Arlo Baby from Neatgear is one of the most high-tech and adorable baby monitors on the market. With an irresistible design, with green, rubber bunny ears and feet, cute accessories and an impressive number of features, this WiFi baby monitor is one of the smartest, most competitive baby monitors available.
The VTech VM343 is a simple but reliable baby monitor. It doesn’t have as many features as its major competitors, but it does its job well. It offers a clear and high-quality image in all conditions, it is expandable up to 4 cameras and it comes at an affordable price. If you don’t mind the lack of a touch screen, inbuilt lullabies or a mobile app and you just want a decent monitoring tool that doesn’t break your bank, the VM343 is definitely a valid option.
The Philips Avent SCD570 is one of the best audio baby monitors you can buy. It doesn’t have a camera or mobile apps, but it is still a high-end baby monitor. Its biggest strength is the DECT technology which isn’t very common in most baby monitors. The SCD570 has a top-notch sound quality, an impressive range and some nice, useful features such as night light and in-built lullabies. It is without doubt one of the best audio baby monitors on the market.
The Samsung SEW-3043W does have its strengths and weaknesses, but overall, it’s a very reliable and high-end baby monitor. The greatest thing about it is the crisp, clear, high quality sound and video and the generous 5 inch display. The SEW-3043W has a lot of useful features, alerts and capabilities and it is extremely easy to set up and use. It does leave room for improvements when it comes to its touch screen and the lack of an additional app, but it makes up through its top-notch HD quality, which is one of the most important things customers look for in a baby monitor.
The Nanit Sleep System is one of the most advanced, if not the most complex baby monitors you can find. It is WiFi enabled, it has an app that allows you to monitor your baby from anywhere in the world, it delivers a crystal clear HD video and it has a plethora or smart features and sensors. Moreover, it can analyze and learn your baby sleeping habits and help you improve them. The only major drawback of the Nanit is the fact that it is among the most expensive baby monitors on the market.
The Motorola MBP36XL is a great video baby monitor. The base unit has a generous 5” display, the sound and image are clear and high-quality and both the camera and parent unit have included rechargeable batteries that allow you to use the system unplugged. The only downside to this system is the lack of an app to be able to control the baby monitor directly from your smartphone.
The DXR-8 from Infant Optics is a simple but useful piece of gear. Not too expensive, not too cheap, not too feature abled, yet with all the basic tools. Its biggest strength is the interchangeable lens technology which allows you to customize the viewing angle, depending on the shape and size of the room. The DXR-8 has a good reception, an impressive battery life and it is very easy to use.
The Safety 1st baby monitor can be purchased with or without the audio unit. It has WiFi, offers a HD resolution and a great audio and video quality. However, it is quite pricey and it lacks some features other competitors in this price range include, such as lullabies, temperature and humidity sensors.
The Philips Avent Smart Baby SCD860 is a WiFi baby monitor, with a HD resolution, lullabies, temperature and humidity sensors and more. The app is easy to use and gives you freedom of customization. The only noteworthy disadvantages with the SCD860 are its steep price and the fact that sometimes it loses the WiFi connection for short periods.
The iBaby M6S is one of the most complex and impressive baby monitors you can buy. It has everything you want in a baby monitor, from WiFi to audio and motion detection, temperature and humidity sensors, an incredible full HD image and the possibility to play lullabies or any other tunes in your phone.
Last updated November 28, 2024
As a parent, you’ll always be worried and extremely cautious when it comes to your children. And this feeling is never as strong as in the beginning, when your child is just a helpless baby. You feel the need to always be around, to keep an eye on him and make sure he’s sound and safe.
That’s why baby monitors were invented. Nowadays, almost every household with an infant on the premises uses a baby monitor. It is the best way for parents to be able to do their chores, relax and take time for themselves, while still watching over their baby to make sure everything is fine. Baby monitors are like a reliable extra pair of eyes.
Initially developed as simple alarm devices with only audio abilities, nowadays, baby monitors evolved into complex video monitoring systems with myriad of smart features.
The first baby monitors were basically radio systems that monitored the sounds made by babies. They consisted of a transmitter with microphone, which was placed near the baby and a receiver held by his parent/guardian.
Over time, baby monitors have become way smarter and more complex. Although the operating principle hasn’t really changed, baby monitors are now equipped with high resolution cameras (and are also known as baby cams) with night vision, WiFi connection and can be used with your smartphone or laptop. The image can be zoomed regardless if it is night or day time, to give you a clearer image of what’s going on with your little one.
There are 2 main types of baby monitors: audio monitors (or baby sound monitors) and video monitors (or baby cams). The sound monitors can be analog or digital and they just monitor the sounds from your baby’s room.
The video monitors have both a microphone and a camera and transmit images and sound to a receiver. The receiver has a screen on which images are displayed, either in colors or just in black and white. More advanced baby monitors can stream the images via WiFi, so you can watch them directly from your smartphone or computer.
There is another less common type of baby monitor: the motion (or movement) monitor, which is usually used for babies with health problems. This monitor has a sensor that detects your baby’s movements. If the baby doesn’t move for a number of seconds, an alarm will be triggered.
The advantages of baby monitors are undisputable. They can act like a helpful baby sitter, but you only have to pay once, when you purchase the device. They can be a valuable piece of gear, especially if you have a big, multi-level house, you can’t afford a sitter or you just want to be at peace and close to your little one, even when you can’t be in the same room.
There are several aspects you should consider when shopping for a baby monitor. You want to go with a budget-friendly piece of equipment but you don’t want to skimp on quality, you have to decide whether to go with an audio or video monitor and so much more.
We’ll try to break down the essentials for you, in order to help you make the best decision.
Type of baby monitors: audio, video or movement? Prices can vary significantly, depending on the capabilities of a baby monitor. We feel that the most important feature any baby monitor should have is sound. If anything is wrong with your baby, you want to be able to hear it immediately. However, most video monitors today also come with sound. Video is an important feature too, because it can offer you helpful extra information. The sound monitor can be like a first alarm that lets you know something might be wrong, while video can give you a further explanation on why your baby is crying, for instance. Movement monitors also have their benefits. Parents who are more anxious or know their baby has particular health problems might find motion monitors very reassuring. They can be real life saviors and alarm you in the grim scenario in which your child may stop breathing. Ponder on all these types of monitors until you settle for a certain one.
Price. You can spend as little as $20 or more than $500 for a baby monitor. Prices vary depending on the monitor’s abilities and features: whether the system has only audio, only video, audio and video, how many handsets are included, whether it has wireless compatibility, etc.
Band frequency. Most baby monitors use the common 2.4 GHz frequency, just like all the other devices in your home: phones, routers, etc. That is why you can experience a lot of annoying interference. There are however models that have DECT technology, meaning they work on a different frequency (1.9 GHz), which is not that overcrowded. No matter what you want to buy, make sure you test the monitor before purchasing it, to detect any problems it might have.
Digital versus analog. While analog monitors may be more affordable, digital baby monitors are more advanced and secure. They offer a better audio/video quality and they encrypt the signal between the transmitter and the receiver so that your neighbors/strangers can’t pick up on the sounds.
Features. This is a complex aspect. The more intelligent or feature abled your baby monitor is, the more it will cost you. You have to figure out what features are most important to you. Here are the most popular ones to look for:
Regardless of what you opt for, make sure you choose a reputable brand, inquire on the warranty policy and test the baby monitor before you buy it.