Doorbells have lots of bells, whistles
Before electricity, doorbells rang via a complex rigging of mechanical pulleys. Visitors pulled a rope or turned a key-like affair — think Downton Abbey’s elaborate system to summon staff, but on a smaller scale for the masses.
Today, you can coordinate the look and sound of your doorbell to your home’s style. You also can embrace the Internet age with video doorbells that can be answered from thousands of miles away.
If you’re renovating an older home, the retailer Rejuvenation has several retro-style doorbells. There’s a round oak bell, popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s, with a porcelain button. A midcentury starburst style comes in chrome or brass (www.rejuvenation.com).
Got a vacation home near the water? Consider a doorbell shaped like a turtle, crab, scallop or starfish. There are cast-metal ones shaped like hummingbirds, daisies and dragonflies (www.wayfair.com).
Rhode Island artisan Michael Healy, who crafts outdoor art and hardware, has a doorbell in the form of a fox head, little alligators, frogs and palm trees (www.michaelhealy.com).
Ready to go high tech with your entryway?
Having a “smart” doorbell, with video, allows you to keep an eye on your front door area, not only for visitors but for packages. With many of these units, you can speak with the person ringing your bell, chatting directly with the FedEx or UPS driver, for instance, about where and when to leave a delivery.
Consumer Reports’ Eric Hager acknowledged concerns about tech systems’ vulnerability to hackers, but said homeowners seem willing to take on those risks.
Adorne’s wireless video intercom kit includes an outside doorbell camera and an inside intercom. Homeowners can see who’s at the front door from different locations in the home. The unit can be powered by a long-life battery, or you can hook it up to existing doorbell wiring (www.legrand.us).
NuTone’s Knock video doorbell has a motion sensor, night vision and optional alarm. It lets homeowners traveling anywhere in the world speak with visitors at their door. It’s also touted as rugged enough to withstand extreme weather (www.nutone.com).
The Ring doorbell has HD video, infrared night vision, and two-way chat from your phone, tablet or PC. Added features: customizable faceplates, and an optional plan for video cloud storage, video sharing and cellular backup if your Internet goes down (www.ring.com).
You probably have a custom ringtone on your mobile phone, so why not have a custom sound on your doorbell? A digital doorbell from iChime lets you record your own greeting or choose from their sound library (www.ichime.com).
