Blink Mini 2 security camera review: Basics on a budget

Newcomer security brand Blink impressed me with its AA battery-powered Blink Outdoor 4 wireless security camera, so naturally, I had high hopes for its low-priced wired alternative, the Blink Mini 2.

Now that I’ve spent a few weeks with this camera, there’s only one word I can really think of to describe it: basic. But that’s not a bad thing.

On top of that, the Blink Mini 2 does not offer any local storage capacity. That means if you plan on saving your recordings, you have to pay a minimum of $4.95 per month for cloud storage or cough up $79 for a Blink Sync Module 2, which itself requires a USB drive to save footage locally.

Still, all these extras can be disregarded if you’re simply looking for a cheap camera for checking in on the camera’s live feed to see what your kids or pets are up to while you’re out and about.

The Blink Mini 2 is an exceptionally compact device, designed to sit on just about any surface and blend into its surroundings. Although the camera is static, you can manually tilt it as needed, which is especially handful if you plan on using the included mounting hardware to install it on a wall or ceiling.

The camera comes in black or white and, as it’s rated IP65, it can withstand rain and therefore be used both indoors and outdoors (although the outdoor adapter is necessary if you plan on using it outside). The only downside is that, like its wireless counterpart, the Blink Mini 2 is only rated to operate in temperatures up to 45°C. Not exactly ideal considering how hot our Aussie summers can get.

Fortunately, getting started with the Blink Mini 2 is a breeze—everything from installation to usage is clearly designed with ease of use in mind. Setting the camera up took less than three minutes and was a simple matter of downloading the Blink app and scanning a QR code. Too easy.

In a market full of 2K (and higher) resolution security cameras, HD might not sound all that appealing, but the Blink Mini 2’s 1080p resolution is so clear that anything more would feel like overkill. Throw in a generous 143-degree viewing angle and up to 30fps frame rate and you’re looking at some solid quality footage with great coverage.

Colour night vision is pretty unheard of in the ultra-budget security camera market. Not only does the Blink Mini 2 have it, but it’s also really damn good, with its bright spotlight bringing lifelike colour to my pitch-black living room.

As I mentioned previously, the Blink Mini 2 is all about ease of use, and that extends to the Blink app. It’s not particularly feature-rich, but it has everything you need for basic surveillance. The live feed loads quickly and there’s a handful of settings to tweak, including recording quality, clip length, activity zones, motion sensitivity and more.

Unfortunately, as you might expect from an Amazon-owned brand, the Blink Mini 2 is not compatible with Apple HomeKit or Google Home—only Alexa.

The Blink Mini 2 is a fine budget security camera, with a wide viewing angle, colour night vision and user-friendly setup. However, the lack of any local storage capacity and the fact that the outdoor adapter is sold separately (cheap though it may be) means you may have to fork out extra cash to get the most out of your new camera. A hard sell, considering there are more feature-rich cameras going for even less than the Blink Mini 2.

Still, if you’re after something basic to check on your pets, the Blink Mini 2’s great video quality, colour night vision, foolproof installation and easy-to-use app will absolutely get the job done.