Aldi’s subscription-free battery video doorbell only costs £17, but here’s why you shouldn’t buy it
While this excellent price is super compelling, 480p resolution means I'm not convinced you'll be able to see anything through this camera
As someone who covers all the Amazon sales, I’m no stranger to hunting for excellent deals. Video doorbells are a top candidate for a price slashing. That’s why Aldi’s new battery-powered video doorbell for £17, with no subscription required, caught my eye. It’s made by a brand called Reka, which hasn’t come across my desk before.
But before you sprint to the middle aisle and elbow someone out of the way for the last one, let’s talk about why you might want to keep your cash in your pocket this time. Sadly, this smart home gadget sounds too good to be true.
On paper, it sounds like a dream for bargain hunters. It’s battery-powered, so you don’t have to fiddle around with any wiring. Plus, you get excellent features, including two-way audio, night vision, and water resistance (though no official IP rating). Most notably, there’s no subscription fee – Aldi’s door guardian uses a microSD card (up to 32GB), so you can dodge the monthly charges that come with Ring and friends. With Ring’s cloud storage starting at £4.99 a month, Aldi’s approach is a breath of fresh air.
But the camera resolution is where things start to fall apart. It’s bad. Like really bad. This thing can only capture video at 480p – which is the kind of quality that made early YouTube uploads look like abstract art. If that number means nothing to you, that’s the same resolution the iPhone 3GS recorded video at back in 2009. Sure, it technically counts as video, but good luck making out any facial details unless the person’s nose is pressed up against the lens.
This isn’t a product for someone serious about home security. It’s more for people who want the convenience of a video doorbell without spending much. It will still function even without Wi-Fi, and when connected, will send notifications to your smartphone via the companion app. But how helpful is that if the footage looks like it was shot on a potato?
It might be fine for letting you tell the postman to “leave it on the step,” but beyond that? You’re better off saving up a bit more and getting something that doesn’t make you feel like you’ve travelled back in time every time you check the footage. Especially with Black Friday sales around the corner.
If you do want to grab Aldi’s video doorbell, it’s available for £17. It’s not online-orderable, so you’ll need to trek to your nearest Aldi in hopes they’ve still got some in stock. And while the price is tempting, that’s really its only compelling feature. Just maybe don’t expect it to be anything more than a glorified intercom.
Connor Jewiss
