ANJIELO SMART Tuya Video Doorbell Review: a packed smart intercom if you’re not scared of wiring

I installed this ANJIELO SMART Tuya video doorbell/intercom at home to replace a basic wired buzzer, and it’s clearly not in the same category as the usual small Wi‑Fi doorbells you just stick next to the door. This is more like a mini building intercom for a house or small villa, with a 7‑inch indoor screen, proper wiring between monitor and outdoor unit, and several ways to unlock a gate or electric strike. If you’re expecting a plug-and-play gadget, you’ll be surprised: it’s closer to a little DIY project.

I used it for a bit over two weeks, testing it in daily life: deliveries, friends coming over, and just random motion detection at the gate. I hooked it up to my 2.4 GHz Wi‑Fi and to the Tuya app, and I also wired it to a 12V lock on a side gate. So I’ve tried pretty much all the features: fingerprints, RFID cards, PIN code, unlock from the screen, and unlock from the phone app. In practice, you quickly see what’s handy and what’s more of a gimmick.

My first impression: the product is packed with features and feels more serious than many cheap Wi‑Fi doorbells. On the other hand, the instructions are a bit light, the setup is not idiot‑proof, and you do need to be comfortable with running cables and playing with low-voltage wiring. If you’re used to just screwing in a Nest or Ring, this will feel more old‑school, even if the app side is modern enough.

Overall, it’s a pretty solid system for the price if you need a real intercom with a screen and multiple unlock methods. But it’s not perfect: the app is sometimes slow to connect, the interface looks dated, and the camera is 1080p but not magic. It gets the job done, but don’t expect a high-end security system either. I’ll break down what works well and what’s a bit annoying in the next sections.

When you look at what’s included — a 7‑inch touch monitor, a wired 1080p outdoor unit with fingerprint reader, RFID, keypad, Tuya Wi‑Fi, 32 GB SD card, plus support for 12V locks — the value for money is pretty solid. If you tried to recreate the same thing with a big brand (screen + doorbell + separate lock controller), you’d easily pay a lot more. Here, you get a fairly complete access control system in one box. For a villa or a house with a gate, it’s hard to find many alternatives at this price with as many unlock options.

That said, the price is not just about features; it’s also about polish and support. You can feel that the user interface, manuals, and app integration are a bit rough around the edges. The instructions are usable but not super detailed, especially if you want to hook up more complex lock setups. You need to be comfortable with a bit of DIY and maybe watching a couple of videos online. If you pay more for a big name, you often get better documentation and a smoother app experience. So you save money here, but you pay with your time and patience during setup.

Compared to a typical Wi‑Fi-only battery doorbell (Ring, Eufy, etc.), it’s a different value proposition. Those are easier to install, prettier, and more refined on the app side, but they don’t directly control wired 12V locks or offer fingerprint/RFID/PIN out of the box. If you just want to see who’s at the door and talk to them, those might be simpler and not much more expensive. If you really want an integrated intercom + access control system, this ANJIELO SMART unit gives you more for your money, as long as you accept the more basic finish and slightly clunky software.

So in terms of value, I’d say it’s good for someone who knows what they’re getting into: a feature-rich but slightly rough system. If you expect the smoothness and build of a premium brand at a budget price, you’ll be disappointed. If you want lots of functions and you don’t mind spending an afternoon with cables and settings, the price/performance ratio is honestly pretty decent.

Visually, the indoor monitor is decent: a flat rectangular slab with a black front and a plastic frame. It’s not something you’ll stare at in admiration, but on a wall near the entrance it blends in fine. The bezels are quite visible compared to a modern tablet, and the interface looks a bit old-school Android/embedded UI. Still, the main thing is that icons are big, easy to tap, and the screen is bright enough to see even in daylight. I mounted it at about eye level and it doesn’t scream “cheap gadget” from a distance, but up close you can tell it’s plastic, not glass and metal.

The outdoor unit is more interesting from a design standpoint. It’s a compact block with the camera at the top, then the fingerprint reader, keypad, and card reader area. It comes with a rain cover that also makes it look a bit more robust. The buttons are backlit, which is practical at night. The overall look is more “apartment intercom” than “fancy designer doorbell”, but that’s fine for a gate or building entrance. It doesn’t draw too much attention, which I actually like for something that sits on the street.

In terms of everyday practicality, the layout is mostly well thought-out. The camera angle is wide enough, and the height of the camera works well if you mount it roughly at chest/shoulder height. People of different sizes are still visible, though you might cut off the top of very tall people if you mount it too low. The fingerprint sensor is easy to reach, but it’s a small area, so you need to place your finger correctly; elderly people or kids may need a bit of practice.

One thing that could be better is the interface on the indoor screen. The menus are a bit cluttered, some icons are not super intuitive, and the translation in some submenus is obviously done quickly. It’s usable, you figure it out after a few days, but it doesn’t feel polished. Also, the cable management behind the monitor could be cleaner: if you don’t plan your routing well, you end up with a visible cable or a bulge in the wall. So in terms of design, I’d say it’s functional and fairly modern-looking, but clearly built with cost in mind rather than style.

The whole system is mostly plastic, which is expected at this price point. The indoor monitor has an acrylic/ABS front panel. It doesn’t feel premium, but it doesn’t feel like a toy either. The casing doesn’t creak when you press on it, and the touch response is consistent across the screen. The finish is a bit glossy, so it picks up fingerprints, but you’re not handling it like a phone all day, so it’s not a big deal. Wall mounting is done with a simple bracket that you screw into the wall, then you slide the monitor on. Once clipped in, it holds well; I tugged on it a bit and it didn’t wobble.

The outdoor unit is also plastic, but denser and with a more rugged feel. With the rain cover installed, it looks like it can handle normal weather without issue. The IP54 rating means it’s okay with splashes and dust, but I wouldn’t put it in a place where it gets direct heavy rain and no protection at all. The included rain cover helps a lot. The buttons are rubbery and seem sealed, and the camera window is clear with no distortion. The fingerprint reader surface doesn’t look fragile, but only time will tell how it ages with sun and rain.

The wiring terminals are screw-type, and they hold the cables properly if you strip and insert them correctly. I used Cat6 for the test with two pairs for the 4-wire connection, and the terminals clamped well. The power adapter is a basic 12V 2A brick, nothing special there. It does its job, but it’s not the kind of PSU you’d want exposed; keep it inside or in a protected junction box. The overall feeling is that the manufacturer tried to keep costs down but didn’t completely cut corners on structure.

Compared to more expensive brands, you clearly feel the difference in materials and finish, but for a mid-range wired intercom it’s acceptable. If you’re expecting metal housing and glass front, this isn’t it. If you just want something that feels solid enough to last a few years outside without falling apart, it’s okay. Just be a bit careful during installation: don’t overtighten screws into the plastic and avoid twisting the unit once mounted, because you can feel that it’s not built to be abused mechanically.

I haven’t had it installed for years obviously, but after a few weeks of use and some basic stress tests, you get a sense of how the system might age. The IP54 rating and the included rain cover give some confidence for outdoor use. I installed the outdoor unit where it gets some wind and rain but not direct full-on storms all day, and it handled a couple of heavy showers without any issue. No condensation behind the camera glass, no water in the speaker. The plastic didn’t warp or discolor in that short time, but long-term sun exposure is always the question mark with cheaper plastics.

On the electronic side, the fact that everything is wired and powered from the indoor unit is actually a plus for durability. No batteries to replace, no worries about a doorbell dying in the cold because the battery can’t handle low temperatures. The stated operating range is -40°C to +50°C, which is ambitious. I only tested in mild weather (between 5°C and 20°C), so I can’t confirm the extremes, but the unit didn’t show any instability or random reboots. The connections stayed solid and the lock kept triggering reliably.

The only small reliability gripe I had was with the fingerprint reader. When fingers were dirty, wet, or really dry, it sometimes took two or three tries to recognize. That’s not exactly a failure, but you can see that the sensor isn’t top-of-the-line. For everyday family use it’s fine, but if you expect 100% reliability in all conditions, you’ll be disappointed. The RFID cards and PIN code are more consistent, so I’d rely on those as backup.

From a purely mechanical standpoint, the buttons, cover, and mounting plate feel like they can handle normal domestic use. I wouldn’t put this on a public building entrance with heavy abuse, but for a house or a small shared entrance it’s okay. Given the price and the mostly plastic build, I’d rate the durability as “good enough if installed correctly and not abused.” If you want something bulletproof for 10+ years, you probably need to go for a more expensive pro-grade brand. For a standard home, this seems acceptable, as long as you protect the adapter and wiring properly and don’t leave anything dangling.

On the video side, the 1080p camera does the job. During the day, the image is clear, you can see faces and even small details like badges on a jacket if the person is close enough. The wide angle (around 140–148°) is practical: on my gate, I can see not just the person but also part of the driveway. At night, the IR LEDs kick in and you get a black-and-white image. It’s not cinema quality, but you can clearly identify someone at 1–2 meters. If there’s a strong light behind the person (like a street lamp), the sensor struggles a bit, but that’s common with many doorbells.

Audio performance is decent but not perfect. Indoors, the speaker on the monitor is loud enough and voices are understandable. Outside, the person sometimes hears a bit of echo, especially if you’re close to the monitor and speaking loudly. There’s a slight delay in two-way audio, especially when you talk through the phone app over the internet. It’s not dramatic, but it feels less natural than talking on a phone call. For short exchanges with the delivery guy, it’s fine, but for long conversations it’s a bit tiring.

About the 5 in 1 unlocking: this is where the product stands out. In practice, here’s how it went for me:

• Fingerprint: once enrolled properly (you have to scan the finger several times), recognition is fairly quick. It fails sometimes with wet or very cold fingers, but most of the time it works on the first or second try.
• RFID cards: simple and reliable. You present the card, it beeps, door opens. I actually prefer this method for kids or guests.
• Password (PIN): works, but the keypad is small, and at night you need to look closely despite the backlight.
• App unlock: handy when you’re not home, but the delay of opening the app, connecting, then pressing unlock is clearly slower than a cloud-first system like Ring. It’s okay if you’re patient.
• Monitor unlock: super simple: someone rings, you tap the unlock icon, done.

The Tuya app integration is functional. Notifications when someone rings generally arrive in a few seconds, but sometimes there’s a 5–10 second delay, which is annoying if the delivery guy is in a hurry. Motion detection also generates notifications, but I had to tweak the sensitivity because at first it was triggering too often. Remote viewing works, but quality drops a bit if your upload speed is weak. So overall, performance is pretty solid for a wired intercom with smart features, but don’t expect the smoothness of a top-tier cloud doorbell. It’s more than good enough for home use, as long as you accept some lag and a slightly clunky app experience.

The system is basically split into two big parts: the indoor 7-inch touch monitor and the outdoor doorbell unit. They are connected by a 4-wire cable (the kit includes about 3 meters, which is enough if your door isn’t far from where you want the screen, otherwise you’ll have to buy extra cable like RVV4 or Cat5/Cat6). The indoor monitor plugs into the mains (100–240V) through a small power adapter, and then it feeds the outdoor unit with 12V through the 4‑wire connection. So the outdoor part is not battery-powered at all, which is both good and bad.

The indoor monitor has a 7" TFT touch screen with 1024×680 resolution. It’s not ultra-sharp by today’s standards, but for an intercom it’s fine: faces are clear enough, menus are readable. There are touch buttons on-screen, a menu to adjust volume and color, and you can access recordings from the SD card (a 32 GB card is included, which is rare enough to mention). The monitor connects to your Wi‑Fi (only 2.4 GHz, no 5 GHz), which then links it to the Tuya app on your phone. Once paired, you can see the camera, talk, and unlock from your phone.

The doorbell unit has a 1080p camera with a 3.2 mm lens and around 140–148° field of view. There’s IR night vision, a microphone, a speaker, and the reader for fingerprints and RFID cards, plus a keypad for PIN codes. It’s IP54, so splash-proof, and comes with a rain cover. You can wire it to a 12V electric lock or a gate opener (check compatibility). It also has motion detection: when someone passes in front, it can record a short video or snapshots to the SD card.

Functionally, the system does a lot: 5 unlock methods (fingerprint, RFID card, PIN, app, and directly from the indoor monitor), two-way audio, recording on motion or button press, and intercom between room monitors if you buy extra screens. In daily use, the core is simple: someone rings, your screen turns on, you talk, you press unlock if you want. The app adds remote access when you’re not home, but you feel that the heart of the product is still the wired intercom, not the cloud part. For the price, the feature set is good, but you need to be ready to set it all up properly.