The Toucan Wireless Video Doorbell V3: A Comprehensive Review
The Toucan Wireless Video Doorbell V3 ($109.99) is a feature-rich, wire-free doorbell that offers both phone and voice control. It's easy to install and captures sharp footage, but it comes with a catch: viewing clips older than a day or downloading more than five videos per month requires an additional cost. Despite its affordability, the TP-Link Tapo D225 ($99.99) offers more value with higher-resolution 2K video, local and cloud storage, and extensive third-party integrations, making it our Editors' Choice winner.
Design: Lightweight and Battery-Powered
The V3 boasts a sleek, matte white IP56 weather-resistant enclosure with a matte black face, measuring 5.7 x 2.1 x 1.1 inches. While it's bulkier than the TP-Link Tapo D225, it's still compact. The front panel houses the camera, PIR motion sensor, microphone, speaker, IR LEDs, and a doorbell button with an LED ring. The ring indicates button presses or motion, blinking blue during setup, purple during firmware updates, or red on connection failure. The back features a USB-C charging port, Set and Reset buttons, and a rubber cover.
The camera captures 1296x1296 pixel video at 25 fps with a 180-degree diagonal field of view. It uses ambient light for color night video, falling back to IR LEDs for black and white in low light. The TP-Link Tapo D225, in comparison, offers sharper 2304x1728 pixel (2K) video at 20 fps and a 180-degree field of view.
The doorbell comes with a battery-powered chime box (2.6 x 2.6 x 0.9 inches) using two AA batteries, along with a mounting plate, screws, screwdriver, USB-C cable, and user guide.
Connectivity and Compatibility
The V3 connects to your home network via 2.4GHz Wi-Fi and integrates with Alexa and Google voice assistants for smart display control. It doesn't support Apple HomeKit or IFTTT applets for third-party device integration. The TP-Link Tapo D225, however, supports Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT for broader device compatibility.
Mobile App and Features
The Toucan mobile app (Android/iOS) provides a dedicated panel for the V3, displaying the latest camera image, signal strength, and battery level. It includes buttons for live stream, two-way talk, video recording, snapshot, siren, pre-recorded messages, and emergency calls. The app offers two plans: Basic ($0) and Pro ($2.99/month), with the latter adding video history, video-in-video playback, custom greetings, and unlimited downloads.
Storage and Additional Costs
The V3 lacks local storage, requiring subscription plans for extended video history and downloads. The TP-Link Tapo D225 offers local storage and microSD card support up to 512GB, or Tapo Care Premium cloud storage ($3.49/month).
Installation and Performance
Installation is straightforward: download the app, create an account, add the device, enter Wi-Fi credentials, and scan the QR code. The V3's video quality is impressive, with sharp color saturation, though control buttons may overlap in portrait mode. Night video is sharp and contrast-rich, and notifications are prompt. Alexa integration works seamlessly, and two-way audio is clear.
Conclusion
The Toucan Wireless Video Doorbell V3 is a capable doorbell, but the TP-Link Tapo D225 offers more features and value. Consider your storage needs and third-party integration preferences when choosing between the two.
