Is the Ring Video Doorbell worth buying or not? By our estimation, it’s worth it. However, don’t just take our word for it. Try it out for yourself!
Ring Doorbells and Indoor/Outdoor Security Cameras have gotten a lot of hype over the years, especially when they were bought by Amazon. You probably know friends, family, and neighbors that swear by Ring products. However, are they really worth it?
So is the ring doorbell worth it? Is it worth the trouble? Should you spend money on it? Keep on reading to find out. We think it’s worth it but you’re probably curious exactly what about it is so great.
Is Ring Doorbell Worth It?
If you have money to spare then upgrade your regular doorbell into a video doorbell. Not only is it more advanced than a doorway peephole—you can view what’s going on in your home even when you’re at the office or away from home—it’s also worth the cost because of its many features.
It doubles as an intercom, live-stream CCTV, and a face-time method of meeting guests in one handy device or a whole collection of interconnected smart devices. The doorbell alerts you immediately on who’s at the front door or even your front yard with certain system adjustments.
See more: Ultimate Guide to Ring Video Doorbell: Everything you need to know
What more can you ask for? Well, does the Ring Video Doorbell remain competitive in the market it helped create though?
Our Experiences with the Ring Doorbell
With the Ring Video Doorbell 3—the latest affordable model we could get in 2022—you can speak to the pizza, Amazon driver, or your neighbor who’s borrowing sugar. You can tell a friend you’re running late on your upcoming lunch meeting or whatever.
They can use the Video Doorbell as your intercom or face-cam depending on the design. They know to look into the video doorbell to allow you to see them via the live view feature that livestreams their face to you without recording.
You can also be alerted then view any kids that end up coming in and out of your home when you’re monitoring them via Nanny Cam connected to your Doorbell Video Cam and the rest of your network of cams.
Ring Products Practically Defined Security
If you’re concerned about your budget and safety you don’t need to compromise on one to get the other. Ring has become a household name exactly because it gives you bank-level or store-level coverage and safety on a budget, even if it’s as simple as one video doorbell on your porch.
The smart home system streamlines your affairs and security, allowing far-reaching connection to other smart devices with seamless precision. You should already have a home Wi-Fi and smart devices available, so the upfront cost for this system is significantly lowered compared to CCTV.
Even the Ring Doorbell alone is enough to cover everything you need protection-wise and monitoring-wise since you should have a Wi-Fi connection as a matter of fact anyway.
A Ring of Cameras and Video Doorbells Protect You
The info of who’s rummaging through your packages—the neighborhood kid, raccoons, stray cats, strangers, or ne’er-do-wells whose faces you have recorded as evidence you can present to the police—should help you protect your Amazon packages (or otherwise) definitively.
These smart cameras powered by batteries and Wi-Fi connections can record and upload the recordings in the cloud or give you a live-view of what’s going on in your yard even at night via night vision. Outdoor cameras with battery power can be hidden away on tree branches and birdhouses.
The smartness of these cameras helps a lot in allowing the network of cameras to communicate with each other and present you with a wide perimeter view of your home at the comfort of a smartphone app.
How Does the Ring Video Doorbell Stand Up to Competition?
There are many inexpensive options out there nowadays in 2022 compared to in 2018 and 2019 though. The Ring has some serious competition nowadays. However, the Ring is the first and arguably the best around.
It has a head start against most of its Wi-Fi cam competition. It got the standard features found in other cams first and thusly its latest models have improved upon such features while other competitors are only starting to incorporate them into their products.
Even though different models give you different functionalities, with some operating wirelessly while others require wired operation, you can also hardwire the battery-operated ones if you wish but you can’t do the same for the hardwire-only options (like Ring Elite and Ring Pro).
To Hardwire or to Depend on Batteries
To hardwire or not to hardwire? That is the question. All battery models can be hardwired to your existing door chime or doorbell wiring. If you lack those, you can hire an electrician to build you such wiring for your front porch or your gate as needed.
Both Battery-Powered and Hardwired
The basic Ring Doorbell, Peephole Cam, Doorbell 3, and 3 Plus all run on battery power. The Ring Elite and Pro Doorbells, on the other hand, can only be used with a hardwired setup. They don’t run on rechargeable battery power like the other models.
To make battery-powered doorbells work, you need to use two battery packs—have one charged and have one in use. When one pack depletes, just replace the pack with a spare then recharge the depleted battery for uninterrupted operation. However, extra battery packs are sold separately.
Powered by Ethernet or Powered Only by Battery
The Ring Elite specifically runs on an Ethernet cable even. Instead of connecting them to the power grid, you can instead connect the Internet to them straight through a wired connection and they can get their power on the same cable from the Internet power line itself.
A low-voltage transformer could also be utilized if you wish in lieu of door chime wiring. The Ring Peephole Cam is the only camera in the line that only runs battery-powered and with no external wiring option available.
Final Things to Consider
Ring helped revolutionize home security in the last couple of years or so by making affordable cameras that can store their footage not in tapes or discs or HDDs but in the cloud. Furthermore, they made security much sleeker, affordable, user-friendly, and consumer-grade.
Their cameras and video doorbells don’t only cater to commercial establishments or financial institutions like banks. They can also offer security and peace of mind among the Regular Joes like you and me.
References:
- Snead, “Are Ring Doorbells Wireless? Here’s What You Need To Know…“, SmarterHomeGuide.com, July 19, 2021
- Carlos Paras, “Are Ring Video Doorbells Waterproof? Can They Get Wet?“, DIYSmartHomeSolutions.com, February 22, 2022
