The Eufy Video Doorbell Slim is – you guessed it – a video doorbell that works with an app. In the app you can see who is at your door. You can also use the doorbell as a security camera. In this Eufy Video Doorbell Slim review you can read how good the bell is in practice.
Eufy Video Doorbell Smart
Price € 109,-
wireless 802.11b/g/n/ac (2.4 and 5GHz)
Video 1080p (1600 x 1200 pixels)
Battery Up to 120 days, micro USB charging
Functions Two-way audio, security camera mode
Storage options Local (4GB), optional cloud subscription
Website www.eufylife.com
8 Score 80 
- Pros
- Works (long) on ​​a battery
- Easy to install
- Can be linked to home automation
- Works without a subscription
- Negatives
- Cheap looking gong
- Charging via micro USB
- Retrieving images in the app takes a long time
Many home automation brands now sell video doorbells that work with an app via a WiFi connection. In the accompanying app you adjust the settings of the bell and you receive a notification when someone rings the doorbell. Eufy, an Anker brand, also offers several video doorbells. The Video Doorbell Slim is the latest model. I tested it for three weeks and in this review you can read my experiences.
Installation is done in no time
Installing the Eufy doorbell is a breeze. You start with the gong, which you plug into the socket. Do this near where you are going to hang the bell for good coverage. Although tastes differ, I think the gong looks cheap with its shiny plastic design and angled antennas. Install the Eufy app on your smartphone and follow the steps. If the gong is connected to your WiFi, take the doorbell and pair it in the app.
Then screw the screws into your frame or wall (and in that case also use the plugs) and decide whether you want to use the wedge to place the bell more obliquely. This is useful if you have an oblique path. If necessary, place the wedge and then the bell and you’re done.
In the app you can indicate whether you only want to use the doorbell as a doorbell or also as a security camera. In that case, check that you also want to receive notifications when someone walks through the image of the bell, even if they do not ring the bell. I disabled this function after a few days because I don’t see the added value in it, the higher notification frequency distracts me and the doorbell’s battery drains faster.
The app has enough options to indicate how you want to use the bell as a security camera. For example, you can set which areas the camera should ignore and have the bell only send notifications at night when someone walks through the image. It is sloppy that the app is not fully translated. As you can see in the picture below, it shows some functions in English.
Good picture and audio quality..
A camera with full-HD recording function is placed in the video doorbell. The image quality during the day is therefore good: video fragments look sharp and realistic. The main point of attention is that a changing cloudy sky has a less good contrast, so that clouds can appear very white. I don’t find that very disturbing. In the dark, the video clips are less clear, but certainly good enough to see what’s happening. Tip: with an outdoor light in the picture, the camera ‘sees’ much more and videos look better.
Thanks to the built-in microphone and speaker, the video doorbell can record and play back sound. In the app you therefore hear what the person in front of the door is saying. You can also let your voice be heard from the bell via the app. This way you can talk to visitors or scare a burglar.
It is nice that the bell has built-in 4GB storage memory on which it stores video fragments. So you don’t have to worry that the bell can’t lose its recordings. More on saving and reviewing the images later.
..with a delay
Although the image and audio quality of the doorbell leaves a good impression, I am not entirely enthusiastic. The Video Doorbell Slim often needs a remarkably long time to show the live image when someone rings the doorbell. This usually takes thirty seconds. The parcel deliverer has already left, as I have noticed several times. Very annoying.
I can’t figure out why the bell takes so long to load live image. My house has a good WiFi signal and the Eufy gong also indicates via the app that the signal is more than sufficient. On the internet I read more (consumer) reviews in which the long loading time is mentioned as a drawback.
Battery life and charging
The Eufy bell works on a rechargeable battery. Charge the battery before mounting the bell and you can go about 120 days, according to Eufy. Then you remove the bell – via the pin within a minute – and place it inside the charger. I tested the bell for three weeks and if I calculate the remaining battery percentage, I would arrive at a battery life of 110 days. That would mean charging the bell for a few hours three times a year, which I’m fine with.
It is a pity that charging is done via the old-fashioned micro-usb port and not via usb-c. You can use a USB-C charger for most smartphones, laptops, and gadgets, among other things. Eufy’s bell is therefore an exception to this.
Cloud subscription and more
As mentioned, the doorbell has built-in storage memory to store your video clips. This has the advantage that the images are stored locally – which reduces the chance of a data breach – and you do not have to pay for cloud storage. Some competing bubbles, including Ring’s, can only store images in the cloud for a fee. With Eufy, cloud storage is optional but relatively expensive.
Handy extras of the Eufy Video Doorbell Slim are the possibility to link the bell to Eufy security cameras, showing live image on your TV via a Chromecast and having an Amazon Echo (Dot) function as an extra gong.
Conclusion: Buy Eufy Video Doorbell Smart?
The Eufy Video Doorbell Slim is a competitively priced wireless video doorbell that is easy to install, has many functions and offers good image and audio quality. It is nice that you can store images locally and are not tied to a paid cloud subscription. Points of attention are the ugly gong in my opinion, the charging via micro-usb and that the bell regularly needs tens of seconds to load the live image. Not all visitors (rightly) have that much patience. Bottom line, the Eufy Video Doorbell Slim is recommended, provided you can live with the points of attention.
.