Which Ring doorbell is best?
All Ring doorbells have the same 1080p HD video quality, core features and the Ring app, so how much you spend depends on power and how you want the doorbell to look.
Battery-powered Rings are easier to install and at the cheaper end of the range, but they’re also typically chunkier and you have to keep the battery charged. The hardwired models – Ring Pro and Ring Elite – remove the concern about charging and look sleeker when installed, but they cost more than £200 and £300 respectively.
With all Ring doorbells, you’ll need to sign up to a subscription to record videos and access them remotely. See more on that below.
Best Ring doorbells
Just like the first generation Pro, the Ring Doorbell Pro 2 is a slim and discreet doorbell that promises plenty of functionality to help you manage visitors to your home. It's not cheap to buy, however, so make sure you read our review before buying.
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The fourth generation of Ring's standard doorbell promises a lot on paper, and is battery powered so won't be difficult to install. Can this pricey doorbells compete with rival products from Nest and Arlo?
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You might double-take at the price of this smart doorbell, but you’ll like its slim and discrete design. That should help it more easily blend into your home and not look overly bulky. See how it fared in our testing by logging in if you’re already a member, or joining Which?.
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This slick and stylish doorbell will appeal if you’re conscious of exterior design at your home. However, considering the high price you'll pay, make sure you read our full review to see if it's worth the money.
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You might need to pay someone to install this wired Ring doorbell, but after that it is a breeze to use. Considerng how cheap it is to buy, can it really be good enough to join our Best Buys?
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Pricing, recommendations and test scores correct at March 2022
How much does a Ring subscription cost?
With any Ring doorbell, you can view the live video and respond to motion alerts as standard. So, if you’re happy to use the doorbell for just live monitoring, you won’t need to do anything more.
You might find, though, that you also want to save video clips in case you need them later on, such as to prove a possible crime.
For that you’ll need a Ring Protect subscription. With Protect Basic, you get 30 days of video storage for a single Ring device for £2.50 a month, or £24.99 a year.
Upgrade to Protect Plus if you have more than one Ring device, such as a doorbell and a wireless camera. This enables you to record 30 days of video clips for unlimited devices for £8 a month or £80 a year. Most Rings come with a 30-day free trial to Ring Protect to try the service out.
How to install a Ring doorbell
The wired Ring doorbells – Ring Elite or Ring Pro – will most likely require a professional to install them. This is because they need existing doorbell wiring in place, and the AC voltage will need to be compatible with the camera.
You can wire one yourself but it’s not only complicated, but also dangerous if you don’t know what you’re doing. Hiring a professional is likely to be the best option. Battery-powered doorbells are much easier to install, and worth trying if you’re sufficiently confident with DIY.
Installation generally involves mounting a wall plate on or near your door, adding the camera and fixing it all with security screws. You can usually find ‘how to' videos to follow for each doorbell online.
How to charge a Ring doorbell
With wired Ring doorbells you won’t need to worry about keeping the battery charged as they draw power from the mains. With battery-powered models, however, you’ll need to factor in charging times.
Ring doesn’t specifically state how long a fully charged battery will last, but the Ring app sends you a notification when the battery is low.
Some battery-powered doorbells have removable batteries, and so you can have a fully charged spare battery ready to go if you need it. That way you won’t have a gap in coverage while the battery charges.
With others, such as the Ring Doorbell (2nd gen), the built-in battery means you’ll need to remove the entire doorbell to charge it. You can often connect battery doorbells to mains power so that the battery is ‘trickle charged’ to keep it topped up. We’d advise you to hire a professional to do this.
