Key takeaways:
- Comelit intercoms offer robust video and audio capabilities, but their integration options with other property management systems and smart devices may be limited when compared to more advanced systems.
- While Comelit intercoms provide quality functionality, their installation process may be more complex and require professional support, making them less user-friendly for property managers or developers who prioritize ease of setup.
- Comelit systems are generally more expensive, and the costs can add up with additional hardware requirements, which may not justify the investment for some properties, especially when compared to more cost-effective, fully integrated alternatives.
Our review covers:
- About Comelit Group SPA
- Comelit product overview
- 3 most popular Comelit intercom models
- About the Comelit Ikall intercom
- Features
- Comelit Ikall pricing
- Pros and cons
- Comelit customer reviews
- ButterflyMX vs. Comelit Ikall
- FAQs about Comelit
About Comelit Group SPA
Comelit Group SPA, the manufacturer of Comelit intercoms, is headquartered in Val Seriana, Italy. It has been serving clients’ surveillance and access needs since 1956. Today, its product offerings include video intercoms, home automation solutions, and fire protection systems for single-family homes, multifamily communities, and commercial buildings.
With international offices, Comelit Group SPA spans the globe from Europe to Asia to the Middle East. The company has a U.S. office located in Monrovia, California.
The Comelit group specializes in hardware like:
- Access control. You can hook a Comelit intercom up to your smartphone or a door station installed in an apartment so that residents don’t have to walk all the way down to the front door to let in a guest.
- Credential readers. Choose between security hardware devices like keypads and card readers.
- Intercom hardware. Types of intercom hardware include door stations and entry panels like their Comelit Ultra Touch panel.
How do you answer a Comelit intercom?
To answer a Comelit intercom, use the panel inside of your apartment to let your visitor in. Depending on your building, that might look like pushing an analog button or selecting the right option from a touchscreen.
If your building has phone-based entry enabled, you can also use the Comelit app or answer a phone call sent by the Comelit intercom. This lets you open the door for guests even if you’re not home.
Comelit product overview
On Comelit’s website, over eight hundred products are listed – but have no fear. Here, we’ve outlined some ways you can think of and categorize Comelit’s products.
Comelit splits their access control offerings into these main categories:
Comelit single-user products
A single-user Comelit product is meant for a single-family home. The maximum capabilities of Comelit’s single-user products are residences with three or four families. You can also use this category to manage access for a smaller commercial property.
Popular series of single-user products include Comelit’s HFX, Visto, and Ciao kits. Each comes with a different set of features and pricing tiers.
Comelit hardware that can manage access for a single household include:
- Front entry hardware. When a visitor wants access into a resident’s home, they use the door station installed at the property’s front door or gate. Comelit’s front door stations can come with features like video calling, integrations with smartphone apps, and the ability to connect to as many as fifteen door stations inside the house.
- Door stations. Residents use door station monitors to interact with the front entry hardware and let visitors in. Depending on the needs of your property, you can have multiple door stations that you install around the house. You can also choose between different types of Comelit door stations that have screens for video calls or a phone-style detachable handset.
- Accessories. Comelit also sells accessories that make installation easier, such as wall supports, cable extenders, and power supplies.
Comelit multi-user products
These multi-user products are meant for commercial and residential buildings that house more than one tenant.
Comelit’s multi-user intercom models include:
- Simplebus series. The Simplebus series of Comelit intercom systems is meant for buildings with existing wiring schemes. You can easily retrofit your old intercom with a Simplebus because they’re designed to use a building’s existing set of intercom wiring.
- VIP series. Newer constructions can take advantage of Comelit’s VIP series, which allows for next-generation intercoms with more built-in features. Instead of being dependent on old intercom wiring, VIP Comelit intercoms use IP connections for heightened convenience and wireless communication.
- Ikall series. As one of their most widely-installed intercom models, we’ll go into further detail about Comelit’s Ikall series below.
3 popular Comelit intercom models
1. Quadra
Comelit touts Quadra as one of its most aesthetically pleasing, award-winning intercom models. As such, it’s the right fit for higher-end properties like luxury apartments or commercial office spaces.
However, the maximum amount of units it can contact is four. This makes the Quadra ideal for smaller buildings that don’t have as many residents to contact.
Features of the Quadra include:
- Flexibility. The base Quadra kit comes with 4 base stations — add and distinguish between base station types depending on what your building needs
- Modular base station. Quadra’s base station can contact up to four units.
- Easy add-ons. Property managers can install multiple door stations inside of a unit, increasing resident convenience and giving them multiple options to choose from.
Pricing: According to some third-party websites, the price for a Quadra entrance panel is around $500. Base stations and accessories will add to this price.
2. 3one6
The 3one6 is a stainless steel intercom model that’s found popularity because of its sleek look. It also has a larger memory base that allows for up to 400 names to be stored.
3one6 features include:
- 2 versions for maximum coverage. Choose between the Touch version outfitted with a touchscreen panel and the Sense, Comelit’s keypad-based version.
- High-tech keypad. For the Sense model, you can count on Comelit’s capacitive sensing technology to detect touches instead of an old school, button-based keypad that’s prone to breakdowns. The metal plating also comes with Braille, making your property more accessible.
- Customizable touchscreen. Choose between different layouts, backgrounds, and where the Touch sends notifications. Alert residents about guests via door station or by connecting the Touch to an app on their smartphones.
Pricing: The price of a 3one6 intercom depends on whether you choose the Touch, the Sense, or any add-ons. Pricing range between $1,800 to $5,900, add-ons not included.
3. Vandalcom
Comelit designed the Vandalcom with durability and protection in mind. It has the capability to send alerts and instructions to 10+ door stations, making it ideal for larger residential and commercial properties that want to prioritize security.
The Vandalcom’s features include:
- IK10 rating. This is an industry rating that means that the Vandalcom is guaranteed to withstand heavy impacts.
- Durable construction. The Vandalcom is housed in galvanized sheet metal, specifically treated to become more impact-resistant. Other aspects of its construction have been specifically made to guard against common vandal tactics like jamming or removing it from the wall.
- Adaptivity. The Vandalcom comes with a keypad and a series of nameplates and associated buttons, allowing visitors to choose which way they want to call a resident. In addition, managers can configure the Vandalcom with a screen for video calling.
Pricing: Without add-ons, a Vandalcom door station costs around $1300.
About the Comelit Ikall intercom
Comelit offers a wide assortment of intercoms, from basic to more advanced. The Ikall is one of the most popular Comelit intercom models.
The Comelit Ikall is a modular system available in a digital version with sensitive touch keys and an analog version with customizable nameplates.
Features
- Two entry intercom interfaces. Outdoor Comelit video intercom interface options include sensitive touch keys or analog buttons with an electronic tenant directory. Adding Comelit’s cloud service for facial recognition may also allow users to program images of select visitors for hands-free access.
- Mobile app. The Comelit mobile app, available for both Android and Apple devices, allows users to receive push notifications when they receive a call, unlock doors, and review stored messages from missed calls.
- Two-way video calling. Users can conduct two-way video calls with visitors through in-unit hardware or the mobile app.
- Additional accessories. An emergency entrance panel, key reader, RFID reader, and key fobs offer multiple configuration possibilities.
Watch how ButterflyMX works:
Pricing
Pricing for the Comelit Ikall is not publicly available on the Comelit website. Interested parties should contact a sales representative for information.
Pros & cons
Pros:
- Comelit access control offers accessories with added functionality, including a radiometric thermal camera that can measure body temperatures before granting access.
- The Comelit Ikall supports 16 languages and allows for a customizable welcome message.
- The system may integrate with access control systems such as Prodatakey and Salto.
Cons:
- Certain features may only be available as add-ons at an additional cost.
- Comelit intercom old models may not have a touchscreen interface, which could make the Comelit intercom feel outdated to modern users.
- The Comelit mobile app has reviews that seem to cite the inability to recognize devices and failure to launch the app.
- The intercom may not be IP65-rated.
- You may need to update the intercom directory through a USB port rather than through a convenient cloud-based dashboard or an integration with your property management system.
- Some Comelit intercoms require on-site management, which could be frustrating for busy property managers.
Comelit customer reviews
At this time, Comelit reviews vary based on the website. They’re ranking 4.5 on Trustpilot, with mixed insight about the app and intercoms. However, on the Apple App Store, the rating is settled at 2.5 stars.
Below are some quotes from Comelit users that shed light on their experiences:*
“Very bad system. It randomly switches off, and people can’t ring my door bell. It happens regularly every few months. I have repeatedly called service and they do come and fix it. But after a couple of months, it switches off again on its own. I have lost many deliveries because of this. Really not worth it. You should not purchase this. Just look for a different system that actually does work.” – via Trustpilot
“I’m using their app for the intercom. Easy to use and quite straight forward. Able to receive calls from anywhere.” – via Trustpilot
“The app has terrible UI/UX design. The directions/guides provided by Comelit are all out of date because they do not match the reality of the app, which is extremely frustrating. I spent more time than the average person would spend figuring out how the whole system works as well as figuring out the app…” – via Apple App Store
“This is one of the most poorly organized apps I’ve ever used and for something as important as door entry/security, it is even more appalling. Very slow to switch between cameras…” – via Apple App Store
*Quotes have been edited for length and/or clarity.
ButterflyMX vs. Comelit Ikall
Comelit has a diverse product catalog of intercom systems, but its technology appears to lag behind the competition. ButterflyMX’s product design and features give it a competitive advantage over Comelit Ikall intercoms.
First, the ButterflyMX wireless video intercom can integrate with property management software to automatically update resident information in the intercom directory. As residents move in or out of the community, names can automatically be added or removed from the system. With the Comelit Ikall, you might have to update the directory via a USB port manually.
The second is the end-user experience. Because ButterflyMX is developed around its mobile platform rather than in-unit hardware, the ButterflyMX mobile app is user-friendly and reliable. With more than 40,000 five-star reviews and high ratings in the Apple App Store and Google Play Store, it’s clear that residents enjoy the ButterflyMX experience.
The third is property access features. ButterflyMX offers several convenient ways to open the door or gate. Residents can swipe to open directly in the mobile app, use Siri or Alexa voice commands, or enter their PIN code. They can also send Visitor Passes to guests ahead of time. The Comelit intercom and mobile app may lack these robust features.
Finally, ButterflyMX’s intercoms are IP65-rated, ensuring excellent dust, water, and chemical resistance.
Compare ButterflyMX and Comelit Ikall features:
FAQs about Comelit
- How do you answer a Comelit intercom?
- What is the red light on the Comelit intercom?
- What is the difference between an intercom and an interphone?
- Why is my Comelit app not working?
How do you answer a Comelit intercom?
To answer a Comelit intercom, use the panel inside of your apartment to let your visitor in. Depending on your building, that might look like pushing an analog button or selecting the right option from a touchscreen.
If your building has phone-based entry enabled, you can also use the Comelit app or answer a phone call sent by the Comelit intercom. This lets you open the door for guests even if you’re not home.
What is the red light on the Comelit intercom?
When the red LED light is on during Comelit intercom use, it means that a user is currently communicating via the intercom. In contrast, if you see a white LED light, it means you have an incoming call.
What is the difference between an intercom and an interphone?
An intercom is a communication system used within a building or between nearby locations, often incorporating audio and video capabilities for security and visitor management.
On the other hand, an interphone is a two-way communication device used for internal communication, such as between rooms in a home or offices within a building.
Why is my Comelit app not working?
If your Comelit app isn’t working, the issue might be due to several factors, including network connectivity problems, outdated app versions, or server issues.
Start by ensuring your device is connected to a stable WiFi or mobile data network. Next, check if the app needs an update or if Comelit is experiencing server downtime.
Lastly, restarting your device and reinstalling the app can also help resolve performance issues.
Learn more about ButterflyMX
Fill in the form below, and we'll email you right back.
Have questions?
Fill in the form below, and we'll email you right back.