The Best Baby Monitors

Buying Guide for Baby Monitors

Why buy a baby monitor?

If you have a baby or a small child that you’d like to keep an eye or a listening ear on, then you’re probably in the market for a baby monitor. Sometimes, parents or babysitters can’t hear or see a baby wake up or fuss in another room while they’re sleeping. Baby monitors keep a watchful eye or ear (or both) on the baby and can alert parents when to intervene or check on the child. Plus, many parents can check on their little ones without accidentally waking them. Because new parents depend on them, baby monitors make great gifts for baby showers.

What should you consider in a baby monitor?

• Audio or Video Feed: While some baby monitors offer both audio and video feeds, some offer either one or the other. If you would prefer to simply listen in on your baby, an audio baby monitor will be all that you need. But if you like the idea of being able to see what your child is doing, a video monitor is a better selection for you.
• Size and Portability: Some parents prefer to watch their children on a larger monitor for a better-quality picture, though larger monitors can be bulky and difficult to carry around. Smaller monitors can be easily tucked into a pocket; some even come with belt clips for hands-free use. Some don’t really come with separate monitors and simply display on your phone through an app. It’s all a matter of what works best for you.
• Range: If you’re just peeking in on your child from inside your home, you probably don’t need a super wide-range baby monitor. However, if you enjoy getting some much-needed yard work done while your child naps, a wide-range monitor might be best for you.

How much should you expect to spend on a new baby monitor?

Baby monitors have quite a large range of prices depending on your needs. Simple audio-only monitors can cost as little as $20, while more sophisticated video monitors with all the bells and whistles can cost significantly more, around $200 or even more.

Our Picks for the Best Baby Monitors

Pros: This top-of-the-line baby monitor has a ton of useful features that new parents love. These include a room temperature sensor, night vision, and a talkback function. It also has a range of over 700 feet for a clear video feed without interruption. And you have the ability to add up to three additional cameras to this monitor for 360-degree vision. The cameras tilt, pan, and zoom at the touch of a button. Also, the monitor is lightweight and portable, and it’s powered by two AAA batteries. Furthermore, the battery life on this unit is long-lasting, so you won’t have to constantly change batteries.

Cons: This unit runs on Wi-Fi only and is known to have occasional signal blips.

Bottom Line: For a high-quality video and audio feed with many convenient features, this baby monitor is a must-have. The camera has a charging port, and the monitor runs on easy-to-find batteries. Plus, the picture quality is pretty darn good.

 

Pros: This long-range audio baby monitor is great if you prefer to simply listen in on your little one without having a video feed. It has a convenient belt clip, so you can wear it and use it hands-free. That way, you can simply go about your day while keeping a listening ear on your precious bundle. The batteries are rechargeable, so you don’t have to constantly change batteries and waste money. The monitor has LED lights that indicate when the power is low and when sounds are coming through. Overall, this is a good quality, cost-effective monitor.

Cons: This monitor doesn’t pick up quieter sounds.

Bottom Line: As far as sound-only baby monitors go, this is an excellent selection. It has good battery life and a long range. Plus, it’s easily portable since it has a clip and fits into some pockets.

 

Pros: One of the best things about this video monitor is the fact that it doesn’t require Wi-Fi for pairing. This increases your security and privacy because nobody can hack in or accidentally cut into the video feed on your network. And it doesn’t require an app for use, so it’s easy and straightforward to set up. It has a temperature sensor, so you’ll know if the room is too warm or too cold for your little one. Plus, this baby monitor comes with two different lullabies and soothing sleep sounds built-in to play for your baby. You can connect more than one camera to the monitor for 360-degree coverage or coverage in more than one room.

Cons: The cameras do not pan, tilt, or zoom.

Bottom Line: This baby monitor isn’t just great for your home; it works beautifully for travel as well because it’s so easy to set up and use. It has a wide range and excellent reception. And the video quality is very good.

 

Pros: The camera for this baby monitor is one of the best available. It has pan, tilt, zoom, and infrared technology, and the two-way audio feature makes sounds crystal clear between the camera and the monitor. It may even feel like you and your baby are in the same room. This baby monitor is easy to set up and doesn’t require Wi-Fi. And because the data signal is so fast, you don’t need to ever worry about strangers spying on your baby. You can add up to four cameras to the monitor. And there are several other fabulous features, including a room temperature monitor, night vision, eight lullabies to soothe your baby, a power saver mode, and several mounting options.

Cons: The picture quality could be better.

Bottom Line: This baby monitor would make a fabulous gift for new parents. It has a large, 5-inch screen on the monitor, and the camera has many great extras with easy setup.

 

Pros: First, this baby monitor has a nice wide range of nearly 1,000 feet. And it has two-way audio, so you can communicate with your child through the monitor if you should choose to do so. It doesn’t run on Wi-Fi, so it’s safer than monitors that do when it comes to your privacy. You can run this monitor on a timer or on economy mode to save on battery life. And it has a bunch of great features, including temperature monitoring, night vision, and LED monitoring. Unlike similar products, the video feed on this monitor is very clear. And this is a great money-saving option for new parents.

Cons: This monitor doesn’t have long battery life, especially if you’re trying to get the most out of it.

Bottom Line: This is an easy-to-use baby monitor with all the great features that parents love. It has two-way audio and a clear video feed. Plus, it’s lightweight and portable.

Final Thoughts

There are many types of baby monitors on the market with a number of different features for parents. Choose one that’s customized to your needs.