Ring Battery Doorbell Plus Hands-on Review

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus Hands-on Review

Video doorbells are becoming ubiquitous as more and more people invest in the added security and convenience they offer, and Ring has a lineup of options that rank in the list of best video doorbells.

The newest model, the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus, is the company's second model with head-to-toe visibility, so you can see packages posted at the base of the door. More importantly, it is the first battery-powered video doorbell, making installation even easier. [Additionally, Battery Doorbell Plus can be seamlessly paired with other Ring products, such as sensors, security lights, and smart home devices.

In our brief testing, we found a lot to like about the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus. We will try it out a bit more before giving it a final rating, but so far we are impressed.

The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is priced at $179.99 and is available at Ring.com (opens in new tab) or Amazon (opens in new tab).

Compare this to the Ring Video Doorbell 4 for $159.99 and the Ring Video Doorbell (2nd generation) for $69.99.

Our favorite video doorbell, the Nest Doorbell (battery), retails for $179.99 but is often marked down.

Keep in mind that you must subscribe to the Ring Protect plan to save recordings from the doorbell. Plans start at $4 per month or $40 per year.

Not sure which model is best for you? Check out our guide to the best Ring video doorbells to learn more about each device.

At 5.1 x 2.4 x 1.1 inches, the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is exactly the same size as the Ring Video Doorbell 4. Like the previous model, the upper third of the body is glossy black and contains the camera. The lower two-thirds are silver, with buttons located on them.

Like all Ring doorbells, the Battery Doorbell Plus can be hardwired into your home's electrical system or run on batteries. The battery is removable, so there is no need to remove the entire doorbell for recharging. Simply remove the security screw and unlock the battery by removing the silver plate.Ring comes with a USB charging cable.

The Ring also comes with a corner mount, which I used because I needed to mount the doorbell to an inward-facing door frame. A wedge to raise or lower the angle of the camera can be purchased separately. However, because of the large vertical frame of the Battery Doorbell Plus, a wedge does not seem to be as necessary.

One of the main differences between the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus and previous models is the improved video quality; both the Video Doorbell 4 and Video Doorbell (2nd generation) offer 1080p video.

Live view from the Doorbell is crisp and clear, with bright colors and good detail during the day. At night, as expected, the video is more muddy.

While the improved video quality resolution is nice, the best upgrade is the increased vertical field of view of 150 degrees. This is significantly better than the 90 degrees offered by the Ring Video Doorbell (2nd generation) and the 84 degrees offered by the Video Doorbell 4.

This head-to-video field of view allows the user to see packages left at the base of the door.

The horizontal field of view is 150 degrees, a bit narrower than the other two models. For me, it is wide enough to see most things. In fact, I had to narrow the camera zone in the settings (more on that later).

The audio capabilities of the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus are adequate. I could clearly hear the delivery men standing at the door, but they were all standing less than a foot away; it was more difficult to eavesdrop on the conversations of neighbors who were more than four feet away. Their conversations were a bit unclear. I could tell it was about dogs and parking, but nothing more specific than that.

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus works in conjunction with the Ring app to create and customize camera motion zones for general detection and for luggage detection. Motion sensitivity levels can also be adjusted.

These features are especially useful because my door faces directly onto a street where there is a flow of pedestrian traffic and cars. The default motion zones and sensitivity would have driven me crazy with the almost constant alerts. I don't need to know every time someone is walking their dog in front of my stairs.

However, I may have turned down the motion sensitivity too much because it didn't seem to work so well at night. One night I came home and found a package on my doorstep, but the Ring Battery Doorbell Plus did not detect the delivery person or notify me that the item was in the package zone.

We do not know if this was just a coincidence or if the motion setting was turned down too low. I will need to test further, especially at night.

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus comes with a free 30-day trial of Ring Protect, which allows you to record video. After that, if you do not sign up for one of the subscription plans, you can only view live video from the doorbell.

Ring Protect Basic ($4/month, $40/year) covers one camera, while Ring Protect Plus ($10/month, $100/year) covers all Ring devices in the home.

Both plans offer 180 days of rolling cloud storage and 10% off Ring devices; Plus includes an extended warranty.

Ring Protect Pro ($20/month, $200/year) allows you to subscribe to 24/7 Ring Alarm professional monitoring, but only if you have a Ring Alarm system.

The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is currently Ring's flagship battery-powered video doorbell and boasts the highest quality video and range for a model that does not require hard wiring. The head-to-toe field of view is well worth the cost of the upgrade, especially if your doorstep is often overloaded with packages.

Like all Ring products, it is easy to install and use. The Ring app has a clean, intuitive design, and various settings allow you to customize the doorbell to your specific needs.

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is not cheap, but you can't put a cost on peace of mind.

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