Not all baby monitors are created equal.
Some have so many “extra” features that they feel complicated, bulky, and definitely overpriced.
Whether it’s used while you visit to the neighbours, head to grandma and grandpa’s for the night, or take your baby on vacation, you'll want to bring your monitor.
We scoured thousands of reviews to compile this list of parent-rated baby monitors.
But, first thing is first—here are our top picks.
Article Guide
Top 10 Best Baby Monitors
#1: Infant Optics DXR-8
#2: Nest Cam Security Camera
#3: iBaby Monitor M6S 1080p
#4: Hello Baby Wireless Monitor
#5: Video Baby Monitor
#6: Minilabo Baby Monitor
#7: Babysense Video Baby Monitor
#8: Summer Infant In View
#9: Philips Avent SCD630/37
#10: Motorola MBP36S Baby Monitor
Out of sight, out of mind doesn’t apply here. At least not with babies.
A baby monitor is an essential piece of baby gear that you shouldn't leave home without.
Even if you’re not a huge traveller, a reliable baby monitor can help you get some daytime gardening done during those afternoon naps or some DIY home renos when you’re single-parenting it! #parentproductivityhacks
Do yourself a favor and seriously consider getting a baby monitor. Having a baby monitor gives you peace of mind and added freedom (and that’s hard to come by for new parents).
Price
Because nobody likes getting gouged. So, we’re here to help you figure out if the product is worth its price tag (or if it’s just a dud. Woomp).
Function and Features
We’re talkin’ viewing angle, pan and tilt ability, zoom (optical vs. digital), two-way audio (so you can prank your baby), battery life (if it comes with a rechargeable one), and effective range. Plus, we figure out if there’s anything else that makes this product special. We lay it all out on the table.
Ease of Use
How hard can it be to set up a baby monitor? Well, when you consider both hardware and software, the plot thickens. Is it versatile? Can you view the camera on other devices? Or do you have to use the proprietary monitor (and trust me, that sucks for all the obvious reasons: charging it, keeping track of it, carrying it around).
Durability
Is the internet plagued with horror stories of failed devices, warranty claims, and regret? Or simply one great review after another? We don’t want you to buy a lemon. So we did the research to spare you the trouble.
Let’s do this!
The 10 Best Baby Monitors
| Two-way Audio: |  (5 / 5) |
| Features and Function: | (5 / 5) |
| Price: | (5 / 5) |
| Durability: | (5 / 5) |
| Average: | (5 / 5) |
The DXR-8 baby monitor from Infant optics gives you every feature you could possibly need to spy on your baby. And more that 20,000 reviews tell the whole story on this popular unit. It has it all, including remote panning and tilt, two-way communication, great night vision, room temperature sensor, and even interchangeable lens (sold separately).
The action is displayed on a slim 3.5 inch LCD color display that provides clear images in both well-lit and dark backgrounds. And it has a great battery life of 10+ hours. It gets our top mark (but if you don’t need something so flashy, check out number 2 – it’s the one we bought!).
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: |  (4.0 / 5) |
| Price: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Average: |  (4.8 / 5) |
This “baby monitor” (because it’s actually marketed as a home security camera) boasts high-definition camera (1080p), two-way communication, and smartphone integration features. It’s also super compact and extremely easy to setup.
But what makes it amazing, is the software that runs it. You can access live video from your camera anywhere in the world using any wifi capable devices (e.g., smartphones, tablets, or computers). This is super handy because ain’t nobody got time to find, charge, and carry the dedicated baby monitor around, let alone travel with it. Believe me when I tell you it’s so convenient to grab your phone or open a new tab on your browser to quickly check on your baby. Plus, you can even do this when travelling for work (using your own iPhone) when you start to miss your little creature.
But it gets better.
The Nest Cam software, sends “intelligent alerts and snapshots” when any activity is detected by their software. That means you can relax, and know your baby is absolutely fine until you get a text-message-like alert. This feature is great and I trust it so much that I’m comfortable gardening after my baby has gone to sleep because I know I’ll get an alert if she wakes up.
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: | (4.0 / 5) |
| Price: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Durability: |  (4.5 / 5) |
| Average: |  (4.6 / 5) |
Here’s another smart baby monitor that allows convenient connectivity to Apple devices or any android-powered devices. With a simple download of their free App, you can turn your iPhone, iPad or Mac into a monitor.
We admit it – we love not having to worry about charging and carrying around a dedicated baby monitor. So this option gets high marks for function! Having said that, the iBaby monitor is a bit pricey and we’d recommend going with the Nest Cam because it’s an established brand and has very positive reviews across the board.
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (4.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: | (4.0 / 5) |
| Price: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Average: | (4.5 / 5) |
This is another great find at a reasonable price. It has a range of up to 960 feet and relies on 2.4 GHz wireless transmission technology. It also has a portable parent unit with long battery life – up to 8 hours on a single charge. The 2.4 inches LCD display delivers brilliant images which you can optically pan and tilt into using the digital zoom feature (not quite as good as #1, but decent).
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: |  (3.5 / 5) |
| Price: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (4.0 / 5) |
| Average: |  (4.4 / 5) |
The video baby monitor is a great option for both travel and home use. For such a small device, it strikes a perfect balance between features and simplicity. It can play lullabies and cast light patterns on the ceiling.
This model also offers above-par functionality, delivering crisp audio and visual feed at the simple touch of a button. A good minimalist option as far as hardware goes, but #2 is waay better imo.
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5 / 5) |
| Function and Features: | (4 / 5) |
| Price: |  (3 / 5) |
| Durability: | (4 / 5) |
| Average: | (4 / 5) |
The Minilabo monitor offers decent features at an affordable price. The Minilabo and the Babysense monitor (the next monitor on our list) basically have the same features and functionality. The only difference is you won’t need to carry an extra pack of batteries if you decide to go with the Minilabo baby monitor because it has an integrated rechargeable battery pack. Plus is also has an eco mode that shuts off the camera when no sound or movement is detected.
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: | (4.0 / 5) |
| Price: | (3.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (3.0 / 5) |
| Average: |  (3.8 / 5) |
This baby monitor from Babysense features eco-friendly voice activation (it turns off when the room is silent), and sound-activated LED indicators (indicates how loud your baby is screaming using lights). It also comes with a mounting hardware. Pretty sweet for a budget monitor. I just worry about the long-term durability– some users report unexpected premature failures.
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: | (3.0 / 5) |
| Price: |  (2.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (3.0 / 5) |
| Average: |  (3.3 / 5) |
Looking at it from a price standpoint, we felt the Summer Infant monitor could have packed even more features to make it a good buy.
The only stand-out feature worth mentioning is its extra-large 5 inch handheld baby viewing monitor. It comes with a rechargeable battery and a range of up to 600 ft. – which we found limiting especially if you have a large house or want to venture a little further away from your sleeping beauty.
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: | (2.0 / 5) |
| Price: |  (1.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (3.0 / 5) |
| Average: |  (2.8 / 5) |
You should steer clear of the Philips Avent if you’re on a tight budget. This baby monitor from Philips is an overpriced device that lets you keep tabs on your baby but with limited features to boast of.
Pros
Cons
| Two-way Audio: | (5.0 / 5) |
| Features and Function: | (2.0 / 5) |
| Price: | (1.0 / 5) |
| Durability: | (3.0 / 5) |
| Average: | (2.8 / 5) |
With a listed battery life of only 3.5 hours, it’s tough to keep this setup running smoothly. It does however have a few decent features, but with everything that’s going on in your life with a new baby, we can imagine this device is one that’s not worth the hassle.
Pros
Cons
There you have it – the top 10 best baby monitors. Take it from us, these things really help give you confidence during nap time. We use ours to be more productive after the baby goes to sleep without worrying that we’re negligent parents!
Snap one up to start enjoying peace of mind and better parenting-productivity now!
