Best Baby Monitor Ratings

Baby monitors are an important tool for parents because they provide parents with peace of mind. Whether they are new or experienced parents, baby monitors allow parents to see or hear what their baby is doing, depending on what type of monitor they choose. While the idea of a baby monitor is a great one, there are so many different makes and models on the market how do parents know they are picking the right one.

This buyer’s guide is about explaining the different types of baby monitors available, as well as how each baby monitor works. The buyer’s guide also explains to parents what features they should look for to ensure they get the best baby monitor available. So before you go out and purchase a baby monitor take a quick look at this guide to ensure you are getting the product that best suits your needs.

Currently there are three different types of baby monitors available to choose from, sound, movement, and video. Each of these monitors provide parents with a way to monitor their baby, it is just the method that varies. A sound monitor allows parents to hear everything going on in the nursery, while a movement monitor alerts parents if their baby stops moving, and a video monitor allows parents to watch what their baby is doing. While parents can choose from those basic monitors, there are also combination monitors available that allow parents to see, hear, and monitor baby’s movements from the next room.

Before purchasing a baby monitor there are specific features that parents will want to look for. These features are important because they affect how the product works, as well as determine how well the product works. While not all products are going to have every feature the ones included are the most basic features, so they should be found on each product in one way or another.

Must Have Features for the Best Baby Monitor

• Portability – Baby monitors need to be easy to pick up and carry around. Parents are usually never in the same room for an extended period of time during the day, so they need to have a device they can easily carry with them. Being able to carry the device around the home or even out into the yard is important for peace of mind because it allows parents to know that baby is safe.
• Clear audio and video reception – Baby monitors should have very little interference, preferably none. No interference gives the clear audio or video reception that parents need to hear or see what baby is doing. This prevent parents from having to guess at what is going on or even checking up on baby when it isn’t necessary.
• Visible signals – While all baby monitors come with audible alarms the visible signals are also a must have. The visible signals help keep parents aware of what is going on in baby’s room because they pulsate as they pick up noise, the more lights that flash on the louder the noise. These are important to have because sometimes you might not hear the noise due to a noisy surrounding.
• Range – A baby monitor needs to have enough range to cover the entire home, so the larger the house the bigger the frequency that is needed. The problem with the bigger frequencies is that it also increases the chance of interference, so consulting with a specialist in frequencies is recommended.
• Bandwidth – Sometimes the frequency on the monitor must be switched, mainly due to interference. Monitors that have a narrow bandwidth are rather useless. Broad bandwidth monitors cost a bit more, but are worth the extra expense.
• Low battery warning – Monitors that run off batteries need to have a low battery warning, whether it is a light or a gauge. This alerts parents as to when to recharge the batteries or even change them. Some monitors come with charging bases for recharging the battery while others require you to use disposable batteries. In terms of disposable batteries rechargeable is still the best choice because they will save you money over time.

Popular Brands of Baby Monitors

Knowing the features to look for in a baby monitor is important, but so is knowing some of the most popular brands. Your popular brands are often the ones that have all of the required features and then some. Here is a look at some of the most popular brands available.

• Angelcare – These monitors can be found as movement only monitors, but also in a combination format. The most outstanding feature that the Angelcare monitor has is the sensor pads that are placed underneath the crib mattress to monitor movement. The sensitivity of the pads is adjustable so even the smallest movement can be picked up. The sound quality on the models that come with a sound monitor is crystal clear with very little interference.
• Philips AVENT – Parents looking for a video and sound monitor that provides crystal clear sound and video reception should choose this monitor. One of the most outstanding features of this brand is the swivel feature that comes with the camera. The camera can be adjusted to focus on any point in the room, including a bird’s eye view of the crib.

Even though some brands are more popular than others that doesn’t mean that they are better than the other brands. Before buying a baby monitor parents need to find the monitor that has all of the basic features, plus any extra features that they need.