The best smart video doorbell I've ever tested (aff)

I review a lot of video doorbells, from the complex and complicated to the simple and straight-forward. But this EZVIZ EP8 Ultra has beaten them all hands down, and it's the one I'm sticking with.

The EZVIZ EP8 Ultra doesn't exactly rewrite the rule book when it comes to video doorbell tech, but it comes extremely close. It has some of the key features I look for in a doorbell, and some features I didn't know I needed.

Firstly, it has dual cameras, one for the doorstep, and one looking straight out for people approaching. This rare feature on the EZVIZ video doorbell enables you to keep an eye on a package that's been left on your doormat, and it pipes a dual view back to your smartphone. Clever stuff.

It has built-in storage, and that's becoming increasingly important because it means you don't need to pay for a cloud service. There's no premium features to unlock, and all your recordings on the EP8 Ultra go straight to an integrated 32GB drive.

It has a 3K main camera, a 1080p secondary camera, it comes with a chime, it connects wirelessly (you can hardwire it if you prefer) and it has great battery life. That's basically every box ticked, then for the smart doorbell.

But then it gets even better. Because on the main panel of the EZVIZ EP8 Ultra is a little colour display that enables you to make a video call to the person that's arrived at your door.

For a long time, doorbells have allowed us to have a two-way conversation, but a video call on the EP8 Ultra adds another dimension entirely.

Being brutally honest, I don't use it a lot. An audio call is usually sufficient, and often couriers don't hang around long enough for the confrontation, but it's a really smart addition to the EZVIZ system.

This little display also has a fun feature that's also charming but pointless - you can pick a little animated character to greet your caller.

Through the app you can choose a cute racoon, a happy husky, or a rather angry panda. They all have names and personalities, and I've lost track of the number of times couriers have complimented me on the cool feature built into the video doorbell.

Aside from the more superficial features, the EZVIZ EP8 Ultra has the usual customisable AI motion detection, with fairly decent facial recognition, and the app is easy to use and quick to respond. It’s a shame you have to log in each time you open it, but it doesn’t take long with biometrics enabled.

It also comes with two interchangeable batteries, each one being charged through USB-C. This is handy, because if you turn the features up and order a lot of deliveries, it's possible to wipe one out in a week. So quickly swapping battery to battery without having your doorbell camera out of action for a while is a bonus.

I've definitely tested doorbells with better battery life, but it's possible to customise the features to the point at which you'll manage, say, three weeks between charges. So it's by no means problematic. And it's the price you pay for having a little cartoon dog welcoming people as they approach your front door.

You're probably now thinking this all sounds rather expensive. Compare the EZVIZ EP8 Ultra to a basic video doorbell, even a branded one, and it is pretty pricey at £139.99. But compare it to some of the more premium doorbells out there, including its closest competitor the £199.98 Eufy E340 and it's actually quite good value.

Because I'm becoming convinced that the EP8 Ultra is pretty much the ultimate in doorbell tech. Sure, there are more powerful image sensors out there, and a few give better battery life or even offer solar charging as an option - but this really does do everything you could want a video doorbell to do and a little bit more.

It really does take a lot for me to settle on a "daily doorbell". The one I'll mount permanently on my door between reviews. But the EZVIZ EP8 Ultra richly deserves its coveted spot.

It's an absolutely terrific device, and likely to remain a favourite for a long time.