Amazon Prime Day is just around the corner and huge discounts are expected across categories including tech, fashion and beauty.
We’ve already recommended some of the fantastic deals available to Prime members, including air fryers , hair straighteners , sustainable toothbrushes , and smartwatches . And now I’m trying out one of Amazon’s most coveted pieces of tech for myself: the Ring Doorbell.
Normally priced at £99.99, Amazon’s 2nd generation Ring Doorbell has been slashed by a whopping 50 percent during its Prime Day sale, bringing it down to just £49.99. This handy gadget comes with night vision and features that allow you to hear and speak to anyone via the Ring Doorbell app. It’s a handy device for those who want to keep an eye on their home while on the go.
Curious to see what all the fuss was about, I installed my new gadget and tried it out for a week.
The set-up
The 2nd Generation Ring Video Doorbell arrived quickly and perfectly packaged. The small box contained everything I needed to set up my new gadget, so I was able to get started right away without any hassle.
First, I had to charge the doorbell, as I don’t have a wired doorbell to plug it into. This only took about four hours – impressively, the video doorbell lasted all week without needing to be charged – but it’s easy to remove from the bracket to plug it back in.
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The included instruction booklet is very easy to follow, but the installation is not complicated at all. After charging the device, I downloaded the Ring Doorbell app, which walked me step-by-step through setting up my account and preferences.
After mounting the Video Device to my door, I ran a few tests to determine how sensitive I wanted the motion sensor to be. I wanted to be notified when someone was at my door, but not when someone walked down my street, so I easily adjusted these preferences through the Ring app on my phone.
One thing I wasn’t too pleased to hear is that after purchasing the Ring Doorbell, you’ll need to pay a monthly subscription fee to access the Ring app and control your device. While it’s an impressive piece of tech, I was surprised at the extra cost, considering customers normally pay up to £100 for the device.
A basic membership will set you back £4.99 per month, while a Plus subscription will set you back £8. You get a free 30-day trial of Ring Protect Plus with your purchase – which is what I used to test the device.
Using the device
The Ring Video Doorbell was super easy to use, and I loved being able to see people who came to my door. Not only does Ring record every time someone approaches or rings the doorbell, it also lets you see a livestream of your front yard — perfect if you’re waiting for a special package somewhere else.
The video and audio quality is superb, meaning I could see exactly who and what was being delivered at what time. With both the Basic and Plus memberships, you can also use the Ring Device to have two-way conversations, meaning you can let the mailman know exactly where to leave your package.
No more searching through the bins or bothering my neighbours. With my new gadget, I could see exactly where couriers were dropping my mail in real time – or if I missed it, via my app history.
One issue I did find was that my Ring Doorbell wasn’t wired internally, so I was only receiving notifications on my phone. This confused the rest of my family, who couldn’t hear the new doorbell from inside the house—though they eventually connected to the app as well.
For those who don’t have a wired doorbell to connect their Ring device to, this problem can be solved by purchasing a Ring Chime for £29.99. This can be plugged into a power socket anywhere in your home, like other battery-powered doorbells, so you can hear the doorbell even if you don’t have your phone to hand.
Impressively, the 2nd generation Ring Doorbell has such high-quality night vision that I could see exactly what was happening at night thanks to motion detection. The fact that the doorbell was so sensitive even in the dark gave me peace of mind and made me feel safe and protected when I was home alone.
You can even connect your Ring Doorbell to existing Alexa devices in your home for added convenience and peace of mind. If you’re worried about setting it up, don’t worry, Amazon offers an installation service for an additional fee.
Final thoughts
I was really impressed with Amazon’s 2nd Gen Ring Doorbell. It had a ton of useful features, like two-way talk and night vision, that I didn’t expect to use but ended up making my life a lot easier.
While I was disappointed that you have to buy a monthly subscription, the fact that the Ring Device is currently reduced by a massive £50 made the blow more bearable. That means shoppers can use their savings to pay just £4.99 per month for the next 10 months!
The video and audio quality is really impressive, and as other customers in the reviews have said: “you get what you pay for”. Now that I’ve tried the original, I wouldn’t go for a cheaper brand.
The Amazon Ring app was easy to navigate, and the ability to add multiple users so the whole family could access the recordings was an added bonus. Even without a hardwired system, the Ring Doorbell worked great, lasting a full week before needing a charge.
If you’re tired of missing parcels, or just want to keep an eye on what’s happening outside, I’d definitely recommend considering a Ring Doorbell. If you’re a Prime Member, you can get it for just £49.99 during the Prime Day sale – but be quick, as these discounts only last until 11.59pm on Wednesday 17th July.
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