Blink Mini review

Does the low-cost Blink Mini security camera put feelings over features?

Blink Mini review
(Image: © Adam Juniper/Digital Camera World)

Digital Camera World Verdict

The Blink Mini isn’t for security experts but those who want to feel safer. As such it’s a great product because it’s easy to install, will adapt to nearly any visual tastes, and won’t break the bank. Tech fans’s initial disappointment at the inevitable nudges toward a cloud storage subscription might be assuaged by the option of a hub, though MicroSD would be easier, and the Blink app is good but would benefit from geolocation.

Pros

  • +

    Simple to set up

  • +

    Discrete yet distinctive design

  • +

    Smooth 30 frames per second video

  • +

    Decent length USB cable and power adapter included

  • +

    Low-latency live view

Cons

  • -

    No MicroSD slot for recording

  • -

    Limited feature set for

  • -

    Blink app lacks geofencing

  • -

    No person detection

Why you can trust Digital Camera World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you. Find out how we test.

The Blink Mini certainly isn’t the only small smart indoor security camera that allows remote monitoring of your home, but it is one of the lowest-priced. It’s the lowest-priced camera in Blink’s range (by some margin), making it one of the best cheap security cameras around. 

The philosophy of the Mini and its competitors (like the more expensive Nest Cam Indoor) is to offer a limited remote live view for the price of the camera – a reassuring view of what’s happening back home, like a baby camera monitor for whatever room you choose. Storage of video when movement, or ‘events’, are detected may seem a natural part of a security system but in practice, these come via an additional subscription, and other features too, as they’re cloud-dependent.

Thank you for reading 5 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Adam Juniper
Managing Editor

With over 20 years of expertise as a tech journalist, Adam brings a wealth of knowledge across a vast number of product categories, including timelapse cameras, home security cameras, NVR cameras, photography books, webcams, 3D printers and 3D scanners, borescopes, radar detectors… and, above all, drones. 

Adam is our resident expert on all aspects of camera drones and drone photography, from buying guides on the best choices for aerial photographers of all ability levels to the latest rules and regulations on piloting drones. 

He is the author of a number of books including The Complete Guide to Drones, The Smart Smart Home Handbook, 101 Tips for DSLR Video and The Drone Pilot's Handbook