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Baby monitor reviews: Features explained
Baby monitors allow you to listen to your child while they sleep. They provide peace of mind, rather than actual safety, but they help you know if your child is sleeping soundly. So, how do you choose the one for you?
Which baby monitor is best for me?
Pick the best
Mains-powered monitors
Mains-powered monitors are the cheapest option. These can be plugged into a socket in any room, but cannot be used with batteries. They are the simplest type of monitor.
Pros The least expensive option, ideal for parents who won’t be moving around the house much while the monitor is on, or if they are only likely to be using the monitor at night
Cons Less versatile because you can’t use batteries, so can’t be used away from a socket
Portable, dual-powered monitors
These run on either the mains or batteries, so the parent unit can be carried around with you when on battery power – some come with a belt clip so you don’t need to hold it. The more expensive models in this category have rechargeable batteries.
Pros Useful for parents who will be busying themselves about the house or garden while the baby is asleep, rechargeable models save you worrying about batteries running out
Cons More expensive than mains-powered models, especially if you regularly run a non-rechargeable model on batteries
Video monitor
To see as well as hear your baby. Some models we tested have ‘night vision’, so you can see your baby in the dark. We generally find that monitors with video tend to lose signal more often than ones without this feature.
Parent and baby units
Baby monitors consist of two units — a transmitter that picks up sound from your baby's room (we call this the baby or nursery unit) and a receiver that you keep near you (the parent unit).
Crib soother
Gentle vibrations can be activated to try to soothe your baby.
Digital technology
Some models have microprocessors designed to ensure that the only nursery sounds you will be able to hear are those from your own nursery, not anyone else’s. However, this doesn’t stop the transmissions from your own monitor being picked up by somebody else
Some baby monitors play lullabies to soothe your baby
Lullabies
A lullaby can be activated if your baby stirs. The effectiveness of this will depend on the individual baby. This has the potential to be more irritating than soothing for some. On pricier models facilities exist for you to make your own or record your voice.
Batteries
Rechargeable batteries are the cheaper option in the long run. Some come with the unit and can be charged in the cradle. Other models explicitly say you can’t use them, as they may cause the unit to malfunction and void the warranty.
Which? rates and reviews the best and worst batteries - check out our batteries and rechargable batteries reviews for the latest long-lasting Best Buys.
Battery indicator
This warns you when the batteries are about to run out.
Motion sensor mat
Green lights flash and a tick is heard every time your baby moves. If your baby stops moving for more than 20 seconds, an alarm sounds and red lights flash. Can be unnecessarily distressing.
Belt clip
It's handy to be able to carry the parent unit around with you but make sure you don't accidentally knock the volume adjuster. The belt clip on the Tommee Tippee doubles up as a stand.
Multi-channel options
The sensor sits under the mattress
Two channels should be adequate for most people, but if you live in a busy, built-up area with lots of other parents with monitors in close proximity, creating the likelihood of regular interference, the option of more channels may be helpful.
Night light
This gives the area around the unit a soft glow, which may comfort you baby and can help you see him or her in a darkened room. Some models allow you to control this remotely
Out-of-range alarm
Monitor with a night light
If you wander out of range, an alarm sounds. This could be useful as a means of helping you assess how far down the garden you can go.
Pager
Press a button on the baby unit and follow the bleeping to your lost parent unit.
Talk back
The intercom facility allows you to talk back to your baby. This is great if you want to murmur reassuring words to your sleeping baby, or relay instructions to your willful toddler.
Temperature alarm
Warns you when the temperature goes outside a set range. Can be with sounds and/or lights. It will normally display the temperature too.
Remotely soothe a fretting baby
Sound-sensitive lights
This is one of the more useful extra features. It allows you to turn off the sound, and a sound-activated multi-light display panel shows whether or not your baby is crying. The louder your baby cries, the more lights are illuminated. This is very handy if you are hard of hearing. It could also be useful in a situation when, for example, you have friends round or are having a meeting with someone at home and you won’t be able to hear your baby over the noise.
Temperature monitor
Some baby monitors have a digital room temperature display that shows the temperature in your baby's room. A light on the unit flashes when the temperature goes below 16 or above 20 degrees.
Torch
To check on baby without turning on the room’s main light.
Volume warning
Some models will vibrate to alert you to cries, if you have the volume on your unit too low.
More on this...
Take our advice on how to buy the best baby monitor
Learn about how we test baby monitors
Find the best monitor for you in our baby monitor reviews