Picking a doorbell for your home doesn’t sound like a complicated task, but when you have to do it, you find out just how many types of doorbells there are. This complicates matters quite a bit.
It’s not as easy as just picking the cheapest option, either. There are a variety of pros and cons for every type.
Today, we’re going to go over the 6 best doorbell types that you should consider and what makes them stand out from one another.
1. The Traditional Wired Doorbell
First, there’s the traditional wired doorbell. This is the basic type of doorbell that people have had in their homes for decades, and there’s a reason it is still in use despite so much variety hitting the market. It works.
A wired doorbell is wired directly into your home’s electrical system. This provides it with a number of benefits, such as not needing to be powered or charged. If your electricity is on, the doorbell works. It’s also incredibly resilient because of the simplistic design. With fewer things that can go wrong, there are fewer problems for you to experience.
These also tend to be some of the cheapest doorbells available. Other cost-effective options in different categories usually have major drawbacks. For example, very cheap wireless doorbells are known for running out of battery or wearing out way earlier than they should. So, this is a great way to maximize reliability without spending an arm and a leg.
With that said, none of these doorbell types are super expensive. So, even the finest options aren’t inaccessible to the average person.
Two big drawbacks to these are that they’re a little more difficult to set up, and they don’t tend to have many features. These are usually your old-school doorbells. The visitor presses a button, and a tone sounds inside of your house. That’s about it.
2. Smart Doorbells
These are the exact opposite of traditional wired doorbells. These are the peak of modern doorbell technology, and they offer way more than any other type of doorbell on this list for a modern front door.
A smart doorbell is internet-enabled. This means that, as long as you have internet connectivity, you can do a lot more than simply hear a tone when someone presses your doorbell.
Some common features of these doorbells include switching the tone and volume of your doorbell with a simple app, live video and audio in front of your door, motion sensing, and much more.
You’ve probably seen a lot of online content from doorbells like this, and without mentioning any brands, there’s a good reason for that. They’ve become mainstream, and technology has become more affordable.
However, there are some major drawbacks.
First, while they have a lot of features, they rely on the internet. If the internet goes out or you lose service, you lose all or most of the features you rely on.
Then, there’s the cost. While the prevalence of the technology has reduced prices, these are still expensive for the average person. Especially when you consider other costs, such as having a compatible phone or secondary units inside of your home that function as speakers. Many doorbells even require a subscription for service.
Finally, there’s a privacy concern. Some companies that offer smart doorbells also reserve the right to use your footage, audio, and data or give those assets to law enforcement upon request. For the most part, this isn’t a concern for the average person, but it is something you deserve to be aware of.
In short, these offer the most benefits, but they also have the most severe drawbacks.
3. Wireless Doorbells
Wireless doorbells are like the traditional doorbells we talked about earlier, but they cut the cord.
Usually, these are powered by an internal battery, and there’s a receiver inside the house that sounds the tone when someone presses the doorbell.
These are incredibly easy to set up because they’re already paired via IR technology, don’t require internet, and don’t require any hookups, but there are some potential drawbacks.
First, if you go with the very cheap options, you will likely find yourself looking for replacements in the near future. They don’t last long.
Second, performance tends to drop considerably as batteries get weaker. So, you might not notice that your doorbell needs a charge or a battery replacement, and it might just stop working without you realizing it. It might go kaput before you grab the door-handle, and you might just have to go back to using the door-knocker until it gets fixed.
4. Best Doorbell Type – Security Doorbells
These share many traits with the smart doorbells that we mentioned earlier, but they’re less focused on convenience and more focused on security.
Sometimes, these options not only provide front-entry video and audio surveillance with features such as motion detection, but they also connect to your home’s security system and alert police when certain thresholds are met. This can include issues such as tampering in an attempt to shut the doorbell down and gain entry or any number of other things.
These are great if you value your home’s security and are willing to deal with issues such as subscription fees, higher installation costs, and potential accidental security alerts.
5. Non-Subscription Security Doorbells
If subscription fees and the potential to accidentally trigger a police visit on yourself sound a little extreme, but you still want some added security for your home, there are non-subscription options that aren’t quite as extensive, but they still provide great benefits.
These typically include things such as alarm tones if the bell is tampered with, motion detection and lights, etc.
You usually have to manually respond to these things instead of having the bell handle it for you, but for some people, that is preferable.
6. Programmable Doorbells
Finally, maybe you don’t care about fancy features, but you do want a doorbell that sets the mood for your guests. A programmable traditional doorbell is a great option that has been around for a long time. It’s essentially a traditional doorbell, but you can pick from a variety of tones.
It’s simple and adds character.
Make Your Entryway Beautiful with Door Digest
Finding the best doorbell type is no easy task. We are here to help you secure your door and find a reasonable solution, whatever your situation is. Whether you’re looking for the perfect doorbell, or you need tips to help you find the perfect door for your entryway, we have you covered. Check out more from Door Digest today!
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