Are you worried about security in and around your home? When I was asked to review the Blink camera system I was excited. I had recently been sent a different brand’s camera to review but it was rubbish so I hoped this was better.
We don’t live in a mansion and did not need anything too fancy but finding something to do what we needed had been difficult so far.
All security cameras seem to promise a lot but whether they deliver is another matter as we found with the Kodak one we tried (more info below!).
How do you set up the Blink Home Security system?
I don’t know about you but I hate setting things up which involve a lot of complicated instructions and try to avoid it when I can or leave it to Stuart!
When the Blink camera system arrived I was pleased to see it didn’t have a huge instruction booklet. Then to discover there wasn’t even a website with lots of instructions I must admit I was unsure.
Whilst I don’t like lots of instructions they are often needed so I was concerned the instructions we had wouldn’t be comprehensive enough.
I was however pleasantly surprised. It is actually just really easy to set up so long instructions are not needed.
There is a small sync module that is plugged into a normal plug socket and synced to your home internet through the Blink App. It is as easy as linking a new iPad to the internet so really easy!
The sync module then uses wireless technology to communicate with the camera/s.
Setting up the Cameras
As you can see in the picture above the camera itself is really small and handy. The box includes all you need to secure it wherever you need to.
We actually chose to screw our outdoor one to a window sill. It means we can reach easily to change the batteries when needed and it gave us the perfect view of what we needed.
The indoor camera again includes all the fittings you need. We decided however to stand ours on top of a tall unit as it gives us the view we needed but also means we can move it whenever we need to.
With the click of a few buttons on the app and scanning the code in the camera, it takes seconds to link a camera to your system.
The Blink Home Security App
The app is available on Apple and Android devices and is really user-friendly.
Using the app you can arm and disarm the camera, change the area it covers by hiding areas (eg. trees that wobble in the wind) and so much more.
Video clips can easily be downloaded from the app and sent directly by email, Whatsapp or however you fancy really. This makes it so easy if you do have an issue caught on camera to send it to appropriate agencies etc.
The app stores a number of videos on the cloud (which doesn’t cost any extra) and these can be deleted through your app at any time.
You can even view your home/garden live at the click of a button. This is great if you are lying in bed and think you hear something in the garden.
Alternatively, you can use it to keep an eye on a pet in the garden perhaps or check if your cat has eaten their food whilst you are at work.
10 Reasons Why I love the Blink Camera System
The indoor camera has a light when it is recording or viewing live which is a great design to prevent it from being used in domestic abuse or controlling relationships.
I have personal experience of being in a relationship where this would have been a worry of mine.
It is super easy to set up and add to if you buy additional cameras.
The sensitivity can be changed through the app so on really windy days you can easily reduce the sensitivity without turning the camera off.
It is small and discreet but the videos are of amazing quality with audio as well as visual being recorded.
The camera units are wireless and battery-controlled (AA Lithium batteries) with the app telling you if the battery is low.
Blink can be integrated with Amazon Alexa devices so that you can just ask Alexa to arm the camera on your way out of the door to save time!
The Blink website is really helpful and answers anything you are not sure about.
There is no ongoing cost, once you have bought the system you are sorted!
It is good value for money. There are a number of different bundles with more cameras if needed or you can buy them separately later on.
The instant notifications on your phone mean wherever you are you can see what is happening and if necessary alert authorities.
A few downfalls with the Blink camera system
Whilst I love the system there are a few things which I feel you would like to know. Some are things they will probably address in future models, and others are things that are not necessarily needed and probably keep the price of the Blink camera system low.
The camera can not be remotely moved so only covers 180° from where it is placed. This is still a good view though.
When it is really cold (we found it at approx -5) frost formed on the camera lens which stopped it from viewing anything.
This was easily wiped with a warm damp cloth to clear it quickly but it would have soon defrosted I am sure. Luckily these temperatures are quite infrequent so not too much of a worry.
The camera wobbles in very high wind and then repeatedly suggests there has been movement. I can’t imagine any other camera would be any different in these Storm Freya winds we have recently had!
There is no way to talk back through the system, so you can hear what is happening but you can not talk back to the intruder etc. This is probably a technology thing though and would increase the price too! Maybe it will come in future models.
The other security camera we tried
Briefly, I will share a few details of the other security camera we were sent to review, the Kodak EP101WG outdoor camera. It is a wired camera that involved us having to drill through the wall to mount it.
It was easy enough to set up but soon we encountered problems finding that it regularly disconnected from our WiFi and wouldn’t reconnect.
We tried a wireless booster which was good quality and cost £40. The booster works well and we can even find the booster channel next door!
However, still, the security camera does not pick up the signal. Despite contacting Kodak 4 months ago both as a customer and through their PR team (who had asked me to review) I have had no response. As such I have not written a full review of the item as it is frankly difficult when it doesn’t work!
I would like to add however that the Kodak brand is split into different arms so to speak and when I reviewed the Kodak Bridge camera recently.
I asked them about the security camera and found it is an unrelated business, they passed my message on with no luck. Kodak make great cameras I found but this security camera is not something I would recommend to anyone based on our experiences!
Would I recommend the Blink Home Security System?
I absolutely love this system and would be happy to recommend them to anyone. They have worked well for the few months we have tried them so far so I am sure this will continue.
The Blink camera system is easy to install, reliable, and good value for money and the app is simple and effective. If you are looking for the perfect security system for your home then I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Blink camera system.
Since writing this article I have also reviewed the EZVIZ C8C camera which is the best one yet and I would highly recommend it to anyone considering a camera!
