14 Best Baby Monitors

When you’re expecting an imminent bundle of joy, it’s a truly exciting time. When you first find out, you start looking at all the tiny outfits in the shops and wondering whether you’ll be dressing a little prince or a little princess in a few months' time.

You catch yourself rewinding the credits at the end of films to look at the fast-moving names to see if you missed any really cool ones.

After the initial excitement starts to fade, you realize the overwhelming responsibility you will soon have of keeping your little miracle alive after the birth. Once you feel your baby move, your perspective can really shift.

Now they’re real, they’re not on a screen like a fictional character, you felt them move their own body, and you understand that means they do have a separate body to mum, and that baby and mother will one day be separated by some blunt-ended scissors.

That’s scary for both parents to accept because although you really look forward to seeing your newborn baby and holding them in your arms, you know that while they’re inside the womb, they’re really very safe and the world is full of dangers.

Anxiety and even panic can set in and in our experience, prospective parents handle this realization in one of two ways. Either, they get out a notebook and start scribbling furiously across the lined paper.

They draw graphs and tables and color-code lists that go on for days, and they plan and organize, and organize and plan until they’re blue in the face.

They have lists for what the baby will need from day one, they pack the hospital bag by the time they are ten months pregnant “just in case” and sign up for baby resuscitation courses. They plan the worry away. Well, almost.

The other type of parent to be will stay still and quiet. They’ll think, and worry, and google SIDS on their phone when no one is looking.

They have dreams about crying babies and runaway prams and forgetting to check the bath temperature, and they usually tell no one.

Whichever type of prospective parent you think you might be, both will at some point in the pregnancy have the exact same thought. ‘What type of baby monitor do we need?’

Whatever worries you do have about the preparation for a baby, you don't need to have any anxiety about this, because we have found 14 of the best baby monitors that are on the market right now.

We have also categorized them into sensible groups, so you can work out which type of baby monitor you will need.

Getting a monitor is one of the most important purchase decisions you’ll make before the baby arrives. That’s because it serves two vital functions.

One: it will help to keep the baby safe when you’re not in the room with them, and two: it will make your life bearable by giving you peace of mind that they are safe.

However much you think you will want to be with your new baby 24/7, realistically, you can’t be. We all have to pee and cook and tidy the house from time to time, baby or not.

So, the best thing you can do is to give yourself the confidence you’ll need to be on the other side of the door to the baby, once in a while.

That’s when you want a baby monitor you can trust and rely on. So, we made this ultimate guide to help banish your pre-birth worries with any of these 20 baby monitors. Let’s have a look. 

Best Audio Baby Monitors

Audio monitors have been around for quite some time, so naturally, they are considered a tried and tested method of keeping an eye on your baby.

If you’re not super tech-savvy or are concerned about breaking your budget, this is a simple, inexpensive baby monitor system that lets you hear any noises from the baby’s room such as crying, coughing, loud neighbors having a party on the other side of the wall to the baby's room.

That’s the sort of thing you don’t want to hear, but they can also signal that all is well where your sleepy little bunny is when blissful silence can be heard.

OUR TOP PICK

BT Digital Audio Baby Monitor 400, HD sound, sound level lights

This audio baby monitor has everything you need to give you peace of mind when you’re away from your baby without all the bells and whistles.

This simple design features a stylish pair of devices which are not alike in shape, so you easily know which one is the parent unit and which is for where the baby is.

It has an LED light that illuminates on the parent unit when a sound is detected from the baby unit for a visual alert.

It has a reasonably long range and has a 2-year guarantee. Believe it or not, you’ll be using the monitor for longer than that if you’re anything like us.

Pros

  • LED light gives a visual alert to sounds from Baby’s room.
  • Reasonable distance range of 50 meters indoors and 300 meters outdoors.
  • 2-year warranty.
  • High definition sound.
  • Contains rechargeable batteries

Cons

  • Several reports suggest that the volume is much quieter than other brands, so they feel it is too quiet. 

EDITORS CHOICE

Motorola Nursery AM21/MBP21 Audio Baby Monitor - Digital Baby Monitor with DECT Technology for Audio Monitoring - 300 Meter Range - High Sensitivity Microphone - White

This monitor looks more like the traditional audio sets. They sort of look like two white walkie-talkies.

It boasts a highly sensitive microphone, adjustable volume control and features an eco-mode that reduces power consumption.

Motorola is a trusted brand for baby monitors, and they claim that their baby monitor can have clear communication up to 300 meters.

Like the BT one, there is also a visual indication of baby noise in the form of a small light on the parent unit. This system looks very basic, which is good if you’re after something simple to use.

Pros

  • Light gives a visual alert to sounds from Baby’s room.
  • 300 meters distance range, using DECT wireless connectivity.
  • Volume control.
  • High sensitivity microphone.
  • The simplistic design is easy to use.

Cons

  • Requires AAA batteries for the parent unit to be unplugged and therefore remote.
  • These are not included with the product. 

BEST VALUE

Motorola Nursery AM24 / MBP24 Audio Baby Monitor with Room Temperature Display, High Sensitivity Microphone and Two-Way Talk, White

This is a slightly more expensive, but sophisticated version of the AM21 model above.

It contains additional features such as a backlit display screen on the parent unit which shows connectivity level between the two units, the temperature of the room in which the baby unit is, and a visual battery level indicator.

These additional features can be rather helpful if you are worried about the temperature in Baby’s room, as newborns can’t self-regulate their body temperature yet.

Their sweat glands are still undeveloped at birth, and they haven’t got the motor skills to pull a cover over them or off them, which is why small babies should not have loose covers in their cribs until they are much older.

Room temperature monitoring is a standard feature, the higher up the price range you go with monitors, but this is a welcome addition to this audio model.

Pros

  • 2-way communication means you can talk to your baby to comfort and soothe them.
  • Wireless connection means it uses your internet connection to provide stable connectivity.
  • Additional volume control means you have more volume options than the AM21.
  • High sensitivity microphone.
  • Eco-mode means that it is free of high-frequency radiation on standby and is activated by sounds around the baby unit. This saves energy.
  • The backlit display screen shows temperature in degrees Celsius and battery level.
  • Rechargeable battery in the parent unit.

Cons

  • More expensive than most standard audio systems, and around £10 more expensive than the AM21 model from the same brand. 

Best Wi-Fi Baby Monitors

Traditional radio audio monitors often picked up interference and spouted a steady stream of white noise out of the parent unit speaker, as well as any sounds the baby makes.

This made keeping an eye on Baby quite frustrating, and we daresay a lot of parents would mute the unit or turn it down low when this happened, which rather defeats the purpose.

Wi-Fi monitors ensure that as long as your internet connection is secure, and the units are in range, then you will have a solid connection without risk of interference or white noise pollution. 

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Firstly, we should mention that there is a considerable gap in price between the last monitor and this one, but there is a very good reason for that. This baby monitor does so much more than the audio ones.

The first thing you might notice is that the baby unit is a camera for this system, so it’s not a limited audio product.

Its design is slightly science-fiction-y and eye-like, but then again you are keeping an eye on your baby while they sleep, so it makes some sense.

The camera transmits sound and video images via a Wi-Fi connection to your smartphone.

So, you don’t have to worry about replacing the batteries on the parent unit or having to keep it plugged in. Your phone is fully mobile, in which case, so is the parent unit, because it is your phone.

The camera has night vision, so you can clearly see your baby’s features in the dark. You don’t have to keep your phone screen turned on all the time, either.

The app will notify you if there is noise detected and send you a short clip of movements if those are the settings you choose.

That way, no screen has to be on all the time. And by the way, this doesn’t mean that it’ll always be your responsibility to watch the baby from now on.

Multiple users can connect to the camera and audio feed at the same time if you choose.

Pros

  • Flexible base - The unit can be mounted on the wall for the optimum view inside a crib, cot or bed. Alternatively, the flexible base can wrap around bed rails, lamps or be freestanding on a flat surface like a bedside table. 
  • Portable - The unit comes with a compatible wall mount, but you don’t have to use it. You can take the monitor with you when you travel as a family and continue to use it with your phone. 
  • 1080p video with night vision so you can clearly see your child’s movements at any time, day or night.
  • No parent unit - It transmits straight to your smartphone and notifies you of movements and sounds as per your preferred notification settings. 
  • Multiple users - This means that you and your partner can tag team with baby-watch duty, and Granny can even see the little cherub sleeping if you’d like. 
  • Communicates air quality, temperature and humidity readings from the baby's room.
    Features built-in moonlight projector, over 1,000 songs and recorded bedtime stories too.

Cons

  • Price - Given the number of features this monitor has, we think the price is more than reasonable. Still, it is more than a lot of people will be prepared to pay. 

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LAXIHUB Pet Camera with Phone App Puppy Dog Baby Camera/Cam Monitor Indoor Home CCTV WiFi Camera 1080P Night Vision 2-Way Audio

Don’t be fooled by the small price tag on this camera. It still keeps a crystal clear eye on your baby.

This camera also boasts 1080p night-vision video and has two-way audio, so you can talk to your baby too. It uses motion and sound detection, so it conserves energy when no one is home, and can be used with Alexa or Google Assistant.

This means that wherever you are, you can ask Alexa to show you the baby’s room on any screen-based Alexa unit, and the same goes for Google Assistant.

Like the one above, you can share the video feed with loved ones, who also have the app, and you can cancel the permissions for this at any time too.

You can use your own memory card to store videos and pictures on your other devices, but recorded footage will be stored for up to 72 hours if the cloud is enabled.

Pros

  • Price - The price of this camera system is extremely reasonable.
  • Portable - the unit does not come with a wall mount, but this does mean it is easily portable.
  • 1080p video with night vision so you can clearly see your child’s movements at any time, day or night.
  • No parent unit - it transmits straight to your smartphone and notifies you of movements and sounds as per your preferred notification settings. 
  • Multiple users - More than one user can see the live feed at any time, but you can also cancel any of these permissions anytime.
  • 2-way audio.
  • Motion detection will mean the camera is only alert when an abnormal noise or movement is detected.
  • SD card or Cloud storage compatible.
  • Alexa or Google Assistant connected.

Cons

  • Lacking in special features - No lullaby music features or temperature readings that we can see. 
  • No wall mount - This means You can only see from certain angles. The camera does tilt, which is a bonus, but you can only see so much inside a cot from placing the camera on a surface by the crib. 
  • Blue light - Some reviewers reported that the blue light which indicates that it is active is very bright and stops their child from sleeping well. The manufacturer does assure that there is a way of turning off the light, though, but it’s something to bear in mind. 

Best Motorola Baby Monitors

We have already featured some Motorola audio baby monitors, but the brand certainly has more to offer, for those who want more comprehensive monitoring systems. 

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Motorola Nursery VM 855 Connected WIFI video baby monitor - with Motorola Nursery App and 5-inch parent unit - night vision, temperature and two-way talk

This video enabled monitor is the best of both worlds. It has a 5-inch handheld parent monitor but is also available to view on your smartphone.

This will be a really handy piece of kit if you’re intending to return to work after maternity or paternity leave and want to be able to keep an eye on your precious bundle from where you are while leaving a physical monitor unit for whoever is looking after your little squish.

This camera records in full color and can pan, tilt and zoom via remote control by one of the parent devices.

It also has the flashy features you’d expect from a product at this price point such as two-way talk, lullabies and infrared night vision as well as a good 300 m range. This camera also works with Alexa and Google Assistant.

Pros

  • Portable - the unit does not have a wall mount, but this does mean it is easily portable. 
  • The parent unit has a built-in rechargeable battery which you periodically charge from a power cable, so no fussing about with actual batteries. Battery life is up to 24 hours.
  • Clear night vision, so you can see your baby clearly.
  • Hybrid parent unit and app - This means that while the parent unit can be used within the range of the camera, the live feed can be seen by a remote device such as a mobile phone too. 
  • 2-way audio, lullabies built-in, and temperature monitor are also included. 
  • Remote control - you can pan, tilt and zoom to adjust the camera controlled by your device. 
  • A Portable, rechargeable camera unit is a plus if you stay overnight anywhere.

Cons

  • Price - It is certainly on the pricey side with the I baby as a competitor. 
  • Connection problems - Some users have reported that the distance range is less than advertised and that they sometimes have connection issues.
  • Loud beep - Some reviewers were not impressed that if the camera disconnects, then the camera unit makes a loud beeping noise. Less than ideal near a sleeping baby. 

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Motorola Nursery indoor MBP483 Video Baby Monitor with 2.8 Inch Handheld Parent Unit and Two-Way Communication and Room Temperature

This monitor is a middle of the range type which features a small color screen, room temperature monitoring and infrared night vision. It also has a button for two-way communication.

This is a no-fuss, reasonably priced video/audio monitor. We speak from experience when we say that the bells and whistles are cool, but you don’t use most of them after you’ve played with them a few times.

Pros

  • Infrared night vision.
  • Remote parent unit.
  • 2-way audio and temperature monitor built-in.
  • Full-color screen.
  • Budget-friendly - If the price is right, and it does what you want it to, then what more do you need?
  • Some integrated lullabies

Cons

  • No wall mount - Again, this is a basic feature that is missing. In our experience, a wall-mounted camera gives you a much better view than a table-top one.
  • Battery life - The battery life for the parent unit seems to be between 2-4 hours, which is relatively short. 

Best Baby Monitors For Twins

How do you manage to keep an eye on two babies at once? You don’t really want to be juggling several devices, nor is it acceptable to pick your favorite and watch one over the other, so what’s the answer? 

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Babysense Video Baby Monitor, 4.3 Inch Split Screen with Two Cameras and Audio, Remote Pan & Tilt, 300m Range (Open Space), Adjustable Night Light, Two-Way Audio, Zoom, Night Vision, Lullabies

This is the answer! Two cameras connect to one handheld device. You can use the split-screen function to ensure you can see both twins at once, and it has most other premium features of a quality video/audio monitor too.

Pros

  • 4.3” high quality, split-screen display which can pan, tilt and zoom either camera.
  • Detailed, digital sound and vision.
  • 2-way audio, built-in lullabies and white noise sounds (you want the white noise feature, trust us!) and temperature monitor built-in.
  • Full-color screen.
  • Up to 10 hours of battery in eco-mode or 6 hours in regular mode.
  • Infrared night vision and adjustable night light with three intensity levels.

Cons

  • No wall mounts.
  • Noisy to adjust. Some reviews say that remotely panning or tilting the camera for better vision makes a slight noise which can result in one angry awake baby and because they are twins, you’ll get a domino effect of angry awake babies. 

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Babysense Video Baby Monitor with Camera and Audio, 2.4' Display, Supplied with Two Cameras, Long Range, Room Temperature, Night Vision, Two Way Talk Back, Lullabies and White Noise, Model V24R_2

Babysense is cornering the market a bit when it comes to baby monitors for twins. This one has a small monitor with two cameras, but you can connect up to four.

It has most of the features of the pricier version above, although perhaps more rudimentary versions, but the biggest difference between the two models is that this one doesn’t have a split-screen function.

Pros

  • LCD screen with infrared night vision provides a clear picture.
  • Two cameras with one parent unit.
  • 2-way audio, built-in lullabies and temperature monitor built-in.
  • Eco-mode will wake up the cameras when a sound or movement is detected.
  • Cameras have 360-degree pan and a 60-degree tilt.
  • Basic night light

Cons

  • No split-screen function.
  • Short range - Babysense claims that the range can be up to 300 m in open space like outdoors. Yet they describe their monitor as “long range”. 

Long-Range Baby Monitors

Plenty of baby monitors say they are long-range but are they really?

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Babymoov Premium Care Baby Monitor Audio, 1400 m long range, with 2 way talkback, night light, temperature, lullabies, VOX

This is an audio-only baby monitor, but it still has a room temperature display, two-way talk-back, night light and lullabies built-in.

It also boasts a massive 1400-meter-long range between the baby and parent unit. That’s great if you have a big house.

Pros

  • Possible to connect two transmitters if you need to monitor two children.
  • Three ways of alerting you to sound: Visual, audio or vibration.
  • 2-way audio, built-in lullabies, and temperature monitor built-in.
  • Basic night light.
  • Long range.

Cons

  • Audio only
  • Expensive for an audio unit. 

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Babymoov Expert Care Baby Monitor Audio, 1000m long range, night light, VOX, rechargeable

This audio-only monitor is a more budget-friendly version of the above. Despite the price, it still boasts up to a 1000-meter distance range, which is three times further than most video monitors.

Pros

  • Compact and easily transportable.
  • Three ways of alerting you to sound: Visual, audio or vibration.
  • Low transmission power with clear sound, free from interference.
  • Basic night light.
  • Long range- up to 1000 meters

Cons

  • Audio only
  • No two-way talk feature or lullabies. 

Best Angelcare Baby Monitors

Angelcare is one of the most trusted monitoring brands out there. Why is this? It’s mainly because they pioneered the baby movement detection pad. This provides the ultimate peace of mind product for parents.

You will hear about SIDS during pregnancy or soon after you give birth. Safe sleep guidelines are so important to follow for the safety of your baby.

Even so, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome still takes many young children every year, so Angelcare body monitors are a great tool to keep your mind at peace and worry-free.

Before we get onto those, let’s have a look at their standard monitors.

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Angelcare AC1320 Baby Video Monitor

This video monitor with LCD display and night vision capabilities is one of the few straight monitors that Angelcare manufactures.

The design is very sweet though, the baby unit is in the shape of an angel with an unobtrusive lens that doesn’t look like a CCTV camera.

Pros

  • Lovely design.
  • Infrared night vision
  • Low transmission power with clear sound, free from interference.
  • Temperature display and digital pan and zoom functions.

Cons

  • Short range - up to 820 feet (open field)
  • No two-way talk feature or lullabies.
  • Poor battery life after extensive use. 

Best Heart Beat Baby Monitors

If you were underwhelmed by the Angelcare video monitor, then don’t worry. You are about to be impressed by Angelcare and its competitors. 

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Angelcare AC327-3 in 1 Baby Monitor with Camera and Night Vision - Incudes a Sensor Pad for Temperature Monitoring

This is what Angelcare are famous for; their movement monitor pads go under the cot mattress, so they never touch the baby. If they detect no movement such as breathing, fidgeting or twitching for 20 seconds, they alert you.

This is primarily to avoid the risk of SIDS in babies and can be a real help for parents who struggle with anxiety over their baby’s safety while they are asleep or out of the room.

Their parent unit is rechargeable, can be wall-mounted (hallelujah!) and has night vision too.

Pros

  • Baby movement monitor alerts you if your baby hasn’t moved for 20 seconds.
  • Night vision and digital display with room temperature sensor.
  • Clear sound with minimized interference.
  • Large 4.3-inch screen.
  • Two-way talk

Cons

  • No vibration function
  • Does not work with memory foam mattresses, but these are not recommended for babies in any case.
  • No lullabies or night light.
  • Connection can fail - Some reviewers report difficulties with their parent unit connection.
  • Not as many features as Angelcare’s higher-priced products.

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Owlet Monitor Duo - Cam and Smart Sock 3 - Baby Monitor with HD Video Camera - Night Vision and Audio - Track Heart Rate, Oxygen and Sleep Trends (0-18 months) - Mint Green

This is probably Angelcare’s biggest rival. Owlet has made a smart sock which tracks the baby’s heart rate, oxygen levels and sleep trends accurately.

It boasts that it provides a “complete picture of Baby’s safety”. That’s what all parents want.

This system has one smart sock they can wear as they sleep and a video monitor which connects to your smartphone.

The camera will tell you when Baby wakes or cries, and the sock will alert you if your baby’s vitals leave safe parameters. Of course, the price reflects this, but it is only as expensive as Angelcare's top range monitor systems

Pros

  • Baby Heart rate and Oxygen monitor alerts you if their vitals are not in the safe zone.
  • Night vision and digital display with room temperature sensor.
  • Wireless charging.
  • Live streams to smartphone app.
  • Two-way talk.
  • 16-hour battery life and fast charging.
  • Includes wall mounting kit and cord management kit.
  • Includes two socks in sizes 1 and 2.

Cons

  • Babies may take some time to get used to the sock. They might be better under a sleepsuit, so they can’t pull it off themselves.
  • With such a complex monitoring system, some errors are bound to occur. Some users reported connection issues and that the app crashes sometimes.
  • High price point.

Best Baby Monitors Buying Guide

When you’re looking at which baby monitor to get, there are many factors to consider and while one type of monitor may work for a friend, it may not fit your requirements.

So, here are the questions to ask yourself before you settle on one product. 

14 Best Baby Monitors

Do I Need Video?

You might feel better knowing that you can see your baby in their crib or cot at any time, day or night, but trust us when we say the joy will rub off.

You’ll be seeing plenty of the little angel throughout the night in the first few weeks and months.

Furthermore, you won’t be lying awake at night watching them breathe on the monitor, you’ll be asleep. Audio-only monitors worked for many years, and with updated technology, they function well.

Do I Need A Long-Range Monitor?

If you have a large garden or house, it might be a good idea. There’s nothing more frustrating than trying to put the washing out to dry while the monitor is beeping at you to say it’s out of range.

If your house isn’t large though, and you’re not planning on being far from the baby during nap times, then a standard range should suit you fine.

Conclusion: Which Brand Is Best?

That’s not too easy to answer. If you like using a tried and tested brand then you can’t go too far wrong with Motorola, V-tech and Angelcare as a start. Then again, you can get better value for money from lesser-known brands.

When in doubt, check the returns policy and the warranty and play with it before the baby arrives, so you know you are happy with it.