Ring App and Ring Account. After that, they have to fix the mounting on a surface near their door, at about chest level. You can use the Doorbell Plus as a battery powered doorbell or mains powered and connect it to an existing mechanical/electrical chime if you want, and the only real caveat is that it doesn’t come with some of Ring’s more advanced features: video pre-roll, for instance, or 3D Motion detection. You have to opt for the Ring Doorbell 4 for the former, or the Ring Doorbell Pro 2 if you want both. The Doorbell Plus also only works over a single-band Wi-Fi connection but that shouldn’t affect its performance unduly.It can be connected to your mains doorbell wiring if you can’t be bothered to charge it, although a monstrous claimed battery life of up to six months means that shouldn’t be too much of a bind anyway. On the other hand, if your existing doorbell is battery powered or there are no existing wires, you’ll need to have a professional electrician fit the doorbell, which will add to the cost.

Flexible power options – If you need to place doorbells discreetly, or in hard to reach positions, that's no problem. The Ring Video Doorbell allows users to operate them via batteries or power cables, allowing users to create their own setup. In terms of image quality and features, the Nest Doorbell (wired) is still up there with the best but given the complications over subscriptions, it isn’t quite the slam-dunk recommendation it once was. It’s also significantly more expensive than other doorbells on this list. Will you be able to hear the doorbell? To hear it in the house (not just on your smartphone), you will need a chime unit. With wired doorbells you can usually connect them to your existing chime, whereas battery-powered doorbells typically need a proprietary unit. With some video doorbells these come in the box; with others, it costs extra. What about smart home features? In our view, the improved camera makes the Ring Doorbell Plus the best Ring doorbell for most peope, notwithstanding the missing advanced features. It’s our new favourite Ring doorbell. Although some Ring Doorbells are battery-powered and others are “wired”, all the video and audio data is normally sent over your home Wi-Fi network, and there is some difference between how the various models connect.

See and record who is knocking on the door with the best video doorbells from Ring, Nest and the rest

Above all, video doorbell systems provide homes with the ability to see not just who is at the door, but what they are holding, and what is behind or around them. So you can detect if someone is hiding an item or if additional individuals are hiding away from the doorway. The cheaper models only support single-band 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and may struggle for a reliable connection in areas of particularly high Wi-Fi congestion. More expensive models support dual-band connectivity. If you’re a confident DIYer, and you have a normal doorbell powered by a mains transformer, you may even be able to simply connect up your new doorbell using the existing wiring.