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Is your doorbell a mere button that triggers a ringing noise inside? The future is now, you ageing relic.
That’s seemingly the message of a growing gaggle of home tech companies who have flooded the market with a variety of video doorbells over the past five years.
Most of these products have been remarkably similar, helpfully allowing users to see who is standing outside their home via a phone app. However, almost all previous video devices have relied on a single camera that generally only reveals who is standing outside – but not any package that may be left at the foot of your door.
Enter the Eufy S330, a gadget that contains – get this – two cameras, one pointing down to the floor so you can see any unattended parcels.
Sounds intriguing. But how useful would an extra camera actually be? A useless gimmick? Or a technological leap akin to adding a second camera to a smartphone? I spent some time with Eufy’s S330 Video Doorbell to find out.
Setup
Let’s get this out the way: installing the Eufy S330 was a long and frustrating experience that took well over an hour.
Unlike some other doorbells that come with a strong adhesive pad, you have to drill this device’s mount into the wall – unless you’re brave enough to rely on your own sticky strips, of course.
To help you attach the mount, the doorbell comes with screws, wall plugs and even a wedge to give the cameras a better field of view. Detailed instructions on the EufySecurity app (available for iOS and Android) help here, especially if you want to connect your doorbell to the mains. If, like me, wiring your doorbell isn’t an option, you can rely on the S330’s rechargeable battery, which only needs charging every six months.
Like many other video doorbells, setting up required me to download an app, enter a string of personal data and scan a QR code. However, instead of connecting directly to your Wi-Fi, the Eufy doorbell connects to the HomeBase 2 (included in the box), a small cube that acts as a chime and a storage device that holds up to 16GB of video and pictures.
Annoyingly, to set up the HomeBase, you have to connect that device to your Wi-Fi router with an ethernet cable.
While this would be mildly frustrating in itself, both the HomeBase and doorbell loudly called out confirmations and unneeded instructions throughout the set-up process. And I wasn’t able to quiet the volume until I configured the devices in the app.
After set-up, I was finally able to view back all videos the doorbell had recorded so far – which was solely footage of me swearing under my breath as I got more and more frustrated during the installation process (sorry, Mum).
Finally, the doorbell itself took a couple of hours to charge via a mini USB cable, provided in the box.
Design
The Eufy S330 is certainly one of the sleekest video doorbells on the market. But the S330 is also one the largest: at almost 16cm in height and 3cm in depth, it’s roughly the size of two old-school TV remotes stacked on each other.
The plastic casing feels strong and survived without a dent after I dropped the device on my doorstep during setup (yes, more swearing). The doorbell was able to function as normal through several rainy days and Eufy claims it will function in temperatures between -20°C and 50°C.
The S330’s second camera is on the device’s bottom edge, along with white LEDs that light up when motion is detected (note: these lights cannot be turned off).
Overall, its chunky look and large camera lens make the S330 look rather intimidating. Great for keeping thieves at bay, but less so at making yourself look like a friendly neighbour.
Performance
With 2K resolution (1,920x2,560) and a 160-degree camera, the S330's main image is wide and impressively clear, night and day. The downward camera (1,600x1,200, with a 97-degree field of vision) also offered a crisp view of my doorstep.
The audio quality is very high too, and it’s very easy to understand what a person is saying on the other end. However, a conversation with somebody on the doorstep via the app’s ‘remote answering’ feature was difficult – there is a slight lag in the audio you receive on your phone, which easily leads to awkward overtalking.
Many may find the S330’s motion detection service – which sends a ‘human alert’ notification to your phone – useful. However, if, like me, a busy pavement is just outside your front door, you may have to disable this feature. Even after lowering the device’s sensitivity, I still received over 30 alerts a day from people walking past.
I did, however, find the ‘package detection’ feature worked well. When placing a small cardboard box on my doorstep as a test, the S330 detected this and promptly sent me a notification. The ‘face detection’ feature was similarly able to recognise members of my household as they came and went.
Overall, the device’s app is very simple to use and finding video clips was extremely easy. Significantly, I didn’t have to pay to see these clips either – some video doorbells, like Amazon’s Ring or Google’s Nest, ask for a small monthly payment for this privilege.
Unlike some doorbells, the S330 is compatible with both Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. This was extremely useful – I never missed a delivery after turning my smart speakers into doorbell chimers.
Verdict
Intimidating, innovative, yet far from refined, Eufy’s S330 is the Jack Bauer of video doorbells. Armed with two wide-field cameras that reveal who is knocking and any packages they leave on your doorstep, this device excels as a home security system. But while it completes this core mission with ease, the S330 also comes with plenty of hidden baggage.
If you live on a quiet road, or your door is far from the pavement, you’ll likely take full advantage of the S330’s best features, foremostly its ability to ping your phone when a human approaches the camera. But those housed on a busy street may have to disable the device’s most advanced capabilities to avoid constant notifications.
Considering other niggling flaws, foremostly the lag in video and audio to your phone, it’s easy to gawp at this doorbell's sizeable price tag. However, considering you can access all the device's features without the need for a subscription paywall, Eufy’s S330 could be cheaper for you in the long term when compared to the Amazon Ring or the Google Nest Doorbell.
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Alternatives
Arlo Essential doorbell
Sleek in design and function, the slim Arlo Essential is another Wi-Fi-enabled video doorbell with similar core features. These include motion detection, two-way audio, night vision and video playback.
The Arlo is completely wireless, running on a battery that typically lasts six months between charges. The doorbell is also compatible with both Google and Amazon smart home devices.
Sure, the video captured by the Arlo pales to that of Eufy’s S330. And, being equipped with only one camera, it doesn’t offer as wide an image, either. But the Arlo Essential is considerably cheaper at face value (although some features are hidden behind a subscription paywall).
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Amazon Ring Video Doorbell 4
Not without flaws, Amazon’s fourth generation doorbell offers high quality video and audio, alongside a speaker you can use to easily communicate with people on the outside.
Ring’s accompanying app is easy to use and it’s simple to integrate the device into your Amazon smart home network. However, the device isn’t compatible with Google Assistant.
While Ring is cheaper than Eufy’s S330, many of its features are stuck behind the Ring Protect Plan. This is a subscription paywall costing £3.49 a month, increasing to £8 a month if you have multiple Ring devices that you want to be included.
Google Nest doorbell
Quite simply, the Google Nest doorbell is a well-designed piece of kit. Its 145-degree camera records when motion is detected, identifies when packages are taken and also recognises people (and animal) faces. All of these features can be viewed on the Nest app via your smartphone.
Not offering integration with Siri or Alexa services, it’s best for those already fully signed-up the Google ecosystem, being compatible with Google speakers and smartphones.
The Nest does offer some free storage for video files, but only three hours’ worth. Want to store more? You’ll need a Nest Aware subscription, starting at £5 a month.
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