by 5 reviews.
Like-New Blink Video Doorbell: A Comprehensive Review
The Like-New Blink Video Doorbell combines cutting-edge technology with user-friendly features, positioning itself as a competitive option in the burgeoning smart doorbell market. Designed for seamless installation and compatibility with Alexa, this video doorbell keeps homeowners aware and informed with its two-way audio, HD day and night video, and motion and chime app alerts. Whether you're at home or on the go, this device promises to deliver convenient and reliable security, allowing you to keep tabs on your doorstep from anywhere.
Pros and Cons: Breaking Down Customer Experiences
Quality and Performance: High Definition at Its Core
The quality of the Like-New Blink Video Doorbell was frequently hailed by users for its excellent video clarity, especially considering its affordability. The device is capable of capturing videos in 1080p HD during the day and with infrared capabilities for night vision, which many found to be comparable to high-end cellphone cameras.
Several customers praised the video quality for its clear images, even in low-light conditions, highlighting the ease with which the doorbell recorded and transmitted crisp visuals. Furthermore, the two-way audio functionality received positive notes for its clarity, allowing users to converse naturally with visitors at their door when needed.
Pros:
- Excellent video clarity in both day and night settings, which makes monitoring more effective.
- Two-way audio is clear and reliable for everyday communication.
Cons:
- Some users mentioned that the camera occasionally failed to capture real-time activity due to delayed motion activation, resulting in videos that start recording a few seconds too late.
Ease of Installation and Setup: A User-Friendly Experience
Setting up the Blink Video Doorbell seems to be straightforward, a sentiment echoed by many satisfied users. The device comes with two 1.5V AA lithium metal batteries and a mounting kit, making it accessible even to those who may not consider themselves handy.
Users marveled at the simplicity of the step-by-step Blink app, which seamlessly connects the doorbell to your Wi-Fi network. Whether users chose the wire-free setup or connected the device to existing doorbell chimes, the process was largely hassle-free.
Pros:
- Easy installation, even for novices, and minimal equipment needed.
- The option to connect via a wired or wire-free setup adds flexibility.
Cons:
- While the initial setup is user-friendly, a few users experienced difficulty when attempting to subscribe or link the doorbell with their Amazon accounts for extended functionalities.
Durability and Battery Life: Standing the Test of Time
The doorbell's lightweight design does not seem to detract from its sturdiness. Users frequently noted the robust build without compromising aesthetics, making it a perfect complement to various home designs.
Battery life was another area where the product excelled, lasting several months on end, thus reducing the need for frequent replacements. These attributes contribute to making the Blink Doorbell a low-maintenance device for home security.
Pros:
- Long-lasting battery life minimizes maintenance checks and battery replacements.
- Sturdy and aesthetically pleasing design for various home decors.
Cons:
- Some customers expressed disappointment with the doorbell’s motion detection range and sensitivity, which could affect its performance as an effective security measure.
Customer Support and Additional Features: Room For Improvement
While the Blink Video Doorbell packs a punch with its core features, support options seem to fall short for several users. The lack of comprehensive customer support, such as an accessible hotline or email service, left some feeling unsupported when troubleshooting.
Additionally, there is lingering disappointment about the necessity for a subscription plan to capitalize on some of the product’s marketed features. Users noted that post the 30-day free trial, essential functions, including video storage and live viewing, ceased unless a subscription was purchased.
Pros:
- Competitive pricing for the foundational package and additional features.
- Offers an optional subscription plan with reasonably priced tiers, enhancing its functionality for those willing to subscribe.
Cons:
- Limited technical support and customer service options led to dissatisfaction among some users.
- Mandatory subscription required to fully leverage core features after the trial period, leading to some frustration.
Conclusion: Final Thoughts on the Like-New Blink Video Doorbell
In summary, the Like-New Blink Video Doorbell provides excellent video clarity and audio capabilities, serving as a reliable and aesthetically pleasing addition to home security systems. Its ease of installation and robust battery life commend it as an appealing choice for homeowners seeking a simple yet effective security measure.
However, potential buyers should be mindful of the subscription requirements to access full functionalities, as well as the existing motion detection range, which some users have found limiting. For overall peace of mind, one might weigh the merits of investing in a service plan to maximize what the Blink ecosystem offers.
Ultimately, if you seek a straightforward, no-fuss doorbell with modern features and decent pricing, the Like-New Blink Video Doorbell stands out as a commendable option. While there are areas ripe for enhancement—such as customer support and motion sensitivity—it remains a strong contender within its price bracket, perfect for safety-conscious homeowners or tech enthusiasts eager for a project that closely ties into a smart home environment.
Specification Like-New Blink Video Doorbell (newest model), Two-way audio, HD video, motion and chime app alerts, and Alexa enabled — wired or wire-free (White):
Comments from Amazon:
Excellent. very easy to set up. great price. great camera monitoring system. love it.
I had purchased this thinking I would have constant live views but not the case. The first month of the camera everything seem fine. I was getting motion notifications, ring videos every once and a while I’m able to get a live view through the app. After my 30 days of free trial, everything stopped functioning. If someone rings the door bell I can see through A notification video but I can’t review the video freely unless I pay for the trial after the free 30 days. They have different payment options and plans. Also for a good cheap price so it’s not that bad. The battery life has been good so far. It was a easy set up with a manual screwdriver.
Works great and installation was easy.
We bought 2 Blink Wired Spotlights and this Door Bell and have the exact same problem with all 3. Apparently Amazon just bought Blink to kill it off, there is absolutely No Technical Support what so ever. There’s no chat, there’s no 1-800 number, there isn’t even an email address. The claims of tech support are a form you fill out asking for your email address with limited characters on a web page. No one will contact you back. -The price is 5 stars. -The construction quality is 5 stars. -The ease of installation and set up is 5 stars. -The camera quality is 5 stars. -On our flood lights the lighting is 5 stars. - wireless doorbell is 5 stars. -The option of buying a low priced sync module for no subscriptions is 5 stars. -The yearly subscription is very reasonably priced and would be 5 stars if it included any level what so ever of customer support, there’s none, zero. -The huge FAIL on all of these Blink products is the worthless motion sense. This one simple oversight in design has made an otherwise awesome product not only worthless but useless. The max range for the motion sense to activate on all of it is maybe 8 feet away. By the time the light turns on its too late, you’re pretty much past the light already even though the lights will light up a good 100 feet out. By the time the motion sense activates the camera, 6’-8’ away, what ever would be in view of the camera is either already right at the camera or past it. The camera can view in great detail further and better than most high end cell phone cameras, but its all worthless if it isn’t turned on till something is already right at or past the camera already. There is absolutely no excuse what so ever for this major design oversight by putting such a great product together and then completely failing on the quality of the motion sense. The motion sense is like the heart or brain of the entire product. Its like building by hand a high end sports car with no expenses spared, then installing a 1 HP outboard boat motor under the hood. We have motion sense outdoor lights on our RV that we paid $15 for and they work flawlessly. At max sensitivity they sense motion over 40 feet away, they also never false trigger by moths flying in front of them, spiders climbing on them or leaves blowing. Why would Blink not of designed this with better motion sensors?????????
5 stars so my review gets noticed. The camera quality is just okay. Microphones are pretty good. Camera always misses the actual movement that set it off and starts recording about 4 seconds later. Looks like people appear out of thin air on the camera. Camera will sense movement as people approach the door but only begins recording after they have left, or will appear as though they just materialized out of thin air on the top step. If somebody vandalizes your door or steals a package from you, you will not see it on the camera. It will only start recording after the event has happened that the person is gone, leaving you with dozens of videos of an empty stoop. THIS IS NOT A FREE SERVICE. IF YOU DON'T PAY A SUBSCRIPTION, YOUR CAMERA WILL STOP WORKING. All of their ads say that you can use basic features without a subscription plan- this is not true. Your camera will stop taking videos after 2 months. The subscription is $10/month. Might be a cute camera system to watch your dog on, or chat with your friendly neighbor when you aren't home. However, if you are purchasing this for security reasons: pay the extra dime for a better brand. It is not worth the subscription costs to capture dozens of videos of an empty porch AFTER somebody has swiped your packages and walked away.
For some reason, it's basically impossible to link this to my amazon account, where I have tried to purchase a Blink subscription. Otherwise it works great. Without the subscription, I still know when people arrive at my home, and I have the hub and a USB stick so it saves all the photos and videos for me. Video is very clear. When I watch remotely, a blue light comes on, so it's obvious to the person at my door. Installation was extremely simple, and the lithium AA batteries last months. For the price, this is a great value.