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Jun 19, 2023

Abode Wireless Video Doorbell

Why get up to check your door when you can use a relatively low-cost smart doorbell to screen visitors from your phone? The Abode Wireless Video Doorbell runs on battery power, is easy to install, and

Why get up to check your door when you can use a relatively low-cost smart doorbell to screen visitors from your phone? The Abode Wireless Video Doorbell runs on battery power, is easy to install, and delivers sharp 2K video for $99.99. It also works with voice controls, though it requires a hub (included) and locks intelligent alerts and recordings behind a monthly subscription. It’s still a good value, especially if you rely on an Abode home security system, but the similarly priced Wyze Video Doorbell Pro ($93.99) remains our Editors' Choice winner in this price range thanks to better third-party compatibility and built-in dual-band Wi-Fi.

The Abode Wireless Video Doorbell is a two-piece system that includes a doorbell unit and a chime box that doubles as a hub to connect the doorbell to your network. The box includes a USB charging cable, an Ethernet cord, the chime box, a mounting plate, a wedge mounting plate, mounting hardware, and a user guide.

The doorbell has a white exterior and a black interior camera component. On the front, there's a camera lens, a doorbell button, two microphones, six infrared LEDs, and a motion sensor. The LED ring around the doorbell button glows blue when someone presses it and amber when the camera detects motion. The bottom of the doorbell includes a speaker, while a rubber cover protects a pairing button, a USB-C charging port, and a power button on the back. It doesn't have any wiring terminals.

The doorbell measures 5.0 by 2.0 by 1.3 inches (HWD), which puts it at roughly the same size as the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus (5.1 by 2.4 by 1.1 inches). It has an IP65 weatherproof rating and uses a non-removable 2,600mAh cell that should last up to two months between charges depending on usage. For comparison, the Wyze Video Doorbell Pro's battery should last for much longer, up to six months. To charge the battery on the Abode, you must remove the entire doorbell and connect it to the chime box using the included USB-A-to-USB-C charging cable. The company doesn't recommend trying with any other cable or charger.

The white-and-black chime box serves as a network hub for the doorbell and contains a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi radio. It measures 1.4 by 2.9 by 2.9 inches and has a speaker on top that plays a chime when someone presses the doorbell button. Also up top are three small LEDs that glow amber when the hub first turns on or blue once it has an active connection with the doorbell. The front has reset and sync buttons, while the rear offers an Ethernet port, a USB-A charging port, and a power jack. The initial setup requires you to use the Ethernet port, but afterward, you can establish a wireless connection to your network if you prefer.

The camera captures 2K video at 20fps and has a 160-degree field of view. It uses infrared LEDs for black-and-white night vision and can record color video at night if adequate ambient light is available. It grabs clips whenever someone presses the doorbell button or the camera detects motion, but you have to subscribe to the $7-per-month Abode Standard Plan to access those recordings. A subscription also unlocks 10 days of video history for an unlimited number of cameras and premium features such as a timeline of video events; person, package, and pet detection; interoperability with other devices in an Abode security system; and rich notifications. Local video storage is not an option.

It doesn't support Apple's HomeKit platform, IFTTT, or Matter, but it does work seamlessly within an existing Abode home security system, such as the iota All-In-One Security Kit. The doorbell also supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands.

The doorbell uses the same mobile app (available for Android and iOS) as Abode's security systems and appears in a panel on the Dashboard screen under Video Cameras. The panel shows the name of the doorbell and a still image of the last captured event.

Tap the panel to open a screen with a live feed. Below the live video view, there are buttons for muting the sound and initiating two-way talk. If you have an Abode subscription, the app also shows a timeline of recorded events.

Tap the gear icon in the upper right corner to access the doorbell’s settings. Here, you can enable Privacy Mode (which turns the camera off), assign the doorbell to a group (which then allows you to control all those devices simultaneously), configure the video capture length (between 1 and 30 seconds), and adjust motion sensitivity (low, medium, or high). Advanced settings let you enable sound recording, configure the microphone volume, and adjust the speaker volume. You can also switch between wired or wireless connectivity for the chime box, as mentioned.

As with most battery-powered doorbells, the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell is easy to install. I started by downloading the Abode mobile app and creating an account. After I verified my email, I selected Devices at the bottom of the Dashboard, tapped the plus icon in the upper right corner, and selected I Have Another Device. Then, I tapped Video Doorbell from the list, confirmed my time zone, and followed the instructions to open the rubber flap on the back of the doorbell and turn it on.

Next, I connected the chime to my router using the included Ethernet cable, powered it up, and tapped Continue. I pressed the Sync button on the chime and then pressed the power button on the back of the doorbell to initiate the connection. I gave the doorbell a name, updated the firmware, and elected to have the chime remain connected to my router via Ethernet. At this point, you can exit the setup or view the in-app installation instructions. I used the included mounting plate and screws to attach the doorbell to a surface close to my front door to complete the installation.

The Abode doorbell delivers solid 2K video. Some barrel distortion is present around the edges of the frame, but this is common with doorbell cameras and does not affect the overall image quality. Image detail is sharp and colors look proper. Color night vision clips appear decent, but not nearly as vibrant as those in daylight. Black-and-white night footage has good contrast.

Motion and doorbell alerts arrive instantly, and I can hear the chime throughout my home and even from my backyard. Two-way audio sounds loud and clear, too. An Alexa routine I created for the Defiant Outdoor Plug to turn on when someone pressed the doorbell button works as intended, as do Alexa voice commands to stream video to an Amazon Echo Show display.

At just under $100, the Abode Wireless Video Doorbell is a good value if you want to add a high-resolution doorbell to your smart home. It seamlessly integrates into existing Abode home security systems, and it supports Alexa and Google Assistant voice commands. On the downside, it requires a hub for connectivity (though at least it comes included with the doorbell) and doesn't work with HomeKit, IFTTT, or Matter. Overall, we prefer the slightly less expensive Wyze Video Doorbell Pro because of its better third-party device support, longer battery life, and built-in dual-band Wi-Fi.