There are only a few doorbells that have Z-wave radio embedded in them, such as the Aeotec ZW056 Doorbell or the Everspring UTSE03A Z-Wave Door Bell Set.
You can also buy a Z-wave doorbell sensor that can turn your existing doorbell into a Z-wave compatible one. But for those that don’t, it does not mean that you cannot have your Z-wave devices work with them.
The problem with Z-wave is that it does not really support video transmissions, which is now a feature that most Wi-Fi doorbells have. Video transmissions are accommodated by Wi-Fi, but not on Z-wave.
The next best thing to having a doorbell that has Z-wave radio embedded in it is getting a Wi-Fi video doorbell that works with Z-wave hubs such as Samsung SmartThings and Wink Hub 2.
So what are the best smart doorbells that are compatible with Z-wave?
Skybell HD
Skybell HD is marketed primarily as a home security device disguised as an ordinary doorbell. When somebody presses on it, the Skybell HD would send a live video stream to your smartphone so you could see who is at the door. You can also talk to your visitor via the smartphone app.
The basics. Skybell HD offers 1080 pixel high-definition video that allows you to see even the littlest details. You can even use the 5x digital zoom to help you see faraway objects easily.
The doorbell also has a motion sensor that detects movement. This way, you still get alerted even when the person outside your door does not press the doorbell and just lurks around. If you live with family or a couple of friends, you can set up multiple users.
Each one of these users will get an alert every time the doorbell is pressed so that they could answer the door if they are closest to it.
With Skybell HD, you can use the mobile app to check on your front door anytime.
Just view the live stream and get the peace of mind that everything is all right. Skybell HD also allows you to record videos and store them for later viewing.
History. One thing that makes the Skybell HD very useful is that it gives you a list of your activities for the day. You can just check the activity history to see if there were any missed visitors, to see your answered calls, and to view the number of times the motion sensor was tripped.
Night vision in full color. The Skybell HD offers you color night vision. That means you can see – in full color – who is ringing your doorbell at night, even if the lights on your porch are off.
Quiet mode. The Skybell HD offers a quiet mode where you can turn off the doorbell chime using the mobile app.
Easy photo capture. Skybell HD allows you to take a photo of your visitors with just one tap.
Other things you would like about Skybell HD. Skybell HD is an all-weather trooper and can work in extreme temperatures from as cold as -40 degrees Fahrenheit to as hot as 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Also, if your Skybell HD gets stolen, the company will replace it for free.
But what you would love best about Skybell HD is that it overs the most premium features in a video doorbell for its price (Check here for the latest prices!).
Integrations
Skybell HD has several integrations with home automation platforms and devices. It is certified under the Works with Nest program, it works with IFTTT recipes, and it is compatible with Samsung SmartThings.
It is also compatible with Amazon Echo, Alarm.com, Honeywell, Kwikset, Stringify, iControl Networks, and Moni Smart Security.
The Skybell HD works with your Z-wave devices in several ways. For instance, if it detects movement outside, the Skybell HD can instantly lock your front door and arm your security system. It can also activate your indoor security camera to start recording.
These connected devices can also communicate with Skybell HD for it to act. For instance, once Nest Protect detects smoke, the lights on your Skybell HD would turn red.
Sensors from other systems can also tell the SkyBell HD to start recording or to take a photo when they detect something. You can also set up your smart lock to tell the Skybell HD to take a photo if it is unlocked.
Aeotec ZW056 Doorbell
The otec ZW056 Doorbell can notify you when somebody rings it and it will sound a chime while setting into motion all the Z-wave connected devices you have at home. For instance, you can program it to turn on security cameras and porch lights when the doorbell is pressed.
You can get alerts on your smartphone when the Aeotec ZW056 Doorbell is pressed, letting you know somebody’s at the door even when you are not home. But you really do not have to rely on your smartphone because it comes with an indoor chime that you can just plug into any power outlet.
You can use the preloaded five tones or upload your own chimes in MP3 format. For those who are hard of hearing, the indoor chime also has LED lights that light up when the doorbell is pressed. But for most people, the 80-decibel chime is enough to alert them of visitors.
The doorbell itself has a glass front and a push button that is illuminated by LED, so your guests can still find it at night. It uses a lithium cell that can last for three years. Do not worry, you would get alerts when it is time to replace the batteries.
There is a lot to like about the Aeotec ZW056 Doorbell. First of all, it is very easy to install. You can put it up using screws or tapes. You do not have to wire it as it draws power from the 3V lithium cell.
Furthermore, the chimes are customizable, allowing you to add a personal touch to your doorbell. You also get the latest Z-wave gen 500 series chip and top-notch AES 128 bit security.
More importantly, it is very affordable. It’s being sold on Amazon (Check here for the latest prices!).
What could be better
There are some limitations as to where you could put the wireless button. For instance, you cannot put it on metal walls because the Z-wave signal will be shielded. You cannot place it near big metallic objects or on cement walls.
What’s more, the doorbell speaker is quite big, measuring 2.6 inches wide, 3.6 inches high, and 1.21 inches thick. It needs to be plugged into a power socket and it will cover an adjacent outlet, rendering it unusable.
Overall, however, the Aeotec ZW056 Doorbell gives you value for your money. For its price, you get a customizable Z-wave compatible doorbell that plays well with other Z-wave devices.
Everspring UTSE03A Z-Wave Door Bell Set
The Everspring UTSE03A Z-Wave Door Bell Set includes a wireless push button and speaker. The push button has an LED light that makes the doorbell visible at night. Meanwhile, you have five preloaded chimes to choose from or you can customize your chime by recording a WAV file.
The Everspring UTSE03A Z-Wave Door Bell Set uses 3 AA alkaline batteries for the speaker, while the push button needs 2 AA alkaline batteries. If there is a need to replace the batteries, the LED will flash every 30 seconds.
It will also flash when somebody rings the bell. The doorbell can be associated with up to five nodes. You can check the pricing here!
What you should know
The Everspring UTSE03A Z-Wave Door Bell Set operates on the 868.4 MHZ frequency, which might make it incompatible for use in the United States.
It does work for all countries under the European Union, as well as in Singapore, China, South Africa, and the United Arab Emirates. Also, you can only use WAV files for your doorbell.
Another downside for the Everspring UTSE03A Z-Wave Door Bell Set is that it looks cheap and may ruin the overall aesthetics of your front door.
Alternatives: Doorbell sensors
While doorbells that come with a Z-wave chip is quite rare, it does not mean that your hands are tied when it comes to having a doorbell that works with your Z-wave hub.
For instance, there are devices that can turn your current doorbell into a connected doorbell. These devices are called sensors, and here are two of the best:
Nexia Z-Wave Plus Doorbell Sensor
While technically not a Z-wave compatible doorbell, the Nexia Doorbell Sensor can turn your current doorbell into a smart and connected doorbell.
The sensor connects directly to your current chime and can detect when your doorbell is pressed. It will then communicate with your Nexia hub, allowing it to control other devices connected to the hub.
With Nexia Z-Wave Plus Doorbell Sensor, you can keep your current doorbell and still get alerts on your smartphone every time it is pressed. If you have outdoor cameras connected to your Nexia hub, you can program it so that the camera will record what it sees when the doorbell is pressed.
The Nexia Z-Wave Plus Doorbell Sensor is very easy to install. You simply need to connect it to your doorbell chime. All the hardware you need is included in the box.
The doorbell sensor is powered by two AA batteries (For the latest prices check here).
FortrezZ Z-Wave MIMOlite Motor Control
The FortrezZ Z-Wave MIMOlite Motor Control can convert any of your devices and appliances into a Z-wave compatible device, while the Nexia Z-Wave Plus Doorbell Sensor is only for doorbells.
When somebody presses on your doorbell, the FortrezZ Z-Wave MIMOlite Motor Control will communicate with your Z-wave compatible devices. The FortrezZ Z-Wave MIMOlite Motor Control is sold at a decent price (Check here!).
More options
If you have Z-wave devices but are not sold on getting the two Z-wave compatible devices above, or if you are not too keen on using doorbell sensors that convert your non-connected doorbell into a Z-wave device, you should be glad that there are W-Fi doorbells you can buy.
The good thing about Z-wave is that you can use Wi-Fi doorbells when you have Z-wave compatible hubs such as Samsung SmartThings.
What Wi-Fi doorbells can you get?
Ring Video Doorbell Pro
No products found.Ring Video Doorbell Pro works the same way as the Skybell HD, in that it allows you to see who’s at your front door without having to open it or without looking through the peephole.
The Ring Video Pro also has a high-definition camera that sends video streams to your smartphone, allowing you to talk with whoever is outside your door.
Aside from the camera, microphone, and speaker, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro also has motion detection. This means that you can be alerted when something or someone moves outside your front door, even without ringing the doorbell first.
And with the Ring Doorbell Pro’s night vision, you can see things clearly even when it is dark.
However, what makes the Ring Video Doorbell Pro really worth considering is the fact that you can customize the motion detection zones or those areas that you would like to monitor for movement. Using the mobile app, you can create motion zones just by drawing them.
Also, the camera has a 160-degree horizontal field of view, helping you see almost everything in front of it. That means a would-be burglar would have a hard time hiding from the doorbell camera if he or she intends to enter your house through your front door.
It also has a 100-degree vertical field of view, which means that even if an intruder crouches, the camera would still be able to capture him or her. Moreover, the Ring Video Doorbell Pro can easily work in any weather.
No products found.Integrations
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro has integrations with several companies, including Kisi, LockState, Lockitron and Kevo smart locks. It can also work with Wemo, ADT Pulse, and Wink Hub. In other words, you can have it work with Z-wave devices even if it does not have a Z-wave radio built into it.
Some of the things you can do with your Ring Video Doorbell Pro and your Z-wave devices include turning the porch lights on once the doorbell detects movement at your front door, or activating the siren once it detects movement from someone who did not ring your doorbell.
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro draws its power from your doorbell wires, so you would really need to replace your old and current doorbell with the Doorbell Pro. Also, it is more expensive than the Skybell HD (Check the pricing here).
And unlike the Skybell HD, which offers free recordings, you would need to pay an additional price annually to be able to record videos of what the doorbell camera sees, as well as for storing these videos. Ring does not offer a free subscription to their recording and storage service.
The Ring Video Doorbell Pro also works with Amazon Alexa speakers and IFTTT recipes.
Ring Video Doorbell 2
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 has most of the things that make the Ring Video Doorbell Pro a good deal, and improves on what you wished had been better with it. Like the Doorbell Pro, the Ring Video Doorbell 2 also allows you to see who is at the front door without having to open it.
In fact, you do not even have to be home to see who’s visiting. It also has a built-in microphone and speaker that allows two-way communication to happen. And it has motion sensors and night vision.
However, unlike the Doorbell Pro, the Ring Video 2 allows you to forget about wiring by allowing you to use lithium ion batteries to power the device. This is great news for those people who are just renting their homes or those who do not like having to tinker with wires.
What the Ring Video Doorbell 2 has in common with Ring Video Doorbell Pro. Both doorbells have roughly the same horizontal and vertical fields of view, which means that with these smart doorbells, there is almost nowhere for anybody to hide from the camera’s view.
Both offer live streaming, motion detection, and 1080-pixel HD resolution, and both need 2 MB per second of bandwidth. They can also operate anywhere from -5 degrees Fahrenheit to 120 degrees Fahrenheit. And you need to pay for the video recording and storage service, no matter which model you choose.
Where they differ. The Ring Video Doorbell 2, at 5.05 inches tall by 2.5 inches wide by 1.08 inches thick, is bigger and thicker than the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, which has dimensions of 4.5” x 1.85” x 0.80”.
The Ring Video Doorbell 2 also has a wider motion detection angle at 180 degrees compared to the Doorbell Pro’s 160 degrees, but you cannot customize motion detection zones for the Ring Video Doorbell 2.
This Ring Doorbell 2 is also cheaper than the Doorbell Pro. (Check the pricing here.)
Integrations
Ring Video Doorbell 2 has the same integrations as the Ring Video Doorbell Pro, allowing it to work with smart locks and switches.
Final say
There are other Z-wave compatible doorbells out there, but these can be rather limited. For instance, Doorbird has some Z-wave-compatible doorbells, but it tends to work with very few Z-wave devices.
Add that to the fact that the Doorbird can be more expensive. However, if you have supported products such as Control 4, Lockstate, and Vera Smarter Home Control, and you do not mind paying more, then you can check this out.
Having two entries in the list of the best Z-wave compatible smart doorbells says a lot about the integrations offered by Ring. If you want the best features and less interference for your smart doorbell, you should get Ring Video Doorbell Pro.
But if you are looking for a cheaper Ring doorbell, you can get the same core features with the Ring Video Doorbell 2. The Ring Video Doorbell 2 also allows you to do away with the wiring. Then, you have the Skybell HD, which offers free video recording.
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