‘Absolutely fantastic and does just what I expected’
With Black Friday just a few weeks away, now is one of the best times of the year to upgrade home tech. Smart devices are a great way to make everyday life smoother, connecting to Wi-Fi to provide handy functionality around the home that integrates with phones and tablets.
Right now, Amazon is selling a Ring battery video doorbell and Echo Dot smart speaker bundle for £59.99, combining two of Amazon’s most popular devices into a powerful home setup. Bought separately, these devices would cost £154.98 in total, so that’s a 61% saving of £94.99.
Attaching simply to front doors with no wiring needed, the Ring doorbell captures sharp 1440×1440 HD video to provide a crystal-clear picture whenever the doorbell is pressed or motion is detected. The doorbell works at all times of the day, thanks to colour night vision, and can be set up with adjustable privacy zones for controlling what’s captured.
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The doorbell itself is managed via the Ring app, which provides alerts and two-way communication along with the zoomable video feed. According to the brand, users can save recorded videos for up to 180 days, although this requires a subscription to Ring Home.
Paired with the Echo Dot, the bundle brings voice control into the mix. Alexa, Amazon’s smart assistant, can announce when someone’s at the door and show live camera feeds on connected screens. On top, the Echo Dot can integrate with other devices like smart bulbs or thermostats, and doubles as an entertainment hub for playing music, reading news, or managing reminders hands-free.
The products are available from Amazon
£154.98
£59.99
Amazon
Buy here
There’s a large discount at the moment
Another video doorbell on the market is the Arlo Essential HD Wi-Fi 4-in-1 smart video doorbell sold at Argos for £89.99. This device streams live colour video of the front door via the Arlo app, and is compatible with both Alexa and Google Assistant. It also features an 80dB smart alarm for scaring off intruders, which the brand says can be heard up to 30 metres away.
For shoppers invested in Google’s ecosystem of smart home products, Currys sells the battery-powered Google Nest doorbell for £129, down from £179.99. It has a 145-degree viewing angle according to the brand, can detect people, vehicles, and animals, and can be paired with a Nest Mini speaker or wired doorbell for an audible chime when rung.
However, many shoppers are pleased with their Ring doorbells, and the product currently scores 4.5/5 on the Amazon website with over 12,700 ratings. As part of a longer review, one customer wrote: “So far, I am extremely impressed with the Ring. The battery life so far has been exceptional, it still has plenty of power left from the first charge, which is so much better than expected.
The image capture and quality are excellent. Things like the zoning are very effective, so we aren’t picking up random movements from my neighbours’ properties anymore.”
A second added: “Bought this as a gift for my grandad, he absolutely loves it. The sound quality is fantastic. You can have active motion detection notifications. Very easy set to up and use, very good quality, and functions very well. Just a great doorbell, gives peace of mind for any family.” The Echo Dot also holds an impressive rating of 4.7/5 with over 47,800 reviews.
As part of a longer review, one customer said: “The Echo Dot really surprised me with how much power it packs for such a small device. The sound quality is crisp and clear – perfect for music, podcasts, or even setting a relaxing mood at home.
“The setup took only a few minutes, and the microphone picks up my voice even when music is playing. It’s compact enough to fit anywhere – I keep mine on the nightstand, and it looks sleek too.” Another shopper left four stars for the device, saying: “Nice and small, works great, just like the other devices. The only thing that’s lacking is the sound quality. I expected better things from this device.”
One customer gave five stars for the Ring doorbell, but did note the image quality at night as part of a longer review: “I’m incredibly pleased with this Ring doorbell. So far, the video quality is clear, especially during the day. In low light conditions and at night, when there’s a lack of natural and sometimes artificial light, the image quality is still decent, if only a little grainy.”