When it comes to doorbells with audio and video capabilities, the space is largely occupied by Ring and Nest. Tied to Amazon and Google, respectively, they can be tied to each brand’s ecosystem of connected devices. The problem, however, is that they can be a bit too pricey for some consumers.
EZVIZ, a company that we’ve profiled in the past, has a cheaper alternative that offers up many of the same features, but at a lower cost. While Nest commands $230 for its product, EZVIZ charges about $150 for its DB1 Smart Video Doorbell.
In the Box
Included in the box are three faceplate choices: black, white, and brown. Black and white are about what you might expect, and fit pretty much any environment. The brown leaves much to be desired and is more along the lines of a light chocolate milk.
In addition to the faceplates, there are three options for mounting plates. Each is a bit different from the others and is designed to give you different viewing angles. Changing the faceplates is relatively easy; you’ll just need a small screwdriver
Design and Features
The DB1’s overall design is good, but nothing overly special. It’s a tall bar with rounded edges and has three circles that run up the center. It’s roughly 50% bigger than other models in the video doorbell space.
The 3-megapixel camera records video at 2,048 x 1,536 pixel resolution, higher than the Ring Pro and Nest Hello, and has a wide, 180 degree field of view.
In daylight, the picture quality is more adequate, even if the person(s) at your door have stepped back a smidge. At night, the IR enhances the picture, making it easier to discern, however it comes at a price. Quality drops quite a bit, but that’s generally what happens when dealing with infrared.
While the camera can be triggered via the bottom ring button, it’s also possible to simply pull up the camera for a live feed. Or, let it use IR for motion activation for security, capturing video clips to a microSD card or uploading to a paid, cloud account. It’s worth noting here that the cloud account is only available in select countries.
Working from the basement, we like to occasionally glance to see what the weather is like outside, or why the dogs might be barking. Have an office that’s on the back side of a building? Use the camera to quickly peek at the front door. The app makes this convenient in home and away.
Conclusion
Setup and customization is easy and we appreciate that the DB1 can be adjusted to personal tastes. We also like that the doorbell has 2.4GHz and 5Ghz connectivity as that makes installation and configuration easier.
The camera is fairly quick to detect people and animals, the two-way communication is convenient, field of view is terrific. It’s hard to argue for more when dealing with a $150 price tag.
We’ve enjoyed our time with various EZVIZ cameras over the last few years and are always willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Sure, you might feel more comfortable with Nest, Honeywell, or others but you’ll pay for it..
The doorbell itself is big and doesn’t do much to hide itself. That’s a good thing, really, as it’s designed to help you not catch people in the act of theft. Speaking of which, it’s possibly a deterrent as it is so obvious.
If you’ve already got EZVIZ products in your home, it makes perfect sense to consider the DB1. The app experience ties everything together and creates a more seamless experience.
We’d love to see Google Assistant support. Most homes tend to go with either Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant, often putting their eggs in one basket. EZVIZ does support the virtual assistants for some of its cameras so we may get that in an update. If or when that happens, it makes this one much more interesting and appealing.
Availability
You can learn more about the DB1 at the EZVIZ website and find it for purchase at outlets and retailers like Amazon, Lowe’s, Walmart, and BH Photo Video.
