One-minute review
The Imou DB60 is a battery-powered video doorbell that's set to make waves among the established players in the market. Brands such as Ring, Eufy and Google Nest have been the go-to names for front door security, but now Chinese company Imou wants in on the action.
In our tests, we found that the DB60 doorbell offered some of the clearest footage and audio we've seen in a long time. Even in low light, image quality was fantastic. Two-way audio worked well to communicate with whoever was stood in front of the 164-degree fish-eye lens, and the siren and spotlight were great at catching the attention.
However, we did notice some time lag between real-time movement and live streaming. You'll also need to remove the entire video doorbell to charge it (although this is supposed to be at 6-month intervals), and the micro-USB cover for the charging cable at the rear of the device resisted being secured back down.
The Imou DB60 video doorbell was announced in March 2023, and while it's available in the UK, it now won't be released in the US, despite featuring as so on the brand's website. It's priced at a very reasonable £139.99, which, considering that it arrives with a chime and some pretty epic features, is extremely competitive. It's often possible to pick it up at a discount, too. At the moment customers can save £30 when they purchase the device from Very, although it can also be bought from Robert Dyas or B&Q.
You're getting a lot for your money with the Imou DB60, especially when you compare it to the other best video doorbells currently available to buy.
Imou DB60 video doorbell: specifications
Imou DB60 video doorbell review: performance
- Incredibly simple setup and pairing
- Fantastic footage and audio quality
- Easy to use app
Before any set up of the Imou DB60 video doorbell can commence, you'll have to fully charge the battery. A charging cable is included in the box, alongside a chime, a selection of screws, and a further selection of mounts; but there's no USB plug.
Despite this becoming more common, it still catches me out, so it's always a good idea to have a spare USB plug for such occasions.
In the time the Imou DB60 video doorbell was charging, I installed the mounting bracket.
For the purpose of the review, I used the flat bracket (not the angled one) and just four screws (no raw plugs) to attach the mount to a wooden door frame. This particular door frame was for an internal door; to fix the mount to an external wall, you'll need to make some drill hols – a drill bit is included – for inserting the raw plugs.
In this time I also downloaded the Imou Life app, and scanned the QR code on the rear of the device to add the doorbell to the app. I also had to scan a QR code to add the chime to the app. Although the chime won't always be needed, it's supplied so that you can hear the doorbell ring when you're inside the home and don't always have your phone to hand.
Following a couple of hours, the battery was sufficiently charged to fix the doorbell to the mounting bracket. A full charge should deliver a battery run-time of up to six months. The doorbell should just clip onto the bracket – there's a clip on the top and bottom of the device – but I found that the cover to the micro-USB charging port resisted being set back in place, which prevented the device from being securely attached to the bracket.
With the app downloaded onto my iOS device (it's also available on Android) and the Imou DB60 video doorbell in situ, it was now ready to use it.
First, and perhaps most obviously, I tried ringing the doorbell. I received a notification on my phone that "someone is ringing your doorbell" and had the option to either Decline, Accept or summon a Quick Response. The latter provides one of two options as a response via the microphone on the video doorbell, to let the visitor know whether they should wait a minute or come back another time.
From the app I could also see a live view of the camera, or multiple cameras, at any time. Up to four cameras can be added to the app.
It's also possible to take a "Snapshot" of what I'm seeing, "Speak" to passers-by, "Record" live footage, sound the "Siren", activate the "Spotlight", or view a "Service" to do with the device.
The Siren produces a piercing sound; it's not the worst I've ever heard, but it's still very unpleasant and will certainly scare off any unwanted visitors. The Spotlight feature, too, is useful for keeping any dodgy characters away from your front door, but also if you're struggling to locate your front door keys at the bottom of the bag.
The Imou DB60 is compatible with Amazon Alexa and Google Home, enabling you to answer the door using your voice. Imou isn't listed as a brand of doorbell in the Alexa app so, instead of being linked to from the Alexa app, you'll need to hook up to the voice assistant from the Imou Life app.
Head to the account page and toggle to "More Services". Then, select Alexa and follow the on-screen instructions to link with your Amazon account.
In my opinion, it's the Imou DB60 storage offering that sets it apart from other video doorbells. Imou's Protect subscription service uses cloud storage instead of SD cards.
You get 7 days of free storage when you first set up your account (no matter how large the files are) and, as part of the Imou Protect Basic Plan, you can share the device with up to 10 users. Once the 7-day trial period comes to an end, you can select to continue with the Basic plan, or opt for the a Plus plan, which offers up to 30 days of cloud storage and the ability to share with up to 20 users. This can be set up from inside the app, or you can buy an annual cloud storage voucher for 3 days (£19.99) from Very, 7 days (£29.99) from Very or 30 days (£69.99) from Very.
Off the back of the supercomputing power of the cloud, this video doorbell can also more accurately detect and amplify the object types detected. This form of AI can be pushed through a notification to your smart phone, too, so even when you're not live streaming the footage, you'll always be in the know of who (or what) is hovering around outside your door.
IMOU DB60 video doorbell review: Should I buy?
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Don't buy it if...
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IMOU DB60 video doorbell review: How I tested
- I set up the video doorbell and chime
- It was used in our testing facilities
I used the Imou DB60 video doorbell and chime for an afternoon during a day of reviewing smart home devices. The doorbell was mounted onto a wooden door frame with four screws, and the chime was plugged in to an electrical outlet at the opposite end of the room.
All settings – including two-way audio, siren, spotlight and snapshot – were used during the testing timeframe.
Before first use, I charged the video doorbell to full capacity. Throughout the testing I monitored the battery level, which barely depleted across an afternoon of repetitive rings of the bell and live views.
First reviewed April 2023
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