Video Doorbell Comparison Guide: Which One Should You Buy?

DOORBELLS GUIDE  |  Harbro Electrical

Video doorbells all promise the same basic thing - see who is at the door, talk to them, get a notification - so on a spec sheet they can look interchangeable. In practice the three models Harbro Electrical stocks split along genuinely different lines: how they are powered, how wide a view they capture, and what happens to the footage afterwards.

This guide compares them on those terms rather than by brand name. For the practical side of fitting one - transformer sizing, bell wire reuse, and when the work needs to be notified under Part P - see our doorbell installation guide.

The Three Doorbells, Side by Side

Power: Battery, Wired, or Both

Ener-J's Smart Flexi and the EZVIZ kit both let you choose: run on the built-in rechargeable battery, or wire into existing bell circuitry for uninterrupted power. The Ener-J's 5,200mAh battery is rated for up to 120 days between charges, which is generous for a doorbell but still means an occasional charging cycle - fine for a rental or a porch without easy wiring access, less convenient than never thinking about it again.

Dahua's VDKP01-BG is wired only, which removes the charging cycle entirely but means checking the existing doorbell transformer is actually rated for the load before fitting it. A standard bell transformer is not - most video doorbells specify a higher minimum voltage and VA rating than a traditional chime ever needed, so a wired-only model is worth confirming against the supply before ordering.

Why PIR Doorbells Trigger on More Than Visitors

All three of these doorbells use passive infrared (PIR) sensing: they detect a change in heat signature crossing the field of view and treat it as motion, without knowing whether that heat signature is a visitor, a passing car, or next door's cat. That is simply how PIR works, and it is the same limitation a standard PIR security light has.

In practice this means the position and angle of the doorbell matters as much as the spec sheet. Mounting height, how directly the lens faces the pavement or road, and the sensitivity setting in the companion app all affect how many irrelevant alerts you get versus how reliably it catches an actual visitor. Narrowing the detection zone in the app, where the doorbell supports it, is usually a faster fix than assuming a different model will behave differently - PIR is PIR regardless of brand.

Video Quality and Field of View

Resolution and field of view pull in different directions more often than people expect - a wider lens usually means more distortion at the edges, and a taller aspect ratio matters more than raw megapixels for actually seeing a parcel left on the doorstep.

• Ener-J's 110° square-format lens is deliberately shaped to capture head-to-toe visitors and anything left on the ground, rather than a wide horizontal strip

• EZVIZ's 180° view trades some of that vertical framing for broader side-to-side coverage of a porch or driveway

• Dahua's ultra-wide fisheye lens at 2K covers the most ground of any of the three, at the cost of more visible barrel distortion toward the frame edges

Apps, Storage and Subscriptions

The Ener-J and Dahua both work through their own apps with no mandatory ongoing fee. EZVIZ's kit is the same for live view and basic alerts, but EZVIZ offers an optional cloud storage subscription for anyone who wants recorded footage kept off-device rather than relying on local storage or a memory card - worth considering if the doorbell will be the only record of who has been at the door.

Which One Should You Buy

• Renting, or no easy access to bell wiring: Ener-J Smart Flexi - battery power, no drilling into existing circuits, no subscription

• Straightforward like-for-like upgrade on a wired porch: EZVIZ CS-DB1C/KIT - kit includes the chime, wide 180° view, optional cloud storage if you want it later

• Wide driveway or a doorstep with poor sightlines: Dahua VDKP01-BG - the widest coverage of the three, plus a proper Wi-Fi chime in the box

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I fit a video doorbell using my existing bell wiring?

Often yes, provided the transformer behind it can supply enough voltage and current - a traditional 8V/4VA bell transformer is undersized for most video doorbells, which typically need 8-24V at 10-40VA. Check the specific model's installation instructions before assuming the old wiring is adequate.

Do I need a paid subscription to use a video doorbell?

Not for any of the three covered here. Live view, two-way audio and basic push notifications work without a subscription on all of them. EZVIZ offers optional cloud recording for a fee; the others rely on local or on-device storage for recorded clips.

Is it legal to have a video doorbell that records the street?

Yes, but once it captures footage beyond your own property boundary - the pavement, a shared path, a neighbour's garden - the domestic exemption in UK data protection law stops applying and you become responsible for using it lawfully: minimising what you capture, being transparent about it, and responding reasonably to requests. The Information Commissioner's Office publishes practical guidance on positioning and using home CCTV and video doorbells.

How reliable is a claimed 120-day battery life in practice?

Manufacturer battery figures assume a specific number of daily motion events and doorbell presses; a doorstep with heavy foot traffic, a busy road in view, or cold weather will all shorten it. Treat published figures as a best case and expect a battery-powered doorbell to need charging more often in winter or on a high-traffic property.

Why does my video doorbell keep alerting me about cars and passers-by?

This is normal PIR behaviour rather than a fault - the sensor reacts to any heat signature crossing its field of view, not just people approaching the door. Narrowing the detection zone or reducing sensitivity in the companion app, where supported, usually cuts down on these alerts without missing genuine visitors.

Do I need a smart hub to use these doorbells?

No. All three connect directly to home Wi-Fi and work as standalone devices through their own apps, without needing a separate hub or existing smart home system.

Video Doorbells at Harbro Electrical

Harbro Electrical stocks the full Doorbells range, including the EZVIZ Smart range, at ex-VAT trade prices. Free UK mainland delivery on all orders over £70.

• Ener-J Smart Flexi Wireless or Wired Video Doorbell (SHA5357)  -  https://harbroelectrical.co.uk/collections/doorbells/products/ener-j-smart-flexi-wireless-or-wired-video-doorbell-with-usb-chime-sha5357

• EZVIZ CS-DB1C/KIT Smart Video Doorbell Kit  -  https://harbroelectrical.co.uk/collections/doorbells/products/ezviz-cs-db1c-kit-smart-video-doorbell-kit

• Dahua VDKP01-BG Door Bell Kit with Chime  -  https://harbroelectrical.co.uk/collections/doorbells/products/dahua-vdkp01-bg-door-bell-kit-with-doorbell-and-chime-black

For trade orders and account enquiries, call us on 0191 518 1998 or visit our trade counter at 5 and 6 Whitworth Road, Peterlee, County Durham, SR8 2LY.

All prices shown exclude VAT. Free delivery applies to UK mainland addresses on orders over £70.