As a mum of two I know how hard it can be to choose the right baby monitor to keep an eye on your little one. I’m here to help, and have tested some of the best launches of the year so far. Here are my honest thoughts…
Best for… RANGE
Momcozy 5.5” Full HD Video Baby Monitor BM03, £199.99
With an incredible 1640ft of range, you could live in Buckingham Palace and this monitor would still reach from one side of the house to the other – and without a required wifi connection. The latter, for me, is one of the biggest wins when it comes to a monitor as it cuts the stress of an unstable connection. Touching back on its range, this Momcozy device promises to reach through two walls, allowing you to sit in the garden if you wish. It also has a good view around the room thanks to its 360 degree pan and 140 degree tilt.
A medium-sized screen (5 inches) and HD imagery allows for a clear view of your baby. Local video storage and a playback function mean you can watch your little one’s night back to see how they got on, and look for patterns in their nocturnal behaviour. It’s got an unusually large battery life, making it good for travel or simply less annoying for those – like me – who forget to charge things. Finally, there’s a two way talk function so you can speak soothing words from afar.
Best for… BUDGET
Nanit Sound + Light, £99.99
This device connects to your phone and the Nanit app, alerting you with sound but no video. This will put some parents off, who wish to view their tiny human, but the cry detection and alerts are good and clear, and work even when you are out of wifi range.
The Sound + Light also monitors temperature and humidity, and you can use this intel to create the ideal bedroom atmosphere. When it comes to the ‘Sound’ element of the Nanit, it produces white noise and other soothing sounds, like jungle noises. There are also lullabies and soft wake up songs. The ‘Light’ element features a gazillion levels of brightness and colours to choose from. It’s bright enough to read by if you want it to be, and makes a nice bedtime story companion. Both sound and light settings allow you to create and program a routine, ensuring mornings are the same each day to regulate naps.
Finally, the Nanit holds its charge for eight hours, making it portable and wireless to an extent thus good for travel. Not bad for under £100.
Best for… INNOVATION
Cubo AI Smart Baby Monitor 3, from £229
If you like data (guilty!) this is the baby monitor for you. The app is nothing short of incredible, giving you a detailed breakdown of literally everything your baby did while in their cot, from coughing and crying, to moving and opening their eyes. It tells you when you’ve been in the room too, which is surprisingly useful when your nights blend into one big sleepy blur. A complete safety check for nervous parents, the Cubo AI delivers notifications when baby’s face is covered, or if they roll over too. You can take a look and decide if you need to go in and assist. A three day playback allow you to get to grips with patterns in your baby’s sleep.
There are floor stand and mobile stand options, the former being £100 more expensive – but a lot more portable around the house. And indeed, you can also take it out of the nursery and set it to watch your little one play – you’ll get a notification when they leave your allotted ‘safe zone’.
Best for… OVER THE COT
VTech RM7787HD 7 Inch Over-The-Cot Smart Monitor, £220
With a 7 inch screen, you won’t miss a moment of your baby’s nocturnal activities with this VTech monitor. An over the cot device, it comes with either a wall mount or floor stand. Both allow a full view straight down onto your baby, which I personally love. There’s an extreme 10x zoom function which I like too. It helps if there’s something specific you need to see – like a snotty nose. It also removes the need to find a suitable bit of furniture or shelf to pop it on – although if you choose the wall mount you will obviously need to fix it to the wall.
If you go out, you can access the video remotely on your phone, and the picture quality for both this and the device is brilliant – crystal clear. It monitors temperature and humidity in whichever room you place it, and you can use this information to create a safe and comfortable sleeping environment for your baby. The battery does last all night if unplugged, but it needs charging most days unless you remember to switch it off fully.
Best for… SCREEN
LeapFrog LF4917HD Smart Wi-Fi Video Baby Monitor, £199.99
Another 7 incher when it comes to screen size, this monitor beams your baby to you in a high definition a TV would be proud of. You can see the picture from across a room, helpful when cooking or similar. Elsewhere, the LeapFrog has an inbuilt nightlight, of which you can adjust the brightness and colour, and when it comes to view it provides a 360° panoramic view, 80° tilt range, up to 110° wide-angle viewing and digital zoom. You won’t miss a moment. And, if you accidentally put it down in the wrong place – or it topples over – you can swivel the camera around so it still faces your baby.
A two-way talk function allows you to soothe your baby remotely, and there are inbuilt lullabies too which are a nice touch and useful, especially as your baby grows. The range is good – up to 300m – meaning you can manoeuvre around the house and head into the garden with the reassurance your baby is safe and secure.
Best for… REASSURANCE
Maxi Cosi See Pro Baby Monitor, £199.99
‘What do they want?’ It’s a question asked by every parent ever. And it’s something the See Pro aims to help answer with its CryAssist function, which deciphers the ‘I’m tired’ cries from the distressed, hungry and more. This is good for new parents as they find their feet, and anyone like me who likes reassurance – even when their baby isn’t so tiny anymore.
While some devices require wifi to work, this does not, which makes it great for travel as you can take it anywhere, knowing the tech won’t let you down.
You can watch your little one on its 5in screen, or on your phone via the app – meaning you can keep an eye on them even when out for dinner. The video is very clear, although there’s no playback and a slight lag. That said, I actually found the lag quite useful because it revealed whether or not my little one had moved in the time between me picking it up. In the box there’s a little wedge, which tilts the camera an extra 30 degrees, good if you can’t quite get the angle on your shelf.
*Follow Hannah on Instagram @hannahrbritt