Blink Cameras Review 2022

For the toll, Blink cameras are skillful quality. And they have really long bombardment lives.

Blink Outdoor Camera

3.3 out of 5 stars

3.25

Blink Indoor

3.3 out of 5 stars

3.25

Blink Mini

3.3 out of 5 stars

iii.25

Con:

More limited placement

Mindy Woodall

Managing Editor, Dwelling Security & Smart Domicile

Read More than

Blink cameras are for people who want high-quality video in an affordable, minimalist package. All three of Blink'south current camera models are small, powerful, and like shooting fish in a barrel on your wallet. Plus, they have long battery lives that don't crave much maintenance.

The most expensive Blink camera costs less than $100 and lasts two years on a couple of AA batteries.

SimpliSafe camera comparing

Amazon.com Listing Prices (as of x/19/2021 8:22 PST) Total disclaimer
* For the add-on model. A camera kit (with the Blink Sync Module 2) costs $x more.

What to look for in a security camera

The best home security cameras are easy to install, affordable, and delivers a clear video picture.

Features to expect for in home security cameras:

  • A good balance of cost to features
  • Requires simple and easy installation
  • Provides clear, high-quality video
  • Has a great bombardment life

To become the almost out of your coin, the cameras must take features to match the price. If you want a "cheap camera", you lot might become 1080p motion picture and a small storage. But if you go a quality camera, expect to get HD video and backup storage.

A good security camera will but crave a simple and piece of cake install. And no affair what video quality resolution your photographic camera might have, it should notwithstanding provide you lot with a articulate picture.

Lastly, no one wants to recharge their camera once per week. At least every other month is manageable, and every few months is even meliorate.

Blink cameras overview

Blink has three photographic camera models, and they're pretty similar to each other, and all three piece of work with Amazon Alexa

Glimmer's big merits to fame is its impressively long, two-year battery life. With just two AA batteries (you probably have them somewhere in your business firm right at present), you can power a Blink camera till the mid-2020s.

With such a long bombardment life, you might look Glimmer cameras to exist, well, kind of crummy. Only, amazingly, they're not!

Despite their long battery life and depression price betoken, Blink cameras produce high-quality video, clear audio, and customizable settings that will make it easier to scout your property. Plus, all of Glimmer'due south cameras work with Amazon Alexa (but not much else).

Easy installation

All three of Blink's cameras are a slice of cake to set up. The Blink Outdoor and the Glimmer Indoor don't have any wires or plugs to worry nigh, so you can put them just nigh anywhere. And the Glimmer Mini uses an optional swivel represent easy positioning.

Glimmer's cameras are besides uniformly lightweight and pretty small in size, so yous can hide them easily if you don't want potential thieves to spot your spy.

Affordable prices

We've spent plenty fourth dimension talking nigh the Blink cameras' bombardment lives and not enough talking virtually Glimmer's low price bespeak. Security cameras are much more affordable than they used to be, merely we'd still await to pay more Blink asks for.

The Blink Outdoor is the highest-priced model at about $100 for the starter kit, and the Blink Mini is a wallet-dropping $35.

Glimmer Outdoor camera features

The Blink Outdoor is easy to install, and yous don't take to worry near wires

Pro Bullet Wireless

Pro Bullet Weather-resistant

Pro Bullet HD video

Amazon.com Listing Prices (as of ten/19/2021 8:22 PST) Full disclaimer
* For the addition model. A camera kit (with the Blink Sync Module 2) costs $x more.

The Glimmer Outdoor is the model you lot desire for backyard/front yard/driveway monitoring. This wire-gratuitous camera can proceed a wall, ceiling, or fifty-fifty in a tree, then you tin go the positioning just right. The Blink Outdoor comes with a hinge mount y'all can use to put the matter on a wall and an extension you can apply to hang it from a ceiling.

Blink Outdoor cam features:

  • Wire-free design
  • IP65 weather rating
  • -4º to 113º F (-xx° to 45° C) operating temperature
  • 110º field of vision
  • 2-year battery life
  • AA bombardment-powered
  • Cloud storage and local storage
  • 1080p Hd resolution with 30 fps
  • Night vision
  • Two-way sound
  • Adjustable motility zones
  • Upwards to two privacy zones
  • Amazon Alexa integration
  • 2.4 GHz network compatibility
  • i-yr limited warranty

IP65 weatherproof rating

The Blink Outdoor is really similar to Blink's indoor photographic camera, except for weatherproofing. While the Blink Indoor doesn't offer much protection from the elements, the Blink Outdoor comes with an IP65 rating that will go on this little beauty safe from rain, snow, and grit.

While the Blink Outdoor's operating temperature makes it suitable for nearly snowy or sunny locales, people who live in farthermost environments might want to check the numbers. If your boondocks regularly gets colder than -4º Fahrenheit or hotter than 113º Fahrenheit, and so you lot'll need a hardier outdoor camera.

Megaphone

The Glimmer Outdoor lets yous prepare custom temperature alerts, then information technology can tell you if the lawn is getting too hot for one piffling cam to have. Temperature alerts are likewise handy if you have a pet y'all need to bring inside during the estrus (or cold) of the day.

(Mostly) good two-way audio

Two-way audio lets you talk to people in your thousand and hear what they say dorsum to you. The Blink Outdoor'southward two-mode audio is decent—it doesn't sound like a robot is speaking to you through a tin can.

But, if it'due south windy exterior, the Glimmer Outdoor's incoming audio suffers. This camera doesn't have noise counterfoil, so y'all'll hear every gust of the air current running across the microphone.

(Mostly) good image quality

The Blink Outdoor records in 1080p Hard disk drive resolution, which is high enough to prove you crisp details on your neighbor'due south shirt or the expressions on your kids' faces. Its night vision, on the other mitt, is not so bully.

This camera has a bad habit of washing out faces in night vision mode, then yous can't tell your spouse from a infiltrator. The Blink Outdoor's night vision also doesn't stretch very far. Everything starts to expect extra fuzzy when it's more than about 10 feet away from the camera.

Glimmer Indoor camera features

The Blink Indoor cam can fit on any shelf in your firm

Pro Bullet Wireless

Pro Bullet HD video

Pro Bullet Infrared night vision

Source: Amazon Printing Center

Amazon.com List Prices (as of 10/xix/2021 8:22 PST) Full disclaimer
* For the add-on model. A camera kit (with the Blink Sync Module 2) costs $10 more than.

The Blink Indoor photographic camera is a lot like the Blink Outdoor merely without the weatherproofing. This photographic camera is a scrap cheaper than the Outdoor, but it'due south meant to stay within.

Other than that, you'll have a very similar feel with both. Both the Glimmer Indoor and the Blink Outdoor record in the same resolution, offer the aforementioned app settings, and have the same bombardment life.

Blink Indoor camera features:

  • Wire-costless blueprint
  • 110º field of vision
  • 2-year-battery life
  • AA bombardment-powered
  • Cloud storage and local storage
  • 1080p Hard disk resolution with 30 fps
  • Night vision
  • Two-way sound
  • Adjustable motility zones
  • Up to two privacy zones
  • Amazon Alexa integration
  • 2.4 GHz network compatibility
  • one-year limited warranty
  • 32º to 95º F (0º to 35º C)

Wire-gratuitous design

Only like the Blink Outdoor, the Glimmer Indoor has no wires to speak of. That'southward especially peachy for an indoor photographic camera considering it means you lot can put it on any flat surface (or wall or ceiling) you desire, without worrying virtually power cords.

Prepare the Blink Indoor on a bookshelf, mount it above a doorway, put it in a toy box—take your pick.

Amazon Alexa integration

The Blink Indoor works with your favorite Amazon Echo device to permit you view the arm and disarm the camera, likewise as view the livestream. If you don't want to pick upward your phone and open the app, then your Alexa Show tin give you an inside view.

Blink Mini photographic camera features

The Blink Mini uses a power string but comes in a meaty size

Pro Bullet 1080p Hd resolution

Pro Bullet Two-fashion audio

Pro Bullet Plug-in camera

The Blink Mini uses the aforementioned app and recording functionality as the Blink Indoor and Blink Outdoor cameras, just information technology comes in a smaller package, and information technology doesn't demand any batteries.

Glimmer Mini features:

  • Camera removable from swivel stand
  • 110º field of vision
  • Cloud storage and local storage
  • 1080p Hard disk resolution with thirty fps
  • Night vision
  • Ii-way audio
  • Adjustable motion zones
  • Up to two privacy zones
  • Amazon Alexa integration
  • 2.four GHz network compatibility
  • one-year limited warranty
  • 32º to 95º F (0º to 35º C)

Uses a power cord

The snack-sized Glimmer Mini photographic camera has a power string, which is a plus if you lot don't desire to change batteries. Information technology'due south also detachable from its included hinge stand, which effectively gives yous a mini version of the regular Blink cameras (hence the name).

On the flip side, that power string has some drawbacks. While the string ways you lot don't have to get searching for extra AA's, information technology also means you can't put this camera anywhere yous desire. Information technology has to be within reach of a power outlet, and you might accept to awkwardly string the cord up a bookcase or across a room.

Doesn't work with Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit

All of Blink's cameras work with Amazon Alexa, but none of them work with Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit, including the Blink Mini. That's considering Amazon owns Blink, and Amazon and Google sometimes refuse to play overnice.

The Glimmer Mini doesn't work with Apple HomeKit either, but Apple fans are pretty used to that. Simply if you desire a security photographic camera that works with your Google Dwelling house, there are tons of other options out there. In the concurrently, we'll keep pleading with Jeff Bezos and Sundar Pichai to buss and make upwardly.

Other Blink camera products

Blink has only 1 other product: the Sync Module ii

Blink only has three cameras, but it does have ane other device you lot might want: the Blink Sync Module 2.

Blink Sync Module 2

Pros

  • Supports upward to 10 cameras

  • Stores footage locally

  • Uses USB flash drive

Cons

  • USB flash bulldoze not included

  • Non compatible with previous Blink XT or XT2

This little square is the thing that lets you store footage on a wink drive instead of paying for Blink's deject-subscription programme.

The Sync Module 2 comes included if yous buy a Blink "camera kit." Without a kit, you'll pay around $35 to buy the module separately.

Recap: What are the best Blink cameras?

Blink'southward cameras are the definition of "blindside for your buck"

All three of Glimmer'south cameras are pretty good. They're cheap and discreet, they don't utilize a lot of energy, and they're piece of cake to install. Whichever model y'all choose, you lot'll get a decent camera for not a lot of coin.

  • Blink Outdoor: The Glimmer Outdoor camera runs for 2 years off two AA lithium batteries, and you lot don't accept to string a unmarried wire. This Outdoor camera is weatherproof and like shooting fish in a barrel to position on a wall, ceiling, or flat surface.
  • Blink Indoor: The Blink Indoor is basically the Outdoor camera minus the weatherproofing. You'll have the same HD recording, dark vision, and 2-way audio, but this model stays inside. Just like the Outdoor, it's like shooting fish in a barrel to install and has a two-yr-long bombardment life.
  • Blink Mini: The Blink Mini is the fiddling sibling of the other ii cameras. It has almost of the same features, including 1080p resolution, night vision, and movement detection—but the Mini uses a ability cord instead of batteries.

If you want a unimposing, depression-maintenance security camera that won't cost an arm and a leg, then information technology doesn't get much ameliorate than Glimmer. Glimmer cameras bring new meaning to the phrase "set up it and forget it."

Methodology

We research, exam, and compare habitation security cameras based on these 2 categories: price and features.

To decide which dwelling house security camera is the best, nosotros looked at a residue of cost to features, innovative technology, smart dwelling integrations, reliable video, and professional monitoring.

FAQs

Do Blink cameras work with Ring?

No, Blink cameras are a totally dissever system from Band cameras, and they don't work together. But, the Blink Dwelling house Monitor App does work with Ring's Neighbors program, so y'all tin encounter clips other camera users take captured in your cervix of the woods.

Last we checked, you couldn't postal service Glimmer footage direct to the Neighbors app from your phone. You have to save the video beginning and so upload information technology manually.

Are Blink cameras waterproof?

Simply ane Blink camera is h2o-resistant: the Blink Outdoor, which has an IP65 conditions rating. Glimmer's indoor cameras are not waterproof, and nosotros don't recommend leaving them out in a rainstorm or dropping them in a bathtub.

Are Blink cameras compatible with Google Home?

Currently, no. Google and Amazon (Blink's parent company) are always squabbling, and their devices don't always work together. Glimmer is currently defenseless in the tech wars crossfire, and you'll have to wait elsewhere for a camera that works with your Google Abode.

Are Blink cameras wireless?

Yep, all three of Blink'southward cameras are technically wireless, merely merely two of them are wire-free. Photographic camera terminology can be disruptive, and wireless just means they connect to your cyberspace network "wirelessly."

If yous want a "true" wireless photographic camera (a.k.a. wire-free), so you'll desire to get the Glimmer Indoor or Blink Outdoor. They run off batteries and don't have whatsoever cords. The Blink Mini camera uses a power cord.

Do Blink cameras require a subscription?

If you want to use cloud storage, then yes, Glimmer cameras require a subscription. But you can skip the subscription in favor of local storage if you lot become the Blink Sync Module 2. It stores your footage on a flash bulldoze, and you don't have to pay a monthly fee. (You do have to pay for the flash bulldoze, though. It's not included.)

Certain content that appears on this site comes from Amazon.com. This content is provided "as is" and is subject to modify or removal at any time. Product prices and availability are accurate equally of the appointment/fourth dimension indicated and are subject to change. Whatsoever toll and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase volition apply to the buy of this product. Reviews.org utilizes paid Amazon links.

Mindy Woodall

Written by

Mindy Woodall

Mindy has been writing about applied science for vii years. She covers all things smart home for Reviews.org, and keeps track of the latest robot gadgets. Mindy attended the University of Utah and her work has been featured on the likes of Parents.com, Digital Care, Hostfully, and more.

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