The Best Wireless Doorbell

As with everything else consumers use, doorbells have come a long way in recent years. Smart doorbells have revolutionized the market, doubling as security cameras and two-way speaker systems. But even simple wireless doorbells have improved, offering affordable pricing and multiple speakers that you can place throughout the house.

The first decision you’ll need to make before you start shopping for a wireless doorbell is whether you want a full-featured smart doorbell or you want a simple, straightforward doorbell that merely chimes when someone presses it. If you want a smart doorbell, Ring is the way to go. But for a chime-only doorbell, you’ll still have some options to consider.

Volume is an important feature in a doorbell, as you likely know if you’ve ever had one that you couldn’t hear unless you were in certain areas of the house. If you choose a smart doorbell, you’ll be alerted of rings on your phone, wherever you are. But for doorbells that rely on sound only, you’ll need to make sure it comes with adjustable volume. As a fun “bonus” item, many of today’s doorbells also let you choose from a wide variety of chimes, letting you customize your doorbell the way you set a ringtone for your phone.

Another important thing to consider is how your doorbell will be powered. If the electricity goes out, smartphone-enabled doorbells can be challenged since your Wi-Fi will likely go out as well. Some wired doorbells come with a battery backup to keep you alerted even if you suffer an outage.

The look of your doorbell is likely also important, especially since it plays such a prominent role in the entryway to your home. Many of today’s doorbells have a high-tech look, but some Ring doorbells come with multiple faceplates to let you find the design you want.

• When someone arrives at your front door, Ring’s doorbells go beyond simply alerting you to the person’s presence. This starts with a two-way conversation where you can see your visitors, but they can’t see you. The best thing about this is that you can answer the door using your smartphone, no matter where you are, giving the illusion you’re home even when you aren’t.
• With Ring’s doorbells, you’ll get security camera functionality, as well. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell let you set up motion zones so that when movement is detected in those areas, the camera is activated. When the motion sensor triggers, the camera starts recording and you’ll be able to see it on your screen.
• You’ll get better video quality with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, which provides 1080p HD resolution, compared to only 720p HD with the Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell.
• The difference in video quality is even more noticeable at night, with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro delivering much better images in night vision mode than the Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell.
• For setup, it doesn’t get easier than the SadoTech Model CXR Wireless Doorbell. Simply pull all of the components out of the box and put them in place. You’ll spend some time with the Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell, especially when it comes to syncing them with the smartphone app.
• Hearing your doorbell can be an ongoing issue, especially if you live in a larger house. The SadoTech Model CXR Wireless Doorbell lets you adjust volume levels from 25dB to 100dB. If you live in a sprawling house, you’ll love that it comes with two different plug-in chimes to let you cover separate ends or upper and lower floors. The Homasy Wireless Doorbell also has a wide volume range, letting you adjust from 25dB to 110dB.
• The Ring Video Doorbell Pro and Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell ring your phone, which can be an issue if you don’t always have your device with you. There also can be a delay with the Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell, which is frustrating if you’re trying to answer the door in a timely manner. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro is much faster, so you’ll usually have instant results as long as your mobile device and Wi-Fi network have decent speed.
• You’re no longer stuck with a standard doorbell sound. The SadoTech Model CXR Wireless Doorbell lets you choose from 50 different chimes to find the one you like best. The Homasy Wireless Doorbell improves on that with 52 different chimes, 16 of which are chords.
• Perhaps the best thing about the Homasy Wireless Doorbell and SadoTech Model CXR Wireless Doorbell is price. Both doorbells are very affordable, retailing for less than $30. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro may be outside some budgets, retailing for more than $150, while the Ring Wi-Fi Enabled Video Doorbell can be found for less than $100.
• If you haven’t shopped for a doorbell for a while, you may be surprised at how much they’ve changed. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro ships with four different faceplates to let you customize your look for your home. The Homasy Wireless Doorbell has a more traditional design, while the SadoTech Model CXR Wireless Doorbell is smaller and wider than standard doorbells.
• One issue with Ring doorbells is that they rely on your home’s Wi-Fi. So during a power outage, your doorbell won’t be able to connect. The Ring Video Doorbell Pro doesn’t have a battery backup, either, so if your power is out, nothing will happen when someone presses the button.