Which Is The Best Video Doorbell For Elderly On The UK Market?

A video doorbell provides added security for the elderly, especially those who live alone.

Instead of opening the door to check who is there, they can check a monitor (or their phone, for some doorbells) to make sure it’s someone they trust.

Most video doorbells also allow two-way communication, which is handy if it’s a stranger who is at the door.

A good video doorbell for your loved one should be easy to install, easy to use and reliable.

Below, we review five video doorbells that meet these requirements, or come close. But first, some tips to keep in mind when you are shopping for a senior-friendly video doorbell.

What to Consider When Choosing a Video Doorbell for an Elderly Loved One

a) Type of Connectivity

When it comes to connectivity, video doorbells fall in two categories: wireless and wired.

Wired doorbells are the most common and usually the most affordable. The camera installed outside on the door is connected by cable to the display monitor inside the house.

The cable carries a live feed from the camera to the monitor when the doorbell is pressed.

Because wired doorbells do not rely on the presence and strength of a signal like WiFi or Bluetooth, they are far more reliable than many wireless alternatives.

For most seniors, a wired video doorbell is the best.

Wireless video doorbells rely on WiFi, Bluetooth or some other wireless connectivity.

The biggest advantage of wireless doorbells is that you don’t need to run a cable from the door to the monitor. So, you can place the monitor in any room as long it is still within range.

With some WiFi doorbells, you can set it up to send a live feed to your elderly loved one’s monitor or phone inside the house as well as your own smartphone, wherever you are.

This is handy if you want to know when your loved one receives a visitor.

The biggest problem with wireless video doorbells, especially WiFi models, is unreliability. There’s usually a lag between the doorbell being pressed and the app showing you a live feed.

If you have spotty WiFi coverage, the lag can be worse, sometimes to the point where the camera disconnects.

b) Video Quality

Most video doorbells are equipped with cameras capable of shooting video at 1080p. This is HD quality. It ensures a bright and easy-to-see video on the monitor.

For seniors with deteriorating eyesight, a HD video doorbell is the best.

If your loved one has good eyesight, you can get away with a lower resolution camera and display since they only need to look at it when the doorbell is rang.

c) Night Vision

Make sure the video doorbell functions well at night. Otherwise, it won’t be very good for security.

Most video doorbells use infrared LEDs to provide night visibility up to around 10m out. Others use traditional visible light LEDs, which have reduced visibility range, to illuminate the face of whoever’s at the door.

If you opt for a video doorbell without night vision make sure the front door is well lit either with a traditional security light or a motion-detecting light.

Talking of motion-detecting…

d) Motion Detection

Check if the doorbell comes with a built-in motion detector.

Normally, video doorbells activate when someone rings the doorbell. A doorbell with a motion-detecting sensor will also activate if it detects motion near or at the front door.

This provides added security. In case there’s a burglar scouting the house, you can catch them in the act.

The downside with video doorbells that can detect motion is that the battery drains faster. Of course, this only applies to battery-powered doorbells.

If the sensor activates too often, you’ll have to recharge or replace the batteries more frequently. Some video doorbells have motion detectors that are too sensitive, activating every time a car or someone passes on the street.

e) Display Size

Before you even consider the size of the display monitor, check if the doorbell even comes with a monitor.

Some doorbells, especially those that use WiFi, connect to your smartphone or tablet via an app. When the doorbell is rang, the app displays a live feed on your phone.

We do not recommend these types of doorbells unless your loved one has no problem using the usually complicated user interfaces of smartphones.

The best video doorbells for seniors are those with dedicated monitors. They are much easier to use.

Check the size of the monitor. The largest ones have a 7” display, about the size of a standard tablet computer. A large screen makes it easier to see the live feed even from a distance.

There are doorbells that come with much smaller displays but these are meant to be portable. Your loved one can carry it around from room to room for easy accessibility.

But the smaller screen can be hard to see if they have poor eyesight.

f) Built-in Intercom

This is a must-have. A built-in intercom allows you to communicate with your visitor. You can talk to them and you can hear what they are saying.

The 2-way communication is useful when it’s a stranger who is at the door. You can ask them who they are and what they want.

This is particularly handy for sending away bothersome salespeople without getting up to open the door.

g) Monitoring Functionality

Check if the video doorbell has monitoring functionality. This allows you to get a live feed from the camera whenever you want instead of waiting until someone rings the bell.

It transforms the doorbell into a security camera, letting you see what’s happening outside at any time.

It can be useful if you hear some unusual noises outside or out on the street.

h) Media Storage Options

Most video cameras do not store video recordings. You can only view a live feed.

If you want the ability to store video recordings look for a video doorbell with either local storage (typically using a memory card) or cloud storage.

Local storage is the best for most seniors since it doesn’t rely on an internet connection and it’s easy to access the recordings.

Cloud storage is useful if you are a caregiver who wants to view the recordings remotely at any time. However, cloud storage usually requires a monthly subscription fee.

By the way, check the recording options for the camera. Some give you the option to record on demand while others only record for a brief period when the doorbell is rang or the motion detector is activated.

i) Sound and Display Settings

Using the interface on the monitor, you should be able to adjust the following settings.

  • Volume of sound from the intercom. You can lower the volume if there are grandkids visiting (to avoid waking them) or increase it if you have hearing problems.
  • Check if the doorbell comes with multiple ringtones to choose from. It’s not an essential feature but it’s nice to have.
  • Display brightness. You can adjust the monitor brightness for easy and comfortable viewing in different light conditions.

j) Support for Multiple Cameras and Monitors

Check if the video doorbell can support additional cameras and/or monitors.

Multiple camera support is useful if you plan to install more than one security cameras. You can have the monitor display footage from the front door camera as well as the back door camera.

Support for multiple monitors is useful if you want your loved one to be able to monitor the front door from different rooms. You can have one monitor in the living room, another in the kitchen and another in the bedroom.

k) Installation and Power

Check how easy it is to install the video doorbell.

Most video doorbells require simple surface-mounting using screws. If you choose a doorbell that requires drilling into the door, you may need to hire a pro.

Something else to consider is how the doorbell is powered.

Some require hardwiring. That’s easy for those with an existing doorbell. Simply uninstall the current doorbell and connect the new one without running any new electrical wires.

If you don’t have existing wires (and don’t want to call an electrician), get a battery-powered doorbell. Some use a rechargeable battery while others use small replaceable batteries.

l) Weatherproof and Vandal-Proof

Finally, make sure the video doorbell is protected from the weather (including rain, dust and corrosion) and vandals.

The Best Video Doorbells for Seniors

1. Lansidun Video Doorbell Review

Lansidun Video Doorbell Door Phone 7 inch Wired Video Telephone Entry Intercom System with 1 Monitor 1 Camera for Home, Handset or Hands Free-Black

This is our top recommendation for most seniors. It is affordable, easy to install and comes with plenty of useful features.

The Lansidun video doorbell is one of the wired types so there’s no app or WiFi connection to deal with.

The HD camera produces high quality footage that’s automatically transmitted to the 7” LCD monitor when someone rings the doorbell. Thanks to the white LEDs on the camera, you’ll still be able to see well at night.

The monitor has a touch screen, making it easy to use for seniors with arthritis. There are no buttons to push or dials to turn.

You can adjust various settings including volume, display brightness and type of ringtone.

A built-in 2-way intercom makes it easy to talk with whoever’s outside the door. You can communicate with the visitor via the hands-free loudspeaker or use the included handset.

One of our favourite features is remote unlock. You can connect the doorbell to your electric or magnetic door lock. Then, you can automatically unlock the door for your visitor by touching the ‘unlock’ button on the monitor.

This is super convenient for seniors who might have a hard time walking to the door.

Installation is easy. It requires surface-mounting and everything you need for installation is included.

What we like about it:

  • Affordable.
  • Easy to install and operate.
  • Remote door unlock.
  • Night vision.

2. Ring Video Doorbell 2 Review

Ring Video Doorbell 2 | 1080p HD Video, Two-Way Talk, Motion Detection, Wi-Fi Connected

If you must get a WiFi video doorbell, we recommend the Ring Video Doorbell 2.

The camera records high quality 1080p footage with a 160° field of view and night vision. This makes for exceptional quality viewing. You can clearly see who is at the door even if they are standing at the side.

It also includes 2-way talk.

Unlike other doorbells, Ring sends the live footage (and audio) to your smartphone or tablet. So you’ll need to connect it to your home WiFi and link your phone to it.

The use of WiFi does cause some reliability issues, with many users complaining of lag and frequent disconnections.

Make sure you have a strong WiFi connection, though this is not a guarantee that you won’t experience problems.

If you want to record video, you’ll need to subscribe to the Ring Protect Plan. Footage and images from the doorbell camera will be stored in your account for up to 30 day.

The first 30 days are free and then you pay £2.50 per month after that.

The Ring Video Doorbell 2 comes with an installation kit. It takes less than 20 minutes to have it up and running.

As for power, you can hardwire it if you already had a doorbell or leave it to run off the internal rechargeable battery.

The battery has a quick release mechanism so you don’t need to remove the whole doorbell when you want to recharge it.

What we like about it:

  • Motion detection.
  • Easy to install.
  • High quality video and images.
  • Night vision.

3. Metecsmart Video Intercom Doorbell Review

Metecsmart Video Intercom Doorbell 7inch Monitor - 4-Wired Camera Video Door Phone Kit 1-Metal-Camera 1-Monitor Night Vision Touch Button Screen - No Wi-Fi & APP (7'' Black)

The Metecsmart video doorbell is very similar to the Lansidun doorbell.

It is a wired doorbell (a plus for reliability) that includes a built-in two-way intercom, a 7” display monitor and a 69-degree FOV camera.

The FOV (field of view) is slightly narrower than the 90-degree FOV of the Lansidun doorbell, so you won’t be able to as wide an area.

The camera includes night vision so you’ll be able to see who’s at the door when you receive a night visitor.

But be warned, the night vision is not very good. It extends only up to 4m and the video quality is lower than during the day. We recommend addition lighting outside the front door to improve visibility.

The intercom system is loud and clear with adjustable volume. But it doesn’t come with a handset. You can only listen via the loud speaker.

The Metecsmart doorbell has a convenient auto-lock function, allowing you to lock and unlock an electric door lock without standing up.

Installation is easy. It comes with a complete installation kit. You just need to mount it on your door and connect it to the wires that were powering your previous doorbell.

If this is your first doorbell, you’ll have to call an electrician to hardwire it. There’s no battery option.

What we like about it:

  • Easy to install and operate.
  • Reliable – no WiFi or app.
  • Electric lock control.
  • Night vision (though it could be better).

4. iCreation 2.4G Wireless Video Doorbell Review

2.4G Wireless Video Doorbell, iCreation DIY Door Phone Intercom with Wide Angle Camera, Night Version, PIR Sensor, 200M Long Distance Without Worrying WiFi, Smoothly Video and HD Sound. (Gloden)

If you are looking for a wireless video doorbell, the iCreation 2.4G wireless video doorbell is better for most seniors than the Ring doorbell.

Unlike ring, iCreation doesn’t rely on WiFi. Instead, it uses Frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS). FHSS is a type of wireless transmission that’s very reliable and secure (meaning it’s highly resistant to hacking).

Unlike WiFi, you won’t see any lagging with FHSS. Even better, the iCreation doorbell doesn’t require an app, making it a great choice for seniors who have a hard time operating a smartphone.

The resolution on the small monitor is not the best. But it’s enough to see who’s out there.

Because of the its compact size, you can carry the monitor by hand or on a belt clip from room to room. Alternatively, leave it sitting on the included stand.

The FHSS wireless transmission has an open range of 200M and 50M when you are in the house (because of the walls).

The camera unit is a bit bulky. It’s not exactly a looker.

But it works well. The ultra-wide 135-degree viewing angle allows you to see you entire front porch. It also comes with IR LEDs for night vision.

As for power, you have two options. You can install 6 AA batteries or hardwire it.

What we like about it:

  • Easy to install and operate.
  • Wide angle camera with night vision and zoom functionality.
  • Reliable wireless technology.
  • Portable monitor.

5. TMEZON Video Door Phone Doorbell Review

TMEZON Video Door Phone Doorbell Intercom System,Door Entry System with 7 Inch 1-Monitor 1-Camera For 1-Family house,Touch Button, Night Vision,Support Automatically Snapshot/Recording

If you plan to install multiple doorbell cameras and have multiple monitors, the TMEZON Video Door Phone Doorbell is the best choice.

You can link up to two doorbells, four display monitors, two CCTV monitors and two IR sensor alarms.

TMEZON is also a great choice if you want a video doorbell with local storage. It comes with a memory card slot but no memory card. You can use a memory card with a storage capacity of up to 32GB.

The camera records high-definition footage with a 100-degree FOV. It also includes IR LEDs for night vision.

The monitor has a 7” color display plus a touch-screen user interface.

With the touch buttons, you can activate the 2-way intercom, select one of the 12 ringtones or remotely unlock an electric door lock.

You can also select the recording/snapshot option to record footage and images to the memory card.

Installation is straightforward especially if you already hard a doorbell. Use the same wiring to connect the new doorbell.

What we like about it:

  • Easy to install and operate.
  • Local storage.
  • Support for additional cameras and monitors.
  • Night vision.

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