When I drive down residential neighborhoods these days, I notice more and more smart doorbells popping up next to front doors.
My first response was to scoff at them. Smart doorbell? Ridiculous, might as well be a smart doormat.
Then, last year, I moved into my new home, and my Realtor showed off the neat smart doorbell already installed.
It’s all wired, connected to the internet, and ready to go. I guess I was just hesitant. I didn’t understand why I would need a camera on my door frame.
So, I moved in, and a few weeks in my new home, I started to realize that this smart doorbell was solving problems I didn’t even know I had.
Knock, knock. Who’s there?
It’s definitely just my delivery, right?
Living in rental apartments or college houses, I knew there was no way the homeowners would splurge on any smart home tech.
So if I was lucky, my door had a peephole, and if I was unlucky, it was just a solid door.
I wanted to know who was at my door, but something about placing my eye on a peephole really makes me think of a scene from a horror film.
Enter, my smart doorbell. Now I check my phone and immediately know who’s there. When I’m not home, it records who is at my door and saves it. Amazing.
I know I’m late to the party here; this is not some shiny new feature, but it’s given me a lot of peace of mind to know that I can check who’s there from the comfort of any room in my house.
Porch pirates beware
I know where you live, Linda, and I want my package back
Have you ever ordered something really expensive and small for your home? It’s so stressful. What if it gets lost? What if it gets stolen? What if the delivery person takes it with them?
In the past, if I knew I was expecting something in the mail, I’d check the front door 10 times a day so it didn’t sit out in the open.
Now, I look at the doorbell notification on my phone, click the feed, and see the delivery driver dropping something at the door. Boom, problem solved.
I worry a lot less about porch pirates now, too. People come up to your door and steal your packages (I’ve seen the TikToks!), but I’m hoping they’ll think twice if they see my doorbell camera pointed at them.
My scheduling safety net
No guesswork needed, it’s all timestamped
This one caught me by surprise. I was planning to get in shape for summer by tracking my workouts and physical activity for the day.
I tried to log it right away on my phone, but I’m usually rushing before work or around dinner.
My fitness app wanted to know how long I was on a walk with my dog, and I really wasn’t sure. All I had to do was check the timestamps on my doorbell recordings, and I had an accurate picture of how long I was out for.
It’s not just exercise. I can check when I come and go from work or if my significant other has gone to the grocery store.
It’s made scheduling so much easier to have the data to work from. If you’re not someone who likes to schedule, this might not be a huge plus for you, but it’s been super helpful for me.
Still hesitant? I don’t blame you
You should always do your research
Your investment really depends on how much value you get out of these features. I got lucky that my house came with one, but most people will need to go online and purchase it.
A quick check on Amazon shows a range of models between $50 to $200, which might be a lot if you really need a doorbell without all the bells and whistles (pun intended).
Not to mention, some doorbells run on paid subscription plans.
My doorbell doesn’t, so I can’t speak on it, but I’d be hesitant to see the value in paying monthly for an appliance. It would have to bring something truly spectacular to the table for me to consider it.
As far as security is concerned, it’s really brand-dependent, but any time you buy something internet-connected with a camera, there’s going to be a risk.
I don’t really worry too much about it. If someone is going to hack into my camera, the only thing they’ll see is a partially obstructed front lawn and the Uber Eats delivery driver at my door.
If that still worries you, research which brand makes you feel most at ease.
Next time I move, I’ll take it with me
I’m shocked that I like this smart doorbell as much as I do. I never thought I’d be eating my words, but here I am, admitting I was wrong.
I assumed it would be another gimmicky appliance with the word “smart” slapped onto it. Instead, I gained a lot of peace of mind.
I can confidently tell you I won’t be ripping it out of my door frame any time soon, and if you try one, I bet you won’t be either.
- Resolution
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2560X1920 @ 20FPS
- Field of View
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Horizontal: 134°, Vertical: 97°, Diagonal: 180°
- Power Source
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Ethernet (PoE)
- Brand
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Reolink
- Hub Required
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Optional
- Connectivity
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Ethernet, Wi-Fi
The Reolink Video Doorbell PoE stands out from the current crop of video doorbell cameras with two special features. To begin with, this is among the handful of video doorbell cameras that draws power over an Ethernet connection. Secondly, it can record videos at a very high resolution (2560X1920 pixels), making it among the sharpest video doorbell cameras out there. The rest of the features are on par with the competition and includes support for two-way audio, built in memory card support (up to 256GB), and seamless integration with Reolink NVRs. The Reolink Video Doorbell PoE also supports Google Assistant.
