Why You Can Trust CNET Olive & Dove RemoBell review: You can find better buzzers for the same price
The quest for a better buzzer continues -- Olive & Dove's RemoBell isn't it.
The only way Olive & Dove's RemoBell differentiates itself from Ring, SkyBell and August doorbells is its power source -- it relies exclusively on AA batteries. If you'd rather swap out AAs than deal with electrical wiring or rechargeable batteries, RemoBell could be for you. In every other respect, this product is behind the curve. It doesn't have live streaming or third-party smart home integrations and it costs $199 -- the same as the competition. For me, RemoBell just isn't worth it.
Olive & Dove RemoBell
The Good
The Bad
The Bottom Line
(Note: RemoBell will be available overseas later this year. Converted, that's roughly £155 and AU$265.)
A new Wi-Fi buzzer enters the ring
RemoBell has decent specs, but they don't quite stack up to other $199 models. Take a look at the comparison chart below to see for yourself.
Comparing Wi-Fi doorbells
| Olive & Dove RemoBell | Ring Video Doorbell | SkyBell HD Wi-Fi Video Doorbell | August Doorbell Cam | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $199/£155/AU$265 | $199/£155/AU$265 | $199/£155/AU$265 | $199/£155/AU$266 |
| Color finish | Silver | Satin nickel, polished brass, venetian bronze, antique brass | Brushed aluminum, oil rubbed bronze | Silver, dark gray |
| Power source | 6 AA batteries | Hardwired or rechargeable battery | Hardwired | Hardwired |
| Resolution | 1,280x720p HD | 1,280x720p HD | 1,920x1,080p HD | 1,280×960p HD |
| Field of view | 120 degrees | 180 degrees | 180 degrees | 120 degrees |
| Live streaming | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud storage | Yes, 30-day storage for $3 per month. | Yes, 6 month storage for $3 per month. | Yes, free. | Yes, 30 day storage for $5 per month. |
| Mobile app | Android and iPhone | Android and iPhone | Android and iPhone | Android and iPhone |
| Web app | No | Yes | No | No |
| Night vision | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts | Motion | Motion | Motion | Motion |
| Activity zones | No | Yes | No | No |
| Third-party integrations | None | IFTTT; Wink | IFTTT; Amazon Alexa; Nest | IFTTT |
| Operating temperature range | 0 to 122 degrees F (-17 to 50 degrees C) | -5 to 120 degrees F (-20 to 48 degrees C) | -40 to 140 degrees F (-40 to 60 degrees C) | -13 to 122 degrees F (-25 to 50 degrees C) |
Yep, RemoBell's field of view is narrower, it doesn't have live streaming (to conserve battery power) and you have to pay more for less cloud storage. Ring charges $3 per month for 6 months of storage and SkyBell offers free storage. August is the exception -- it charges more than Olive & Dove for the same 30-day cloud storage.
Olive & Dove told me IFTTT and Amazon Alexa integration is in the works, but RemoBell doesn't currently have any smart-home partnerships.
RemoBell performed fine, delivering push alerts either when the doorbell detected motion or when someone rang the doorbell. It then lets you (temporarily) view a live feed of the person and talk with them via built-in intercom capabilities. Of course, performance will vary based on the quality of your Wi-Fi connection at the install location.
Make sure your Wi-Fi connection is solid where you plan to install your RemoBell. Ours was hit-and-miss.
Olive & Dove's RemoBell is a fine connected doorbell, but it just doesn't offer enough features to make it worthwhile. Look instead to Ring, SkyBell or August. SkyBell's HD buzzer is particularly appealing, given that it offers free cloud storage and more smart home partnerships than the rest.
Olive & Dove also sells RemoCam, a $199/£155/AU$265 Wi-Fi live streaming HD pan-tilt security camera. Read the full RemoCam review.