Blink Mini Review

The Blink Mini is a compact indoor-only security camera that requires a hard-wired connection for power and captures video in 1080p HD. The Mini has basic features allowing for night vision, two-way audio, and motion detection.

Video Quality

To test video quality, I used this camera day and night, using charts to help judge and compare image clarity, color accuracy, and overall image quality of each camera.

There's no getting around it: the Blink Mini delivered abysmal results in our video quality testing and will have you squinting in the best of circumstances to make out details. In judging daytime clarity, the Snellen Chart is completely blown out by overexposure, and I could barely make out the second line of letters on the chart. The picture also looks oversaturated. Although there isn't a lot of distortion, the overexposure is pretty brutal.

Jumping to nighttime, the overexposure rears its head again, but in different places throughout the image, rendering its night vision capability ineffective. This is especially notable on the glowing white firewood pile. To add insult to injury, the Mini has one of the smallest fields of view of all the cameras we tested at just 110 degrees.

Monitoring Performance

Sadly, the Blink Mini does not have subject or facial recognition. You can use the Blink app to manage motion zones, and the grid selection on the app works fine, but it's annoying that you have to select each individual square. It would be nice if you could drag to select instead. The feature set of the Mini is quite barren, with only motion detection and two-way audio capability.

Ease of Use

Here, I dig into each camera's app interface to see if they're user-friendly or frustrating for end users. I evaluated how each camera is powered and whether it features the ability to use multiple power sources.

Most cameras do well in our ease-of-use testing, but the Blink Mini managed to throw us a few curveballs. It has very limited functionality without the purchase of a Blink Sync Module. The only alert you're capable of receiving on the Mini is when motion is detected, which leaves the Mini in the Stone Age compared to most other cameras we tested.

Should You Buy the Blink Mini?

Despite being highly affordable, the Blink Mini doesn't capture detailed enough video to be helpful and is a poor investment. It's quite archaic compared to all the other cameras we tested. Plagued with blurry image quality, next to no features, and a required additional purchase of a Blink Sync Module, I suggest passing on the Mini.

What Other Security Cameras Should You Consider?

Now that you know that the Blink Mini isn't for you, you're probably wondering what is. We reviewed a group of the best security cameras on the market and have done the hard work to make your decision easy. For an entry-level, affordable camera like the Mini, I suggest checking out the Wyze Cam v4. It turns the tables in a positive direction from the Mini and has crisp, clear image quality, responsive monitoring performance, all at an affordable price. For those looking to really ramp up security, the Eufy Floodlight Cam E340 uses a 2,000 lumen floodlight bright enough to illuminate your entire yard or driveway in the dark and is capable of capturing footage in ultra-clear 3k resolution.