I treat my home as a sanctuary — a quiet place where I feel safe. Still, the sound of a doorbell can disrupt that peace. Doorbells always make me uneasy, even when there’s no reason to be. Ours rings for many ordinary things: deliveries, family members who forgot their keys, solicitors, or a neighbor stopping by to tell us our dogs Jack and Lily slipped out and are roaming near the lake.
Even when the visitor is harmless, I usually won’t answer the door unless I’m expecting someone. I don’t like looking out the window and revealing my presence. With all our front windows and a covered porch, there’s no way to see who’s at the door without being seen. That leaves me with two options: answer the door and risk being noticed, or wait for the person to leave — which can be unsettling if they persist.
Recently I tried a small device that changed how secure and comfortable I feel at home. Skybell is a video doorbell that connects to an app on your smartphone. When someone presses the bell, my phone receives a notification through the Skybell app so I can see who’s at the door without them seeing me. The two-way audio lets me speak with the visitor — whether it’s coordinating a package delivery, telling a neighbor I’m not home, or asking someone to leave a package in a safe spot.
The live video feature allows me to check the porch at any time, even when I’m away. The built-in motion detector alerts me to activity on the porch even if no one rings the bell. I can also set the doorbell to silent when I don’t want the chime to unsettle the dogs. That single option has made a noticeable difference in keeping the house calm.
Below are a few photos showing my son at the door so you can see Skybell in action.
Skybell integrates with an existing mechanical doorbell chime and takes only minutes to install. Our doorbell is mounted a bit off-center from the porch, but it included a small adapter that shifts the viewing angle so I can see the entire entryway clearly.
I’m very happy with our Skybell. It gives me more control over who I interact with at the door and adds an extra layer of convenience and peace of mind.
This post was created as part of a Skybell blog program. I was compensated to review the Skybell doorbell and only share sponsored products I genuinely use and recommend.