Top critical review
3.0 out of 5 starsFunctionality is okay, app is awful
Reviewed in the United Kingdom 🇬🇧 on 31 October 2022
So I don’t ever review things on Amazon but since Amazon own Ring, I want to give them feedback.
This is my first Ring product, I have always been in the Google ecosystem for smart home items, but Google don’t have an equivalent and I thought this was actually a great idea! My other option was a switchbot which isn’t quite what I wanted. This ticked the boxes, albeit being Ring.
Now with this being my first Ring product, and having to download and install the Ring app, it wasn’t a problem. I thought since Ring is the most popular doorbell brand, it would be a great app! …nope. Riddled with problems. I struggled to set it up because it froze, wouldn’t let me past steps and wouldn’t even register my address. NOTE: if you use a VPN, turn it off, since this stops the set up process somehow but doesn’t tell you that.
Other than the problems, the physical setting up of the hardware was surprisingly easy and I feel pretty proud of not needing an electrician and not electrocuting myself! It seems like a good quality piece of kit and the functionality of it seems alright so far in my one test I did, but I’ll need to see what it’s like in real life when I get a delivery.
Another thing they need to sort with the app is actually giving it some real functionality. It advertises an option to manually unlock it (to let myself in or others), but I can’t for the life of me find it. The app UI is awful. Why is my new and only device not on the dashboard? And I have to go into the separate dashboard? Awful.
Finally, I really do wish there was Google Home support. I’d love to be able to say “unlock front entrance” or something but nope, this functionality is missing too. I know these problems are things they can fix in firmware and app updates but cmon Amazon… you’ve had years in the Ring business, pick up your game
