Best Smart Doorbell For Cold Weather

It’s that time of the year again, and you might be worried if your smart doorbell can handle the cold.

Luckily we have compiled a list of reliable smart doorbells that can withstand anywhere from mild to extreme freezing cold temperatures, so it doesn’t matter where in the world you are!

Not only that, but smart doorbells also offer many other useful features too. Such as two-way audio, live-view on demand, night vision, and more.

You don’t even have to break the bank either, as we have covered both the budget-friendly Avantek wireless doorbell, to the more advanced and expensive Nest Hello.

So let’s get right into it, and see which model can withstand the most!

Feel free to skip any part below by using our navigation system.

SkyBell HD Silver WiFi Video Doorbell

SkyBell HD

First and foremost we have our multiple prize-winning SkyBell HD Video Doorbell.

SkyBell HD has won plenty of awards, and has also been named by CNET the Best Video Doorbell in both 2016,17 and even 18!

This multi-functional doorbell can withstand freezing temperatures of -40F to 140F or -40C to 60C! So those of you who experience particularly cold weather will be pleased with this model. Not only that, this particular smart doorbell holds your video history for up to 7 days, free of charge. Which is a lot more than most smart doorbells out there.

Pros:

  • Color Night Vision – Now you can see anyone or anything with SkyBell’s night vision feature. You don’t have to worry about hearing any weird noises during the night. Or having to open your door at unusual hours.
  • Works with Alexa – How great would it be to control your smart doorbell using simple voice commands? Well with Alexa, you can! Using Amazon Echo or Echo Dot, you can check your video history, or what time your doorbell rang, all done with your voice.
  • On-Demand Monitoring – See what’s going on at all times, with the on-demand monitoring technology. You can easily view live footage on your smart device in clear HD resolution. Adding an extra sense of security for your home.
  • Multiple Users – Big family? No problem! With SkyBell HD, you can allow additional users to receive notifications, motion alerts, view live video, and more. So everyone is up to speed on what’s going on at home.
  • Motion Sensor – Worried about the neighborhood package thief? Well, now you don’t have to. SkyBell’s HD motion-sensing technology will send instant alerts straight to your device if any motion is detected, so you can rest assured that your packages will be safe for the time being.

Cons:

  • Requires to be Hardwired – For those of you who are renting, SkyBell does require a connection to a wired doorbell chime. So that might not be the best option for those of you who tend to move around a lot. Also, ensure that you also have the correct low voltage transformer of 10-36 vac 10 VA.

    It’s also important to note, that you shouldn’t connect both wires of SkyBell to a transformer without either, a wired doorbell chime or a 10 ohm/10 watt resistor. As that could cause your SkyBell smart doorbell to malfunction.

  • False Motion Detection – Some customers have also reported that SkyBell’s motion detection technology can be quite sensitive. Which can especially be a nuisance for those of you who live in a busy neighbourhood.

    If that’s the case, it might be worth looking into Ring Pro, which offers advanced motion detection technology.

SkyBell SH02300BZ HD WiFi Video Doorbell, Bronze
774 Reviews

Ring Video Doorbell 2

Ring Video Doorbell

Ring has rarely disappointed us with its impressive line of smart home security devices. And it didn’t fall short when it comes to smart doorbells either!

Ring offers an impressive line of various doorbells to suit your needs, and today we’ll be looking at the Ring Video Doorbell 2.

While also being able to withstand the cold temperatures of -5°F to 120°F (-20.5°C to 48.5°C), it also offers other useful features too. Such as two-way audio, live-view on demand, and more!

So let’s get right to it, and check out this smart doorbell in more detail below.

Pros:

  • Removable Battery – With Ring Video Doorbell 2, you have the handy option of being able to choose between hardwiring your smart doorbell, or running it solely on battery power. As both methods have their benefits, it’s pretty great that you can choose between the two.

    If you decide to hardwire your doorbell, you will never have to worry about it running out of power, or needing to replace any batteries.

    Yet if you do decide to opt for the battery option, you will save time in the installation process, as well as have the doorbell function even during a power cut.

  • 30-day Trial – While having 2 subscription plans to choose from, including the Free Plan, Ring also offers you a 30-day trial during which you can record, save and share all the videos captured by your smart doorbell.

    And if after you do decide to go for a subscription plan, the Protect Plus option provides you with 24/7 professional monitoring with Ring Alarm, as well as a 10% discount on all future purchases with Ring.

    Protect Plus comes to 10 USD per month.

  • Voice Control – When paired with Alexa, as well as Echo Show or Echo Spot, you can effectively command your smart doorbell using simple voice commands. As well as having your Echo device illuminate and make announcements whenever someone is at your door.
  • Two-way Audio & Live-View on Demand – Now you can not only see who is outside your home via live-view on demand but communicate with them too! Using the two-way talk feature, you can easily instruct your Postman on where to leave your package, or warn some potential thieves away from your doorstep. You are in full control of what happens outside your home, at all times.

Cons:

  • Live-View on Demand, Only When Hardwired – It’s important to keep in mind that unless your Ring Video Doorbell 2 is hardwired, the live-view on-demand feature won’t function. As more power is required in order to keep that feature powered on.
  • Might Malfunction in Extreme Weather – It’s worth knowing that if the temperature does go down even lower than -5°F, (-20.5°C), there is a slight chance of your smart doorbell malfunctioning, as several customers have noted that it won’t work properly. So for those of you living in much colder conditions, it might be better to look into the SkyBell HD, as they are both relatively similar in price too.

AVANTEK CW-21 Mini Waterproof Wireless Doorbell

Avantek Mini

This compact and fun wireless doorbell is a great addition to any home. Especially to those of you who find yourself moving around a lot, as this gadget runs on battery power. Not only that, it comes with up to 52 different chime melodies to choose from, as well as a strong signal connection that stretches up to 1000 feet! So you’ll always know when someone shows up at your door. This budget-friendly option can also withstand temperatures of -4 °F-140 °F (-20 °C-60 °C).

Pros:

  • High-Performance – This smart doorbell has ultra-low power consumption, as it uses a CR2032 lithium battery. Which can run up to 3 years! So you won’t have to worry about having to replace your batteries often, or running out too soon.

    And because it only uses battery power, you don’t have to worry about having to fuss around with any wires.

  • Silent Setting – You can regulate your chime, to find the lowest or highest setting that suits you. So now you can have the ideal volume, that won’t wake your baby, or high enough that you can even hear during a party.
  • Easy Set-Up – Avantek smart doorbell is pretty easy to install too. You can choose between fastening the doorbell to your wall, using an adhesive patch or simply fasten it with the screws already included.

Cons:

  • No Smart Home Integration – For those of you who were looking forward to using voice control, you might have to look in the other models discussed, as Avantek doesn’t have this feature available. Nor will it integrate with Alexa & Google Assistant.
  • No Additional Features – Unfortunately, as this is a more simple and budget-friendly smart doorbell, it won’t have some features that other models might have. Such as two-way talk, live-view on-demand, or motion detection. As it doesn’t come with its own camera.

Nest Hello

Nest Hello

While Nest Hello may not withstand temperatures as low as the other models we have talked about so far, it still can go as low as 5° to 104°F (-15° to 40°C). So if you do experience winters that don’t get colder than -15° C (5° F), you might find Nest Hello to be a good investment.

For the simple reason that Nest offers some great security features, such as CVR, facial recognition, and more!

Pros:

  • Motion & Sound Detection – Not only will Nest detect any motion from outside, but it will also do the same with sound! You can also adjust the level of the sound detected, so as not to get annoying alerts about the whole neighborhood.

    In terms of motion detection, the camera will record and store all the motion it sees, as well as allowing you to access a timeline via the app of all the motion events. So you can see who came by, and at what time, while you were out.

    While also having CVR technology, which continuously records all activities outside your home.

  • Pre-Recorded Responses – You can also choose from 3 readily available responses to greet your guest with. Such as, “I can’t come to the door”. “Wait a minute”, or “Leave it at the door”.

    So you’ll always have the perfect response to every situation.

  • Smart Home Integration – Nest Hello integrates really well with Google Assistant, as Nest itself is a division of Google.

    So you can take advantage of features such as voice control, asking Google to do cool things like cast the doorbell’s live video stream to a Chromecast-equipped TV.

    Also, if you’ve subscribed to Nest Aware, you can even have the smart speaker call out your visitors by name, how cool is that? If they are recognized by the Nest app of course.

  • Live View on Demand & Two-Way Audio – Similarly to SkyBell and Ring video doorbell, with Nest Hello you can take advantage of features such as live view, two-way audio, night vision, and motion detection. All these features combined make one truly smart doorbell.

Cons:

  • Pricey – Nest Hello does come at a higher price tag, especially when compared to the other models. Yet its advanced features is what makes it stand out from other smart doorbells on the market.
  • Delayed Notification Time – Unfortunately, there have been reports claiming that Nest Hello takes around 10 seconds to send a notification to the phone when it detects motion. This kind of lag can become annoying in the long run, especially when expecting a visitor, or keeping an eye out for the Postman.

    Not only that, but there have also been other reports of customers complaining that there also is a long wait between motion detections too. With no additional alerts being sent for up to 30 minutes after the last activity notification.


Best Smart Doorbell For Cold Weather — Our Thoughts

Ring 2

So far we have looked at all types of models that can both withstand the cold weather conditions, as well as bring other unique features to your home.

We have the budget-friendly Avantek mini, which is very simple but reliable for such a small price tag. While it doesn’t bring all the fancy technology that the other models do, it’s as effective as a wireless doorbell should be.

Then we have the most expensive option, Nest Hello. There is no doubt that its highly advanced technology, such as CVR, and facial recognition are impressive and worth the price. Yet it falls short when it comes to its lowest temperature point, as well as the complaints it has received when it comes to its functionality.

Ring Video Doorbell 2 is also a good option to choose if your temperatures don’t drop below -5°F (-20°C). Otherwise, it may malfunction.

We feel that the best smart doorbell from this list is the SkyBell HD. It can withstand extremely low temperatures, as well as offering you 7 days of free video history, which none of the other models provide.

Last update on 2024-03-29 at 00:00 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Leave a Comment