Video doorbells are great, but they do have one drawback – what if you’re too far from your front door to hear the bell and don’t have your phone to hand? That’s where video doorbell chimes come in. These small units connect to your doorbell wirelessly and emit a loud alert when someone rings the bell, so you never miss a visitor. Great for large homes, and for households where not everyone can install and use the appropriate app.
Most of the doorbells we test here at TechRadar are compatible with chimes, but usually you have to buy them separately. Most Ring doorbells, for example, can be linked to a wireless chime, but it’s not included as standard with the doorbell.
That’s why I’ve put together this list of the best video doorbells we’ve tested at TechRadar that come with wireless chimes included. All of these doorbells can be used subscription-free, too, so you don’t have to pay a monthly fee to save your videos. Sounds good to me!
Eufy Video Doorbell Dual
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Eufy’s good-looking video doorbell comes with a base station that contains a chime and also provides storage for videos captured by the doorbell’s camera. That’s a real win, because not only can you hear callers easily, but you also don’t have to pay to store your clips in the cloud, unlike with Ring video doorbells.
The Eufy Video Doorbell Dual is also great value. Although its list price is about the same as the Philips 7000 Series below, it’s often available at a steep discount, making it exceptional value. You’ll find today’s best deals below.
The Video Doorbell Dual records at 2K, which is a higher resolution than any Ring video doorbell released to date, and is loaded with advanced features like package detection and the ability to play pre-recorded voice messages, all with no monthly fee.
It has an infra-red sensor that detects body heat from visitors, while radar motion-detection scans for movement. Better yet, its software includes AI person-recognition, and during our tests, it accurately identified and labeled visitors in our video clips. We didn’t receive any false positives, and the detailed app notifications meant we could tell who was calling at a glance, without even picking up the phone.
We didn’t love having to take the doorbell down to charge it (there’s no swappable power pack), but it can be connected to existing doorbell wiring if you prefer. All in all, it’s a superb package.
Read our full Eufy Video Doorbell Dual review
Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell
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The excellent Philips 7000 series is currently the number one choice in my roundup of the best video doorbells for a host of reasons – including the fact that it comes bundled with a plug-in chime
It boasts dual cameras to give a clear view of both visitors and any packages they may leave on your doorstep. Its 2K resolution will be ample for most homes, and during our tests, we were thoroughly impressed by how sensitive it was to motion. In terms of responsiveness, it was up there with the best home security cameras. Night vision is crisp as well (the doorbell is equipped with infrared sensors).
Installation is refreshingly straightforward, with a choice of mounting plates, so you can choose the one that suits your home. It can be powered by existing doorbell wiring or a rechargeable battery.
The 7000 Series isn’t the cheapest video doorbell around, but its price is competitive considering how much you’re getting. It’s around the same as the Ring Video Doorbell 2, which requires a membership to save and review video footage.
The only other drawback we noticed was a slight lag during two-way talk with visitors. Otherwise, the 7000 Series is hard to beat.
Read our full Philips 7000 Series Video Doorbell review
Doro Hemma
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Doro is a company that makes accessible tech with senior users in mind, but the Hemma is a superb wireless doorbell and chime bundle for anyone who’s put off by features they won’t use. If you just want a doorbell that’ll let you see callers and speak to them remotely, it comes highly recommended. In fact, it took the prize for best video doorbell in last year’s TechRadar Choice Awards.
The Hemma isn’t compatible with other smart home devices, so you won’t be able to take calls on your smart speaker or use it to trigger Philips Hue lights, but that’s fine. It’s totally self-contained and made for people who don’t have an existing smart home setup. There’s no subscription necessary (or even available) to use all its features, and it can be installed in minutes.
During our tests, we appreciated its accessible mobile app, sensitive motion detection that triggers an alert when someone is nearby, and crisp video footage. Its 1080p resolution isn’t super high, but it is the same as a standard Ring video doorbell and will be perfectly fine for most homes.
The chime is the loudest we’ve tested, which is great if you have limited hearing or are just in a different room. I also like the thoughtful inclusion of a siren to ward away unwanted visitors and an emergency assistance feature that can divert callers to a friend or relative – both great additions for vulnerable homeowners.
The downside of the Hemma is that Doro is a British company that doesn’t currently sell outside the UK. Hopefully, that’ll change in the future (its products are excellent), but for now, if you’re in the US or Australia, you should check out the two other options here.
Read our full Doro Hemma review
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