My favorite Black Friday deals to recommend are the ones I can’t resist buying myself — and that’s exactly what happened when I saw that Best Buy is selling the Ring Video Doorbell 2 plus a free third-gen Echo Dot smart speaker for $140 right now.
Pre-Black Friday deal alert: Ring Video Doorbell 2 and Echo Dot for $140
A Verge editor couldn’t resist
A Verge editor couldn’t resist
is a senior editor and founding member of The Verge who covers gadgets, games, and toys. He spent 15 years editing the likes of CNET, Gizmodo, and Engadget.
Normally, it’s $200 for the doorbell and $50 for the speaker, so that’s effectively $110 off. Mind you, we have seen the Ring Video Doorbell 2 hit $110 by its lonesome, but only once before.
You’ll also need to log in to a My Best Buy account to get the $140 price ahead of Black Friday, but it’s free to sign up.
Ring Video Doorbell 2 + third-gen Echo Dot for $140
No need to wait for Black Friday to get this killer doorbell deal
For the price, you’re getting one of the best doorway-mounted security camera and new-package-notification systems out there, with some key upgrades over the original Ring (which can still be found for $100), including higher-resolution 1080p video and a rechargeable, swappable lithium-ion battery that can last several months on a charge. That means super easy installation if you don’t want to hard-wire it to your home.
But if you don’t mind working with a little electricity, you also might want to consider the sleeker Ring Video Doorbell Pro for $180 at Best Buy (normally $250), which comes with not only the free 3rd-gen Echo Dot but also a free Ring Chime Pro — a device you plug into a power outlet that provides an extra audible doorbell-like chime when someone presses the Ring’s button, and can also extend the range of your Wi-Fi to keep it connected if your router isn’t quite close enough.
Ring Video Doorbell Pro + Chime Pro + Echo Dot for $180
An even bigger bargain, assuming you’re handy with tools
Note that the Video Doorbell Pro doesn’t have a rechargeable battery, though. In fact, it may require plugging directly into an electrical transformer, with cables included in the box. But you do get these nifty custom motion zones:
In case you’re curious how the different Ring doorbells stack up, here’s Amazon’s chart:
I’ve been in the market for a video doorbell, and I’d already narrowed it down to the three best-reviewed versions that don’t cost an arm and a leg: Amazon’s Ring Video Doorbell 2, Google’s Nest Hello (which is also $50 off this Black Friday), and the Skybell HD. I was leaning toward Skybell because that company doesn’t charge an additional monthly subscription fee for cloud video storage.
But at this price, plus a free third-gen Echo Dot (the one that’s actually a decent speaker), I’m going for the Ring. I just ordered one.
Here are some other deals you can nab right now, ahead of Black Friday.
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