Ring doorbells are ever-popular buys for helping to keep homes across the country secure, which is why we put one to the test, namely the Ring Video Doorbell 4, to see how easy one is to install and run.
As one of the best video doorbells on the market, the Ring 4 has all of the features that you'd expect of a camera of this calibre, including high-res video, motion detection and an app packed with functionality. It's also renter-friendly, with the option to just rely on the battery pack and use adhesives to secure, rather than fiddling with wiring.
If you're debating installing a Ring doorbell for peace of mind then we've looked at every feature that you need to know about and tried the process ourselves from unboxing to everyday use, so that you can suss out whether you should invest.
Ring Doorbell 4 specs
- Dimensions: 12.8 cm x 6.2 cm x 2.8 cm
- Field of view: 160° horizontal, 84° vertical
- Video: 1080p HD Video
- Wifi connectivity: 2.4GHz or 5GHz
- RRP: £139.99
- In the box: Ring Video Doorbell 4, Rechargeable Quick-Release Battery Pack, Satin Nickel Faceplate, Choice of additional Faceplate, Corner Kit, Installation Tools and Screws, USB charging cable, Quick Start Guide, Security Sticker
Set up & first impressions
When taking it out of the box, I found the Ring 4 was a little larger than I had expected (12.8 cm x 6.2 cm x 2.8 cm). If you're used to usual single-button non-smart doorbells, you'll feel there's a definite increase in the surface area needed on your door.
It's a sleek design though, with a minimal look that hides all of the mechanisms inside. The only things protruding on the doorbell are the central button, which is illuminated by a ring of blue and the camera element, which is encased at black at the top. In the box, you'll also find a sticker that lets neighbours or visitors know that they are being recorded, which can accompany the doorbell.
Once out of the box, setting up the doorbell itself was easy thanks to the aid of the Ring app. If you're technologically inclined, it really will only take you minutes to do the initial set-up. First pop the battery pack into the doorbell, then connect up your model via the app, and then move onto the mounting process and click the faceplate into place.
As a renter, I opted for the adhesive option for securing the Ring 4, which meant I could avoid drilling (and therefore annoying my landlord). The no-drill mounting place was easy to fit to the side of my door, but if yours is at a trickier angle there's also a corner plate included to straighten the view out of the camera.
It also means that if you need to take the camera off when moving or doing repairs, then you don't have to take the screws out. For homeowners, the option to drill the Ring 4 in will probably provide more security, but I was glad of the versatility for renters too.
Using the Ring doorbell and app
Once you're all set up, you can choose from a range of settings within the app to customise your doorbell. Each Ring comes with a 30-day free trial of Ring Protect, so at first you'll have access to every setting possible, and be able to scope out if you want to sign up for the full service (£8 a month at the time of writing).
This means that at first, motion detection will be turned on at all times for your Ring so that you're able to see anyone approaching your door and receive alerts when that happens. You'll also be able to playback footage.
Those in detached houses will probably get the full benefit of this feature, but as I live in a building with various flats using the same door I turned it off fairly quickly and set alerts and video to come through only when my doorbell was rung to avoid invading anyone's privacy.
As I didn't have a doorbell wiring system in place (our old doorbell is broken), I also decided to invest in the accompanying Chime for my Ring doorbell in order to move beyond just relying on the app for notifications. You can buy the Ring 4 with a Chime initially for a great bundle price, but I paid £30 for mine on Amazon.
The Chime was just as easy to set up as the doorbell itself. All I needed to do was plug it in at the wall, connect it to Wi-Fi and then program it on the Ring app, where it synchronised with the doorbell downstairs. You can change the tone and volume of the ring and buy multiple if you need to be able to hear the Chime throughout your home.
The video quality on the Ring app is pretty faultless - you can see exactly who is at your door and use the two-way speak function to tell someone what to do with your deliveries remotely, too.
Another feature I loved was the ability to set auto-responses via the app. Your doorbell can tell a visitor to leave a message or leave a parcel in a hidden place if there's no answer to the door within 15 seconds, for example. This is very handy for avoiding getting those annoying 'you missed your parcel' slips through the letterbox!
The battery life on the Ring 4 can last for up to six months, although I found in the initial testing phase that it needed a boost within about three months. This is probably due to the fact that I had motion detection turned on for a chunk of that time, which is a battery drainer.
In any case, recharging the battery itself doesn't take long at all (about a working day), and slotting it back into the body of the doorbell is very easy. For those with wireless headphones and other devices, it might feel tiresome to have another device to charge, but for the smart features available I can see why it's a sacrifice worth making.
Should you buy the Ring 4 Video Doorbell?
The Ring 4 is a video doorbell equipped with everything I'm looking for when it comes to home security and pure convenience. It has made receiving parcels at my home much easier, and it's great for peace of mind when assessing who is at my front door.
There's so much to like about the set-up process and Ring app, all of which I could operate and use pretty much daily without a hitch. I would say that the Chime add-on is pretty much essential, so opt for the Ring 4 doorbell bundle with that included if you can.
Price-wise, the Ring 4 is a fairly expensive buy, with an RRP of £179.99, and once you add the monthly subscription needed for Ring Protect, the costs do start to stack up. If you're going to make use of all of the features and detection the Ring 4 has available, then it's a small cost to pay for security, but if you want a stripped-back video doorbell, then it might be worth shopping around.
