Smart doorbells: the best choice for every type of home (flat, rental and purchase)

Missed the postman too often? Or do you want to know who is at the door before you open it? Then you need a smart doorbell. But which one should you buy?

Smart doorbells for every home type (flat, rental and purchase)

Smart doorbells have become an indispensable part of our street scene. This makes it very easy to see who is at your door, without having to open the door first. Even when you are not at home, smart doorbells are useful for your home. Because you can always speak to the person at your door. But not every house is the same and not every smart doorbell is equally suitable for every home type.

For example, in an apartment or rental home you are usually not allowed to drill into the walls and wiring is limited. In an owner-occupied home you often have the freedom, but of course you also want everything to be attached as neatly as possible.

That is why we looked for a suitable smart doorbell for every home type. We have also taken the price into account, so you don’t have to spend too much.

A little tip in advance: consider purchasing a universal self-adhesive wall bracket with the smart doorbell. This allows you to mount the smart doorbell securely without having to drill. This mounting plate works for various brands of doorbells and is especially useful for apartments and rental properties where drilling is not permitted.

An example is the SLIM universal adhesive bracket (11.99 euros), which is compatible with Eufy, Nest, Netatmo and many more. Ring often has their own mounting bracket with an adhesive layer which you can purchase separately via their website.

Flat or apartment: eufy S330

The eufy doorbells are known for their good quality and do not require a subscription for basic functionality. With local storage, two-way audio and motion detection, you basically have all the features you need.

Eufy has a wide choice of smart doorbells for your home, but one that we can recommend is the eufy S330. The smart doorbell has two cameras and therefore double motion detection. Thanks to the built-in AI for human detection, the S330 only sends you a notification when a person is at your door. The doorbell even recognizes your family and friends, and can be programmed to only send a notification to unknown visitors.

The cameras’ sensors recognize packages and automatically send you a delivery message. Parcel thieves don’t have to try to steal your purchases, because you immediately receive a notification and accompanying images if someone comes near the package.

The doorbell stores all images on the supplied HomeBase. The eufy works with Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, but (still) not with Apple HomeKit. You purchase the eufy doorbell S330 249 eurosbut you often get an extra discount via the eufy website.

Do you want the slightly newer version? Then there is also the Eufy Video Doorbell Dual (E340) that you can buy at Bol for 279 euros.

Rental property: Ring Video Doorbell Plus on battery

In a rental house you want a doorbell with smart functions, but you are often not allowed to just drill everywhere in the wall. With the Video Doorbell Plus on battery and a official mounting support with adhesive layer stick this doorbell firmly. This way your wall remains undamaged and looks sleek.

The Video Doorbell Plus on battery (149 euros) provides an excellent image, with a wide viewing angle. You also have two-way audio to talk to visitors. The battery lasts a long time and is removable so you can easily charge it. The doorbell works with Alexa and can be combined with other Ring products, such as cameras or an indoor chime.

Ring does require a subscription, called ‘Ring Protect’, to store and watch videos. Without this subscription you can only watch live, but you cannot save recordings. So keep in mind that you will pay a little more. On the other hand, this Ring doorbell is the cheapest from this list of smart doorbells for your home.

Home for sale: SwitchBot Smart Video Doorbell

The SwitchBot Smart Video Doorbell (159.95 euros) is a striking newcomer. It combines smart technology with a touch of old-fashioned convenience: a separate 4.3-inch screen that you can simply place in your home. This way you can immediately see who is at the door, without having to look at your smartphone every time.

The doorbell films in a 2K resolution and has a viewing angle of 165 degrees, so you always have a good view of visitors and packages. The images are stored locally as standard on the included 4 GB microSD card (and can be expanded up to 512 GB). So you don’t need a subscription to watch recordings.

This doorbell is also smart. The SwitchBot recognizes the difference between people, pets and vehicles and has a rechargeable battery that lasts more than a year with normal use. Would you rather never charge again? You can also connect the smart doorbell to a solar panel or via a wired power supply (both available separately). The doorbell is compatible with Alexa and Home Assistant.

See more about smart home here:

• Smart doorbells: the best choice for every type of home (flat, rental and purchase)

• Smart cameras for rental properties: installation without drilling

• Action smart radiator knobs: cheap alternative to smart thermostat

• Lidl is doing a stunt with a smart robot vacuum cleaner that mops and is affordable

• Smart doorbell from Action is dirt cheap (and this is what you can do with it)