God. I'm literally sitting here with my coffee at 9am, scrolling through eBay deals like the bargain-obsessed weirdo I am, when I stumbled across something that made me spit out my drink. The Ring doorbell quick-release battery pack – you know, that thing that normally costs a ridiculous £25 – is available for just £11.96!

But here's teh catch: this deal vanishes at midnight tonight.

Why I'm weirdly excited about a battery pack

Look, I know it sounds sad to get this pumped about a battery accessory, but hear me out. Last winter, my Ring doorbell died during that massive snowstorm we had. Of course, that was the exact moment some sketchy guy in a hoodie decided to test my door handle at 2am. Couldn't see a thing. Spent the next three nights sleeping with a cricket bat beside my bed.

Never again.

The actual practical stuff you need to know

This quick-release battery pack just slots onto your existing Ring doorbell. No hardwiring needed (thank goodness, because I once electrocuted myself trying to install a ceiling light in 2019... still have the mark on my thumb). When your doorbell battery dies, you just swap in this fully-charged backup and boom – continuous protection.

It comes with a USB charger too, so it's basically as simple as charging your phone. My tech-phobic dad could handle this, and he still prints out his emails.

From £25 to £11.96 – What's the secret?

The official Ring website sells these for £24.99, which feels like daylight robbery. But I found an eBay seller offering it with code "LOOPY20" that knocks it down to £11.96. That's more than half off!

I've checked – it's a legit seller with solid ratings. Not one of those dodgy accounts that disappears after taking your money. Been there, done that with a "designer" handbag back in 2018. Still bitter about losing that £70.

People are obsessed (and slightly paranoid)

The reviews for this thing are... intense. One person on Hot Deals wrote: "I got one the last time it was on offer, perfect to have a spare charger to swap out." Pretty standard.

But then there's this anxious mum who said: "It's transformed my life, for the first time I feel safe consistently and can sleep at night knowing that I can always check who's at the door. We had a break-in last year, and those few hours when we swapped the battery gave me the quivers."

The quivers? Dramatic much? But... I get it.

That awkward security gap

The biggest issue with Ring doorbells is that moment when you're swapping batteries. Your home basically goes blind for a few hours. With a backup battery ready to go, that vulnerability disappears.

One reviewer called it "A game changer for home security" that "withstands extreme rain, snow and heat." Another praised "the quick release feature, which makes swapping it out incredibly easy."

Honestly, everyone seems to love this thing. One person flatly stated: "There is no reason you would return this; they're great." Hard to argue with that logic.

Alternatives (if you miss tonight's deadline)

If you're reading this tomorrow and kicking yourself... sorry. But there's always the Ring Solar Charger option. Works great in summer, though I've heard it struggles during those endless grey UK winter months when the sun apparently goes on holiday without telling anyone.

I just ordered two of these battery packs. One for me, one for my sister who just moved into her first flat alone and texts me every time she hears a noise outside. Maybe now she'll stop sending me blurry 3am videos of neighborhood cats.

Anyway. Midnight deadline. Don't forget.