In T3’s Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review, I installed this battery-powered doorbell outside my home to see if it’s worth the hype.
I’ve covered smart home on T3 for over a year now, and I’m always surprised by how impressive and in demand the best video doorbells are. Being able to answer the door from anywhere and keep an eye on what’s going on outside your home is invaluable to many households, so I was excited to try out the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus to see if I would become a video doorbell convert.
Keep reading my Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review to find out why I wish I’d invested in a video doorbell sooner.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review: price and availability
The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus launched in mid 2023, and is available for £159.99 at Ring and select retailers like Amazon, Currys and Argos. You can buy the doorbell on its own or with a Chime for £189.98 or the Chime Pro for £209.98.
The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus needs to be connected to the Ring app for it to work effectively. When you buy a Ring product, you’ll receive a free 30-day trial of the Ring Protect plan before you’ll have to pay £3.49 a month or £34.99 a year.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review: unboxing and set-up
The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus arrived in a small compact box with the doorbell, instructions manual, Quick Release battery pack, charging cables and installation accessories like a stand and screws. I’m not the best at DIY but the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus was surprisingly easy to set-up. The only thing that was slightly difficult about the installation was that the video doorbell needed to be drilled into the outside wall, so it’s important to note you may need the best cordless drill before you start setting it up.
To set-up the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus, I scanned the unique QR code on the instructions manual before following the instructions in the Ring app. I already had the Ring app because I own a Ring Indoor Cam (2nd gen) so it was easy to add the doorbell to my account. Once the doorbell was on the app, I customised the settings, including the field of vision I wanted and what I wanted to be notified by.
After drilling the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus into the wall, I realised I needed to charge the battery. I charged it up for a few hours before inserting it into the doorbell on the wall. I found the battery easy to insert and remove, even when attached to the wall, so that made me feel better about having to recharge or replace the battery in the future.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review: design and app
The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus is a wireless battery-powered video doorbell and security camera. It has an enhanced camera resolution with 1536p HD video and live view, and head-to-toe views so you can clearly see what’s happening outside your door. Compared to previous Ring video doorbells, the camera angles have been upgraded and expanded for this wider outlook.
In addition to its viewing angles, the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus has brilliant motion detection and Colour Night Vision so you never miss a moment, even when it’s dark outside. With two-way talk and Quick Replies (the latter is only available with the Ring Protect plan), you can quickly talk to whoever’s outside your door, to re-organise deliveries or talk to visitors.
Once motion is detected or someone presses the button, the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus will send up-to-date alerts to your phone via the Ring app. The Ring app has a clear and concise layout which is easy-to-use and switch between different Ring products. Using the app, you can quickly customise the privacy settings, check your historical recordings and use Live View so you can stay updated in real time.
The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus looks similar to the Ring Video Doorbell 2nd gen with its black and silver colourway. While it’s pretty inoffensive to look at, it’s quite chunky compared to other video doorbell brands. Compared to older Ring doorbells, the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus has a smaller button but a longer, wider camera to increase the viewing and recording performance.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review: performance
After I installed the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus, I was immediately impressed by how sensitive it was to pick up motion. It detected movement and sound quickly and easily when anyone came to my door and when my partner and myself left our home.
The video quality is clear and crisp, with the colour night vision being the main standout feature of the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus. The camera can be a little blurry when you first approach the doorbell, but it quickly catches up to what’s going on so the recordings and live views are much clearer and easier to see facial features and other important details.
The Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus records a good amount, roughly up to 20 seconds at a time, which are automatically stored in the Ring app. The one negative I found with the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus is that it sometimes doesn’t record if you’ve gone in and out of the house during a short span of time. For example, one day I got home from work and immediately went back out to sort out the bins. The doorbell recorded me getting home and going back out, but it didn’t show me coming back in afterwards. While this is only a small gripe, this could lead to some owners worrying about whether their partner or kids have arrived home safely.
In general, being able to quickly check the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus, especially when I wasn’t at home, was easy, helpful and stress-relieving. Flicking between live view and recordings is simple to do, so you can always be in-the-know with what’s going on with your property.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review: verdict
This might be a big statement but setting up the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus outside my house was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. From quickly double checking I locked the door when I left for the day to answering the door to delivery men when I’m not in, the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus has given me a real peace of mind and I’ve really enjoyed using it as a doorbell and a security camera in one.
The skipping recordings is the only issue I’ve had with the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus, but nine times out of ten, I never have a problem with it or the Ring app in general. If you’ve been wanting a video doorbell for a while, this is your sign to invest in one, and if you want a reliable wireless and battery model, I highly recommend the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus.
Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus review: alternatives to consider
Ring has many different video doorbells on its website, but the Ring Video Doorbell 2nd Gen is the closest design to the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus. It’s a battery and wireless option that’s cheaper than the Plus, and as its the Plus’ predecessor, the camera quality isn’t as advanced. Rather than the Plus’ 1536p HD video and colour night vision, the 2nd gen has 1080p HD video and night vision instead.
If you want a video doorbell from a different smart security brand, the Google Nest Doorbell has similar pricing and features to the Ring Battery Video Doorbell Plus. The main difference is the design with the Google Nest Doorbell having a much thinner and sleeker look.
