Stop porch pirates by installing this $85 Ring Video Doorbell 2

Smart doorbells are fast becoming mandatory home accessories. Not only do they let you see who's at the door and enable Jetsons-like remote video chat, but they help mitigate the far more mundane problem of porch piracy. If you've wanted a Ring doorbell to catch local package thieves in action but have been put off by the Ring's $200 price, now's your moment. You can get a Ring 2 Video Doorbell for $85 at DailySteals when you apply discount code CNETRNG2 at checkout. That's an exclusive additional $15 discount for Cheapskate readers. Alas, this isn't a new unit; it's a refurbished model in retail packaging, and comes with a 30-day warranty.

Personally, I really like the Ring doorbell and have one myself. It features live video two-way voice chat, and can be wired to your home's doorbell line or can use rechargeable batteries that last several months between charges.

On the other hand, I'd be remiss not to point out that there are some security and privacy issues associated with the Ring doorbell, as you've no doubt seen in the news of late. Ring has been criticized for a number of security issues, not the least of which include employees accessing customer video feeds without permission as well as some unauthorized access to user accounts. Ring's Neighbors app (which lets you connect with other Ring owners in the area to get crime alerts, share videos and, potentially, catch crooks) has also been in the news for questionable partnerships with local police departments that have felt, to some, uncomfortably like de facto surveillance networks. 

So is all that reason to avoid taking advantage of this $85 refurb deal? Only you can decide that for yourself. Personally, I continue to use my Ring, and think this is a deal worth grabbing. But what do you think? Sound off in the comments and let me know where you land on the Ring controversy.