In an age where we are more security conscious than ever before, video doorbells can give us peace of mind.
After all, it is very comforting to be able to see who is at your front door before you open it.
And wi-fi video doorbells, like these, are some of the best selling smart home products.
But wi-fi video doorbells are all well and good as long as your home has wi-fi and you own a smartphone.
But what if you don’t?
Well, then you need a video doorbell with a monitor.
What is a video doorbell with a monitor?
A video doorbell with a monitor, has three basic parts to it.
The first part, as you can see from the image, has a camera and call button built into a weatherproof casing- which is then mounted next to your front door.
The second part is a monitor that displays the footage from the camera.
These are typically between 7″ and 10″ wide.
And the third basic part is a set of wires that connect the video doorbell to the monitor.
How Do They Work?
When a visitor approaches your front door and presses the “call button”, a buzzer will sound on the monitor and at the same time the monitor will also show a live video feed from the camera.
You can see if it is someone you know or not and whether you want to let them in or not.
At this stage you have the option of pressing a button on the monitor to talk to your visitor- or not if you don’t want to.
If you want to let the visitor into your house then you can go and open the front door.
This is one of the disadvantages of these products- you still have to answer your own front door.
If you want to avoid getting out of a chair to answer the front door, this video doorbell and monitor will link to a smart lock, which will make your life even easier.
Key Features for Video Doorbells and Monitors
Video doorbells and monitors are fairly simple products.
Even so, I have identified five features that you need to look out for whilst you are shopping…
- Monitor
You want a monitor that gives an HD color picture and is also a touch screen.
- Adjustable and Auto Off
Also make sure that your monitor has adjustable controls for volume and contrast.
And that the monitor dims when not in use.
- 2 Way Audio
As well as the ability to see a visitor on the monitor, you want to be able to talk to them as well.
Just in case you need to find out exactly what they want…
- Night Vision
Check that your video doorbell has night vision so that you can identify a visitor even when it is dark.
- Selection of Ring Chimes
Buy a video doorbell that comes with a variety of chimes- otherwise hearing the same chime day in, day out might send you nuts….
- Expansion
You want to buy a video doorbell and monitor that allows you to buy and connect more monitors to the doorbell in future.
After all, wouldn’t it be nice to have a monitor in the living room and kitchen?
Ideal Buyers
As I mentioned earlier, video doorbells with a monitor are perfect for people who do not own a smart phone or have Wi-Fi at home.
They are also ideal for people who only want to control and use their video doorbells whilst at home.
Video doorbells and monitors are connected to each other by a length of wire, which is about 15 metres long.
This makes these products ideal for smaller homes because by the time that a cable has been run around a few corners, it will not stretch far at all.
This is because video doorbells with monitors cannot be remotely accessed, which is the ability to connect to a video doorbell when you are away from home.
And the main type of person who fall into all of those categories are elderly people.
Pros and Cons of Video doorbells
What are the pros and cons of video doorbells and monitors?
Let’s start off with the pros.
- These systems give users access to a sophisticated piece of technology in a very easy to use format.
- Video doorbells and monitors offer peace of mind by allowing a home owner to identify a visitor before they open the front door.
- They are very affordable and simple to operate when compared with more sophisticated wi-fi video doorbell.
- Because the doorbell and monitor are connected together via a wire the picture quality will be consistently higher in comparison to wi-fi video doorbells that rely on a wi-fi signal for connection.
And what about the cons?
- The biggest one has to be the difficulty with installation. If you want to bury the wire within a wall that will create lots of work and mess because you will need to cut a shallow trench in walls. Or if you want to run the cable on the surface of the wall, will that look too messy?
- Because the monitors are hardwired, they cannot be moved and so you will need a monitor in every room that you use frequently.
- Doorbell and monitor combinations cannot provide you with remote access- you cannot connect to your video doorbell whilst you are at work.
For a select group of people, video doorbells with monitors are terrific products that will help to keep people and their homes safer.
Video Doorbell With Monitors Reviews
Below are a number of reviews of different video doorbell systems that include monitors.
This list compares different priced options and different types of system.
#1: TMEZON Video Doorbell
Video doorbells are wonderful, but what is even better? Wireless video doorbells.
The TMEZON video doorbell though is not only wireless, which means no hassle of an extensive installation, but it also connects to your smart phone!
Every time someones at the door, your phone is going to call you.
But say you don’t want to wire it up to your smart phone, the TMEZON monitors are something from a science fiction film.
They are elegant and stream line at their 7 inch length, providing a beautiful HD picture at 1200 TVL (that’s good).
And don’t be content with just one video monitor, you want more.
TMEZON provides four indoor monitors, that means enough for every corner of your house.
No matter where you are, you’ll be able to run to a monitor and see exactly who’s at the door in a moments notice.
What’s more, the monitors record every time someone approaches the door.
This is because of motion sensors on the doorbell camera. So with an SD card you will see every person and squirrel who knocks on your door step when you review your footage later.
And everything is durable too, waterproof, dust proof, anti vandal.
You name it, this thing will withstand it.
This is top of the range video camera doorbell technology, the beautiful set up that we all want.
The buttons on the monitor are touch key too, adding to the stream line feel.
I recommend this system to everyone who wants the best and the beautiful when it comes to monitors and doorbell cameras.
But you won’t need to use the buttons much, most of the system is fully hands free!
It is a great deal, and provides the luxury video monitoring of your door that you want.
#2: WOLILIWO Video Doorbell With Camera
For those who want the luxury of a video doorbell system but for as little cost as possible, the WOLILIWO Video Doorbell is the one for you.
With HD camera and full colour monitor, you won’t miss a single thing going on outside your door!
The nine-inch monitor not only displays in full HD and colour, but it also has night vision too!
And I love the size of this monitor.
It lets me see much clearer everything happening outside.
It’s customisable too.
Ringtones and brightness can all be adjusted on the monitor it’self, so it will adjust to however you want it.
No more annoying built in ringtones.
But what if you don’t want to have to run to the monitor every time you hear it ring?
WOLILIWO video doorbells come with the option to buy extra monitors as well.
So you can mount three in separate locations.
One in the bedroom, one in the living room and one in the hall, or wherever you want it!
And there you go, no more hassle of running to the door.
The luxury we all want!
One of my biggest hassles in life when it comes to video doorbells and their cameras is the fact that I live next to the sea.
And we all know the sea does hell to most of these gadgets.
But not this one! Not only is it waterproof, it’s oxidation proof as well.
Which means that it’s not going to collapse to the elements nearly as fast as the other cameras and monitors out there.
Overall, it’s a lovely display, and it’s great to adjust to how you want it.
HD, night vision, and multiple 9 inch monitors, it’s luxury at a cheap price.
Perfect for those of us who want these HD monitors without breaking the bank.
#3: 1byone Video Door Phone
Most of us today are hesitant to open the door to just anyone.
We want to be able to see who is at the door while keeping ourselves at a safe distance.
Whether it be from that one neighbour who asks every second day for a cup of sugar, or those pesky kids who are messing with our doorbell again.
And of course, we all want to be safe from those who want to cause us harm.
The 1byone video doorbell is simple to use and easy to install. And it covers all bases.
The monitor system is perfect to be able to watch whoever it is at your door from the safety and comfort of your home video monitor outside the doorbell.
And it’s camera is waterproof.
It’s also shielded with an aluminium plate that will stop anyone trying to vandalise it.
The video monitor is beautiful and elegant and sit’s on the wall nicely.
And this monitor can be wired to be just about anywhere!
The video monitoring system is of perfect size to fit on just about any wall.
The monitor connects with two wires straight to your doorbell and its camera with a maximum distance of 100 meters!
I love the reach you can achieve.
Even from an upstairs bedroom I can, with a push of a button, view everything happening on the front porch.
Even at night, it still works perfectly with it’s infrared LED projection, meaning there is no need to have to install extra lights outside your door.
And with its extra buttons, it’s possible to wire it to an electric gate or door as well.
So when it’s raining, we don’t need to walk outside to get the gate!
If you are out for most of your day like I am, you will want to be able to come home and view with peace of mind everything that went on outside your door.
This is why I love the fact that 1byone video doorbell allows for an SD card.
The card quickly slides in and records everything for later viewing.
This product is perfect for anyone who wants to keep an eye on their door step from the comfort of their couch; with quick and easy setup and not much hassle.
#4: AMOCAM Wired Video doorbell
Though far from the best when it comes to doorbell camera systems, AMOCAM is cheap and easy to operate.
It might be what you want if you are looking for a cheap solution.
This doorbell camera system will allow you to see exactly who is at your door with a 92 degree angle view.
You’ll never have to worry going to open the front door again.
If you don’t mind the fact AMOCAM doesn’t record footage or link to a phone, this doorbell camera and monitor might just work for you.
With a nice 7 inch monitor screen that displays in colour and has built in night vision tech, you will be able to see and speak to guests outside from the safety and comfort of your living room.
For me this is all I could want, with no real need for anything fancy.
It does the job.
The LDC monitor screen is easily adjustable to different brightness, colour and contrast levels.
And you can choose between 16 different chimes for the one you want.
Along with this the monitor is hands free and auto turns off, so no need to learn finicky buttons to operate the device.
You also have the option to purchase two monitors, so you are able to operate the intercom from two seperate locations, great for double stories or those who don’t want to run to the hall way to get the door every time.
But I’m not going to lie, the AMOCAM is not high tech nor made of durable materials.
But for almost half the price of most other video doorbells, you get what you pay for.
For those elderly, or those not exactly tech savvy, it is easy to operate after installation.
#5: MOUNTAINONE 7 Inch Video DoorBell Monitor
So you’re looking for top of the range video doorbell systems?
We all want to have the peace of mind that camera doorbells bring, and MOUNTAINONE goes beyond that.
With night vision you will be able to check on your door at any time, day or night.
And the 7 inch high resolution screen means you wont miss a thing coming through the HD camera lens.
The camera is water proof and oxidation proof, perfect to protect it from anything the elements will throw at it.
Which where I live, is a must for any electronic system to survive longer than a few weeks.
This system is durable and effective.
And what I love even more: it looks beautiful.
This thing is streamline and fashionable in it’s dark colours and touch screen technology.
The monitor blends wonderfully onto any wall and looks like a feature rather than a gadget.
And what’s more, the two 7 inch monitor screens not only interact with the doorbell and it’s camera, but with each other too.
This makes the MOUNTAINONE system much more than a intercom with a camera; it connects your entire house via audio visual.
This system is great for you if what you want is luxury design and the peace of mind that it’s security brings.
You will never have to worry who is at your door again.
A touch of a button and you can see and speak to who ever is there.
This is the security system we all want.
#6: ANBOSON Video Door Phone Doorbell
A cheap and durable solution to the problem of “who’s at my door now”, the ANBOSON Video doorbell has everything you need at a very cheap price.
Though, it lacks some of the fancy gadgets that more expensive doorbell cameras and their monitors include.
But what it does do, it does well.
The ANBOSON’s monitor screen is 7 inches wide.
This provides a high resolution image from the HD camera set up at your door, letting you see everything.
The monitor is completely hands free when using the camera and intercom, and is easy to operate and adjust the settings.
Though a word of caution, the manual is unclear on somethings at times.
But it’s setup and settings is mostly common sense.
When at first I heard how it was completely plastic and at such a low price, I thought it couldn’t be any good.
But I was proved wrong.
It works well and is surprisingly strong.
And it has all the essentials: night vision and audio & visual two way communication.
Though it doesn’t record for later viewing.
But if you aren’t interested in reviewing footage anyways this will work for you.
I would recommend this as a cheap but effective system, and will work for anyone who wants the basic video doorbell system.
And it’s easy to operate for those of us who hate pressing lots of buttons.
Overall a great value for money purchase, better than other products in it’s price range.
It only has one real hiccup which is the fact that the four pin cable is very short.
And it can only handle one monitor.
But if you are okay with placing only one monitor near the door, this should be no problem for you.
With some extra cable this problem can be solved as well.
And besides this the product is perfect and one of my favourites.